New Year Art Journal

Happy New Year! I am looking forward to a new year or creativity. I always enjoy creating a new folder in my computer for the projects of a new year. 

It is time for the first Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge project of the year.

Please note: this post has affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

This week we have a Something New theme at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog. I hope you will join us! For this first month of the year, Pauline C will join us as guest. Don't miss stopping by her blog Passion for Papercraft. 

Since it is the first Monday of a new month, the team is showcasing products by a specific designer/company. This week it is AALL & Create. You can find their range of stamps and other products here. You don't have to use their products to join the challenge, but it is fun if you do.

I usually make an art journal page at the start of a new year, or at the end of an old one. This years version features golden hearts in the background, symbolising my most important wish for the year, namely that my boys will be as healthy as possible, despite the various autoimmune diseases that they now both have. I used AALL & Create Flower Press stamp for the flower and Simon Says Stamp Falling in Love stencil from the new To Love release.

I worked in my Dylusions Small Creative Journal on a page that had already been coated with gesso. Apply Distress Texture Paste through the Simon Says Stamp Falling in Love stencil. Let dry and repeat to cover the page. 

Paint with Distress Paint and mist with plenty of water to blend.

When the paint was dry, I first tested to watercolor two hearts that I knew wouldn't be visible. I wanted a brighter gold color and decided to paint the remaining hearts white.

When the white paint was dry, I painted the hearts with Zig Kuretake Gansai Tambi Starry paints, using two shades of gold. This paint is very sparkly.

I added shading to the hearts with a pencil.

AALL & Create Flower Press was stamped on heavystock paper with black ink. The stamp was designed by Tracy Evans. 

Color with Prismacolor pencils, using the white pencil to blend the colors. After that I inked the card with brown shades of Distress Ink, but seem to have forgotten to take a photo of that step. 

I splattered the background with a little Scorched Timber paint. Simon Says Stamp Tattered Leaves were die cut from gold kraft-stock paper. 

I also misted a little water on the inky background, for texture. The Prismacolor pencil will resist the Distress Ink.

The hearts are very shiny.

The letters and numbers were die cut from Simon Says Stamp glitter cardstock using Tim Holtz Vault Seasonal Sketch set. I also added a few Small Talk stickers.

Join us this week in our Something New challenge! You have a chance to win a $25 gift voucher to do some fun shopping at Simon Says Stamp. You have until Monday 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in.

Do you use Instagram? If so please add #sssmchallenge so we can see your entries there too.

Thank you so much for visiting today! 

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:

* Please note: the links are affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.