Monday 9 January 2017

Cold and frosty January days

Now that Christmas is packed away, Bear has returned home and a routine has returned I decided to have a creative day all to myself. I love it when I can just make art for arts sake...neither for selling at Dotty's teahouse or to fulfil my  DT duties....just for pure enjoyment. I also wanted to get out my acrylic paints, which have not been used for a while.

There are some fun January challenges in blog land and on Facebook a the moment and I decided to look at their requirements and make something suitable. Lots of challenges are also asking us to use something new or a new technique so I got out a brand new stamp I bought. The weather has remained very cold and frosty and I thought a chilly January art journal page would be just the thing to make.

On one of my early morning walks with bear I photographed the colours in the sky as the sun rose.
 There was just a hint of pink in the freezing blue sky



The frost patterns on the leaves were so pretty...almost like snowflakes.



Bear never seemed to mind how cold his toes get!
I decided to use the colours in the sky, the silhouettes of the naked winter trees and the sparkle of the frost as my inspiration for my project.
I recently bought some lovely Clarity stencils and decided to use this one for its first outing

 I used white, blue and pink acrylic paints and roughly splodged them through the stencil to give the hint of a cold winter tree background.



 Next I gave the first inking to my gorgeous new Stampendous stamp I bought. It arrived too late to make any Christmas cards with but was perfect to use for a winter's day scene.








For the Craft Barn challenge I needed to include a wellington boot with a bird on it. This caused me a bit of a problem as I own no boot stamps...so.... I made my own boot which I then coloured green. 



I also die cut some snowflakes using  my new Tim Holtz thinlets...I love this set.

I gave them some texture and sparkle with some crackle paints, distress ink and Glamour dust

I also coloured some die cut birds.







Next I put on my creative hat...and this is my finished January art journal page...
and some close ups...
The bird in a wellington boot

 some white ribbon on this snowflake
Plenty of chilly crackle and sparkle to remind me of those walks which really did make my feet and fingers glow.


My art journal page was made as an entry for the following fun challenges;

The Craft Barn twelve month challenge January . "The Months" poem  by Sara Colleridge is being used for inspiration. For January there is the added twist of including a wellington boot with a bird. The first 2 lines of the poem are included on my art journal page.
Craft stamper take it make it January anything goes
Rubber dance colour inspiration January blue, red and white with optional winter theme
Creative Carte blanche baby it's cold outside
Creative artiste#22 anything goes
Emerald Creek dares 1/3 bring on the new mine are the stencil and stamp
The Artistic stamper 3/3 anything goes
Crafty catz add ribbon
Time out winter
Frilly and funkie  new year's goals inspirations another goal for this year is to try to fit in some "me crafting time". I spend a lot of my crafting time making cards for Dotty's and I really do need to try to have some fun, creative, experimenting time too in my art journal.

Yesterday turned mild again and I think this week it may stay that way but the forecasters say a blast of cold air from the North is heading our way by the end of the week.
Remember the saying...The north wind will blow and we will have snow.....I wonder if we will?
Keep snug and safe. I understand that my Finnish and Amercian buddies are having a really cold time at the moment. We had -8c overnight one night and that was a record for many years. I cannot image what -22c is like.....brrrrrrrr...

Thanks for visiting me today and for your very kind comments.

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x





37 comments:

  1. gorgeous card, love your robins! I hope we don't have snow, everything will stop even for a smattering!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Such a pretty scene and very evocative of a winter's day - perfect!

    ReplyDelete
  3. beautiful Jane...I love how you 'made my own boot' because you didn't have one and what a brilliant boot it is too !! :)
    Not keen on the idea of snow, it doesn't go with my pre-spring ethos!
    It's bright and nippy here this morning, 6 deg my phone app says and it says 10deg for tomorrow....then there is a snowflake beside Thursday but I'm keeping my thumb over that bit!!! ;)
    Have a great week my friend,
    V x

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow! I'm completely blown away by the detail in your project. It's truly gorgeous xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a beautiful page you've made. I so agree with you about "me" time as well

    ReplyDelete
  6. That is incredible. Such a beautiful wintry scene.

    ReplyDelete
  7. It is pretty darn cold here in the Vancouver area of B.C.
    We have frozen thick ice on the side roads, luckily with the main roads clear now.
    The sheet ice is hard to navigate and there is always the one neighbour who "forgets" to shovel their sidewalks, making navigation to the mailbox difficult!

    Your art journal page is beautiful. Love the stamp and the way you created your own scene with the birds around it!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hello Jane,

    You've captured the essence of Winter so perfectly both with your photos and your beautiful card! I usually know it is colder than -15 when I go out, I take a breath and all of a sudden I feel icicles forming inside my nose! Hahaha...true story!

    xx

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh Jane.. I loved your pink sky and naked tree photos.. and the card design is EXQUISITE! If I had that I would have it framed.. it's wonderful. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. This is such a beautiful AJ page, Jane! I think you've managed to capture the winter colours beautifully, and such lovely use of our challenge colours, too. Love the boots you made, such a nice detail on your page. Thank you for joning our January challenge at Rubber Dance ♥

    ReplyDelete
  11. Fabulous journal spread, Jane! Would you believe I bought that same Stampendous stamp! I haven't used it yet, but was thinking I would use it for my next years Christmas card. Love the fact that you used your wonderful pictures from your walk as inspiration for the colors you used! You have used wonderful texture as well. I love it all! Thanks so much for joining us here at Creative Carte Blanche!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Happy New Year to you dear Jane...I hope it's full of all good things for you and your family...such a beautiful winter post...and I agree it's lovely to make the time to make things for pure enjoyment ♥
    Happy Tuesday,
    Susan x

    ReplyDelete
  13. Gorgeous frosty pictures and such a delightful wintry page...I love it!
    Helen xox

    ReplyDelete
  14. What a gorgeous and wonderful wintery journal page, Jane!
    I can almost hear the snow and ice crack under my boots!

    Thank you for playing along with us at Emerald Creek Dares!

    Claudia x

    ReplyDelete
  15. Congratulations Jane! You are the winner of my Seasons Givings giveaway!!! Please contact me with your address addy :) xx

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi Jane, so nice to visit you and all your beautiful work. That card/journal page is so well done and creative. All your techniques are so professional. Such a wonderful talent and I can tell you enjoy it so! How's Billy these days? My blog is back😊
    xoRobin

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a beautiful journal page! I love the crackle texture on your pieces. Thank you for joining us at Creative Artiste this month, Jane (DT) :) x

    ReplyDelete
  18. Jane this is really beautiful! I love your paint-y woodsy background and the little cabin is painted so sweetly! Great job on your wellie and those birds look happy perched up there. I really love this! Thank you for sharing it with us at Emerald Creek Dares. Hugs! Sara Emily DT PS Love those paper snowflake dies, too! I've gotten my moneys worth out of them already!

    ReplyDelete
  19. What a beautiful wintery creation Jane!! I just love your focal image. That sweet little scene looks so lovely and the frame is beautiful and festive! All the glitter makes me want to pull my Christmas papers back out and make more holiday cards!! lol. Thank you so much for joining us at Frilly and Funkie!!

    Love your wintery pics. The foliage covered in frost are just amazing pics, I've never seen frost like that in real life, so beautiful!! sending hugs :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. What a pretty scene! I love love love your AJ page! ♥
    Thank you for joining the Rubber Dance Challenge!
    Hugs, DT-Anita

    ReplyDelete
  21. Beautiful scene! I love the stamp you have used and your boot came out much better than mine! xx

    ReplyDelete
  22. What a wonderful page!!! It's so beautiful. Thank you for joining us over at the Rubber Dance Challenge. Hugs, Susanne.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Absolutely gorgeous page - thank you for joining the Craft Barn Month challenge xx

    ReplyDelete
  24. Gorgeous scene. Love the boot. Thanks for joining the Rubber Dance challenge. Hugz

    ReplyDelete
  25. Great photos to inspire your work this month. Love the wintry scene with just a pop of colour!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Another beautiful piece! And wasn't the snow fun? My two had sledges out in the dark last night, it's a shame (for them) that is hasn't lasted as they were desperate for a snowy weekend. We still have a good bit in the garden, but it's mostly quite icy now. Keep nice and warm! Bethx

    ReplyDelete
  27. This is beautiful. Great texture and I love the winter scene. Thank you for playing along with the Craft Stamper Challenge xx

    ReplyDelete
  28. Oh Jane, this is amazing. The paint through the stencil is fabulous for the wintery background and I have to say, I am jealous that you have the Tim Holtz snowflakes, they are the best snowflakes I have seen. Great photos too. I really enjoyed reading your post, thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  29. You've created a very lovely winter day. Makes me want to slip on the boots and take a walk.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Fabulous winter scene! I love how you created the background. Stunning!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Jane...this is absolutely beautiful! SO much detail packed into a pretty small space but brilliantly done! I really love that Stampendous scene stamp. It's lovely and you've used it perfectly here! I love all of your background. You had a beautiful winter sky as your inspiration and you captured it even prettier than the actual! Your stenciled birch trees are stunning. I adore your little cardinals and the snowflake and snow detailing you've added to your boot and so forth. Just beautiful! Thanks for sharing your lovely art with all of us at Creative Carte Blanche!

    ReplyDelete
  32. That background is stunning! I love all the lovely details like the sparkles on tne snow, the sweet wee robins and the gorgeous stamping. Really a lovely piece! Good for you to take time to play! Thanks so much for sharing with us in the New Year's Inspiration Challenge at Frilly and Funkie!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Just brilliant, Jane! I adore the way you went outside for your inspiration and then interpreted this fabulous art journal page. The colors you've included in your work are truly inspired and I LUV the bird perched on the boot. Hope to see lots more from you on Creative Carte Blanche!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Just beautiful - so many stunning elements to look at! I love your background - you really captured the morning winter sky colours so perfectly! Thanks so much for playing along with us at Time Out! Jill

    ReplyDelete
  35. goooorgeous card ! thank you so much for sharing with us at The Artistic Stamper
    WIshing you good luck to win beautiful stamps !

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for leaving a comment; I really enjoy reading every single one of them.

To comply with the new Data Protection legislation (GDPR) May 2018 I wish to state that any comments left here are with your consent that your name & comment are visible to anyone who visits my blog and that you accept that your personal information is being used for that specific purpose.

Jane x