Halloween Play -- Art Journal Pages and a Card

Hello and welcome!

So... I've been thinking about art journaling for quite a while.  I watched a few videos... then more... and more.  I came to realize how it can be anything you want, any style, any techniques, any supplies you want to lay down on paper.  Make your own mixed media background, make a designer paper background, use stamps, dies, ephemera, lace, ribbon, doodads, whatever.  Make it simple or complex.  Just be you.

I have some new-to-me ghosties -- Simon Hurley's Boo Crew for Spellbinders --  loved them last year, picked up on sale this year.  They live in a scary looking world, but they're dapper and friendly guys.  A little goofy.  I love them!

Since I'm new to the art journaling concept and don't currently have a journal I thought I would test the waters by improvising with an accordion fold.  It's only four pages with a front and back cover.  Each page is 4" x 6", and the art is done on 3 3/4" x 5 3/4" hot press watercolor sheets.

As for the backgrounds on these two pages, I followed Vicki Papaioannou's advice to just start doing something -- anything -- and keep doing it until you realize you actually like it.  My words, not hers, but that's the general idea.

I knew I was going with a Halloween theme so I did my best with torn paper and ivory acrylic paint which I dried with a heat tool and was pleased with how the paint crackled in a few spots.  I stenciled random areas with a Fibers stencil in gray ink.  Rather creepy looking fibers, don't you think?  Stamped some Halloween-y images, then stenciled the stars in Lime Green stencil butter.  Finished the background by sponging black around the edges.  Glued the backgrounds in place and then added the dimensional elements.

That's it in a nutshell but, honestly, it really didn't take long and I have to say it was more fun than I've had with this craft in a long time.  It felt like freedom.

After the journal pages were done it was quick work to create a card using many of the same supplies.  The ghosts and Jack-o-lantern bucket and the die cut sentiment on the card are part of the Boo Crew set.  The Rustic Fence is by Cottage Cutz.

I'll be sharing in two challenges:

Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge, September.  Anything goes Halloween with mood board for inspiration.
NBUS Challenge #90.  My never before used schtuff is the Spellbinders Boo Crew and Cottage Cutz Rustic Fence.

 

Well, that was fun!  I hope to see you again real soon.  Thanks for your visit today!