Sunday 22 May 2016

A is for.........

Thank you so much for the wonderful supportive messages you left on my last post on the grand opening of Dotty's Tearoom and my card selling adventure. I have passed your good wishes on to Rebecca and I am delighted to say that I have had some early sales. If you would like to read about this here is the link.

Yes the alphabet challenge continues and we have the letter A this fortnight to play with over at the Craft Barn challenge. Luckily no dreaded twists this time like pink or dragonflies, just plain and simple A. I also like to combine these pages with other fun challenges running.

My walks and photos over the last week or so have shown Mother Nature at her very best. I have shared blossom, Hawthorn and new green sap rising in the leaves. I do adore the changing trees and their leaves.
Here are a few photos from the ponds, the green leaves are so full of vitality at this time of the year.



As I went through my vintage dictionary looking for an A to play with.... this word stuck out to me as perfect.



Yes I would create my own arboretum in my art journal! I wrote a post a couple of years ago about Winkworth Arboretum, if you are interested you can read it via the link here.




I went down to my garden studio and found that the only trees stamps I own are by Clarity. All my other tree stamps are Pine Trees for my Christmas cards. The Clarity trees are single and I needed a whole arboretum full so I stamped them in groups onto tissue paper using green and brown archival inks and then tore them out.






I wanted a focal for my page and decided a poem or quote would work well and I  found this lovely poem on the Internet.

I have always felt the living presence of trees
The forest that calls to me as deeply as I breathe,
As though the woods were marrow of my bone
As though I myself were a tree,
A breathing, reaching arc of the larger canopy
Beside a brook bubbling to foam
Like the one deep in these woods,
That calls that whispers home.


Michael S. Glaser

I added texture paste to my page through some TH stencils.



I used lots of different acrylics to build up my background, layering and layering.......


until I was happy.







and then I stuck on my trees to create my arboretum.

Leaves were made from snippets of inky card and some left over hessian paper from die cutting the frame for my poem.


Then it was time to put on my creative hat.

And here is Jane's Journal's arboretum.
with a few close ups

Complete with crackled TH die cut tree





I would like to enter my art journal into the following challenges;

The Craft Barn alphabet challenge A
Pixie's snippets playground #230
The Artistic stamper collage
Anything but Cute celebrate your style as everyone knows I love making AJ pages, so here is another of them!
Fussy and Fancy  1/3 dies and/or punches
Bunny Zoe lovely layers
Deep Ocean shabby chic/vintage
ABC H is for heavy embellies
We love to create 1/2 11 anything creative/ mixed media
The Craft Barn weekly challenge 2 different papers I have used tissue paper for my leaves and snippets of inky paper to die cut my leaves.

We have our darling Daisy staying with us this weekend whilst her Mummy and Daddy are at a wedding in Edinburgh....she such a delight and yes wanted to head straight to Nanna's studio when she arrived. The only bit I dislike is her dawn chorus at 6.00am on a Sunday morning! Bless.
She LOVES taking photos and my Hb took this hilarious shot of her taking a photo of me...

her artwork has been very colourful...she's been playing with bister and brushos in my studio.

 Giving it a quick spritz of water

 I'll share the finished piece when it's done. She is staying today and off home tomorrow after lunch.

Thanks as always for your kind visits and for the sweet comments you take the time to leave me. I would also like to give a warm welcome to my newest followers, it is lovely to see you join me on my creative journey.

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

28 comments:

  1. Oh Jane, another fabulous post from you! I adore your arboretum, the poem you found is perfect ans the mix of different medias plus the hessian works perfectly.

    Oh how I giggled about the 6am dawn chorus - as chirped by Daisy no doubt :) That's a great photo of you both - worthy of a 'Moment' I think!! Just in case you have a spare time on your hands :)

    And, what wonderful news about your cards starting to sell in the tea rooms. Clever you!

    Enjoy the rest of Daisy's stay!

    Hugs

    Di xx

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  2. I like how you always take us through your thought process of the item you are creating. This is wonderful. It is so well put together, I am truly impressed.

    It sounds like congrats are in order. It's hard to break into a new market with your art, but you seem to be doing well.

    I loved the photo of you and your friend Daisy. It was clever, as is her art.

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  3. A fantastic mixed media piece Jane. A beautiful piece of work. Lovely photos and how lovely to see your little granddaughter enjoying herself crafting. Barbxx

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  4. Another wonderful'moment' Jane and I think daisy is taking after her Grandma! Enjoy all your moments.

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  5. What a fabulous piece of work and such a lovely story to go with it. Great to see your little Daisy playing with paint and thank you for sharing all the lovely photos as well as the artwork.

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  6. Goodness these challenges definitely make you think although it does seem to pose you with no problems at all Jane!
    Your trees are wonderful and I love the poem! I think nature is at its very best in May.
    As for that gorgeous little artist/photographer......wonderful. :)
    V x

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  7. Oh wow! The attention to detail is second to none on your arboretum, Jane! Great choice of word, super illustration.

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  8. What a lovely piece, Jane! Love the poem and all the tree splendor!

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  9. I adore the photo of Daisy taking your photo. Your card is really pretty and I also love trees! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  10. So glad things are working out well in the tea room & boutique. Your journal page is really pretty and love the shades of green. The tree stamp is great and lucky to have one since almost all of mine are Christmas tree stamps too.

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  11. oh such a wonderful piece Jane - I love your page - gorgeous!!! Love your photos too - the one with daisy taking the picture is so lovely! Big hugs rachel x

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  12. The nature around the ponds is looking stunning, you have photographed it beautifully and used it as fabulous inspiration for your arboretum piece, love it. Daisy is so sweet and fabulously artistic, taking after nana so well. Glad to hear about your early sales, that's great news. Have a good week xxx

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  13. What a beautiful and so artistic mixed media piece, Jane! Love it!
    Thank you so much for joining in our Celebrate Your Style challenge at Anything But Cute! Hugs! Branka DT xx

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  14. A stunning piece. I love your chosen word and your depiction.

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  15. Love the photos of your walk, the one with the bridge is just amazing! Your page is so gorgeous, what a great "a" word to choose, so perfect for your inspirational surroundings! As I was reading your post, I realized that the only tree stamps I own, are also pine trees for Christmas, isn't that funny! Thank you so much for joining us at Anything But Cute for our 'Celebrate Your Style' challenge! Hugs, Pamellia DT :)

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  16. Hi Jane,
    What a beautiful Arboretum you have created here!
    Lovely photos and miss D is so precious following right into her Nana's footsteps!
    xx

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  17. I love to see how you always rise to these creative challenges, Jane and come up with an interesting idea and then carry it out! Your arboretum card is lovely and I love the poem.
    How cute Daisy is, enjoying crafting and taking photos just like you! It is such fun having them to stay for a little while, though I know what you mean about those early starts...quite a shock to the system!!
    Have a lovely week ahead.
    Helen xox

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  18. Very cute card. I love combo. Thank for playing with us at Fussy & Fancy challenge.
    Nathalie DT

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  19. Oh I do like the way you've created your arboretum - greet work to choose!

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  20. Lovely page and beautiful post again Jane.
    Thanks for joining us at Artistic Stamper challenge this month

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  21. Great page for the letter A, I love trees.

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  22. Great choice of word for A. Lots of lovely layers xx

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  23. Beautiful - love every aspect. I adore poetry too, and the one you found is perfect.

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  24. A fabulous page - so much detail and texture.

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  25. I love your arboretum page. So much detail and work. It's awesome. :)

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  26. Oh. My. Goodness, absolutely amazing project! Love your photos too. Thank you for entering The Craft Barn Challenge.
    Jane x

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  27. Now this has to be my most favorite post! You can tell just how much you love Daisy and how very much Daisy loves you. Thank you for sharing your joy with us Jane!!
    sandy xx

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Jane x