Pages

Wednesday, 1 April 2015

April Showers for Mixed Media Monthly

Hello everyone and once again, - happy April. Busy days here right now, as this is my third project today, but hey, that's what happens when it's the first of the month.....
The theme at Mixed Media Monthly is "April Showers".

I decided to go with a journal spread for this one:
Our generous Sponsors are Decoart for this month, so I used mainly Decoart products to put these pages together.
They are so generous and sent so much stuff that we will be able to have not just one, not two but 3 winners this month. So make sure to play along in our challenge, because, - you could be the lucky winner of this:

I'll show a quick step by step below, showing how I used some of these wonderful products!:

I started with a double page in my Moleskine journal. Added some strips of old book paper, some stencilling through a couple of Andy Skinner stencils, using Decoart texture paste and I also added some crackle paste here and there.
Here you can see a close up of the cool crackle effect when you spread the paste on randomly with a palette knife. Apologies, I just noticed I forgot to turn the picture round, but I'm sure you get the idea...)
I added a first layer of colour with some of the Decoart Media line of Acrylic Paints, blending them with a baby wipe. I love how translucent these paints are.

My focal image of the little girl with an umbrella was printed first on tissue paper and then again on thin card. I added more textures also by gluing down some strips of fabric and netting blending it all into the background with further paints.
Here is a close up of the girl. The tissue paper included some of the background of the original painting (found on Pinterest). I then printed her again on thin card and cut out just the girl to add more depth and clarity of the image. I also started to add some white rain drops with a  gel pen and some background stamping, just to blend everything together a bit more. I also added some embossing powder over the fibres, for yet more texture.

My sentiment was computer generated and then printed on tissue paper again and blended into the background with paints.
A tiny bit more doodling around the girl to add further highlights and that pretty much completed my page.

Do check out the wonderful projects my Design Team sisters have created and check out all the details of this challenge and what you can win. All you need to do is click HERE

If you love to use mixed media techniques we all hope you will play along this month, this is a very popular challenge blog and we love to see your beautiful creations!

Just for fun I am adding this page to the AJJ blog, where the theme this month is Favourite Quote.
Thanks so much for visiting today and have a fantastic month!
xxx

56 comments:

  1. Stunning pages Astrid, love the DecoArt products you have used and how you have blended them so very cleverly to get a beautiful misty background, perfect for your little girl and her umbrella. Loving all the depth and textures on your journal pages :-) xxx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Absolut stunning work here again as always Astrid, and so are the last entry here too

    ReplyDelete
  3. What spectacular journal pages Astrid. I love that little girl with the Brolly. Hugs Rita xxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great to see how your journal pages came together to give this beautiful look.
    Julie x

    ReplyDelete
  5. Beautiful spread, it would be nice if our would link to our challenge at AJJ, too, as it would fit really well. Valerie

    ReplyDelete
  6. An ADORABLE spread.. oh gosh - so beautiful!
    Valerie is right- would be wonderful to have it in our collection at ART JOURNAL JOURNeY as well!

    Happy Easter Astrid!

    ReplyDelete
  7. This is absolutely stunning Astrid.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This is a stunning spread Astrid with so much atmosphere I can feel the rain as I look at it.

    Love Chrissiexx

    ReplyDelete
  9. So beautiful picture and nice structure and colors! ♥

    ReplyDelete
  10. Good golly, Miss Molly - what a busy day for you! You'll be sadly missed at OCC, but I can see why something had to give!!

    Gorgeous underlying textures here, and that vintage image is utterly charming at the heart of the page.
    Alison xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. This is really beautiful Astrid. Such gorgeous texture and lovely colours too plus a very sweet image.
    Fliss xx

    ReplyDelete
  12. this is rally super astrid - thanks for all the details - I love how you got the lady in there - looks wonderful xx

    ReplyDelete
  13. I am so happy to be back and able to see your incredible art, Astrid! Your pages are textural delights and gorgeous in every detail! Love the crackle work and the way you worked the image into that fabulous background! Love it!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love this. You were so talented. And thank you for your beautiful printable.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Oh this is so gorgeous, you are so talented!

    Lucy x

    ReplyDelete
  16. A stunning journal page, love the textures and super colours.
    Yvonne xx

    ReplyDelete
  17. Such a beautiful background Astrid, you have made a stunning page !
    Corrie x

    ReplyDelete
  18. Another stunner Astrid, I think this is my favourite today... it has an almost misty quality to it, which is gorgeous and I love those beautiful raindrops and the lovely little girl. Love this! Hugs, Anne xx

    ReplyDelete
  19. I love your pages - the colors, images and sentiment. The little girl appears to be walking down a rural road - wonderful pages. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Such lovely pages, adore the little girl and the colours are so evocative of sunshine and showers. Beautiful Astrid. Hugs Ruth x

    ReplyDelete
  21. Oh my gosh, Astrid! This is breathtaking! I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Seriuosly, what an amazing set of pages! I am stunned how beautiful this is! Always a treat when I see your blog at the top of my list! I've pinned...

    ReplyDelete
  23. Beautiful! I really need to get some crackle medium...

    ReplyDelete
  24. WOW OH WOW!!! The texture is amazing, just fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Stunning spread, Astrid - the textures and colors alone are amazing, and the image is fantastic! What wonderful inspiration you provide, and three times today no less! Awesome and many thanks for sharing your work and process - I always learn a lot from you! xx Lynn

    ReplyDelete
  26. This is sheer delight Astrid, I can only but imagine how beautifully tactile this feels irl.

    Wishing you a Happy Easter.

    B x

    ReplyDelete
  27. This is stunning Astrid! Love all those textures and dreamy colours - perfect setting for your little lass! Chrisx

    ReplyDelete
  28. What a fabulously gorgeous spread Astrid!! I love how your colors have melded- yummmmy textures too!! Happy Easter my friend! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  29. Gorgeous lay-out, the tutorial is fantastic as well. I don't know how you can stop to take photos with messy hands, but I'm glad you do :) Thanks for sharing and the inspiration. Have a great Easter weekend, Shirleyxx

    ReplyDelete
  30. She is a little beauty, in her lovely colours, and fits fantastic onto your gorgeous created background, with the wonderful layers and crackle. I love the grass /earth effect you created around her feet, and the rainy drops, too.And yes, if one could only learn to dance in "the rain" , Astrid.
    Dorthe, xo

    ReplyDelete
  31. So glad you linked to us at Art Journal Journey, Valerie

    ReplyDelete
  32. Wow Astrid, this is just breathtaking! I think I need to be a fly on the wall of your craft room for a while, so I can learn how to make such gorgeous blended pieces. Amazing colours and I just love the little girl with her umbrella. What a beautiful textured rainy day scene! hugs :)

    ReplyDelete
  33. Fabulous pages Astrid, love the little girl and the highlighted rain drops. Sue C x

    ReplyDelete
  34. WOW and WOW and WOW again !!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  35. This is probably my new favorite from you Astrid....love it!!! Amazing scenery with gorgeous colours and texture. Big compliment!
    Happy Easter, Alie :-)

    ReplyDelete
  36. It's wonderful!!
    Thank you so much for showing the way you did this phantastic page!
    Beo

    ReplyDelete
  37. You are a busy, busy girl but all of your projects are spectacular Astrid! Love the depth and texture you've achieved on your journal pages. That little girl image is precious!

    ReplyDelete
  38. wow,fantastic pages,love the way you did,love so much.

    ReplyDelete
  39. This is so atmospheric ... I feel transported as I gaze on your page ... Fantastic Astrid!

    ReplyDelete
  40. Another fabulous project!! Great instructions! Happy Easter!!

    ReplyDelete
  41. Astrid your pages are awesome....love the little girl with umbrella and (as always) textures and colours! Fabulous!
    Happy Easter and hugs from Slovenia

    ReplyDelete
  42. Great texture. I love the way the light comes through the rain. The little girl is a perfect dancer.

    ReplyDelete
  43. If you only knew how many times I have looked at this post Astrid! You seem to have outdone your self with this but you always have fabulous makes! I adore these journal pages -- should be framed!!
    sandy xx

    ReplyDelete
  44. Beautiful layout Astrid. Love the colors and textures you managed to achieve!

    ReplyDelete
  45. Great page! what a wonderful textures you added in this journal! I love the crackle effect and the little girl is so perfect ! Happy Easter!!! BArbarayaya

    ReplyDelete
  46. Wow what a great page for your art journal, I love every details , it's so pretty!! You are a real artist!!

    Greetings
    maria

    ReplyDelete
  47. Gorgeous AJ page Astrid the image is beautiful loving the texture as always.
    MaggieH

    ReplyDelete
  48. gorgeous art journaling! Very inspiring indeed! Loved seeing how it came together ;) x

    ReplyDelete
  49. Absolutely precious and so well done. As always Astrid - your artwork just speaks to me. Thank you. j

    ReplyDelete
  50. Wow amazing background effects and texture. Very nice Image. It looks like an illustration in a fairy tale book. I love it.
    Dear Greetings
    Sabine

    ReplyDelete
  51. My Goodness!!! WHAT A TOTAL SHOW STOPPER this one is!

    Far, far too beautiful to be tucked inside a journal, Astrid. This should be out, on display, making people gasp as I did when I opened up this post to have a read.

    It's incredible. Amazingly, stunningly, incredible. Your talents know no bounds. You seem to have an endless, never ending, supply of first class talent. I am so thrilled to say I 'know' you, and adore following your every project.

    Thank you for making me smile on days when smiles can seem like the last thing I'm going to find. This is truly beautiful Astrid. Truly.

    Sending oodles of love (as always) ~ Cobs. x

    ReplyDelete
  52. Wow! What a beautiful piece of art. This is such a wonderful journal page Astrid! I can't stop a looking at this one. LOVE IT! Karen.x

    ReplyDelete
  53. Hello from AJJ dear Astrid.
    Your journal pages are so very beautiful...magical and mystical!
    Thank you for showing some of your creative process too ♥
    oxo

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, it is much appreciated and it makes my day! Please don't waste your time leaving anonymous comments, they will go straight to spam!