Embark New Adventures - an art journal spread

This post is a significant one in many ways. It's the last post of 2024 as I'm keeping the rest of the year off. On top of that, it's last post in the blog for a while as I got accepted into a school I applied and shall start my studies on January on top of my full-time job. I'm thinking I then won't have much time to create, less to blog. However, if I create anything, I will surely share it on my Instagram! So, while this blog might be on a hiatus, I'm hoping to keep some action on my Instagram. 

The other significant thing about this project is that I started a new art journal. I've been craving for this kind of page format for a while, but all the journals I've found have had binding. As I normally tend to make quite dimensional things, I was hesitant to purchase one only to ruin the binding after a couple of pages. But let's see how this now goes! At least in this first attempt I managed to restrain myself from adding too much height! 

I guess the page and process is mostly quite straight forward and need no explanation, except maybe the red thread as I'm not quite convinced it translates well. In Finnish the red thread doesn't necessarily combine fates or two people (did quick googling), but it's more about continuity, the core of things. In a messy world it's important to find and follow that red thread of one's existence. Kind of like a race horse with blinkers, keeping the goal in your sight through the muddle of it all.  

Want to see how the spread came to life? Well, then why don't you visit my YouTube channel to see the process video (link)! When I made this project, and video, I had applied to the school but the results weren't in yet so I only knew I would be taking the January off as that meant I didn't have any deadlines in December. 

I gave the spread quite a prophetical title - "Embark New Adventures". The other part of the text reads "Believe in your dreams". I'm hoping that this leap of faith will pay off in longer run, so I hope you wish me well! 

Thank you so much for your visit! Wishing you a wonderful Holiday time and great start to the new year 2025! Hopefully you won't be a stranger and we'll see each other on the Instagram! Thank you again and bye for now!

Materials: 

art journal

PaperArtsy - Fresco Finish acrylic paint Butter, Captain Peacock, Forget Me Not, Snowflake

PaperArtsy - TS065 stamp set

Tsukineko - Versa Fine Clair Nocturne

Ranger - Distress Collage Meidum Matte

Tim Holtz Idea-ology - Paper Dolls Portraits TH94233

Stabilo - All Aquarellable colored pencil black 8046

Tim Holtz Idea-ology - Chitchat stickers TH92998

Posca PC-1M white, black

Posca PC-3M yellow, lavender, emerald green

clear packaging tape

old book page, red thread

scissors, brushes, sewing needle

Snowmen with beanies - a set of cards

Brr, it's cold outside! Even snowmen need warm beanies! So, more cards this way comes. These are made using a Stampers Anonymous stamp set as well as some craft felt. 

I made a set of these cards alternating the background color and matched that with the bobble on the beanie. Well, I matched in two cases out of three - the pink and the green. However, I used an icy blue for the purple one. The snowman is built using both the little snowman and the head in the set - something I saw online and wanted to try out as I find the big headed snowman endearing. Instead of the top hat he has on the set I cut three beanies out of craft felt and decorated those with small pompoms.

The background of the cards are done using Distress Inks, the coloring of the snowmen with brush-tip markers.

Thank you for stopping by today! Wishing you a splendid Wednesday!

Materials: Stampers Anonymous, Ranger, Korttipaja, Sinelli

Wreath card - Gelli Arts

Heippa! It's the final posts of 2024 this week! First up is this wreath card I made for Gelli Arts. If you want to see how I made it, you can see the Reel here (link) on my Instagram.

I used two green PaperArtsy paints to create the card. I first spread a layer of spruce green paint to my Gelli Arts plate and patterned the layer using a self carved holly leaf stamp. After letting that layer dry I added some red berries in the mix using a Q-tip. Again, a bit of drying and then I lifted the paint using another shade of green. To finish the card, I added some doodles, sentiment sticker and a couple of sequins.

Thank you for stopping by today! Wishing you a jolly Tuesday!

Materials: Gelli Arts, PaperArtsy, Sinelli, Posca

Vintage Wishes - a pair of cards

Moikka moi! It's again Friday and that means a new process video on my YouTube channel! This time I'm making some Holiday cards using old cards as my focal points. Want to watch me create the pair? Then please head over to my YouTube channel and check out this video (link) uploaded there. 

The idea behind this pair was to re-use or re-purpose in a way some old received Christmas cards. Or rather. it was to give you the spark to do so as I actually needed to buy these cards and then cut them apart! I used Distress Inks to make the backgrounds for the characters and added some pattern using a couple of stamps. As I used vintage styled focal points, I made quite easy brown-toned backgrounds that fitted both of the focal images. 

Besides the inked background and another little layering piece, the cards don't have many details. There's a piece of old book paper to give more of that vintage vibe and a little sentiment wreath sticker stating "Merry Christmas" in Finnish. Apart from those, there's just a small twine bow adding another texture to the makes. 

Thank you for stopping by today! Wishing you a wonderful Friday and pleasant weekend! 

Materials: 

old Christmas cards

Fabriano - Accademia 160g cardstock

Tsukineko - Versa fine Clair Nocturne

PaperArtsy - TS065 stamp set

Stampers Anonymous - COM007 Ticket stamp

Ranger - Distress Ink Vintage Photo, Scorched Timber

Ranger - Distress Oxide Peeled Paint

Posca PC-1M white

Christmas sentiment stickers

kraft card bases, vintage book page, nature twine

double sided tape, foam tape, craft glue

brushes, paper cutter, scissors, ruler, water mister

A cup of hot cocoa - a pair of ATCs

Care for a cuppa? Here's some mint chocolate inspired ATCs! 

Some weeks ago I received my order from Nannan Paperi ja Helmi, which included this die and embossing folder set. Naturally I needed to play with my new toys immediately and created this pair of ATCs using them. Instead of coffee or tea, I decided to make hot chocolate mugs - kind of bringing the Holiday vibe to the make. I used Ranger's Distress Inks to color the pieces I cut from cream colored cardstock. The candy cane sticks I made using a red brush tip marker, and added just a hint of ink to the edges of them. The whipped cream on top got some extra fluff from Modeling Paste and the little biscuit some details using the markers as well and then some sprinkled sugar using Rock Candy glitter.

If you want one of the pair, please let me know and I'll mail the cup to you! I'm also delighted to do a swap! 

Thank you for stopping by today! Wishing you a nice Wednesday!

Materials: Sizzix, Ranger, Tim Holtz Idea-ology, Prima Marketing

Emerald butterfly - a card

Hi there! Today I have something quite different from the Holiday theme that's been going on for a while. It's a card, but this time a emerald colored butterfly. I made this based on a request from my husband. 

I really liked making this card, but it was a bit difficult as well as I didn't know the receiver and was kind of flying in the dark with it. This was a congratulations card for newly weds. The color scheme came from the bride's dress and butterfly from her love of butterflies. The glitter details were as well something she had in a music event this year. 

The background as well as the butterfly are done using a PaperArtsy acrylic paint. For the background I then layered other paint layers and stamped details as well as Posca doodles. The butterfly on the other hand is just stamped using a Stampers Anonymous butterfly stamp and embossed using golden embossing powder.

I hope the couple liked what I created! But, it's the thought that counts after all. 

Thank you for stopping by today! Wishing you a lovely Tuesday!

Materials: PaperArtsy, Stampers Anonymous, Ranger, Tim Holtz Idea-ology, Carabelle Studio, Posca

Blue and White - an art journal spread

Happy Independence Day Finland! Today, the 6th of December we celebrate our independence. The date is when the parliament confirmed the declaration of independence with votes 100 for and 88 against. Finland was a Grand Duchy then, belonging to Russian empire.

I drew inspiration from the day and used just blues and whites in this art journal spread. If you are wondering, why those colors, they are the colors on the Finnish flag. When I was crafting the piece a song called "Sininen ja valkoinen" (Blue and white) started playing in my head. There the singer thinks how to describe his homeland. He then sings about all blue and white things in Finland (blue skies and lakes, glistening snow, white summer nights and white clouds). 

How I made the spread? Well, you can see that from this process video (link) on my YouTube channel! Like I say in the video, you could use the same idea to make some Christmas cards, too! 

Wishing you a peaceful Friday and wonderful weekend! Thank you for stopping by today!

Materials: 

GelliArts - 5"x7" printing plate

Fabriano - Accademia 160g cardstock

PaperArtsy - Fresco Finish acrylic paint Baltic Blue, Double Denim, China, Heavy Cream, Eggshell, Snowflake

Stampers Anonymous - Tim Holtz Layering stencil Brush Marks THS167

Stampers Anonymous - Tim Holtz Layering stencil Berry Leaves THS174

Carabelle Studio - Ecriture a la Plume stencil

Wennström - beeswax crayons

Stabilo - All Aquarellable white colored pencil 8052

Posca PC-1M black, white

letter stickers, pencil

foam tape, double sided tape

brushes, brayer, scissors