Thursday, January 7, 2010

GPP Crusade 36: Braving the Elements


Michele Ward has given a new challenge with the GPP Crusade No. 36. Read about it here. Last month I prepared watercolor paper journal pages inspired by Teesha Moore. Check out her fun videos. When Michele suggested we make snowflakes to use as masks, I knew where I would draw my inspiration. Last fall I added "The Art of Decorative Paper Stencils" by Kanako Yaguchi to my personal library. Even though I have a tried and true method of making six-pointed snowflakes, I wanted to explore Kanako's ideas. I started following her designs pretty closely. That was a good warm up and then I started cutting more intuitively. These ended up being my favorites.

This spread was prepped with layers of aqua paint. Then I added gesso with the snowflakes as masks. More aqua was added and rubbed away for a distressed appearance. More gesso was applied with the masks in place.
The snowflakes were cut from scraps of drawing paper. It was a little heavier than origami paper which made it a little more difficult to handle for cutting, but it held up well to the painting process. Stencil glue helped keep the snowflakes in place while I worked.


Yesterday several inches of crisp, fluffy snow fell. Last night when I drove home, it was like I was driving on a sparkling crystal carpet. That inspired me to add a bit of glitter to my spread with glittered embossing powder.


I added some journaling with a Sharpie. I wanted to use a fine line marker, but it didn't want to write on my surface.

This is another journal I have been working in. I have an idea for text that I'd like to add, but I'm feeling reluctant since I really like the pages as they are.

34 comments:

michelle ward said...

Regina - love the pages with and without the journaling. The flakes are beautiful. How cool that you had time to play due to a *snow day*. Thanks for sharing with the team!!

michelle ward said...

ooooh! i just revisited your work and saw the tiny details of the border in the first image. adorable!

jgr said...

Hi Regina,
WOW! I love your pages, I guess you've had plenty of real snowflakes from the blizzard to inspire you. The book sounds very interesting, too!


-Jane

amanda said...

This morning I could absorb your words. Last night I just saw the pictures and thought, I've got to come back! Love the snow flakes. Did you enjoy Yaguchi's book? Is it worth tracking down? Sounds very interesting. I love origami and paper folding, but haven't tried cutting the folding form, unless you count grade school.

Chris said...

This is so great!!
It's pretty, but it's also well constructed and I love your process descriptions. And I forgot about the text!

I'll have to try this again this weekend. You've inspired me.

Anonymous said...

I really like your snowflakes, and how you applied them, however cold it may be! I love the journal - it'd be hard to make the decision, to text or not to text...Chickie Sis

Gill M said...

Very pretty pages, I love the subtle glitter. The pages without words are lovely too - I agree it would be hard to write on them..

Michelle said...

Your snowflakes are lovely! I bet it looks so sparkly in real life. Photos just don't do "sparkly" justice!

Unknown said...

I love your journal entry!!! Great work!

Leah said...

so cool! love the look!

Unknown said...

Lovely, nice result.

goudenregen said...

Had a look at the book on paper stencils, it is for sale in the Netherlands. Put it on my wishlist.
You made very beautyful pages, your snowflakes are very elegant,I am jealous!

inge said...

Hello Regina,
nice pages : the glitter is great as an addition !

Your snowflakes are also very nicely cut : I have to check your link to Kanako Yaguchi ànd to Teesha Moore ! Thanks for sharing these links.

greetings from belgium
Inge

Commuter's Journal said...

It's so cool that you have the same book, Regina! And I absolutely love what you've done with the challenge. The colors are so beautiful and the entire thing so evocative of winter. Gorgeous!
-- JeriAnn

Far North said...

Beautiful pages! I too would have a hard time deciding to add writing or not!

Kim Mailhot said...

Lovely pages in wintery, icy blues.
Looks like you enjoyed this challenge a lot !
Cheer !

Lois0607 said...

This is very nice

Beverley Baird said...

I love the background page and the lovely snowflakes. What a "cool" idea!

Shannon said...

wow, these are incredibly awesome and you've inspired me this morning. thanks a bunch for the great ideas! your pages turned out great.

Live, Love, Laugh, Write! said...

Absolutely beautiful :)

Kelly said...

The journal is lovely! Thanks for posting the instructions...it sounds like a fun project!

Martha Lever said...

Hi Regina,
It's a class by Jane DesRosier. If you google her or Gritty Jane she will come up. It's the painting faces one. It's fun to do although half the time I have no idea what I am doing but somehow it comes together in the end---pretty much anyway!

Janet said...

Wow! I love your pages. And your snowflakes are so pretty....mine were not so delicate!

Anonymous said...

So beautiful! Magical, actually.

Anonymous said...

Wow! Those are awesome, especially with the embossing. I had real trouble making snowflakes and in reading your post I had a "duh" moment ... I have the book you refer to and never thought to look in it, just headed to Google. What sort of librarian am I? LOL

Laura said...

Simply gorgeous Regina! I just love the details you added and the color palette. Seeing these lovelies makes me miss the snow. Feel free to send some my way :>

lifeneedsart said...

What wonderful snowflakes! I use snowflakes in my art sometimes, too, and really enjoy seeing yours.

Susan Sager Brown said...

These pages are just beautiful! I love the sparkle!! Sometimes it is hard to cover up the backgrounds with writing isn't it? just lovely, xoSusan

Julie Prichard said...

Now those are some beautiful looking snowflakes!! I love the glitter you added...PERFECT!

teri said...

I wasn't sure whether to journal on my pages or not too -- yours are truly lovely!

Marilyn said...

Beautiful! I especially like the glitter embossing, but they are all wonderful.

Jackie Wood said...

Beautiful pages, love the shimmer and gorgeous color!

carolanne said...

These snowflakes are so pretty. I love the fold out paper and the glitter. Very nice:-)

scj said...

These pages are gorgeous and the snowflake designs awesome. Thank you for sharing.