YAY! I’m back…but a tad bit late for my monthly AJ post! (So sorry about that Carol!!) I’m trying to get back into crafting again as it feels like I’ve been away from it for a long time! It was a fun, crazy, beautiful time away and there a few photos below this post if you care to see….
BUT FIRST, TODAY (BETTER LATE THAN NEVER)….is 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 always has great inspiration to share, so please check out her blog too! Here’s my AJ page with the “SMASH OUR STASH” September prompt of “TEXTURE” (anything to create texture):
Texture is something that I really enjoy using, but sometimes when you’re making cards, you don’t always want that texture or bulk adding to your design because you want to be able to slide it into an envelope to mail out. Doing an art journal page with lots of texture and bulk is something I can do because it’s my own piece of art to keep and it’s fun to play with lots of media from my stash to create it!
For the background: I started with my usual 5.5″ x 8.5″ heavy weight watercolor panel with pre-punched holes at the top using my Bind-It-All machine. Starting with some media paste and my “go to” dotted stencil, this was a quick way to add texture to the background. I then pulled out some watercolor in blue tones and covered over the background with it and sprinkled some sea salt over it, let it dry completely and then brushed it off. This leaves some cool effects to the watercolor and it creates some texture as well!
Moving down the page, I have die cut lots of pumpkins and leaves! These are all die cut sets from Taylored Expressions that I’ve had in my stash for a few years now. All the pumpkins were cut from orange cardstock. For the largest pumpkin, I’ve used my Copic markers to give it some dimension/texture. The other pumpkins had another piece that I cut from a darker orange cardstock. The stems all cut from green cardstock. I decided to splatter some brown, gold and white paints all over them for even more texture. Before attaching the pumpkins, I used some printed tissue paper that was sprayed with color and scrunched up and attached to the bottom of the page with media paste. Lots of texture going on at the bottom here!
For the leaves, I die cut them out from kraft cardstock and ink blended over them in various fall colors. You will notice around the edges of the leaves as well as the textured paste background on the page, that I’ve used some gold wax and rubbed around the edges and over the texture. I then arranged all of the leaves and pumpkins at the bottom of the page with some popped up with foam tape. I’ve also taken some green wire and curled it to use for a couple of the pumpkins that were attached to the back of them.
Lastly, I’ve added the sentiments that were die cut, gold foiled and attached at the top along with the thin strip of orange cardstock. The “FALL” letters were popped up with foam tape as well as a portion of the leaf on the side of it.
- Really hope you’ve enjoyed my art journal page today! It was fun getting messy and playing around with crafting again! I really missed doing it!
Here are just a couple of photos to share on our time away. We started by flying to Seattle as we’ve never been and visited the Space Needle. We took a bus to Canada where we boarded a Cruise ship that took us into Alaska to see the glaciers! We sailed for a week, but went further up to Denali Park in Alaska where we stayed an additional week and made our way back home. This was certainly a once in a lifetime experience that we’ll never forget! The photos look nowhere close to how gorgeous it was to see in person.
While we were traveling on our way back home, it seems that one of our pieces of luggage decided to take a trip to Mexico! So once we figured all that out, got our luggage back and tons of laundry, cleaning, groceries to get, done….I had an appointment to get an impacted tooth removed the other day! Been feeling a little overwhelmed, but starting to get better!
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR KIND SUPPORT, COMMENTS AND COMING TO VISIT ME HERE! I’VE MISSED CRAFTING AND CATCHING UP WITH ALL OF YOU! HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND AND SEE YOU SOON!!
Challenges:
Art Journal Journey – Anything Goes
That is a really lovely journal page Vicki. Pumpkins are perfect for late September. And I love that background. It’s got great texture and a splashy look to. And wow, what an adventure you had. It sounds great, except for maybe the luggage that ended up in Mexico.I’m glad you found some time to join Aimeslee’s challenge too. Thanks so much for joining her. And have a great rest of your month too. Hugs-Erika
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welcome back! Sounds like your vacation was quite awesome! Nice Fall page too!
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A brilliant page Vicki,the blue tones in the textured background are perfect with the oranges and green of the pumpkins. Your pics are beautiful,so pleased you had a wonderful time
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Love love love your journal page! Looks like a fabulous trip too – I did an Akaskan cruise earlier this year too! The scenery is just awe inspiring, isn’t it?
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Love your autumn journal page. Great colours.
Your trip must have been marvellous. Gorgeous photos.
Wishing you well concerning your tooth.
xxx Margreet
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Welcome back home, and a very happy birthday as well! That cruise sounded like the trip of a lifetime and I’m betting the scenery was just gorgeous. The pictures of you two are the cutest! I love the journal page and how you used salt to create the great look of those pumpkins and the fall scene. I just love all the texture you added and it looks wonderful! Hopefully that dental issue is behind you now and I wish you a great week ahead. Crafty hugs!
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Welcome back Vicki and your trip sounds amazing -definitely a once in a lifetime experience. Fabulous journal page and background as always and love all the texture – die-cut pumpkins and Autumn leaves.
I have sent you an email Vicki.
carol x x
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Wow, I’m loving your pumpkin page! The textures are colours are amazing 😊. Your travels look fabulous too, the glaciers must have been spectacular to see and I’m so pleased that you had a lovely time, welcome back ❤️. Happy weekend and have a wonderful new week! Hugs, Jo x
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Hey lady, a big ol’ welcome home! Good to see you back on your blog! Looks like your trip was ah-maaazing (like I knew it would be) and you and the hubs had a great time! Thanks for sharing pics! And your page is very cool – you jumped right back into the swing of things without any problem! 😉 I love it – the textures are very cool!
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Welcome back Vicki and so glad you had such a nice, fabulous and fun break away and then to come back to a gorgeous art journal page using my favourite thing, pumpkins, I love eating them too as well as crafting with them, I love your background and colours and the fabulous textures..bnrilliant page..
luv CHRISSYxx
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Fabulous fall journal page! Your trip sounds wonderful, it is on our list, hopefully next year. Hope your tooth heals quickly.
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Welcome home, Vicki. It seems you had the vacation of a lifetime. How wonderful for you.
I adored your very textural journal page. I can see all the texture in your photos. The pumpkins scream autumn has arrived in your world and they are so well done, too. This is a fabulous journal page and perfect for Aimeslee’s theme at AJJ, too.
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Gorgeous pumpkins! Glad you had a good vacay, but hope that tooth is better by now! XXO
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r journal page is stunning and I simply adore the wonderful texture and warm tones on this beautiful Page. Welcome back look like you had an amazing trip but sorry to hear about the tooth hope it is all sorted and you are feeling a lot better.
Marie
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What a great journal page -love love the coloring on the pumpkin – so realistic. Sounds like your trip was amazing – hat is on our bucket list. hope al went well with the impacted tooth removal.
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Oh my gosh check out all that texture and the gorgeous blue color too. This is a lot of work and so well worth the time. Really beautiful.
So sorry to hear about your tooth and missing luggage. I can relate to both.
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What a fun trip!!! I loved the Space Needle – did you see the building with the giant spiders painted on the roof? Fun! And of course, I had to walk on the see through floor! Thanks for the memories! Your creation is another one that reminds me how scared I am of mixed media! What an amazing page!!! Love this! Sorry I’ve been MIA again. Having some health issues that have me a bit gobsmacked. We leave on Saturday the 19th for CO for 3-4 months, while hubby has his cancer treatments. I’m hauling a duffle bag filled with stuff to do – hoping I feel like doing it! Take care, dear friend, and thanks for sharing your vay-cay pics!
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This is a real work of art, Vicki. I love the watercolor background, the salt crumbs created a wonderful image, perfect for your further processing. Yes, pumpkins are a great autumn motif and you used it perfectly in this journal card. Thanks for the detailed description of the individual stages of creating your art journal. It must have been a fascinating trip to the north. Such a preview of the coming winter. The views and contact with wildlife are unforgettable. hugs
BożenA
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