Thank you so much for your bloggy love and support for my PaperArtsy feature and Where Bloggers Create studio tour! You guys are the best and make my life happy! This weekend I had a little getaway with some artsy friends and went wild creating backgrounds and trying out some new mini album construction. This album was made from small file folders that were pretty thick. We cut them down to the long format.
First, I gessoed the pages lightly in the center. I love leaving the edges without gesso because it absorbs the color differently and creates a frame. Next, I dipped the pages into watered down Distress Ink puddles, drying between colors. Here's a close up of me adding some Infusions over the dried background. Instant earthiness and texture!
I used a variety of stamps to create my backgrounds. Mostly, I used Versafine colored inks because they are permanent. I tried stamping with Distress, but it took a long time to dry.
I stamped out a variety of Lynne Perrella ladies onto tissue and glued them over my background panels. I also used some rub-ons.
I made a few extra sheets of inked card to work with. The outlines were done with Distress Crayons and water. Here's another shot of those Infusions working their magic!
I truly wanted to use stamps in this book as the focus. So many times I feel like I use "gimmicks," rather than strong focal images in my work. I decided not to add any embellishments or fluff here and let the stamps do the talking. Do you think this is too old school? Do you agree that we use a lot of fluff to make our statements these days?
I did some faux stitching with a Sharpie to bring out some of the images.
I used a white Galaxy pen to create some highlights, along with gesso splashes.
All bound together with twine.
Layer after layer of stamping for dimension, rather than 3D elements.
A closeup of the tissue paper edge so you can see how that works out. The blue is slightly lighter in the harlequin under the tissue.
And the final page. I want to say a big huge thank you to the sweetest blogger on the block, Lynn Price for sharing her duplicate stamp sets with me from our 3UP PaperArtsy run. Lynn, I love and adore them and will put them to good use! My friends here bought a couple of the other sets and now we can have a party with these girls!
One last shot...
I'm sharing the stamping fun with:
Autumn, I love everything about this little journal!
ReplyDeleteThis is stunning, Autumn!! Wow!! I love the design!! The stamping and colors are amazing!! Each page is gorgeous!! What a fabulous mini this is!! So creative and beautiful!! Have a great day!! Big hugs :)
ReplyDeleteLisa
A Mermaid's Crafts
I am in love with your journal. Amazing job! Love, LOvE, LOVE!
ReplyDeleteI love each page in this fantastic journal! Love your creativity!
ReplyDeleteI don't think it is old school at all Autumn, I think it is wonderful that you let the stamps and stamping speak for themselves. I love how you used the file folders to make your mini album, the cover is my favourite part with that wonderful sentiment.
ReplyDeleteWhilst I am here, thank you so much for joining in our Monochromatic challenge at A Vintage Journey. Hugs, Anne xx
Autumn this is a fabulous book - love the shape of it and the wonderful stamping - well done on sticking to stamping and not adding 'fluff'. I love it
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Maxine
Beautiful layers and images Autumn and wonderful details with every turn of the page. Thanks do much for sharing your delightful book at AVJ and CVC xxx
ReplyDeleteFabulous book and, yay, for arty time away with friends!!!!
ReplyDeleteLove love love your album! I agree with you about the "fluff." Great to see more stamping!
ReplyDeleteIt's gorgeous Autumn! Fluff is a very individual thing... Personally, if I have a beautiful stamp, I like letting it "breathe". I also favour flat designs, especially for cards, mainly for practical reason (and postage costs!). But... I have seen some "fluffy" pages here and on other blogs that are incredibly beautiful. Make some fluffy, make some streamlined! We don't have to stop at one style...
ReplyDeleteHow gorgeous this is... wonderful layered effects to create backgrounds with such depth and detail and brilliant work with the stamps.
ReplyDeleteAlison x
Firstly extra fluff or not I always admire your creations. Today's is no fluff and boy is it fabulous, lots of detail layering and lots to look at. One clever and very talented lady, thank you so much for the inspiration x
ReplyDeleteOh, I love this little mini you made, Autumn and I don't think it's old school at all - every little page is a little work of art and achieving the wonderful look you did, with all your pages without any fluff is just another proof of how artistic you are, my friend!!! I love all the artsy stamps you used and how you've done the bgs are simply stunning!!!! Wish I could come over and have a look at how you do it!!! It surely takes a few hours to make something like this, but it's worth all the effort!!! So beautiful!!!
ReplyDeleteHave a great day!!!
Hugz
i don't think this is old school at all either! it's very creative, expressive and practical! thank you so much for sharing another of your lovely creations with us this month at penny black and more!
ReplyDeletelinda
Wow, Autumn, what a super cool mini you have created! Every page here is a piece of art! Great use of those Infusions, brilliant stamping and amazing design! So creative, so artistic and so beautiful! You never stop to amaze me with your stunning art, my friend! I absolutely love it! Big hugs to you! Branka xx
ReplyDeleteFantastic mini album, Autumn!
ReplyDeleteOooo stunning and so much detail too, thanks for joining us at Penny Black & More this month, Luv Sam x
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Such a great album, and I am in love with those backgrounds. The stamps are indeed a strong focal point, and it all holds up quite beautifully without extra embellishing.
ReplyDeleteWith DT cap on: Thank you for entering your project at Rhedd’s Creative Spirit. Sammy-x
A fabulous book with wonderful stamping and amazing backgrounds, love it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for joining us at Stamping Sensations this month
Joan
Love, love, love!!! xx
ReplyDeleteYour project never cease to amaze me..and I love this one too...it's fabulous...
ReplyDeleteI have some Lynne Perella stamps and I should make better use of them...Thank you for your inspiration and for joining in with our challenge over at Rhedds Creative Spirit...x
Really wonderful creation!
ReplyDeleteThank You for joining our challenge at Berry71Bleu!
Thanks for joining Penny Black & More @ Allsorts challenge with this great entry, good luck.
ReplyDeleteHappy crafting
Tracy x
The depth you achieve in your work is stunning!! I love the stamps (again!) and the colour tones works beautifully together. Love it.Thank you so much for joining in our Monochromatic Challenge at A Vintage Journey. Julia x
ReplyDeleteFabulous file folder! Autumn So creative and a great way to show oodles of lush colour, fab stamps, stencils and detail. hugs x
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