Hello friends! I can’t believe that it’s already at the end of the month! I feel like this month went by very quickly, but as the weather gets warmer, it seems the more I want to be out. Spring is always a great time to start seeing those pretty flowers which also means more weeds to pull too!
It’s time for the monthly Art Journal Page collaboration with my crafty friend, Carol (from Crafty-Stamper)! We get creative trying to use up our never-ending stash piles along with a prompt for each month. I know she will have some wonderful inspiration to share, so please check out her blog too! Here’s my AJ page with the “SMASH OUR STASH” April prompt of “SHINNY/SPARKLY” :
I am a sucker for anything that shines or sparkles! So of course I had so many things to choose from in my stash to play with! I really had loads of fun making this one and the photos do not look quite as “wow” as it does in person of course, but you can probably guess what it may seem like once you know all what I’ve done.
For the background: I used my normal pre-punched holes on a 6″x9″ watercolor paper and covered it with water spritzing and Brushos Crystal Color media in lemon, orange and brilliant red. Once dried, I went around the edges with a scrapper and white gesso. (I didn’t use a ton of it, just enough to make a scant frame. Once that was dried, I took a leafy stencil with coordinating colored Distress Oxide inks and sponged over the page randomly. I then spritzed with large water drops, once dry, I sprayed the whole page with shimmer spray.
On the dragonfly, you can see directly on the page a bit of a shinny gold shadow under the wings. I have this dragonfly stencil that I used Deco Stencil Paste over that when dry, you can foil over it. I did that directly on the page where I wanted the dragonfly and then again on a black piece of cardstock that was cut out. I added some black string (This was a stray piece of string from a project that I did not use, so I decided to re-use it for this project) around the dragonfly, glued the center down over top the one on the page and then used black foam tape over the wings to give them a bit of a lift. Before gluing down the cut out dragonfly, I used a gray Big Brush marker to create more shadows around it. I also used a white Big Brush marker to create the dash lines around the page.
The sentiment was a piece that was cut out from a magazine that I recycled to use for this page and attached it with media paste. I used the grey Big Brush marker to add some shadows around it as well.
On the left side of the page, you can see some gold sparkles which were created with another Tim Holtz Christmas stencil that I had which looked like fun sparkle images. I used some gold glitter paste to go over that and then I took some gold Stickles glue to add some details with dots in various places.
And this is just one more photo of trying to capture that shine and sparkle:
Perhaps you can see more of the shine and sparkles in there. I just had to move the page around in the light to get it in just the “right spot” to capture it better, so pardon my fingers in there.
Really hope you’ve enjoyed my AJ page today and gotten some inspiration! Thanks so much for stopping in! I’ll be seeing you again soon!
Challenges:
- Country View – Things with Wings
- Art Journal Journey – Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose (black string & sentiment)
- Creative Moments – Wings and Things
- Arty Divas – Anything Goes
- Crafting From the Heart – Anything Goes-no cards *First challenge*
Stamped Smiles 
Wow Vicki, this is fabulous! All those gold touches and fabulous background give that amazing dragonfly a great place to rest. Looking closely I can see all those amazing subtle details you added and this turned out gorgeous! Well done! Happy Spring, I hope all is well with you these days.
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Beautiful page, Vicki! Interesting background in vibrant colours and an amazing dragonfly! Temperature is getting a bit higher overhere, but it still isn’t real spring.
xxx Margreet
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Oh my goodness I am blown away! The card base colors are so bright and cheery. Then that dragon fly is just incredible! I totally need to check out Deco Stencil Paste. I have never heard of it and just think it looks incredible on this card.
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Awesome! Love the faux shading too 😀
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Beautiful page Vicki and love the inky,sparkly stencilled background,love the faux shading and fabulous gold Dragonfly-love it!
Carol x
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Hi Vicki, great to seee your beautiful entry at AJJ, and it really has sparkle and shine. The background is fabulous, such beautiful colours! This is really a winner, and a fantastic way to use up some stash, I know we all have a tad too much! Have a great weekend, hugs, Valerie
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I’m loving the background on this Vicki – colors and shine and everything. The dragonfly is sensational with all that shine too! Absolutely stunning! WOW!
Lynn
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Gorgeous Vicki, I love that colourful and textured background and the shine on the Dragonfly is remarkable..I also love the recycled sentiment from a magazine, that was clever thinking, fabulous page, I love it..
Luv CHRISSYxx
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Well the shine on that dragonfly… Wonderful make! So gld you shared it with us at Country View Challenges!
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This is a Wonderful page Vicki ! The background you have created is gorgeous, lovely colours, texture and layers. I like sparkles too. The dragonfly is really fantastic. Amazing Artwork.
Have a great Monday, big hugs
Caty
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Wow Vicki. That dragonfly does shine. It’s such a beautiful page, and I’m glad you could capture the shine. It’s tough to photograph it, isn’t it? Like glitter sometimes too. This is such a lovely piece for your challenge with Carol, and it works great for Elizabeth’s recycle challenge at AJJ. Thanks so much for joining us. And happy start of May to you also. hugs-Erika
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I am big on glitter and shimmer mists, so I could see the glimmer because I have seen my own so many times and know what to look for and spot. I LOVE what you did with the background. I also love the dragonfly and how you used the string to outline the dragonfly. Clever use of recycling. I also like that you repurposed the sentiment, which gave us both the theme and set the mood of the journal page. Thank you so very much for sharing this with us at Art Journal Journey, Vicki, using Bleubeard’s and my theme.
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Stunning page and love how you an Carol challenge yourselves… brilliantly made xx
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its gorgeous!
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So pretty! I love things that sparkle and shine too, and that dragonfly is the bomb! Dragonflies and butterflies are my favorite things with wings! Great page!
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Oh my love the dragonly – absolutely beautiful. I wanted to reach out and touch just to make sure it wasn’t real. What a great AJ page – from the background to the focal image.
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Hi Vicki, what a cool page. I’m so impressed how you made that dragonfly with the paste and foiling, I thought it was a die cut. Wonderful stenciling and shiny bits all around! Thanks for your sweet comments at my blog. Come play at May AJJ! XOX
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WOW! This glow is stunning. A beautiful dragonfly in a golden version on a fabulous background.
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Amazing colors and design. I love the dragonfly and the gold touches. Always know I am going to see something wonderful when I visit, and love how you explain everything!
Hugs
Sue
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Oh what a stunning journal page! The whole journal must be absolutely amazing. Thank you for sharing with us at Crafting From the Heart XXX
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Hi Vicki! Your page is absolutely beautiful! I love the gorgeous background, the use of your dragonfly, and your wonderful sentiment! It’s perfect for Elizabeth’s April theme for AJJ! Thanks for sharing your art with all of us. Hugs, Sharon
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Wonderful colors, Vicki, and your techniques are PERFECT for the challenges. Really cool and full of shine. Really special creation! Hugz
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This is amazing! Lovely background and the effect on the dragonfly is wonderful,
thanks for playing along at Creative Moments,
Hugz Tinz
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Wow, this is so beautiful with all its amazing sparkle and shine! I love the hot colours that you paired with the gold – perfect 😊. It looks like you always have so much fun getting creative with your friend to use up your craft stash. Thanks for sharing and happy wishes! Hugs, Jo x
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