Saturday 24 January 2015

A few of my favourite things...

Hello all!  Alison (butterfly) here to share another journalling page with you.  This one centres around a vintage photo and one of my favourite Katy Leitch flower stamps.  Cups of coffee at the ready?  Let's dive in...


I started by layering torn book pages and heavy gesso into a kraft-paper journal (still working through the pages carved out of my candle niche!).


The next step was some stamping... the Encyclopedia Botanica flower and one of my favourite Calligraphy Mats, number #4, stamped in Sepia, and with clear-embossing for the flower to give extra definition.


I then started playing around with ephemera and embellishments and it all came together without me really thinking very hard.


This wonderful young woman from the Darkroom Door Photobooth sheets was really the catalyst.  (Since I'm having to be patient about getting my hands on the new Tim Holtz Photobooth release, I'm playing with these for now!)


The determined set of her mouth and the humorous gleam in her eyes drew me to her at once.  Here's someone setting out into the world with her head screwed on straight and ready to pursue her desires.


She's layered up over some Tim Holtz ephemera, some shabby lace and some stained calico from when I did my last rusting session (a long time ago... there needs to be another one very soon).


The journey she takes will undoubtedly be full of twists and turns, but you can bet your bottom dollar she'll grit her teeth and come out smiling in the end.  This word from Journalling Words #2 seemed the right one for her.  The layers here include some more of the rusty calico as well as some tea and coffee-stained tissue paper.


You'll recognise the book page Frameworks Trellis pieces (they put in an appearance on my New Leaf tag as well as my Russian Love Is In The Air hanging)... 


Here they've had lots of shading (with Inktense pencils and a water brush) to embed them in the page.


I found when I was looking at some of the photos that I couldn't make my eyes see them properly - they kept either sinking in to the page or sticking out - a sign that the shading for dimension is doing its job, I suppose.


It was while I was creating the shadows around the Frameworks and the other ephemera - with various blue and grey Inktense pencils - that I decided the flowers might look good with some "sky" around them.


I'm really pleased with how it makes the image pop.


The other elements which made an early appearance in the plans were the wooden butterflies.


I already like them in "naked" wood, but for this page I decided they should be crackled.


I used the Croco Crackling in White again (as on my last journalling page here).


And then added splodges of Black Soot, Gathered Twigs and Vintage Photo Distress Stains, wiping back and adding more until I was happy with the grungy look.


The little wooden buttons I did leave naked - though they did get caught in the splatter fire!


You'll have spotted the metal accents - some Idea-ology pieces that worked with my young woman... business-like cogs and paper clips, and the Muse Token which is definitely hers by rights.  I sanded it back to give it an extra burnished glow.


So that's today's bit of fun.  The journalling does seem to have taken hold, and I'm enjoying the freedom it's giving me to play.  I'm hoping you're still enjoying the results!


Thanks so much for stopping by today - it's always lovely to hear what you think.  Oh, and there's still almost a week to come and play in our New Beginnings challenge... hope to see you there.

Ingredients used:
Artistic Stamper stamps: Katy Leitch - Encyclopedia Botanica, Journalling Words #2, Calligraphy Mat #4
Archival Ink - Sepia
Distress Stains - Black Soot, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs
Idea-ology Findings - Muse Tokens and Gears
From my stash: gesso, wooden butterflies and buttons, book pages, rusty calico, tissue paper (plus tea and coffee), lace, Sizzix Frameworks Trellis, Tim Holtz Ephemera (but there are similar things here), Inktense pencils

24 comments:

massofhair said...

Wonderful page and story Alison, loving all the layers and textures as always:-) xxx

Notations of a Crafter said...

What a gorgeous page Alison I do like layers and texture and the colouring is fab x

Jane said...

What a beautiful piece, I love all the layers and shading. I was bought some Inktense pencils for Christmas...I must have a play. Thanks for sharing x

Ruth said...

The flowers are a beautiful addition and the crackled butterflies are something else, loving your journalling phase....long may it continue! Ruth x

Deborah said...

It's a fantastic photo and your beautiful page really does it justice. Do like how you've used the Inktense pencils to blend things into the background.

Sid said...

Love your journal front !

Shilpa Nagaonkar said...

Loving your craft journal, Alison :)
Page is awesome, loved your composition here, background and front element are perfectly placed

Sandy said...

Art journals seem to be the perfect place for your pretty vintage art work. It's like peeking into an old trunk! What will I see next!
Sandy xx

Jackie PN said...

Just fabulous! I really love how you use those trellis pieces in your work and your shading is perfect to bring them forward but not too much! Will you show us a tut when you do your next round of rusting? Would love to learn from a master ")
Truly, another beautiful page Alison! xo

Pamellia said...

Absolutely incredible Alison! WOW! I love the contrast of the rustic and the shabby, so appealing! The torn book pages is such a great idea for adding interest in the background and I adore all the wonderful textures on your elements! Such a thing of beauty!! hugs :)

Terry said...

So much to take in, Alison! Love the vintage feel and all the lovely elements that make this one great page! Hugs!

Kay Wallace said...

This is just such a wonderful journal page, Alison! I love how you take bits from here and bobs from there and magically bring them together to form one unified piece of artwork. I so admire your unique talent! Mwah!

sally said...

Another wonderful story page....such a fertile mind you have!

Sally

Jennie Atkinson said...

A wonderful journal page Alison - fabulous colour combinations and such wonderful layering. Love it. Jennie x

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

LOVE everything!!!

Helen said...

As always, some incredible touches and images, textures and stories!

Julie Lee said...

Alison, this is a complete delight! I love how you used the Inktense pencils and the rust is gorgeous! Rust and blue are just fabulous together. That young lady is beautiful. There is something so real about her and I want to stretch out and touch the little crackle butterflies. You are always an inspiration - I have a feeling I've said that before! xx

www.deeadamsart.blogspot.co.uk said...

What I really love about your art is the stories that you spin around them it makes them come alive in a way that is very unique, also how they influence and develop the art as the story unfolds. Brilliant! Dee x

craftytrog said...

Gorgeous details and textures Alison! I love it! xxx

Unknown said...

Beautiful journal page, Alison!!

Astrid Maclean said...

You're really rocking these journal pages Alison, another beauty and great use of those stamps!

Cocofolies said...

A glorious page, all the elements work so well together and these flowers are just so gorgeous indeed!!! Great work Alison! Coco xx

Dorthe said...

Absolutely wonderful Alison, LOVE your sepia tones and the splashed look all over. Your butterflys visiting the stamped wonderful flowers are also fantastic !!
Just love it.
Hugs,Dorthe

Artyjen said...

Fabulous...such a great page.
xoxo Sioux