Hello everyone. I thought I’d share a journal page with you today. No, I’m no expert at this (try rank amateur), but journal pages are fun to do and allow you to experiment with different products while allowing freedom of expression.
This week, I had a ton of new products I wanted to try: The Dylusions Large Journal, the Echo Park Reflections Collection (Christmas-themed), some Cosmo Cricket Snowflake Wood Charms (these are awesome!), and a couple of stencils by Heidi Swapp and Color Box. So, let’s see what I did.
So, here’s the journal. It’s a nice size with the pages measuring 11-3/8” x 8-1/4”. The outside is sturdy and the elastic bank keeps it closed.
To start, I gesso’d the pages to keep my color from bleeding through, since I’ve very heavy handed when it comes to paints, inks, and mists. After that dried, I laid down some color, using paints from the Lumiere range by Jacquard. I used a baby wipe to smear and blend the colors somewhat. A damp rag would also work.
Next, I stenciled in a background using the Heidi Swapp Confetti stencil, a Color Box Jumbled Art Screen, and Distress Inks in Black Soot and Picked Raspberry. The blender tool by Ranger works really good for applying these inks to stencils.
Okay, I forgot to take a picture of this step, though it’s obvious is subsequent pictures. I took a selection of seasonal stamps and randomly stamped them over my page using black Ranger Archival Ink and Stormy Sky Distress Ink.
I then took a couple of pages from the new Echo Park Reflections Collection and trimmed a border for the left side of the page from one sheet and the 24 card from another. I adhered these to the page using my Xyron sticker machine.
Next, I scattered Cosmo Cricket Snowflake Wooden Charms across the page in a random pattern. I literally just kind of threw them onto the paper and glued most where they landed. I liked the color they were so I left them bare. I also took a piece of Tim Holtz Tinsel Twine and ran it across the top and partially down the right side using Glossy Accents to glue it to the page. I then took my Lace Glitz Roller Doodle and randomly rolled it in lines across and down the page.
Though it’s hard to see in the picture, I sprayed the entire page with Perfect Pearls Pearl mist so it would be shimmery.
So, here’s my page. I like the way the colors turned out and it seems very festive to me. However, something just didn’t look quite right. It was missing something.
Soooooo, I dug around in the pieces and parts laying on my desk and found the negative of a Sizzix Alterations Tree Line die cut. I had used the actual die cut for another project, but the negative it left had several tree shapes that were very useable. I trimmed them up, added some Ice Stickles for snow, and AT LAST! my page was done.
So, don’t ever discount the bits and parts left over from another project. Look at them with a critical eye and see if they can’t be used for something else. The leftovers from my previous project fit perfectly into my page.
Now, art journaling is not a science. In a lot of instances, its beauty is in the eye of the creator. What I hoped to show you today was just how easy it can be to art journal. A few paints, some stencils, inks, maybe some stamps, and you have all you need. And in case you are wondering, for me, an art journal page is never done!
You can find the products used here and many more for your crafting projects at 25% off MSRP at Lone Wolf Designs, LLC. All you have to do is join the Lone Wolf Designs Discount Craft Supplies Facebook group. If you haven’t joined us yet, you’re paying TOO MUCH for your craft supplies!
Supplies Used Available from Lone Wolf Designs LLC:
Dylusions Art Journal
Echo Park Reflections Collection
Cosmo Cricket Snowflake Wood Charms
Heidi Swapp Confetti Stencil
Color Box Jumbled Art Screen
Jacquard Lumiere Paints
Distress Inks
Ranger Archival Ink
Ranger Blending Tool
Tim Holtz Tinsel Twine, Winter
Glitz Tiny Roller Doodle, Lace
Perfect Pearls Mist
Ice Stickles
Sizzix Alterations Tree Line
Xyron Sticker Machine
Until later……………………………. 
