Romantic journal page with HP {by Renata Peley}

Hi everyone, Renata here! 

Today I’m excited to share a simple, super easy project that anyone can try. I often hear from my crafty friends that working with white space can be tricky—how do you fill a page with color but still leave some “empty” areas without making it look unfinished? 

In this blog post , I’ll walk you through the steps and show you that it’s actually much easier than it seems. With just a few simple techniques, you can create a page that feels balanced, colorful, and polished. By the end, you’ll see how a little planning and a few small tricks can make your project look complete and professional—without any stress.

Let’s start with the necessary supplies. First up is choosing the right substrate, depending on the coloring medium you want to use. This time, I decided to work with a water-based medium, so I needed a paper that could handle a fair amount of water. I could have gone with watercolor paper—which would probably have been a better choice since it doesn’t wrinkle as easily—but I seem to have misplaced mine. Instead, I went with Canson mixed media paper, a good neutral option that always does the job.

Choosing a coloring medium took a bit of thinking. I had originally planned to use PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics, but at the last minute I changed my mind and went with Lindy’s Gang coloured ink sprays instead. I was in the mood for a flowy, abstract, and dreamy kind of page—perfect for capturing that carefree, springtime vibe, if you want to get a little poetic about it!

And of course, we can’t forget the star of the show: the absolutely gorgeous PaperArtsy Hot Pick designs. I could write a whole novel of compliments to describe how beautiful and versatile these stamps are, but honestly, the images speak for themselves. 

The specific sets featured in the photos are HP2601, HP2602, and HP2603. While HP6202 provides a stunning focal point with its detailed girl stamp, the other sets are amazing for building backgrounds, adding texture, and creating visual interest and dimension. Each set brings something unique to the table—whether it’s delicate script, bold shapes, or subtle patterns—making them perfect for layering and experimenting. Combined, they let you play with depth, color, and composition in endless ways, giving your projects that professional, polished look while still leaving plenty of room for creativity.

Following my usual instinct, I started stamping with VersaFine Onyx Black, but something didn’t feel quite right. Since I was planning to use the image from PaperArtsy Hot Picks HP2602 for a feminine vibe, the black ink felt a bit harsh. So, I decided to stamp it again—this time using a brown Ranger Archival Ink in Potting Soil, which felt much softer and suited the overall look better, and that was going to work out well with the other softer colours I would end up using.

Generally, to get into the zone, I like to start with an image before creating my background. (I feel like I’ve said this a million times! 😄) But honestly, I just can’t decide on the background colors, the color scheme, or even the size of my substrate without having the image in place first.

When choosing these colors, I was going for a feminine, vintage vibe, so I opted for a lovely pinkish-purplish shade paired with two shades of brown. For reference, here are the exact Lindy's Stamp Gang colors I used: from Flat Fabio collection, I went with Café au Lait and Pop Rock Purple, and to add a bit of shimmer, I also included Moon Shadow Mist in Gossamer Gold. To be honest, I was also consulting my color palette swatches—which I create for every coloring medium I use. I really can’t stress enough how useful this little tool is; it makes choosing colors so much easier and saves a lot of guesswork.

And as soon as my image was ready, I started splashing the first bits of color. I sprayed the paper with water on both sides (hoping it would help reduce any wrinkling). Then, using my brushes, I began randomly applying the ink, mostly in the middle of the paper. I didn’t measure or plan anything—keeping it loose helped create a more random, natural vibe.

I know it might look a little messy right now, but trust the process—it gets better. Here’s a little tip: this is the part where you really get to enjoy the flow! Spray some water, apply your ink, then lift the paper and let it move. Let the colors blend and mingle on their own. Honestly, this is my favorite part of watching the colours develop—it’s not only magical, but also relaxing.

After letting each layer dry a bit and adding a few more inky layers to build depth, I moved on to a fun technique to give the background a soft, dreamy vibe. Dip your rubber stamps in watercolor (or, in my case, Lindy’s ink sprays) and press them onto your paper. This won’t give a sharp, clear image—but it creates a beautiful, atmospheric effect that adds plenty of character to your piece. It’s also a fantastic way to introduce subtle patterns and textures without ever overpowering your focal image, and an ideal option with abstract or background imagery, like the ledger stamp I used from the new Hot Picks.

When choosing a stamp for this technique, it’s best to avoid ones with important details. For example a face and eyes, all the details would blur, so that is not going to be a good choice, because they really won’t show up. Within these PaperArtsy Hot Picks, set HP2601, there’s a  gorgeous script—but I have to warn you, it’s not ideal for this method because the lines are really tight together, so the ink just blurs. That said, I loved this ledger stamp, but compared to the script, this stamp jhas lines and details further apart, so it seems to work OK. I just couldn’t resist using it all over my background… Of course, you can also switch to a different approach: good old-fashioned stamping with an ink pad!

For stamping the script I just mentioned, as well as some of the smaller stamps from HP2603, I chose Ranger Distress Oxide ink pads in Picked Raspberry and Gathered Twigs. This helped me stay in line with my chosen color scheme while adding a bit of depth and variety to the background. And Oxide Inks are opaque, so they sit nicely on top of the watercolour background.

At this point, I was thinking about how to make my project a bit more special and striking, and it occurred to me that adding gold could really help. But how? 

Well, for no particular reason other than just having fun, I decided to try some gold foiling. Here I want to mention a little regret and a recommendation: a really fun way to do this is to use foiling glue as a stamping medium. Simply dip your stamp into the glue and stamp it onto your paper (again, it’s best not to use overly detailed images). And of course, make sure to clean your stamp really well afterward. Unfortunately, this idea came to me a little too late, so I ended up applying random lines, smudges, and drops of glue on my paper.

Here you can see how I applied my glue. One important thing to keep in mind—when using foiling glue (I used a Pentart 3D glue pen), you need to wait for it to dry and become translucent before applying the foil. If you skip this step, the foil won’t adhere properly and you won’t get the desired effect. So yes… a bit of patience is required here! 😄 After waiting (what felt like forever) for my thicker layers of glue to dry, I gently rubbed some gold foil over it with my finger—and this is how it turned out:

Even though I didn’t use the stamping-with-glue technique I just recommended, I still think the result turned out gorgeous. It added just the right touch of magic to my vintage background and brought everything together beautifully. The bits of gold catch the light in such a subtle way, giving the page that extra something without overwhelming it. Honestly, it’s one of those details that makes a bigger difference than you’d expect.

When it came to my focal girl, I continued with the same idea and added gold foiling, along with tiny touches of color just for fun and texture—and look at how pretty that turned out! The gold and soft colors really brought her to life and added a delicate, whimsical sparkle. But you know what they say—some gold calls for more gold, right? 😄 So I added some sparkly, magical wings to my girl. It was such a fun little addition that gave her even more personality and charm.

At this point, they’re less wings and more just sparkly lapel decoration… but no need to get too technical—they’re still pretty, and that’s what matters! 😄 The stamp itself is already so elegant, and this little touch of gold just enhances its charm even more. It adds a soft shimmer that catches the eye without taking away from the overall delicate look.

 

For the next step, I deliberated a lot. I mean, you could absolutely leave it as it is and simply adhere the girl to the background—but I wanted my girl to really pop—she deserves a royal spot, after all! To help lift her up, I added some tinted gauze, giving her a little extra dimension and presence on the page. Of course, there are so many other options you can try here—floral fussy cuttings, a piece of corrugated cardstock, lace, or whatever you have on hand to create that layered effect.

Next, it was time to add a sentiment, and luckily, PaperArtsy Hot Pick HP6202—the same set with the girl—gave me the answer. What I really love about this set is how versatile the words are—they can be used individually, combined as I did here, or even stamped repeatedly to create subtle background interest. I stamped mine near the focal image, but instead of lining up every word tightly, I left a bit of space between them. This small tweak adds extra visual interest and helps guide the eye naturally across the page, as you will see at final result image.

The final touch was to age my page a bit… or, well, quite a lot! Using scissors, I gently rubbed the edges of my paper, letting them fray slightly. Some edges accidentally ripped more than I planned, but it was one of those happy accidents, and I decided to lean into it, using the imperfections to add extra age and texture. Next, I lightly inked the edges with Ranger Distress Oxide in Vintage Photo to deepen the worn look and bring out more contrast. 

Finally, for stability and to give the page a solid base, I adhered it to black cardstock. The result? A beautifully balanced page that not only highlights my focal image but also provides the perfect backdrop for twisting and shaping the edges, giving it that extra vintage charm.

I have to admit I feel a little regret with these photos—here in Hungary we’ve had quite a stretch of gloomy days, and to make things even trickier, my lamp decided to give up right at the start of my crafting process. Because of that, the images don’t quite capture the true colors and mood of the page, and I do apologize for that, but I still hope you can catch the spirit and feel of the mood through them…

And that’s it—our vintage-inspired, gold-sparkled page is complete! I hope you enjoyed following along and seeing how a few simple techniques can come together to create something magical. From picking your colors and stamps to experimenting with water, paint, and even a little happy chaos, each step adds its own charm. Don’t be afraid to play around and make mistakes—sometimes those “oops” moments turn out to be the best parts of a project. Adding layers, textures, and even a touch of gold can really elevate your design and give it that special, finished feel. Remember, starting with your focal image first can make all the difference when choosing colors and planning your layout. Little details like inking the edges or adding gauze can bring depth and make your page feel alive. Most importantly, have fun with it and trust your instincts—your creative flow knows what it’s doing. I can’t wait to see what you create when you try this yourself!

Renata 💜

Instagram: @renata_artjournaling