Monday 10 February 2014

One day I'll fly away...

Hello everyone, Alison (butterfly) here with some journalling pages created in a small hardback book.  (Remember you can always click on a photo for a close-up.)


If you've come from my Words and Pictures sneak peek, you'll already know it's not a happy love story being told here.  If you're all loved up for Valentine's Day, you might want to skip it!  I might as well issue a long post warning too while I'm at it.  Cups of tea (or maybe shots of whisky) at the ready...


I've used stamps from the Birds of a Feather plate to express the need of this woman to break out of the relationship which is keeping her caged up.


All she wants is to be set free, to be allowed to fly high and alone.


There are little hearts all around the page, but if you look closely you'll see that many are actually slightly broken, cracked hearts (a touch of Crackle Accents over the Grunge Paste).


And although the cage is a beautiful one it's still a prison...


I started with some torn strips torn from the Tim Holtz Kraft Resist Paper Stash, stuck down with medium.


I started playing with the elements I wanted to include, the stamped and fussy cut bird and cage, and the little vintage photo.


Next I swept some paint over them, working from the spine outwards.  I used Grunge Paste to add the tiny hearts through a stencil, and finally added some splatters of Espresso Color Wash.


But I wanted some blue to add a melancholy feel - so I dabbled and spritzed Stormy Sky Distress Stain across the pages.


I added some extra stamping - the words from Katy Fox's Carte Postale set and some postmarks from the same set.


And having worked out the positions with the fussy cut versions, I now stamped the birds direct to the page using Sepia Archival ink.


I outlined some of the hearts with a PITT pen, and later added Crackle Accents to those ones.


Some Vintage Photo Distress Ink swiped over the whole page warms the tone of the papers again and highlights textures, including the little hearts.


I just had to use my new Spring Greenery die to add the ivy trailing across the pages - I hope it will be amongst Jennie's new CHA stock soon!  It's cut from Kraft Core in the 12 x 2.5 inch size - exactly right for cutting Decorative Strip Dies.


I sanded it and then inked over with Stormy Sky and Vintage Photo Distress Stains to give it the weathered look.


And I added one of the Idea-ology Compass Coins, dabbed with Stormy Sky... which way will she go once she is free?


Both she and the bird cage are layered over some torn book pages, edged with Distress Ink.


And the little bird has had a touch of penwork just to bring him into focus.


And the final touch was to add a couple of woodcut meadow grasses, inked with Stormy Sky Distress Stain... no more wandering in the meadows with her lover for this woman.


These mementos will now lie, forgotten, between the pages of a book.


So there are my pages for you - a walk on the darker side of love in the run-up to Valentine's Day.


What can I say?  Not everyone enjoys the 14th February...


Thank you so much for stopping by.  Come and play along with our February challenge - all you have to do is Use Distress.  But you don't have to be distressed to do it, and I wish those that celebrate it a very happy Valentine's Day!


The only whole heart is a broken one, because it lets the light in.
David J. Wolpe

Ingredients used:
Artistic Stamper stamps: Birds of a Feather, Carte Postale
Idea-ology Compass Coins
Idea-ology Kraft Resist Paper Stash
Core-dinations 12 x 2.5
Grunge Paste
DecoArt paint: Titanium White
Fresco paint: Stone
Distress Stains: Stormy Sky, Vintage Photo
Distress Inks: Gathered Twigs, Vintage Photo
Adirondack Color Wash Spray: Espresso
Archival Inks: Sepia, Coffee
Crackle Accents
PITT pens

41 comments:

pearshapedcrafting said...

How can heartbreak be so beautiful? - I guess only when it's Alison style! Nothing like a journal page for expressing your feelings! This is just breathtaking! Chrisx

Paper Profusion said...

You would also do well Alison as a author, you have eloquent words at will for each post narrative. Well Im probably darker by nature than lighhearted so welcome your illustrating both sides of love and realities of life. I think you've presented this lady's predicament beautifully, with super metaphors and sense of desperation. Excellent journalling indeed.

Couldnt sleep so just back to bed with a hot chocolate before I read this. I best turn out the light now! Have a lovely week. Nicola x

Dagmar said...

Your work shows the other side of love - but it looks like so beautiful!!!!
Hugs, Dagmar

Nan G said...

A beautifully illustrated and eloquent piece, Alison! Love it!

Inkypinkycraft said...

Alison from the layers to the colours and textures to the story you are telling...simply wonderful! Hugs x

May said...

Gorgeous work Alison..the texture & stamping is beautiful...the story is sad but wonderful too...Love it all... Hugs May x x x

Meihsia Liu said...

Such stunning pages, Alison. The colors, embellishments and the textures are stunning. Great design. :)

Helen said...

oh, this is so beautiful, so sad... so lovely! Beautifully written and crafted post.

sally said...

Love stories do go wrong in real life , so it's only right that the darker side gets captured for posterity too....a beautiful spread Alison even if it is a sad one.

Sally

margits bastelstube said...

wow - this is very specia! i like it!!!
greeetings
margit

Deborah said...

Such a stunning anti-Valentine, Alison.

Astrid Maclean said...

A stunning creation Alison, such a poignant, wonderful piece, - love the sad undertones that demonstrate the other side of love so clearly. Great step by step too and of course, all my favourite colours!! Interesting Wolpe quote too, never heard that one before.... will have to think on that one...

Annie said...

This is amazing ......fab depiction of love. I adore the wonderful layout and details you have created.

TFS and huge hugs
Annie x x

JoZart Designs said...

What a captivating story so exquisitely illustrated. Methinks a beautiful book should follow.
Jo

Renee said...

This is so beautiful! I didn't feel that it was sad, of course I was already watching her fly out of that cage. Wonderful story.

Redanne said...

I thing your pages are stunning, even though tinged with such sadness but I think Wolpe's quote says it all really! Anne xx

Jennie Atkinson said...

A beautiful journal page and so wonderfully crafted. I love the sentiments behind the page - despite the sadness your page is so full of life as how wonderful it is to be set free!

cathylynn said...

I knew this would still be gorgeous even though it's sad. Hey that's life! It make us appreciate the good even more after we experience the bad. These are lovely journal pages.
Hugs, Cathy-Lynn

Princess Judy Palmer said...

Gorgeous project! Fly and be free, little bird!

Kathi said...

Beautiful and poignant pages.

Thanks for taking us through your creative process!

Anonymous said...

Completely & utterly STUNNING Alison. It's just gorgeous.

Corrie Herriman said...

Wonderfully executed pages and wonderfully explained !
Corrie x

Dianne said...

Hello Miss Alison, this is just BRILLIANT, I'm single by preference,so Valentine isn't an occasion for me, the darker side of love is life too and you have depicted it brilliantly, that background is FABULOUSSSS, all the texture you created with those fabulous elements, is stunning, what a superb journal page, that book is going to be full of master pieces, creating how you feel is what it's all about, thanks for sharing it, hope you have many happy days too, ((( BIG HUGS)))

Sid said...

This is fantastic with such detailed instructions !!

WendyK said...

Beautiful pages with a sad but lovely story. Love the colours you have used.

Dominike said...

Your work is so beautiful...

Unknown said...

So glad I popped over for a better look. I love it! Valentine's Day is over rated in my book and I've been married nearly 28 years. Who needs one day to say I love you when there's 364 other days that are just as good. ;) Beautiful journal layout Alison and thanks for the inspiration, as always. Hugs

Alie Hoogenboezem-de Vries said...

Your detailed pages are so artistic Alison...a joy for the eyes!

Fliss said...

Wow! Completely stunning Alison - love it!
Fliss xx

mark gould said...

Absolutely stunning. I'm a big fan of pieces that have a touch of sadness. In many ways they are even more real. Xxx. Stunning pages.

Margie said...

It might be a sad story Alison but I'm so grateful for the walk through of how you constructed your pages. That really helps me a lot to see it built from scratch, thanks so much. Margie x

massofhair said...

When you create ArT from your Heart there is nothing more compelling than the final page or canvas.

Thank you for sharing such a wonderful project and thanks for all the detailed instructions :-) xxx

Hope you have a happy day everyday too:-)

Sandy said...

Hey Sugar - I dare say most of us if not all of us have walked on the dark side of love. It takes courage, strength and time to break loose from the cage. And even then, at night the ghost still haunts us in our dreams.
Alison you are so very talented. Never in a million years would I come up with all the layers your do. I love you and I love your artwork! You are one in a million Sugar Bear!!
Sandy xx

Juliz Design Post said...

Your work is so beautiful.

Julie x

Artyjen said...

Stunning pages...love the story behind it...perfect arty creation ;)
xoxo Sioux

Geraldine said...

Wow, this is a stunning page, love the colours and textures and the story that goes with it.

Titbelsoeur, mixed-media addict said...

what a real stunning page !!!

hazel said...

This is so beautiful.
xxx Hazel.

toni said...

Wonderful layout Alison and great storytelling, love the colours and stamps you've used x

craftytrog said...

Beautiful!!! xxx

Kezzy said...

Wow wow wow absolutely stunning awesome journal page, you do broken hearted so beautifully :-) Kezzy xxx