PaperArtsy: January 2025 - With 3 Things: Art Journal Page {by Victoria Wilding}

Friday, 17 January 2025

January 2025 - With 3 Things: Art Journal Page {by Victoria Wilding}

Hi friends, it's Victoria with you for a 'With 3 Things' challenge post.

This feature on the PaperArtsy Blog is where 3 bloggers are sent 3 items in the post. Typically we will receive a stamp, a stencil and a couple of Fresco Paints, and in 2025, everyone will receive identical products.

We have no clue what PaperArtsy HQ is going to send, the whole idea of this challenge is to do something crafty in our personal style with these 3 items. We are allowed to bring other PA products into the mix if we feel it is necessary.

So let's take a look at what I received from PA HQ ...

I’m always super excited to open my package and discover what PaperArtsy goodies I’ve been sent to create with. I love the Niagara Falls (FF205) and Gold Rush (FF204) colours from Seth Apter’s collection of PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics. Blue greens are definitely my favourite palette of colours and crop up time and again in my makes, as does gold, and whilst this paint isn’t a metallic, it’s golden hue is so yummy. As soon as I looked at PaperArtsy Stencil PS103 I was drawn to the flower section with mask and knew I wanted this to feature as a key element in my project. The stamps in HP1007EZ provide so much variety with text, nature and vintage designs. These designs lend themselves nicely to creating radically different styles of projects, so it’s been really interesting to see how Floss and Nikki took a totally different approach to using the designs.

I decided to make a page in my art journal, using my favoured floral and nature elements from the designs. I’m an art journal junkie so this is my favourite kind of project as it really allows you to play with a variety of products in your stash. Let’s take a closer look at the different steps I took to create this page.

I started off by creating a centre panel for the page, using the flower section at the bottom of PaperArtsy Stencil PS103. Using the leftover ink on my blending brushes, I worked along the strip to apply a light colour to the bottom of the card.

I then used the matching flower mask to protect my ink work and applied a watered down coating of PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Acrylics in Niagara Falls FF205) to the top section of the card.

To create some more contrast to the colour in the top section, I randomly applied patches of blue ink using my blending brush.

Next I drew some outlines around the flowers using watercolour pencils. I wet the tip of the pencil slightly before drawing, as this activates the colour and creates a darker line. I used the colours Payne’s Grey on the purple flowers, Rose on the pink flowers and Indigo on the blue flowers.

Then I added centres to the flowers using Nuvo Glitter Markers.

I wanted to create some extra texture to the sky, so I used the text stamp from HP1007EZ, applied PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Paint in the colour Gold Rush (FF204) and randomly stamped some text details. The finished effect is subtle and provides some extra interest to the card.

I finished this part of the project by distressing the edges of the card and applying some brown ink to define the edge.

After this I moved on to creating the elements to extend the design and finish the journal page. I started by cutting a kraft mat to layer the card on and stamping some text to the outer edges.

Then I masked off the word flowers from the text sentiment in set HP1007EZ, before stamping on white card and mounting on kraft card. I cut this to size and set to one side.

I like a lot of white space in my projects as it drains the eye into the focal point and provides a place for the eye to rest. I wanted to add some details to the white journal page to tie into the card, butting didn’t want these to be overpowering. Using the flourish from HP1007EZ, `I stamped and embossed it in gold direct to the journal page in the upper right corner. To judge where to stamp, I placed the card on the page and draw a faint pencil line around the top right corner of the card. Once the flourish was complete I erased this so that it could not be seen on the finished project.

Finally I stamped the bird stamp from HP1007EZ in PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Gold Rush (FF204) and, using an embossing pen drew in some highlights which I set with gold embossing powder.

To complete the page I adhered the sentiment to the card and then attached this to the journal page with double sided tape, before using foam tape to attach the bird to the bottom left corner. To incorporate the flourish further with the overall design, I applied three small butterflies from my stash.

I really enjoyed creating this page and it would be so easy to adapt to a card making project instead.

The touches of gold give some extra visual interest and really help to lead the eye into the central panel, where you can then consider the peaceful flower meadow scene.