That's Life: The Artist...

Hello friends and followers...

Hope you've all had a wonderful weekend and you're ready for a week of creativity and fun. This week, on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog, we are challenging you to ADD A RAINBOW OF COLOUR to your projects and we hope you'll join us and play along. The DT are showcasing Dylusions products within their makes...

For my project, I created a double page journal layout and used the Dylusions Journal and I told the story of the artist, surround by a rainbow of colour swatches.

So let's get started and let's begin journalling....

TO BEGIN...

I started by covering the page on the right hand side using the Palette Collage paper. Each page measures 8" x 5'.

The depth of the paper won't cover the page completely, so I used two panels that I pieced together to cover the entire page and adhered them into the book with Matte Collage Medium, applying a coat over the top to seal the paper and adding some machine stitching around the edges of the page on the right.

I then ran the Walnut Stain Distress Crayon around the edges, blending it with my fingertip and dragging the colour towards the centre of the page.

Even though my intention was to leave "white space" on the left hand side, I also wanted for the two pages to come together as one. So to do this and create continuity, I added strips of Design Tape, placing the first strip of Tape Trim down the join of the journal. I continued adding torn strips of the design tape on the left hand page.

At this stage, I also cut one of the quotes from the Dina Wakley Typed Ledgers 2 and I added this down the central spine of the book, using Matte Collage Medium to adhere it into position.

Using a palette knife, I added lines of white gesso over the surface of the taped area, followed by scribbling some Walnut Stain Distress Crayon over the top which helps to blend away the harsh edges of the collage paper and tape.

To complete the surface of the book, I applied some Distress Paint, Old Paper and Pumice Stone to the left hand page, using a dry paint brush to add the colour and blending it out with a baby wipe.

I attached a little group of idea-ology in the bottom right of the left hand page including a cello sticker tape piece, a Labelled Remnant Rub and a Postmarked stamp before adding some stencil work.

For this I used the stencil from Set 48 of Tim's Mini Layering Stencil set and blended Speckled Egg through the stencil directly onto the page.

Finally, I flicked some Black Spot Distress Paint across the pages.

PHOTO ARRANGEMENT

For the central focal point, and beginning with the Photomatic Vintage Photo, I applied a coat of clear gesso onto the photo, allowed this to dry and then colour tinted the image with Distress Crayons and a water brush.

I distressed the edges of the photo and inked them with Walnut Stain Distress Ink before matting the photo onto two layers of cotton calico fabric. I stained the calico with Frayed Burlap and Brushed Corduroy Distress Spray Stains and after a light mist of water, I allowed the fabric to dry. I then attached the photo using Matte Collage Medium and machine stitched around the edges.

I completed the photo with a Labeled Remnant Rub, cello sticker tape and some white pen work doodling.

Finally, I added a Mini Pin in the top right of the photo before attaching the image to my page. I didn't apply adhesive to the edges, so this will allow me to easily tuck my ephemera pieces and foliage behind the photo.

LEAVES

For the leafy arrangement that sits around the outside of the photo, I used a combination of some leaves from the idea-ology Organic Layers pack and some die cut leaves that I cut with the Sizzix/Tim Holtz Floristry Thinlits Die set. I began by adhering the Organic Layers leaves to my page, placing them directly onto the surface. Then after cutting a selection of leaves with the die set, I inked them with Forest Moss and Peeled Paint Distress Inks, and used a black pen to add veins, followed by a white pen to add highlights. I then tucked these pieces behind the photo, some in the top right corner and some in the bottom left corner.

EPHEMERA

The ephemera pieces are from Tim's Keepsakes ephemera pack, the Numbers Ephemera pack and another Postmarked stamp. All the pieces, are arranged around the photo and I also added some more of the Cello Stickers.

To complete the right hand page, I used the Pumice Stone Crayon around the edges of the pieces, blending out any harsh lines.

THE ARTIST

Finally, I added my wording which I cut from black cardstock using the alpha dies form the Vault World Travel die set. I cut each letter from the card, which I backed with self adhesive sheet and then placed them on the left hand page, with an arrow underneath, also cut using the same die set.

So that's my project completed and I hope you love this page and all the techniques I've used to make it.

Don't forget that every week, one lucky random participant has the chance to win a $25 gift voucher from Simon Says Stamp and you can join in up to 5 times, which means you could have 5 chances to win. You have until next Monday at 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in and good luck....