HEARTS AND FLOWERS ...

 

Hot off the press this one, only finished yesterday!  So there I was on Valentine's Day with two flowers cut out of a magazine, and well, one thing led to another.  What you see below is one of my painted backgrounds - aren't I branching out?  I used to hate paint but am learning to love it.

Then I added some random borders in colours I liked, and of course the flowers - I knew at this stage that I wanted a valentiney theme, but not how the page would develop.  Its fun to work that way and just let it grow ....

Not much difference between these two pictures but I wanted to show you how I used crayons and a black line to emphasise the edges, which I thought looked a bit indistinct above.

Then I just wrote what was on my heart.  Himself and me have been together a long time, and it has been a Great Love for both of us.  We're so lucky to still be as dotty about each other as we ever were, which sounds a bit sickly to say but is simply true.  He drives me utterly crazy as well of course, as I do him.  Maddening and marvellous, both of us, and both at the same time.

And then lots of doodly dots and a small heart stamp to finish it all off, plus a bit of pink posca paint pen on the lower rose.  I'm pleased with how it came together - and I like the fact that (to me at any rate) it has an almost vintage look?

I'd been watching videos of the wonderful Teesha Moore on the Artstronauts Club, and been inspired by her techniques - which is what got me cutting out roses from a magazine.  In the end though, however much you might borrow ideas from other people, for me at least they always have to find a place within your own style.  I'll never journal the way she does, and actually I don't want/need to because I have a different style, but that doesn't mean I don't LOVE her work, and draw all kinds of inspirational ideas from it.  The other art journallers I particularly love are Ingrid Djikers and Tracy Bunkers - have a look at their work and you'll probably see why!