Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!

Over on Country View crafts this month, our topic has been "Hot Summer Days".
Here we are, almost into September, but still time to join in with us.

For this piece, I decided to work in my "Girls Annual".
I began by using DecoArt Crackle Paste through a Tim Holtz stencil. Next, I sprayed Pink, Orange and Yellow Dylusions onto my page and added a little Paperartsy infusions which soaked into the crackle.
Next, I roughly tore a selection of Washi Tape strips and added, then stamped some flowers from Emma Godfrey's so useful stamps, and finished off with a few buttons, some of which are threaded with wool.
Finishing touch were some wooden letters sprayed with Red Dylusions.
I feel that this sums up some of the sizzling days that we have encountered this summer.

Please have a look on the Country View Crafts blog for more inspiration.

Products Used:- DecoArt Crackle Paste; Dylusion Inks; Paperartsy Infusions; Tim Holtz Stencil; Emma Godfrey stamps.

Vintage Journey Guest Spot.

I was really honoured and flattered to be asked to present a guest piece on "A Vintage Journey" blog.
The inspiration by their designers is so varied and of such quality. I only started to participate fairly recently but am so enjoying the journey with them.
The topic for this month is "Stencil It".

I worked in my, now, very favourite repurposed girls annual. A charity shop find with the most wonderful quality pages which are really card.

I began by gessoing the page and gluing a few pieces of manuscript paper down. The stencil that I chose is one consisting of bubbles or circles.

I pressed Decoart Crackle paste through the stencil in 2 places and left to dry.

Next, I selected 2 Paperartsy fresco paints...Taupe and China Blue, and layered on some paint with my fingers. Before it was dry, I popped the stencil over the top and removed some of the paint with a baby wipe.

Then, once again with the same stencil, I dabble brown and blue archival ink over the page creating another layer.

My fourth use for the stencil was to draw through it onto some paper stash and cut out some assorted circles which I added. I added some White Fire treasure Gold to my circles to highlight the crackle.

Finally, I added a photo from Tim Holtz Photo Booth and chose a poem from another charity find about Love Without Hope.

I do hope that you like my creation and pop over to the Vintage Journey blog to enjoy lots of inspiration.

Zesty Zing

I am currently creating a "Scruffy" journal. It is scruffy because it is made from torn recycled packaging with exposed bits of corrugated card adding to the texture of the pages.

Tonight, I created a double page using some very bright papers from a free set of papers that I have had for years. They were designed by Kate Knight.

I began by covering my pages with randomly torn and glued papers. I knocked them back with some Paperartsy fresco Chalk. I added some bits of torn page and then brayered lightly over it all.
I covered the pages with Clear Gesso and then sketched a face.
This was painted with more fresco paints.
I cut out some flowers from the Kate Knight papers and added them. I also added a phrase from the Tim Holtz Small Talk collection.
I finished off with some doodling and some Distress ink, Picked Raspberry, around the edges.

I am entering this into the That's Crafty Zesty Zing Challenge.

Astrantia

I am on a bit of a crafting frenzy at the moment as my Grandchildren have been away.....back onto the treadmill tomorrow! Only joking....I think!

Yesterday evening I spent some time sketching pics of a beautiful Astrantia plant which I have in my garden. Today I took photos and printed them out and created different photos, trying out image transfer techniques.
The one that I chose for this piece is an image printed out onto Photo Fabric.

It started out as a double page in my vintage annual, but the right hand page was a mess, so I settled for half of it.

This page has been gessoed and Grunge paste applied through a Donna Downey stencil.
Then I coloured over the letters with an Apple Green inktense pencil and added some distress stains in the wrinkle free method.
I mounted my pic onto some cotton using Fuse A Web and added just a word from Tim Holtz Big Chat.
I shall enter this into the A Vintage Journey Monochrome challenge. It started out monochrome but a tiny bit of colour crept in, in the disguise of Ageing!

Vintage Journey Monochrome.

I really am on catchup this month after a lovely week away. I love the stimulation of the "A Vintage Journey" blog and wanted to add my contribution.

I worked in my "Girls Annual", it has wonderfully thick pages and I like to include the picture that is on the page too.

I began by lightly gessoing over the written part of the page and then added lots of different papers and a few bits of lace and hessian. Also some DecoArt crackle paste through a Dinky stencil.

I then added a wash of Paperartsy Snowflake fresco paint and built up layers of white sprays, distress sprays and Infusions Limoncello. Lots of dabbing ensued.

I added some more texture with texture beads and some white pearls.

I wrote in White pen in the available spaces and finished off with a motto....and a few encouraging words.

This piece reminds of school when I used to compete in the Reading Competition. It entailed learning a poem and reciting it in front of the class, then the year, then the school. I always got to the final but never in the top three, but I tried really hard. My Derbyshire accent failed to impress the judges by the side of several plummier tones. Happy Days, even though you don't really appreciate them at the time.

I am entering this into the Vintage Journey Challenge.

Hot Summer Days in Almeria

This is my first piece for Country View Crafts on the topic, selected by Jane, entitled "Hot Summer Days".

I decided to use a photo from last year's family holiday. As our Grandson was starting school last September, we decided to take everyone on holiday to Spain last summer. 

We stayed in the Almeria region, as we have Spanish friends who live there. We spent happy times meeting up and learning about their part of the world.

This is a photo of Isabel and myself, sitting at a pavement cafe, having a relaxing time. 

I have chosen the colours from the photo in my journal composition....fresco paints Banana and China.

I began by gessoing my page and, adding one of my favourite techniques, drippage. 

Next, I selected Emma Godfrey's lovely flower stamps, EEG14, and stamped with Manganese Blue archival ink.

I mounted my photograph onto blue mirri card, and stamped more flowers onto a paper stash pad of matching colours. Once cut out, I added them to my pic. I dressed it up with some prima flowers and small buttons.

Finally, I added the words Friendship, Sunshine and memories from the Tim Holtz Ideology Big Chat.

Thankyou for looking and I hope that this has inspired you to use your precious photos in journalling.

Products used:-Tim Holtz Idea-ology Big Chat, Emma Godfrey stamps EEG14, fresco paints Banana and China, Archival Ink Manganese Blue.