Pace yourself

Hello all, and thank you for stopping by.  The sun is out for the first time in days so there's a slight lift in the mood here.

I've got a quick journal page for you, created with the current Art Journal Journey theme in mind.  It's called Words To Live By, and Halle the host is specifically looking for us to use "found" words or handwritten ones.  

I don't generally have magazines around, and I haven't had much time lately for trawling through books to find phrases that excite me, but then a Neal's Yard Remedies catalogue popped through the letterbox, packed with lovely words and phrases, and that's what I've used here.

I was playing in my Dina Wakley Media Journal, so the page is about 10 x 7.5 inches in size, and it's the canvas page, so it's got lovely texture going on before you even start.













Paper scraps were my first port of call... leftover pieces lying around the craft table which needed using before I lost patience and started yet another scraps-to-use box!

















Over that I used a palette knife to add a rough coat of gesso, keeping plenty of texture and movement in it.
















Then some strips of washi and design tape (yes, it's another variation on Live the Dream Jennie's fab technique)... 

















... followed by some DecoArt Media Crackle Paint, again scraped on quite roughly.
















Once that had done its thing, I spritzed on some Stormy Sky and Faded Jeans Distress Sprays.
















I love how this looks when it's still drying, but am always a bit sad at how much it fades as it dries.  I could have gone in with another spritzing, but I was ready to move on.















These two Paper Dolls were crying out to be allowed on to the page!
















They've got the customary shadowy tissue tape to give them something to stand on...













... and some simple layered lace and cheesecloth running behind them to give the page some horizontal structure.















I've no idea where the little wire heart came from, but it's been tucked in my bits and bobs box just in front of me on the table for months.  This seemed to be the right moment to put it to use.















And here are some of those words from the Neal's Yard catalogue.













Not only lovely thoughts, but in just the right colour tones too!














I love all the background texture... a gentle page, but it makes me happy.  I hope it does the same for you.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I'll see you again soon, either here or elsewhere in Craftyblogland.








Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going to fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.
Eddie Cantor

I'd like to play along with Words To Live By over at Art Journal Journey
I'd also like to join in at Frilly and Funkie where they are looking for Embellishments, Trinkets and Trims - well, having finally got round to using that little heart, and with the lace and cheesecloth trims, this should qualify
At the Creative Artiste Blog they are celebrating their 50th Anything Mixed Media Goes challenge - it would be rude not to join in, don't you think?!