Seize the Moment journal page by Sue Carrington

Hello, it's Sue here for my last GDT post for September. I would just like to take the opportunity to thank Jenny and Emma for inviting me, I've had lots of fun playing with the Artistic Stamper stamps.

So, for my final project I decided I would do a journal page. I've only recently discovered how much fun journalling can be, you really do have the freedom to do whatever you want. It's a great way to experiment too which is what I've sort of done with this page !

I have long admired the wonderful effects that can be achieved when, what appear to be, random objects are stuck down and then painted over. I guess the most well known person for this technique would be Finnabair (absolutely adore her work!) So, I thought let's give it a go ! I went through my stash of assorted metal embellishments and arranged them on the page. When I was happy I glued them in placing using Claudine Hellmuth's Multi-Medium Matte glue.

When the glue was totally dry I then brushed over the whole page using Vanilla Fresco Finish paint. This colour is opaque so covers really well. I let that dry and then I used a mixture of a paint brush and a baby wipe to add a layer of Mermaid Fresco Finish paint, but I didn't completely cover the page, I wanted some lighter areas to show through. I kept on building up the colour in the same way using Bora Bora, Baltic Blue and Inky Pool Fresco Finish paints.

Then I used a small mister bottle and filled it 3/4 full of water and added some Baltic Blue and Little Black Dress Fresco Finish paint. I gave it a good shake and then spritzed the page ! When the paint was dry I then started to add some stencilling using The Crafters Workshop Spinning Tops stencil and Vanilla Fresco Finish paint. I also used the Reverse Chicken Wire Stencil and the Mini Numbers stencil with Baltic Blue Fresco Finish paint.  I did some random stamping using the Swirls Splats and Dots and the Sequin Waste Open stamps. (You will see this detail in a later photograph. I got carried away and forgot to photograph this step!)

 I then started to make some of the embellishments. I stamped some DIY masking tape with the number stamp from the Numerical set using black Archival ink. I then cut them into strips making sure I was close up to the edge of the stamped image.

I used masking tape again and this time painted it roughly with Baltic Blue and when dry brushed over the top lightly with Mermaid Fresco Finish paint.I then stamped onto the strips using the Journalling Words 3 set, again using black Archival ink.

I stamped the flower from the Botanical Plate 1 using Cornflower Blue Archival ink, masking off the extra leaves, and then stamped over the stalk using the Pyrex Bottle stamp using Watering Can Archival ink. I also stamped the little bee from the Insects and Butterflies set onto the flower. I then cut them out and glued it to the page using foam pads with a little help from some Multi-medium Matt glue.

I also stamped a little insect onto each of the word strips, which you can just about see on the above photo. I decided that I wanted a darker colour over the metal embellishments so used the same mister that I had used earlier but added more Little Black Dress Fresco Finish paint to it and then spritzed again, being careful not to spritz the whole page. I added some little black buttons from my stash and then to finish I brushed some White Fire Treasure Gold over the raised areas of the metal and added some Glossy Accents to the centre of the metal flower.

I hope you've enjoyed my journal page today !

Sue