a large art journal page...

it started like this...

I cut a large page 

 from

 specialty stamping paper...

and sized it to fit the 

large art journal cover...

about 8 ½ x 6 inches...

I misted on some leaf green archival spray & some sky blue archival spray & dried the page...

(archival reinkers mixed with 

rubbing alcohol into misters)

I stamped the violet bouquet with 

glacier white pigment ink 

and used white embossing powder...

to "watercolor" with archival inks...

swipe the pad onto the craft sheet,

adding just a small amount of ink 

it takes very little ink...

add a few drops of rubbing alcohol off to the side...

this will dilute the color as needed & allow it to be painted in layers...

I like the detailer water brush...

I use it empty & just moisten it in the alcohol...

now just paint away & dry between layers...

the embossing helps control the ink, making it easy to paint...

once I had the bouquet painted, I touched the water moistened detailer water brush into water & then touched it to the tip of

 the hickory smoke distress crayon ...

this made a good shadow color...

the embossing makes it super easy to go along the outline...

since the page base is archival ink (waterproof) & 

the crayons are water reactive distress, 

they work very well together...

the archival doesn't smear & the distress crayon color stays true...

 I got this far & ran out of time & ideas...

initially,

I had no clue where this was going...

sometimes you just have to START...

but sometimes an image guides the process...

 here's the finished page...

I started with the borders stencil...

did you see that I used all 3 stencil sections?

it's a good versatile stencil...

the diamonds are stenciled vertical...

the scallop was made thinner by masking part of it off with painters tape...

and...

the sky blue diagonal border

is a little technique twist...

stencil it once, then flip it over & stencil again to create a lattice pattern...

I used sky blue for both, but you could use 2 coordinating colors...

the cut out sentiments are all from 

the new "just say it" background stamp...

there are 21 sentiments on this guy!

the violets are here...

and the large sentiment is here...

I customized a mat mini button 

with leaf green archival...

it's lightly inked, then over stamped with 

the ticking background, 

using fern green...

stamp once...

reink...

turn the stamp 90 degrees & 

stamp again to create the cute mini plaid...

I stamped random vintage text in the background, using watering can archival...

I like to use stamps unmounted,

 to add in text wherever it is needed...

this makes it easier to control & add just small sections...

a few stenciled dots, using sky blue...

a few black glaze pen dots...

a few waterproof lines...

I rounded the 2 right corners...

why 2? not all 4? 

 no clue...

I opened the drawer & saw the corner rounder...

I like it...

I think I'll do that more often!

LOVE the black mat mini heart to tie in with the jet black stenciled scallop border...

the violet, leaf green & sky blue inks look fresh & spring-ish...

like sandal weather...

and the sentiments are good reminders...

HAPPY MONDAY!

I hope you can

make art!

wendy

ps...just a reminder...

when using specialty stamping paper, make sure to dry it between each addition of ink...

the magic coating slows down the drying time & EVERYTHING need to be dried, 

specialty stamping paper is

 GREAT STUFF &

 it helps to make awesome pages!

best of all...

nothing seeps thru to the back,

 so the back page can have a fresh start!