Nature's Paintings

Hello all.  I hope you are well and enjoying a peaceful weekend.  I'm here with another page for the Summer Countryside theme I'm hosting over at Art Journal Journey this month.  This time I've been imagining someone spending time wandering through meadows, finding somewhere peaceful to sit and read for the afternoon before heading home again... gathering wildflowers and grassy stems as they go, to take a little of the summer countryside home with them.

I'm still working in the square 8x8inch journal, but this time I've almost covered the bright white page.  There are some book page fragments (the book that's being read), and some of the kraft wrapping paper I've been using to decorate some of my craft room storage (old fruit crate makeovers - to be shared here some time soon).

I quickly brayered on some watery white paint and then did some spattering with Speckled Egg and Salvaged Patina Inks and Oxides.

I upped the inky splotchiness on a couple of tags - Speckled Egg, Salvaged Patina with added Peeled Paint - which I then ran through the BigShot with some of the lovely Tim Holtz Wildflower Thinlits.

I gathered my stems into a little posy and tied them with fine twine (fiddly and a bit messy, but that's fine by me).

I added some extra pencil detailing and also some shading around the stems to make them pop a little better against the busy background.

The strip of lace and added book page rolling hills also serve to set the flower stems apart from what's behind them.

I knew which quote from my new PaperArtsy EAB21 Nature Edition set I wanted to use.  I think this image of Nature painting beautiful pictures for us is magical... a reminder to always pay attention to the works of this master creator.

It's stamped in Salvaged Patina Oxide and clear-embossed (protection from any future moisture, but also a lovely way to catch some light and add a tiny extra bit of dimension).

The insects flying around are, unfortunately, an inevitable ingredient in any afternoon spent outdoors in nature (I'm dealing with multiple mosquito bites at present - but I don't think these are those evil creatures!!).

Funny how a butterfly is always an exception from the anti-insect sentiment.  I'm always happy to have one of those come and sit nearby, or even on my arm.  

This one is from the Idea-ology Field Notes ephemera pack, and has a little metal number brad keeping a tally of how many butterflies have fluttered by.

I added a bit of leafy stamping in Salvaged Patina Oxide to bulk out the posy a bit (being an Oxide, with pigment as well as dye ink in the mix, it shows up well against the kraft too)...

... and I'm pleased with how that simple bit of pencil work gives the daisy some shape and depth.

A little bit of white splattered paint freshens things up like sparkling sunbeams lighting up dewdrops, and that's pretty much that for this page spread.  I hope you like it.

I've got a little behind with visiting the entries at Art Journal Journey, but I'm looking forward to catching up again in the next couple of days.  I'm really looking forward to seeing what you've all been celebrating about the Summer Countryside - and do come and play along if you haven't already.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I'll see you again soon.  Have a great week, everyone.

I like this place and could willingly waste my time in it.
From As You Like It by William Shakespeare

I'd like to share this page at the Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge where they are playing a theme of Frilly and Funkie... I've got lace and flowers for the frilly, and I hope the metal and glossy embossing adds a touch of funkie!

I'm just in time to join in with the Lazy Days of Summer over at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - finding a quiet spot in the meadow to read and then gathering some wildflowers to take home... that's enough activity for a lazy day, right?!