Sunday, January 24, 2016

One Final Refrain....Let It Snow

Hello everyone!  If you don't know it by now, I LOVE snow!  I guess in this case absence makes the heart grow fonder. I've made two recent posts titled "Let It Snow", and as the song goes, "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!" This is my final refrain.

I am sure I won't win any awards with this, but I'm happy and proud to say I've finally broken down and worked in my art journal!  A big thank you to Yvonne Blair for sending me this great art journal.  I love it because it lays flat, the pages take lots of abuse and it's smallish, so not so intimidating to someone like me. And thank you to Candy Colwell for her encouragement and faith in me.  She and Yvonne provided much encouragement to just do it! I've also found the journal pages in many blogs out there to be exceedingly inspirational--way too many to list!


I have to say, all my singing and posting about this song was very productive!  I'm happy to report our southern coastal town saw about 15 minutes of snow flurries this morning! Whoopee!

My journal page started off on the wrong foot!  So excited to get started and with an idea in mind--a rarity for me!, I splattered on my DecoArt Titanium white paint, and got some incredible texture with hopes to do a resist. Oops, these are manila pages, and I forgot to add gesso! Duh! So I added more white paint (not gesso). Next I did a monoprint using Tim Holtz Stripes stencil and Perfect Pearls spray mists in Pewter and Turquoise (First photo).  This was too bright for my liking, so again with the Titanium white, but in a diagonal swipe, so it would look like the windblown snow.

I added some background stamping and stamped my refrain, then added tissue tape. More splatters of white...






I heat embossed my cardinal stamp (anonymous) in black and colored with Barn Door ink and my waterbrush.  The pine needles were colored with Pine Needles Distress markers and given a halo of Evergreen Bough.  I swiped over with my new Distress Micro Glaze to resist the ensuing inks.




Snowflake stamp and Tim Holtz Snowflake Duo were embossed with Soft Fallen Snow by Emerald Creek and some glitter mix added to the die cut for extra sparkle.  My 3 little hearts were made from paper clay and an anonymous acrylic stamp. They were inked with Barn Door and Hickory Smoke and dusted with Soft Fallen Snow.

                                                





I took these photos at my kitchen table  with an overhead light, so you can really see the texture of the Soft Fallen Snow on the snowflakes and on the pine branch. I love how the stray particles look like little snow flakes.  I'm a little disappointed in my cardinal.  The ink would go on nice and red, and turn pinkish...probably due to the white acrylic under--probably should have sealed it.  Any suggestions are welcome.  I do consider my journal to be a learning tool, and don't expect to be without fails.





Die: Tim Holtz Snowflake Duo  Stamps: Heart and cardinal-anonymous, Snowflake-Denami Design, Let It Snow-Wordsworth, Musical notes-Stampin' Up, Sheet Music-Recollections  Stencil: Tim Holtz Stripes  Embossing Powder: Soft Fallen Snow/Emerald Creek Wet Mixed Media Products: DecoArt Titanium white paint, Distress paint-Picket Fence, Black Soot, Shaded Lilac, Blueprint Sketch, Distress ink-Blueprint Sketch, Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Stormy Sky, Hickory Smoke, Barn Door; Archival Watering Can, Sprays: Perfect Pearls mist-Turquoise and Pewter, Distress markers Pine Needles and Evergreen Bough  Other: paper clay, tissue tape, Ranger Micro Glaze and various glitters


I would like to enter my journal page into the following inspiring challenges:
Emerald Creek Dares Valentine's in NOT in the Air! I LOVE snow and it IS in the AIR, but this is NOT a Valentine's Day project!
Paper Sweeties Inspiration # 39 January 2016 I had to enter with my last Let it Snow!  My inspiration comes from the snowflakes and the silver balls and glitter, as well as the pale blue.
papersweeties-inspiration#39
Vintage Stamping Challenges # 40 Anything goes With Your New Stash New stash- New art journal, new to me STAMPS: cardinal and snowflake. New Micro glaze.


Thank you for your visit today and for all your sweet comments.  I read and appreciate each one!
Hugs and Blessings!
Sara Emily

30 comments:

  1. Lovely pages Sara Emily and well done for art journaling. I started last year, badly, and haven't done anymore! One day maybe....
    I love your layout and the splashes of pink really make it xxx

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  2. Woooooooow, Sara, I am so happy to see that you finally started your art journal journey! Your first spread turned out stunningly beautiful! What a rich and fabulous texture! Oh my, I am really impressed! That cardinal stamp is so beautiful and I love how you colored it! You did a fantastic job, my friend! Absolutely awesome! Looking forward to see more of your art journal pages! Huge hugs and lots of love to you! Branka xxx

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  3. Wow Sara, I can't believe it, you did a journal page!! I'm so happy you finally took the plunge and oh what a page it is!! Gorgeous!! I love your final refrain! The cardinal is so beautiful, the perfect wintery creature to showcase. Love the music notes in the background and the swirly blues, so frosty! Beautiful snowflake too. Your texture is amazing, and you got some great dimensional details too. I love the shot from above so you can see the bits that are lifted from the page. I hope you had fun with your first journal page and become as addicted as I have!! Happy Sunday my friend! hugs :)

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    1. I always forget to say - Thank you so much for joining us at Frilly and Funkie for our 'Sing, Sing, Sing' challenge! Hugs, Pamellia DT :)

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  4. Hi Sara! Its so shimmery and wintery and just beautiful! I really love the pink cardinal, I think the red would have been too sharp - it fits in beautifully. I love what you do and am such a fan! Cxxx

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  5. Listen Honey Chile' - if I gave out awards you would win everyone I had to give. Beautifully done!!!!!
    So you got to see a little snow. Although it was cold enough to snow here on Amelia Island - no snow. But in the mountains where I moved from - gosh!!!!
    Loving your journal spread and so beautifully created!
    sandy xx

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  6. Happy day and huge CI grays in completing your first journal page! So happy you were able to see some snow and get your fix. Hehehe! I like that your journal pages lie flat and it isn't too big, seems like a good idea to have the pages touch (vs the ringed journals) so it lets you add to the center of the page more easy. Gorgeous use of the textures and your photos are awesome sauce! That dimension is fantabulous! I have the same problems when using the red and gesso. Your little birdie looks gorgeous though and those hearts are wowzers! Such a wonderous LO dearie! Hugz to you muffin! ~Punkin

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    1. That is supposed to say: Happy Day and huge congrats NOT CI grays! SMH-darn autocorrect! Lol

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  7. This is absolutely stunning!! The pages look amazing!! What fabulous texture!! The colors and design are so awesome!! The cardinal is a beautiful touch!! Gorgeous, gorgeous journal pages!! I love them!! Have a great day!! Big hugs :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  8. hi Sara! wow, what an amazing textured background...I luv it! so glad you played along with us at simon says stamp wednesday challenge!

    sparkle & shine, kindness *~*

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  9. Fantastic journal pages, Sara! A wonderful homage to winter and snow... At last here it seems! I love the textures!

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  10. Stunning entree into your journal!! Kinds looks like it did outside at my house last night (we got about 2 feet). I love your cardinal, and isn't that micro glaze amazing?! You've really captured the wonder of snow, for those of us who love it (at least as it is falling, lol!) xxx Lynn

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  11. A fabulous journal page Sarah love the colours and the birds is amazing.

    Thank you for sharing with us at Vintage Stamping Challenges.

    Crafty hugs from Shirl x x

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  12. wawwww så super flot ♥

    10000 tak for at du deltager på Card and scraps udfordring.

    knuzzzz ♥

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  13. Sara!!!! YOU DID IT!!! And your pages are beautiful! Don't you feel that incredible sense of conquering a huge fear?!? I am so happy for you! Your pages are really pretty. I love your wintery theme and all of the texture you've achieved on your snowflakes and background flying snow. You've done a very pretty layout. Don't you love the size of Yvonne's journal? Big enough to create gorgeous pages but small enough to not be intimidating. On your Cardinal, since Distress inks are water reactive, you probably need to spray seal it and then add more color. You might even try a different red that might have even more pop. I have also had success with red acrylic paint that is watered down just a little bit so that it is not so opaque and covers the black stamp lines. Let it dry and continue to add layers until you get the look you are going for. Biut you did a beautiful job!! Loved reading your post. ❤️

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  14. Yay Sara!!! YOU DID IT!!!!! I squealed when I got your message!!! I love love love love your pages...they are so pretty and wow...the textures are amazing!!! It makes my heart happy to see you going for it! There are no failures in art...just learning....and experimentation. It is a great place to have creative play and find what works for you and what doesn't. Beautiful job!!! Thank you so much for sharing...I love what you did! Keep playing and most of all enjoying your art!!! Hugs.

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  15. More gorgeous texture and fabulous use of shine and color! This is SO pretty! Thank you SO MUCH for joining us at Paper Sweeties! HUGS! :) Mynn xx

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  16. Oh my goodness, these pages are outstanding at. The backgrounds are so interesting and the embossing on the snowflake gives more lovely texture. I still say let it stop snowing. Thank you so very much for posting your very creative and inspiring art with us this week at Word Art Wednesday in our 218th - FF AG challenge. I pray Blessings for you and your family; stay creative and be happy. Carole

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  17. Gorgeous colour and texture, Sara! Thank you so much for sharing it at Emerald Creek Dares.
    {julia} Emerald Creek DT

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  18. I think you'll really love to journal. This is such a fun bit of experimentation. Love the little hearts and the gorgeous work you put into this background. Love your tall skinny journal too! Fun stuff!!!

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  19. Wonderful snowy pages - and great to see you breaking in to your journal... One of the great things is it's just another place to play - nothing has to be perfect, nothing has to be "right". Having said that - this is just lovely!
    Alison xx

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  20. I am back, Sara :) Thank you so much for joining in our Oh, So Blue challenge at Stamps and Stencils! Huge hugs to you! Branka DTxxx

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  21. Good for you for breaking out your art journal! I keep threatening to start one, but never seem to have the time. I appreciate the glistening quality of this page, as it really captured the icy event we had here this past weekend. I wish I could sit and hold this in real life to drink in all the wonderful details, but I do love the way the background resembles fast falling snow. I just know you are going to have so much fun with this journal! Thank you so much for sharing this with us in our Enjoy your Embossing Challenge at Frilly and Funkie!

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  22. A truly beautiful journal page, I love the layout and the texture is lush. Thank you for joining in this months challenge at The Artistic Stamper.

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  23. YAY! Can you hear me clapping? This really is fabulous Sarah! I love your pink cardinal but agree that yes, if you had sealed it and then painted the colour would have been deeper.....but it's your journal. ..a place to play and relax. ..it is what it is. ..and I love it all! Hugs, Chrisx

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  24. Sara this is so beautiful! Many apologies for my absence recently have had other issues, but hoping to catch up with all the lovely creations you have shared and I have missed! You can keep the snow huni, I fall down too often in it to care about it. Although I don't mind if I don't have to go out in it because it always looks so pretty Karen xx

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  25. A very fun journal spread Sarah Emily! Now enough with the snow stuff -okay?!!! heehee
    xo

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  26. What a beautiful creation, Sara. God has blessed you with so much talent. Thanks for sharing your wonderful art with us. Have a blessed week, and please join us again soon.
    Karen
    Word Art Wednesday

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  27. What a beautiful creation, Sara. God has blessed you with so much talent. Thanks for sharing your wonderful art with us. Have a blessed week, and please join us again soon.
    Karen
    Word Art Wednesday

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  28. Sara this is an awesome art journal page!!! good on you! and i am envious of your play in Yvonne's journal!!! can't wait to get one too.. thanks for playing along with us at Emerald Creek Dares and sharing your wonderful projects with us!

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