This is my sample for Robin's fun Free for All Challenge, the challenge can be found here .
I look upon my card making as a hobby, not necessarily a process that will result in a card. Spending money on a hobby is happy experience and far healthier than thinking every card cost $92.80
I don't have a typical art journal with gesso'd pages, lots of paint and gorgeous sticky out bits, mine is just an A5 (app 5.5" x 8") Monte Marte (el cheapo) visual art diary. They cost less than $4 so it is never a drama to rip a few dodgy pages out. I stick card fronts onto the pages so the quality of paper is not important. Having said that, the left hand page here was done by colouring directly onto the cheap paper and is not exactly as it would come out on cardstock or photocopy paper, but it is near enough. The whole idea of the book is to remind me about techniques and colours and to use a lot of the weird stamps and sentiments that I have.
I have been doing a lot of bright colouring lately on photocopy paper using Prismacolour Pencils, Distress Crayons / GelatoÂ’s (if you own GelatoÂ’s you already own Timmy's crayons) and alcohol markers. This sample shows how a bright and colourful card can be instantly aged by scrubbing the entire thing with Walnut Stain distress ink.
I often take the super bright look away by gently swishing a pre-stained Walnut Stain foam blending tool over the card, however to achieve this true vintage look I used the Smack & Squirt technique followed by very firm scrubbing of the blending tool over the whole card.
Smack walnut stain distress ink onto aluminium foil, squirt on a fair bit of water and use a foam blending tool to mop up the inky water. Scrub over the card. Give the card a blast with the heat gun before scrubbing on more watery ink, its best to build up the stain rather than inking up the foam blending tool straight from the ink pad.
To continue with the vintage theme, all garden stamping and crackle stamping was down with dark brown (ground espresso) distress ink. Doodled border was also done with fine brown micron pens. The background is from an 8" Graphic45 paper pad from a lifetime ago. I was surprised how much water the G45 paper could take, especially as the grass and sky were also done with the Smack & Squirt technique. The little clock is from a G45 paper and the big clock face is from a Prima set of embellishments. The clock hands were made by using a brad back to front.
Thanks very much for looking. I hope you all have a lovely weekend.
Date: Thursday, September 8, 2016 GMT Views: 2262
Favorited:15
Registered: October 19, 2007 Location: Packer Country, WI Posts: 72111
Fri, Sep 09, 2016 @ 4:44 AM
Thanks, Susie for sharing your talent with all of us. You never fail to inspire me with your hobby. You are the best at describing your techniques. This creation recreates walking into an enchanted forest. I keep thinking how you started with a blank sheet of paper.....you are one talented lady. Your sense of humor always brightens my day. Fav'd
I love the cards/ journal pages you make with this house image. Love the colors and the story of their creation! I don't know what my favorite part is , the resulting art or the story of the creation! But the result is a gorgeous piece of art! And the title!! I am now singing "as Time Goes By". Well, as much as I can sing. LOL. If September goes as quickly as August, it is October!
------------------------------ Sharon ♥
Blog: Foxy Stamping Scrapbook Goal: 2024: 14/60 as of 03/31/24
Registered: March 31, 2008 Location: Eastlake, OH Posts: 22598
Fri, Sep 09, 2016 @ 5:38 AM
WOW on that background and love that image! Your descriptions always give me a chuckle too! Your work is incredible and love the idea of an art journal! I must have studied that background for a LONG time! Just WOW!
Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Creative Crew SU Design Team Alumni
Registered: May 18, 2004 Location: Southwest Michigan Posts: 37112
Fri, Sep 09, 2016 @ 5:58 AM
Just extraordinary! I so love reading your process and thank you for sharing that with us; you give the best descriptions! I love your simple book to keep track of techniques and processes.
------------------------------ Claudia Splitcoast Fan Club Member
Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni SCS Gallery Moderator Splitcoast Challenge Hostess Teapot Tuesday TEAm
Registered: July 27, 2007 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 132005
Fri, Sep 09, 2016 @ 6:01 AM
Your sample and Francie's have both hopped straight into my favourites. I simply love this, Susie. I'm so bad at using background paper to stamp on, love how this turned out. But most of all I like your little clocks.
Registered: November 5, 2007 Location: Hamilton, ON, Canada Posts: 13629
Fri, Sep 09, 2016 @ 6:31 AM
What a great journal - so good for keeping track of your artful ideas! LOVE what you've created - many steps and yes our cards sometimes do cost us a lot of $$ LOL - but it's a hobby! Great idea to use the brads as the hands of the clock! LOVE your card!
------------------------------ ~ Laurie Proud Fan Club Member
Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni My Pinkie is Inkie in Boxertown
Registered: April 4, 2006 Location: Boxertown USA, IL Posts: 67329
Fri, Sep 09, 2016 @ 6:43 AM
Susie, I am loving this cute image and your amazing skills of making this card into a masterpiece. Definitely a great idea to put it in the journal so you can enjoy it.
Registered: October 20, 2004 Location: Somewhere in the middle Posts: 30600
Fri, Sep 09, 2016 @ 6:58 AM
You are one creative lady Susie!! I really enjoy reading through your processes and how you've went about your design! I think this would be an absolutely wonderful keepsake to flip through and this is the whole point of art journaling, right? You make it however you want with no rules! Again, I think I need to take lessons from you with those distress crayons! I really love that crackled background and your wonderful touches!! Brilliantly done my friend!
------------------------------ *Vicki*~ my blog "Go Stamp some Smiles"
Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni Favorites Team Notifier Splitcoast Challenge Hostess
Registered: October 26, 2009 Location: Oakhurst, near Yosemite Nat'l Park. Posts: 46806
Fri, Sep 09, 2016 @ 7:36 AM
Wow Susie, you never fail to amaze us all with your creative cards and your wonderful descriptions of how you did them!!! Lots of fun stuff to admire and ooh and aah over my friend!
Love the Graphic 45 paper for your bg and it is amazing how well you got color applied with your method...I'm sure had I tried that i would have had paper rub off everywhere!
Your house is beautiful (I think I bought that one), I love all the colors in the roof top! Where is the crazy bird that lives there? Heehee!!
Fantastic card mate! Thanks for being such a wonderful sample making team mate!
------------------------------ Blessings, Robin Encourage one anotherMy Blog-InkMagination , QFTD201,Dirty Dozen Alumni.Impression Obsession DT, ECraftDesigns DT, Formerly HC DT, ODBD DT, DRS DT
Registered: September 12, 2004 Location: Redmond, Washington Posts: 54470
Fri, Sep 09, 2016 @ 7:48 AM
This is so awesome, Susie, and really helps the creative process. I started an art journal a little while ago and am having so much fun with it. I love that wonky, magical house here and all of your coloring and techniques are so lovely!
------------------------------ This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Registered: December 14, 2007 Location: Vancouver canada Posts: 8914
Fri, Sep 09, 2016 @ 8:33 AM
wow Susie what a work of art, love all the colours and yes we all avoid thinking of the cost per card. BTW, just ordered some Lavinia stamps hope they arrive soon