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:

massofhair said...

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

Maryann Laursen said...

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

Rita said...

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

Juliz Design Post said...

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

Valerie-Jael said...

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

froebelsternchen said...

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!

Zuzu's Blog said...

This is absolutely stunning Astrid.

chrissie said...

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

Love Chrissiexx

Susanna said...

So beautiful picture and nice structure and colors! ♥

Words and Pictures said...

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

Fliss said...

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

rachel said...

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

Terry said...

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!

Annie said...

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

Lucy Edmondson said...

Oh this is so gorgeous, you are so talented!

Lucy x

Meggymay said...

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

Corrie Herriman said...

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

Redanne said...

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

Gayle Price said...

Love it !! All of it !!

Kathy Bradley said...

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.

Ruth said...

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

Patty O'Malley said...

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

Nicole Wright Designs said...

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...

Susie Bentz: My Time to Play said...

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

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

WOW OH WOW!!! The texture is amazing, just fabulous!

experiments in paper said...

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

brenda said...

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

Wishing you a Happy Easter.

B x

pearshapedcrafting said...

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

Jackie PN said...

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

Paper Creations by Shirley said...

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

Dorthe said...

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

froebelsternchen said...

Thank you Astrid! ♥♥♥♥

Valerie-Jael said...

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

Pamellia said...

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 :)

Becky said...

Wow a stunning page

Anonymous said...

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

johanna said...

WOW and WOW and WOW again !!!!!

Alie Hoogenboezem-de Vries said...

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

Beo said...

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

Deb said...

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!

Jeannette said...

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

Ros Crawford said...

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

Marisa Job said...

Another fabulous project!! Great instructions! Happy Easter!!

Ana K. said...

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

LuLu Badgley said...

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

Sandy said...

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

S@ndy Diller said...

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

barbarayaya62 said...

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

maria's knutselplezier said...

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

Greetings
maria

Maggie said...

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

Unknown said...

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

Unknown said...

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

Little Artbee said...

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

Anonymous said...

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

Anonymous said...

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

~*~Patty S said...

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

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