Travel Art Journal page

Many times I art journal without an theme in mind, just to de-stress and start creating something. Then (like what happened here), I end up with a partially completed spread and get totally stuck on what else to do with it, haha.

I started with a scrap paper collage, which is one of my favorite things to do. Tearing up paper and organizing it onto a page is oddly satisfying. Then I added heavy white gesso and put acrylic paint over it. I added texture with a stencil (another one of my favorite things), but I had no idea what to do next. When that happens, the best thing is for me to walk away, let the page simmer in my mind, and maybe go through my supplies for ideas.

Eventually, I ended up with this travel spread that I really like. The small dots heat embossed in gold add a subtle touch of shine. Flipping through the Tim Holtz Small Talk stickers, I found a quote that was perfect, but I wanted a larger font so I printed it out on my computer.

Here is my base layer. I used some Tim Holtz collage paper, tissue paper I printed with my husband's piano sheet music, and tissue paper stamped with writing.

Here is the page after I added acrylic paint. I then added texture with a stencil and sprayed ink over the top to break up the colors.

Materials used for this project:

Tim Holtz collage paper - Document

Tissue paper printed with sheet music

Stamperia stencil KSTDQ35

Tim Holtz Sizzix Destination die

Tim Holtz Euro Elements stamp

Tim Holtz Perspective Butterfly stamp (the dots stamp)

MFT Romantic Script stamp (stamped onto tissue paper for the initial layer)

Acrylic paint in aqua and yellow ochre

Jane Davenport Inkredible in Mermaid Tail and Hot Chocolate (diluted with water and put into spray bottles)

Jane Davenport Mermaid markers in Pirate's Gold and Reef

Distress Oxide ink pad in Vintage Photo, Antique Linen and Old Paper

Art Philosophy water soluble oil pastels in dark brown and black 

Texture paste

Gold embossing powder

Gel medium

Heavy gesso

I am entering this project in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Art Journal

Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge - Anything Goes