Imagine Simplicity

Hello all!  I've taken a turn for the simple today...

I've been aware for some time that there's a big difference between the multi-layered, mixed media, busy creations I seem to make most of the time, and the simplicity and minimalism of the things I actually like to have around me or that are, for instance, pinned to my "beautiful things" or "how do I want to live" boards on Pinterest.

I love the creative extravagance of all the mediums and paints and textures, but I think at some point there will be a journey for me to take exploring simplicity.

A little touch of that reared its head this week as this tag formed itself on my craft table.

Ironically, it arises out of a very full-on piece on which I used some of these lovely natural sprays of dried wild grasses for the first time.  (You won't see that for a week or so yet, I'm afraid, but keep an eye out at Calico Craft Parts!)

Since they were sitting on the table, and since I'd adored how they looked on the other project, I found myself wanting to use them again.












It was a short step to one of my all-time favourite Tim Holtz stamps, and the background is a piece of Tim Holtz paper (I think from French Industrial).

At this stage, my brain was thinking, "Ooh, well, I could add some stencilled texture paste in the background, and ink around everything, maybe layer in some inky stencilling and stamping,", and I had to be quite firm about replying that actually I really liked it just as it was!












In the end I did alter the paper just slightly with a touch of gesso and then a tiny bit of additional text stamping in Pumice Stone because the gesso had obscured too much of the original script.  I could have left out those two steps altogether!













Some gesso'd book page butterflies hover around...













... and the Game Spinners which form their bodies give a simple metallic echo of the word band below.

I'm doing a lot of envisioning at the moment of how I'd like to shape the next stages of my life, so this word band is a useful bit of encouragement, and the torn gesso'd book page just makes it pop a little to catch your attention.

Simplicity rules for the topping too - some crinkle ribbon, lightly spritzed, and tied with fine twine and all is done.

Of course there is white splatter - seems I can barely do without it these days - but even that is done in a very minimal way.  Still, it does seem somehow to bring things to life.

Some Hildegard von Bingen playing in the background, this tag coming in to being on my craft table, and some gentle sunlight breaking through the clouds... simple things which make me very happy.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I wish you all a weekend of things which make you happy.

Simplify, then add lightness.
Colin Chapman

It's minimalist rather than messy, but the splatter plays a big role here, so I would like to enter this in the Splatter, Spritz and Smoosh challenge at Stamps and Stencils.  I expect I'll be back with something altogether messier later in the month!