Thursday, February 22, 2024

Blue Skies and Sunshine

 Hi everyone. It's already getting into the  second half of the week. I hope your week is going well.  

Today I have a journal page and a tag for a couple of challenges.

First here's my page for Vicki's challenge at Art Journal Journey. You probably know by the now her theme is Keeping It Light.

My page started with this scrap of packaging that you see on the left. I liked the image too much to throw it out, but I was a little stuck about what to do with it.

Before I attached it to my journal page I painted my background blue. The background on the packaging was white, so I used some blue paint glaze over my whole  page hoping it would pull the 2 parts together. The glaze colored the packaging nicely, but the rest of the page was still too blue. To fix that I used my favorite  color fading trick. I sponged a bit of gesso over the dark blue.

I then stamped my favorite cow image. She has such a  sweet face; I just love her. I actually stamped the image twice, once on the page and once on acetate. I added the acetate image over the other image because doing that really makes the image pop more. 

I die cut some small butterflies and flowers. I inked them for color. I added them, along with some  confetti foam circles to the packaging design. I also added a metallic paper sun, and I colored in a few of the details. Finally I used an old stamp set for my quote.

I also have a tag today for Sandie's Asemic Writing challenge at Tag Tuesday.


I don't know if you can see the turtles in the water. 

I originally had asemic writing on all of the tag, and it made me think of water.  I thought turtles in the water was a great idea, but then they didn't look right being on the water.   I tried using a narrow tipped paint bottle to write  over the turtles,  and that just looked weird and not like the ocean, so I added some darker blue paint. This is how my tag ended up when I was finally (mostly) happy with it. I just wish the quote was smaller in size, but it fit the boat on my tag so well that I decided the heck with it and used it.


I had an early morning commitment yesterday morning, and I also have one for each of the next couple of days.  However, Wednesday's appointment ended up with my husband being admitted to the hospital. He had some pneumonia in part of his lungs, and since he's immune suppressed, they wanted him to go in  for observations.  At least he doesn't have covid, because that test came back negative. I'm hoping when I hear from him this morning he'll be doing better and able to get home.  So please excuse me if I don't/ didn't get by your blog.

That's all for me today.   








16 comments:

Angie's Recipes said...

The first page looks really pretty and I wish you a moo-velous day, Erika.

Tom said...

...I love blue skies and sunshine, we've had that for three days in a row. Enjoy yours!

Mae Travels said...

I hope your husband recovers and can leave the hospital quickly!
best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com

Christine said...

Gosh best wishes for hubby glad it was caught. Lovely 'light' page and tag

kathyinozarks said...

Good morning Erika, sending along healing prayers for you and your husband. I am hoping he is home now. No fun being in hospitals.
I am in love with your tag
Hugs from the lake Kathy

Valerie-Jael said...

Love your journal page and the lovely tag for Sandie's chALLENGE, thanks so much! Hope your hubby is soon back home and well again. Hugs, Valerie

Barwitzki said...

Blue sky and sunshine - I'll take it :-)) we had a lot of rain in February, so gray on gray - so I like to go with blue... sky blue :-) your first picture with sun, flowers, cow and tractor is really happy . Thank you very much.
AND.
All the best wishes for your husband, pneumonia doesn't sound good, I think it's a good thing that he was checked in the hospital... and I hope you have him back home quickly... because home is the best place. A hug for you and my very best wishes.

R's Rue said...

Sending healing hugs

*Vicki* said...

Sorry to hear about hubby and hope that he recovers quickly. I absolutely LOVE your page with that sun which really caught my eye first! So shinny! Love your idea of the pretty florals along the edges with the blue sky! That cow is fantastic!! Your tag is so brilliant with the texture and what a fabulous quote too!

Jeanie said...

Oh Erika, I'm so sorry your husband has pneumonia. Yes, the hospital is probably the right place for him but that's worrying in its own way. Thinking lovely thoughts. Any news?

Your writing DOES look like water!

Aimeslee Winans said...

Praying for your hubby's full recovery! XOXOX

Neet said...

So sorry to hear about your husband. I sincerely hope he returns home soon.
Love the page, I really enjoy the blue, especially as you have sponged some Gesso over it to lighten. I used to use a lot of Gesso on y pages but haven't of late.
I can see why that cow is a favourite image, isn't it a beautiful cow! The flowers down the side just bring the whole thing together.
Hugs, Neet xx

craftytrog said...

A beautiful page and tag Erika!
I hope your husband is doing much better today, and is home again soon.
Big hugs,
Alison xx

Sandra Wright. said...

An awesome tag, love the image and the texture of the sea. Great Asemic writing too. x

Michele said...

these are both beautiful, so much lovely blue! thanks for linking to tag tuesday. xo

pinky said...

Two excellent projects Erika. Love the pun in your journal, made me smile. Your tag is absolutely stunning!! Thanks for playing along with us at Tag Tuesday.
Pinky