Hello friends! Here we are at the end of August already! I’ve already been feeling the Autumn vibes, so I thought I’d create with Summer one more time. There is still a few more weeks left of Summer, so let’s enjoy it!
Wanted to share a photo that hubby took a really good close-up shot of a bumble bee enjoying the last bit of summer blooms on one of our flowers in the back yard the other day. He is covered in pollen! I love the bright colors in the flower.
Speaking of bright colors, today starts another monthly AJ page with my crafty friend Carol (from Crafty-Stamper) who is collaborating with me to “SMASH OUR STASH”! We get creative trying to use up our never-ending stash piles along with a prompt for each month. I know she always has great inspiration to share, so please check out her blog too! Here’s my AJ page with the “SMASH OUR STASH” AUGUST prompt of “BRIGHT/HAPPY COLORS”:
Bright and happy colors to me are those sunny yellows, citrus and basically a rainbow of bright colors. I tried to reflect this with my page using mainly blended ink colors, but I also used some watercolor and paint too.
FOR THE BACKGROUND: I used a 5.5″ x 8.5″ piece of Bristol Smooth Watercolor cardstock. I covered the background with a light wash of blue watercolor and let it dry. I took a stencil from My Favorite Things (closed) called “Sun Ray” and went over the background with yellow paint applying with a watered-down sponge. Once that was dry, I splattered the entire background with some metallic gold watercolor. I covered the bottom portion of the page with some wood plank background paper. (I like to make my own book to add my finished pages in.)
The “Summer” lettering was die cut with white cardstock and then ink blended with several different bright colors. I stamped out the lettering above it. Both the stamp and dies came from Lawn Fawn.
Here’s a closer view of the drink glass I created using some die sets from Taylored Expressions called Summertime Sips. There was the glass that I lightly ink blended around the edges and then for the separate die for inside the glass, I ink blended a few different colors for that tropical drink look. There are also ice cube dies that I cut from glitter cardstock to put in there. I cut another glass from vellum and then cut the stem of it so that I could attach it to the front of the glass which is where I added all of the items inside to make it look see-though.
The straw and the umbrella were cut in white and then ink blended and put together for the glass. I also took the TE Fresh Squeezed die set to cut more pieces from white cardstock and then I ink blended some green and orange colors over them to arrange around my cup. The green slice on the top of the cup was cut with scissors so that I could add it to the inside of the glass rim. I covered the inside of these citruses with a glitter brush pen.
Lastly, I took a black detail pen to make lines around the edges of the page and also the stitch marks within the lettering and around the sentiment strip at the bottom. This was printed from computer and ink blended with yellow ink.
- Thanks so much for stopping in today! Hope you’ve enjoyed my page! Have a wonderful weekend!
Challenges:
- Art Journal Journey – Hot Summer (Nights and Days)
- Creative Artiste – #118 Anything Goes Mixed Media
- Anything Goes in a Card Free Zone – August -No Cards
And speaking of bright and happy, I know a few people have mentioned my new grandson and wondering if I get to see him. My answer to that is every single chance I can get! LOL He’s growing so very fast! He came for a visit for lunch…well grandma fed him his bottle.
I will be getting to see him again VERY soon and I’m so excited! How can you resist that face!?
Thought I’d share a little update to make you smile! 😉
What a fabulous post Vicki. First of all your husband got a fantastic bee photo. Look at all the pollen. And I love your summertime sips. I like how you cut the watery looking paper for the drink. It looks like an actual fun tropical drink. And I need a good ice cube die because it’s hard to draw them in. Thanks for listing who made that one. and thanks for joining Chris’ AJJ challenge. Much appreciated. And you look so happy holding your grandson. He’s got such an adorable smile. And you look pretty happy yourself. Have a super rest of the month and start to September my friend. hugs-Erika
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Huge compliments for your hubby for taking that brilliant photo. Never saw the pollen in real life!
Your page has a gorgeous background and your tropical drink looks so real. Love all details.
Lovely photo of you with your grandson. That last photo brought a big smile on my face. He’s so adorable. Enjoy his visits!
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fun way to say goodbye to summer. Your Little is adorable 🥰
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Oh my, how cute is your grandson, his smile is contagious and that’s a lovely photo of you both too definitely one for the album ❤️. You captured summer so beautifully on your page, the gold metallic paint splatters really add to the summer vibe that you created – love it! Your hubby took a fabulous photo, the colourful flower and bee are amazing 😊. Happy and creative wishes! Hugs, Jo x
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Oh my, Vicki! Your summer card is perfect, but I have to say that the photos of that sweet little guy just stole the show! He is darling, and LOOK at that head of hair! So glad that you get to see him often, dear friend – thanks for sharing him with us!
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Beautiful summer page Vicki, that glass and ice just made me want to drink and the background with the sun rays is gorgeous…and then we have a baby, a gorgeous sweet little baby, congratulations, in case I never said it before, he is adorable and what lovely photos..I got to go find a baby to cuddle, mine are all grown up now and grandkids too big for my knee..
Luv CHRISSYxx
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Vicki, This little guy is so precious…I am so happy for you…He is beyond adorable! The page is also awesome, but I’m blown away with how he fits perfectly in Gramma’s arms!
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The summer page is a beauty,love the I’ve filled glass, a brilliant photo of the bee and 2 wonderful pics of your grandson,you look so proud
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What a happy post! Your grandson looks a happy soul! Seeing bees on flowers always makes me smile! I love your page, so cheerful and bright! Thanks so much for sharing at AJJ and my Hot Summer theme, hugs, Chrisx
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Your grandson is so handsome, look at all that hair! Like your journal page for the end of summer too and your hubby’s picture!
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what a cutie!
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Wow your hubby takes great photos, did he also take you holding that baby? What a head of hair on that lil dude, he’s too stinkin’ cute! And I love love love your art journal page, especially the We will meet again hahaha. The colors of your sentiment letters are fabulous! JEALOUS of your fall vibes already. We haveta wait until November! Ugh! haha Have a great week, xoxo
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Love the fabulous photo of the little bee in the flower and your gorgeous Grandson with all that hair. Great Summer journal page and definitely bright happy colours. Love the background sunray and the drinks glass with all the fruit slices.
Carol x
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OMGoodness, what a fabulous page! Great background – and I love that fruity drink! We’re seeing cooler weather here, too, and it’s wonderful! I won’t miss Summer at all as I’m definitely a Fall, Winter and Spring girl, lol! And your grandson is so stinkin’ cute I can’t stand it! I wish I had that much hair, lol! Bahahaha! I love seeing your journal pages. I (finally) found my art journal after moving so I’m going to try to get some more pages done. Yours is very awesome!
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What a sad thought- end of summer…! Fun page- love the rays and the great vellum drink celebrating the day! Love the pictures of you and your grandson! Babies are just pure JOY!!!
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You look far to young to be a grandma !!! Your grandson is absolutely gorgeous and that smile !!! The photo of the bee is amazing it looks like hubby is as talented as you are so much detail ! As for your card ,its fabulous I can practically hear the ie clinking away in that glass. Still very hot here in Greece and could do with a little drinky poo to cool me down.
Marie
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Your page radiates pure joy—those sunray stencils and gold splatters feel like the last warm embrace of summer. The tropical drink is a showstopper with its layered ink blending and clever vellum overlay; I could almost hear the ice clinking! That bee photo is stunning, and your grandson’s smile is the perfect cherry on top of this cheerful post. What a beautiful way to celebrate the season and life’s sweetest moments.
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Great photo of the bee and the pollen. Love the photos of you and your grandson and of the precious one of him solo. The photos bring joy to whoever is fortunate to view them! Your layout is lovely. Thank you for sharing with us at the Outlawz Challenges, Anything Goes in a Card Free Zone. Shirley M.
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