Winter Journal XI

Thank you for all your kind well-wishing... I'm starting to get on top of the cold, and am plunging into the final stages of the countdown to Christmas.  Off to collect the decorations from storage shortly, then the tree will go up on Saturday, maybe some baking on Sunday and present-wrapping, of course (always done with It's A Wonderful Life playing in the background).  But in between, there may still be a little crafting to be done.  I suppose it's no surprise that while I've been feeling unwell, I've mostly stuck to my blue/brown/white comfort zone, and this page continues the pattern.

Of course, since this is a winter journal rather than a Christmas journal, there's no reason I can't carry on during and after the 12 Days.  There's a page 12 ready to share too, when I have time to blog it.  And maybe there's more to come after that, or maybe it has played itself out now.  We'll see how we go!

I'd been thinking about getting the little Townscape On the Edge die involved in these pages.  I've always liked these quirky little houses.  And I was nudged into action by the moodboard at Mixed Media & Art (see the foot of the post).












I like that they have a slight look of gingerbread, some sugared or iced, some in plain form (a.k.a. various washes of either Ground Espresso or Vintage Photo Distress Stain, or watery white paint).













The Cosmos Blue Colorex ink had to come out again.  Its vivid tone really lifts the spirits, and it looks great over the heated gesso, falling into all the swirls and bubbles.















The boy is raring to go, ready to take his ice skates for a spin on the frozen river... and then maybe he'll just keep following it downstream in search of adventure. 














The metal typed token gives away the dreams in his heart... of leaving this little village and heading out into the world.













Sometimes you have to leave the safety of home to find out where you are meant to be going in life.














There's more of the torn washi tape in the background, lightly brayered over with some watery white paint.  And I stamped my little TH background stamp again, but this time in Snowflake Fresco.  I love the little Cosmos Blue spatters too.













Some tangled thread echoes that sense of movement infecting his dreams.  (Also, notice how the white paint stamped snowflakes have almost disappeared into the blue ink... I tried several times, but that strong pigment kept winning!)

There's a little bit of blue sky here at the moment, and that makes it easier to contemplate everything that needs doing... so I'd better get on with it.  Hope you're all doing okay, and I'll see you again soon.







I wondered about the explorers who'd sailed their ships to the end of the world. How terrified they must have been when they risked falling over the edge; how amazed to discover, instead, places they had seen only in their dreams.
From Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult

I'm playing along again at Art Journal Journey for Bleubeard and Elizabeth's themes of My Favourite Season/Tis the Season - yes, I'm sticking with winter!
And I'd like to join in at That's Crafty Challenges where you'll be happy to hear that Anything Goes

I'd also like to share this at Mixed Media & Art where the moodboard in this month's Winter Melody challenge is right up my street, both in colour palette - the blues and whites and browns - the wintry atmosphere, especially the night sky, and those little houses