PaperArtsy Journal Challenge

Decided to have a go at Darcy's Journal page challenge this month over on the PaperArtsy blog ... however I have some limitations! I prefer to work on an smaller scale so cut my background card 6" x 5" ... because of the smaller size I only used a selection of the techniques Darcy used and my page is very different from hers ... although with a similar feel regarding the colours which I loved ...

The techniques I used were ...

1. Ripped book pages for texture - taken from this old Ready Reckoner bought this morning for 50 pence at a car boot sale.

2. Mainly translucent paints ... I painted my card first with Snowflake Fresco Finish as it was a piece of packing - you can see it top right in the picture below ...

I mixed some of the translucent colours together but forgot to write this down in detail ... I used Blood Orange, Beach Hut, Zesty Zing, Tango, Limelight, Hey Pesto, Pumpkin Soup and Inky Pool. Right at the end I used a little Mermaid to the flowers and Little Black Dress around the edge of the card. This is the card at this stage ... all wiped back with a baby wipe as I didn't want this too strong.

3. Glued in stamped images - the heart frame and the flowers were stamped on separate pieces of painted white card, cut out and glued down ... the turquoise border was stamped directly onto painted background in Snowflake paint then filled in with Snowflake and then with Beach Hut mixed with Inky Pool and then re-stamped (badly - this was tricky but in the end I liked the grungy look this gave) ... this is how Darcy did her border.

4. Window frame - not sure how successful this is really but i like the way the flowers are framed

5. Using a white pen to highlight

6. Masking off areas - the turquoise border was masked when heart border was stamped

To do my shading I used an Inktense pencil colour Bark and like how it 'grunged' this up a bit

I meant to take a few more photographs along the way but got so involved I forgot ... I used PaperArtsy stamps - Swirls and Curls 4 (an all time favourite) , HP1009 and LPC014

PS Some of the other techniques Darcy used are on yesterday's hanging heart post- just coincidence!