'Happiness' Art Journal Page

Hello lovely people and welcome to my blog.  

Here I am again to share another Art Journal page with you.  Wow!!  This is a first for me ... two journal pages in a row.   My Journal pages usually take quite a long time for me to finish because I never really know what I'm going to do.  I am still experimenting with this medium and I very rarely have a design in my head when I start.  I do usually know the colours I want to use but once I've got that on the paper I don't always know where to go from there so it sits on my desk until I decide what to do next.  This page was a bit different.  I started with the basic colours and it all came together quite quickly from there.  It still took most of a day but when you consider that they usually take me a few weeks to complete, this one came together very quickly indeed.

 After posting my last page, I was in the mood for getting a bit messy so started creating the background colour.  I tried laying down some gesso but still don't seem to have the knack.  I watered it down a bit thinking that might make the difference but for some reason, when I coat the page with gesso the colour just seems to disappear.  I've seen other people's work using gesso and theirs is fabulous, but I just can't seem to make it work. Consequently my first page ended up in the bin.  It was an awful mess.  So then I started this page without the gesso and it worked!!  I'm really happy with this background ... I love the dark, richness of it!!  I used watered down Distress Inks in Brushed Corduroy, Broken China and Walnut Stain and also used watered down Viva Precious Metal Colour in Olive.  You can't really see it in these photos but the green has a lovely golden sheen to it.

 Brushed on some 'Clear Rock Candy' Distress Crackle Paint in a couple of places and used 'Walnut Stain' through a  Crackle Stencil by Scrapbookncraft.  Used a music stamp by Prima with Memento Tuxedo Black and the top from one of my spray bottles dipped in gesso and then in Black Soot Distress Stain for the circles.

 The hearts were cut from some plain cardstock with a Fiskars Shape Cutter and then coloured with Fired Brick and Mustard Seed Distress Ink.  Glued them onto the page and then outlined them with a black watercolour pencil and also highlighted them with a white gel pen.

 Here you can see the other patch of the crackle.

I had actually intended to put flowers on this page, hence the washi tape which was meant to be the ground.  When I changed my mind and used the hearts instead I tried to remove the tape but it started tearing the paper beneath it so I simply left it there.   

The quote stamp is from Kaisercraft.  Stamped it with Memento Tuxedo Black and then clear embossed it.  I was very pleased with myself that I finished this page so quickly and I must say, I am really happy with the result, it really represents how I feel about my life right now.  I am very, very blessed to have a wonderful, loving family and some amazing and treasured friends, so my heart really does bubble over with happiness right now and happiness is so much better when it's shared isn't it??
Even in the tough times we really do need to sit back and count our blessings.

Thank you so much for visiting, I am really pleased you came to have a look.  Please do come again.

Take care and God Bless.

oxox Marg

Butterflies and Washi Tape

Hi everyone!!  Welcome to my blog.  I hope you are all having a lovely day.

I actually have an Art Journal page to share with you today.  'What!!' I hear you say?  'No, Step Card?'  Nope, not today!  Today I have an Art Journal page.  Do I hear cheering????  LOL

 This page has been sitting on my desk for an age waiting to get finished.  I was experimenting with different sprays and drips and this was the only one I really liked so I kept it, but I had a lot of other things to make  and I really didn't know what I wanted to do with it and so it just sat there.  I would look at it from time to time, and each time couldn't make up my mind as to what to do so would give up and do something else.  Then, finally, the other day I did the stamping around the edge and added the Washi Tape and it was like a dam broke and it all came together in a very short amount of time. 

 Added strips of Washi Tape in the middle, did the background stamping with a Kaisercraft script 

stamp ...

... stamped the KC Flutter stamp onto some tissue paper  and glued that down with some Multi Matte Medium and coloured the stamp with some Watercolour Pencils.  Then I stood back to make up my mind as to what to do next .... and decided I love it just the way it is.

Unfortunately the stamping on the tissue paper is a little fuzzy but I still like it.  Adds character I say!!

Thank you so much for visiting and I would love it if you would leave a comment to let me know what you think..  

Please take care and God Bless.

oxox Marg

In Step with Meg's Garden Damask Collection

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog.

I'm back to share my Meg's Garden DT Project with you today.  This card is made with the stunning new Damask range of papers. Once again, it's a centre Step Card.  I think I'm stuck in a rut.  I seem to be making a lot of these step cards but I just love working with them.  So .......  I guess there probably wil be quite a few more to come.  Really hope you don't get bored ???  

 As you can see I've incorporated a few different papers from the collection in this card to create the layers.  Some of the papers are from the Mini Pack and some are scraps from the 12 x 12 sheets left over from another project.  The leaf flourish on the side panels was stamped with Memento 'Tuxedo Black'. 

 For one of the layers I've used a square doily cut in half  and scrunched up a bit and then placed a torn piece of the paper over that.  Added a bit of lace and another strip of torn paper.  I love using odd bits of paper.  The uneven edges look more interesting to me that regular straight cuts.  The flourish and the twigs  were cut from cardstock with my Silhouette and the label was fussy cut from one of the mini papers.  You'll also see I've inserted some small branches in between some of the layers for extra interest.  The small gem sprays are from Magnolia Ink.

 Just a closie of the layers.  You can also see I've used a little bit of gesso in the corners and down the side as well.

 This gorgeous flower was white originally, but it simply looked too stark against the rest of the card so I decided to give it a bit of a make-over.  I gave it a burst with my Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Spray in Sea Grass Green and 'voila' now it blends in beautifully.  Well, to me it does anyway.  I really love that the centre is now more or less a solid green and the petals have also got some spots of colour as well.  Wetting the flower with the spray actually caused it to open out a bit and gave it more dimension ... you could say the spray made it blossom !!  LOL

 The chippie border is from Little Birdie and I've simply coloured that with some watered down Acrylic Paint.

And there you have it.  My Centre Step Card made with the new Damask Collection papers.  These papers are truly beautiful and such a lovely colour.  The photos really don't do them justice.  Why not visit Meg's Garden shop and have a closer look, you can find it HERE.  Believe me, you won't be sorry.

List of Meg's Garden Products used:

Blue Belle Jardiniere 12 x 12 Paper - P6380

Blue & Green Damask 12 x 12 Paper - P6368

Framboise Fleur 12 x 12 Paper - P6370

Damask Mini Paper Pack - S120

Gardenia 3 Layer White - gar wh

1.6cm White Lace - L2920

Mini Square Doily - bond10

If you'd like to see the awesome projects created by my Teamies please visit Meg's Garden Blog HERE

Thank you so much for visiting with me here today, I really do appreciate you taking the time. 

I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.

Take care and God Bless.

oxox Marg

Shabby in Blue

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog.  I hope you are all having a lovely day.  

It's a beautiful day here in Adelaide.  A little bit cool, which suits me to a tee, and beautifully sunny.   It is Autumn though, so that could change at the drop of a hat.  In the meantime, I will simply make the most of it.

I have made another step card that I'd like to share with you.  

 The papers used are Kaisercraft's Hidden Treasure.   The only ones I have actually cut are the doily, which was cut in half and placed diagonally across opposite corners, and the base paper.  The rest have simply been torn to the sizes I wanted.  It gives them a wonderful distressed edge and a lovely shabby look.  

 
This lovely little flower is a gardenia which is available from Meg's Garden as are the copper leaves.

This chipboard piece is from Little Birdie .  I simply painted it with gesso and, when dry, randomly applied some Helmar glue and sprinkled clear glitter over it.  

The papers were curled using a Kaisercraft Tool and I also wrapped some different sized twines around the bottom and tied it in a bow.

I fully lined the inside with paper from the same collection and decided to place some contrasting strips on the stand for some extra strength.

Just a closie showing the layers.

I really love this paper, especially the one with the tiny floral pattern.  Took a while for me to actually use it and now it's gone.  Ah well, I hope whoever gets this card will appreciate the sacrifice.  hehe!!

Thank you so much for visiting and for any comment you might leave.  I really do appreciate you taking the time.
Please take care and God Bless.
oxox Marg

A Thank you for a Sweet Friend

Hello my lovely visitors and welcome to my blog.  I do hope you are enjoying your day.  We're getting quite a bit of rain in Adelaide today.  It's wonderful!!

I'd especially like to welcome my new followers.  Thank you so much ladies for joining me, I really do appreciate it.

Today I'd like to share a card I made as a Thank you to a dear friend.  I have known this lady for a number of years and she would have to be the kindest soul you could ever hope to meet.

 The papers I've used are from Maja's 'Walking in the Forest' Collection.  I've also used a little bit of Prima's Sunrise Sunset paper for one of the die cut layers.  

 The flower is from Prima.  I've had it in my stash for quite a long time and finally found the right place to use it.  I love the little charms and pearls attached to it.  

 The base paper was cut to size and then distressed but all the other layers have simply been torn to the size and shape I wanted.  Makes it look extra shabby, and I love that.

 Added some bits in between the layers such as the half square doily, the gauze and the punched sprigs.

The two chippies on the side are Imaginarium's Tiny Keri Flourish.  They have been coloured with Walnut Stain Distress Ink and then lightly brushed with Versa Color Gold.

Tucked a KC paper flower in at the bottom, which was also lightly brushed with gold Versa Color, and also added some strips of Tim Holtz Washi Tape.

Rolled some of the edges of the paper.  I really love that look.  The flourish shape under the flower was cut from white cardstock with my Silhouette.  I then stamped it with Kc's Script stamp and edged it with Tea Stain Distress Ink to make it blend in.

On the inside I simply adhered a number of torn strips of the Washi Tape.  I need to find a really lovely friendship quote to add to the card before I can give it to my friend.

My friend loves blues and orange so I am really pleased that I found this paper range.  It was perfect for my card.

I am so pleased you came for a visit and thank you for taking the time.  Hopefully you enjoyed it enough that you will want to come back.

Take care and God Bless.
oxox Marg

The Colour Purple

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog.  I hope you are all having a wonderful day and that the weather is being kind.  We've had some lovely weather here in Adelaide lately and I for one hope it will continue.

It's been a little while since I posted here, and I won't bore you with the reasons why, but I'm back and hope to post a bit more regularly from now on.

So, to business.

My youngest Grandson celebrated his 17th Birthday yesterday (where has the time gone?????) and this is the card I made for him.  You can obviously guess that he is quite fond of the colour purple.

 Yes, I'm afraid it is another Centre Step Card.  Actually it is another Cross Over Centre Step Card.  I really am fond of this shape, so there probably will be more of these to come.  The papers I've used are from Kaisercraft's Check In and Glitz's French Kiss.  A bit of a mix but I feel it worked quite well.  The panels on the side were created with an EK Success Border punch.

 I love that I can make some tags to go with this card and it's fun looking for different labels and quotes to add to them.

 On the centre panel I've added some Washi Tape some builder's tape and also a piece of plastic gutter guard as well as a Tim Holtz Ticket  and Dominoes from Kaisercraft's Art of Life Collection.  The significance of the dominoes is that they add up to 17 (my Grandson's age).  The arrow chippie is one of the gorgeous pieces that came in my win from Scrapmatts.  Coloured it with purple Acrylic Paint and some Bronze Versa Color and then clear embossed it.  The clock was cut from black cardstock with my Silhouette and lightly brushed with Versa Color Bronze.

 The Chipboard Ruler is from Prima and the label is also from KC's Art of Life. 

 Just a close-up of the tags and more labels from KC. The backs of the tags were left plain.

 This is how the card looks without the tags ...

 ... and a closie of the layers.

All done!!!  I love working on these cards, they really stretch the creative thinking because there is quite a bit to decorate.  Hope you like it.

Thank you so much for your visit and I would love it if you could leave a little message and tell me what you think.  I read each and every one and love them all.

Take care and God Bless.

ox Marg