Book of Days : Abundance

Effy's latest lesson was to use a base of fluorescent paints that then shine up through layers. A couple of things occupying my thoughts at the moment. I want to try and include stitch in my art journals and my goal has been to finish this altered art journal by year's end since I started it in January 2016

It now looks like this. 

I LOVE it, love the size of the pages, and the text that peeks through, but I'm ready for something different - 2 years is a long time and the journal is very weighty to transport about!

I still have 23 double spreads and only 12 weeks left in the year....Combine this with my desire to try and use more stitch in my art journals, I'm starting my spread missing one spread out - this means I can stitch on the page as desired and then glue back to back to hide that OR if I can't find a way to incorporate stitch, I can just glue together and I've got one less spread to complete!

So gorgeous colours....and then stuck. I didn't want to just follow Effy's lesson, not sure if I want to do a face again.....how will I incorporate stitch? So I just left it open on my desk (so lucky I can do that) and then as I walked passed one day, I saw this figure....

and later in the car I thought how I could incorporate stitch as flowers - black thread cos this lesson used black pen in a sketchy way.

A piece of organza pinned to sheet music - using my free motion foot on the machine to stitch unique flowers and leaves

They are so fun to do and pretty cool when cut apart

and the backs are paper so easy to glue down

I had to make some orange too - the organza is so sparkly and pretty ♥

I was listening to Flora Bowley give advice about finding your own style, and how you should think about what SPECIFICALLY you like in someone else's work OR indeed in your own work - I love to use stencils....

and black and white pen detailing....and suddenly I wasn't stuck anymore.

I love how Effy uses glazes

I used a mix of Goldens high flow transparent Phthalo blue (green shade) and Phthalo green (blue shade) 

and love how the glaze colour changes over the different shading of fluro beneath ♥

Time to add the organza florals and leaves

I decided to add a line of stitching to close the missed pages - Note to self : this journal is way to heavy and large to handle under the machine except for this kind of edge stitching

Looks good on the previous journal page too

I always take a photo of the "completed" pages before I decide if I'm really done. 

Really glad I did this time cos the photo view pointed out that her dress needed a deeper glaze a well. Also I love to include words. I feel so full of gratitude for my life at the moment, the word abundance wanted to appear, and the photo showed me where

And here's the completed spread. Click on this or any other photo to see it larger.

I can't decide what I like best about this - the inclusion of the stitch or the way the fluorescent base makes the whole piece glow ♥ You can sign up for classes with Effy Wild HERE.