I'm travelling into a new way of working, a new country, a new language, and a new hobby which I'm passionate about. Come with me for some of the journey...

Friday 1 August 2014

The Way You See Me

Hello all!  It's been relatively quiet round here lately, but it's that time of the month again, when there's a sudden flurry of activity, new challenge themes kicking off left, right and centre.

First up, I'm here with the news that Anything Goes at The Artistic Stamper this month!  As usual, you don't even have to use Artistic Stamper stamps on your creation, but if you do you'll get two entries into the prize draw, so come and play...

Since the amazing France Papillon is celebrating 100 Journal On Monday posts, I decided to head for one of the many journals of various sizes and shapes and types that I seem to have on the go.  I really wanted to try to leave some clear space, rather than fill every last inch as I often do... and this is what arrived on the page.


Anything Goes, so I've just grabbed lots of stuff I love to play with...





There's lovely subtle crackle texture...















... and layers of book pages, paint and tissue tape...













... and stamping of course...














... and collaged ephemera on top of it all.













And a combination of words and pictures that somehow got me right in the heart.










Let me take you through some of the layers.  It all started with some torn book pages...


... then the washi tape came into play - butterflies and script, of course.


And then a good wash of gesso to soften the whole thing.


Not soft enough, so then another coat of gesso, as well as some script stamping, using Calligraphy Mat #4.


I still wasn't sure where any of this was going, but I wanted some texture involved.







I turned to the Croco Crackling Colour in White and just smeared some on with a palette knife in opposing corners.

I don't seem to have taken a picture of that stage, so you'll just have to catch it in the close-ups!












Regulars will know I'm pretty obsessed with Katy Leitch's new jumbo flower stamps, and that's what I grabbed next.












The Camellia has not only the main stem, but several individual flower heads in the set.













I stamped those around my pages in Potting Soil Archival ink, trying to embrace imperfection where the stamping wasn't perfect.











It's inevitably imperfect because you're going over the texture of the washi and the book pages - that's all part of the fun.









I still had to decide how to create the focal points for the pages - and that started to come together when I found the two Darkroom Door Photobooth photos which had the same couple in slightly different poses.


Suddenly I could see how it might go...










So I grabbed lots of paper scraps and ephemera from the Tim Holtz ephemera packs, both the Expedition and the Thrift Shop ones.






I sorted through to find suitable pieces in colour tones that would complement my layered background, inked the edges, and began to create new collaged layers with my scraps.













I needed some more dimension, and I can never resist a bit of metal, so I grabbed a few skeleton leaves and "rusted" them with Distress Embossing Powder in Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain for extra texture.












I tucked them in and around my layered papers.
















I love how, since they're only the leaf veins, you still get to see other textures through them.











The sentiment seemed perfect for the couple.  I stamped it on some spare card, and snipped the corners to echo the shapes of all their tickets, saved to remember all the films and shows they've seen together.












I really wanted to add some loopy threads but, believe it or not, I seem to be out of white cotton - ah, well... I'll just have to add them another time.

So apologies that it's apparently not even a finished page!











The final touch was to add lots of splatter - it's done with the Ground Coffee and White Linen Dylusions, splattered off the unscrewed spritzer from inside the bottles.

I did cover the photos and of course my precious words while I did it, so that they didn't end up splattered too.









So that's what went for me as I played Anything Goes - what will go for you?!  I do hope you'll come and play along this month... check out the challenge details and some more inspiration from the Artistic Stamper team here.  And I'll be back before breakfast with the next new challenge theme of the month.  Hope to see you then!

So, til the judgement that yourself arise,
You live in this, and dwell in lovers' eyes.
Final couplet of Sonnet 55 by William Shakespeare
(one of my all time favourites)

I'd like to enter this in the following:
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and my J is for... journalling
And I'd like to link up to celebrate 100 Journal On Monday posts with the fabulous France Papillon.  I created this with that celebration in mind, though I ended up having to publish it before her link went live - but I hope I'll be allowed to join in with the fun.

Ingredients used:
Artistic Stamper stamps: Jumbo Camellia by Katy Leitch, Calligraphy Mat #4
Viva Decor Croco Crackling Colour in White
Archival Ink - Potting Soil
Gesso
Tim Holtz French Industrial Paper Stash
Ephemera Packs by Tim Holtz - Expedition and Thrift Shop
Idea-ology Tissue Tape - Composer
Washi Tape - Script (maybe 7 Gypsies or Prima?)
Skeleton Leaves
Distress Embossing Powder - Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain
Dylusions Sprays - Ground Coffee, White Linen
Book pages
Darkroom Door - Photobooth pictures

40 comments:

pearshapedcrafting said...

I absolutely adore this! White space too!!! Journal pages are the perfect way to relax! Still grinning!! Hugs, Chrisx

Amanda said...

Beautiful pages, you might have gone for blank space but still loads of lovely textures and embellishments to look at and of course stamping.
Love
Amanda x

Krisha said...

Alison, these pages are just stunning, love the photos of the same two people. Very rick looking work.

Anneke said...

Simply gorgeous.. Everything fits perfectly. Beautiful work.
Thanks for showing Anneke.

Sue Marrazzo Fine Art said...

I really love the layering...COOL!

barbarayaya62 said...

As always you use neutral colors so stunning! You are incredibly talented! I love these pages! BArbarayaya BArbarayaya

Helen said...

Stunning in every way - the texture, the colours, the stamping and embellishments. Love this page. Want to play right now in my journal but work calls... drat!

Astrid Maclean said...

A stunning spread Alison, great background layers and I just love how you have layered all the ephemera pieces etc, fabulous!!

massofhair said...

Beautiful pages Alison, great post with lots of inspiration :-) xxx

chrissie said...

Beautiful pages. Everything you added worked so well together and it is good that you left some of the white very inspiring :)

Off to read the whole of Sonnet 55

Love Chrissie x

Chrissy said...

So gorgeous Alison..love every bit of it..lovely photo.

luv CHRISSYxx

hazel said...

Stunning pages, I love how you've put them together and the images are lovely.
xxx Hazel.

Lisa Minckler said...

I love that sentiment! Now if someone would just see me skinny I'd have it made!! Bwahahaha...just kidding.
Your LO is fabulous Alison. How you've seen fit to embellish and loosely frame them in all this vintage wonderfulness is perfection.
Here's to a wonderful and relaxing weekend, hopefully. :)
hugs,
Lisa x

Meggymay said...

Beautiful two page spread, great colours and added awesome details.
Yvonne

rachel said...

stunning pages Alison - beautiful details - love those pictures - fabulous xx

Redanne said...

Terrific pages Alison and a fantastic way to show the versatility of the ephemera pieces - love this! Anne xx

Juliz Design Post said...

Alison I am totally in love with these 2 journal pages, your layout is amazing and I'm so glad you gave us lots of ongoing photos to see. Thoroughly enjoyed my visit today.
Julie x

Nan G said...

A couple of fantastic pages! Love the sentiment.!

Smile_Art said...

ooooh! it's so amazing work woth absolutely great details :) love it! :)

Anonymous said...

Beautiful pages Alison! Love the layerering and the design across the 2 pages. Sue C x

sam21ski said...

Absolutely stunning xxx

Ruth said...

Absolutely.....don't know what to say next as I just keep repeating myself....it's just perfect, love the colours and I'm seriously tempted by Katy's stamps. Beautiful as always Alison x

Paper Profusion said...

Gorgeously arranged Alison - love how you have 'built' this artistically beautiful and romantic piece. Nicola x

May said...

Stunning journal pages..the layers & stamping is just Perfect... Love it... Hugs May x x

Mrs.B said...

Stunning pages. Love the pics of the processes and so many gorgeous details.
Avril xx

Sandy said...

You have the best ideas Alison! I need to really get going with some art journals.
Sandy xx

Marjie Kemper said...

Not only is this a truly gorgeous spread, but it's also a wonderful tute. TFS! Off to pin.

Andrea Ockey Parr said...

LOVE all those dreamy layers of different elements. Your pieces are always intriguing because there are the obvious focal points which astound and amaze, but then there are all of the subtle details, too. The longer I look at your work, the more I find to admire in it. And thanks for sharing the process steps along the way! I appreciate the inspiration of this piece and am so glad you shared it with us for this week's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!

Inkypinkycraft said...

wow and wow, the colours I love and just beautiful Alison, love this so much. I cannot seem to get journalling but this appeals to me x :) sorry I am so behind!

Kasia said...

Absolutely beautiful journal pages, Alison! Love all these lovely details on them :)

Unknown said...

Totally amazing! I need to do a proper catch up because I have missed so much. Promise to do so soon. :)

Kezzy said...

Wow wow wow truly gorgeous unique journal pages. I love the background, simple but with lots of yummy texture. The images are awesome, and I love all the ephemera, really brings the whole thing together. Kezzy :-) xxx

Unknown said...

really stunning! love love it!

Julie S said...

This is really stunning. Beautifully composed monochromatic spread.

delphine said...

really beautiful and romantic page!

Unknown said...

WOW ~ What a beautiful page. Just love all the detailS ^_^

france papillon said...

Who says softness can't be striking? Beautiful!
Thank you so much for sharing your process and for joining the 100th Journal on Monday celebration :)))
xx
france

maria's knutselplezier said...

What a great page Alison , so beautiful to see how you put old pictures in the right invirement, I love that , thanks for showing I can make a nice fhoto album of my faily now I love the way you did this!!!

Greetings
Maria

Scraps of Elegance said...

thanks for kick starting my mojo Alison! I've already prepared my art journal book and laid down the foundation of the first page. I'm terribly excited to see where it takes me. I found your post so very inspiring. ty xxxxoooo

Matilde said...

A marvellous page!