Friday 6 January 2017

Going Round In Circles

Welcome to our first challenge of the year for A Vintage Journey, our theme for January is "Going Round In Circles".

Whether large or small, 2d or 3d, clock face embellishments, buttons, eyelets or created with paint pot lids, stamped, stencilled, doodled or finger painted let’s see what gets you going round in circles. This challenge theme particularly fits with the art journaling style we love to see but can also be incorporated into a vintage; shabby; mixed-media; industrial or steampunk project.

I opted to use Eileen Hull's Sizzix Passport Die for my creative piece. I die cut the pieces and then painted the front, back covers and pages with Raw Umber DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic, dried with a heat tool and then painted each with DecoArt Media Crackle Paint.
My focal piece is a Sandra Evertson Prima Relic Piece which again has Crackle Paint applied and aged with touches of more Raw Umber Fluid Acrylic applied with my finger. I also sanded a few of the edges and then added further layers of paint to darken and age further.
I used a pocket watch wooden piece to add depth to my design and to add the circular element needed for the challenge along with some circles of rusty tin wire, which I adore using.
I sanded the edges of the pocket watch and added further layers of Raw Umber paint. I also added a life pin to the bottom for further interest. The pages were bound together with natural twine.
The back cover of the book has a further Relic Piece which has again been aged with Raw Umber Paint which I applied as a wash. I also added book pages from an old Alice in Wonderland book and added some painty circles added with lids from paint pots.
I adore the text 'Be Brave' and how all the layers are visible. The numbers are Label Letters from Tim Holtz and I have also included some Remnant Rubs for further interest.
I added further layers of paint to the edges to add to the worn aged feel.
The crackle really makes this such a tactile piece.
Continuing with the circle theme inside my book.
I applied Raw Umber paint to the edges of a lid using my finger and then pressed the lid onto each of the pages and then dried with my  heat tool.
To add shading to each of the circles I applied DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic Titan Buff to the inside of the circle, applying with my finger and whilst the paint was still wet I then added touches of Raw Umber, blending both paints with my finger.
To add further definition to the edges I also applied Walnut Stain Distress Crayon to the edges of each circle and then smudged with my finger.
Each of the circles had numbers added using one of the mini Layering Stencils from Tim Holtz, applying Raw Umber paint over the stencil with a piece of Cut 'n' Dry Foam. I also added delicate splatters of Titanium White Paint to each of the pages to add highlights.
Our sponsor this month is The Funkie Junkie Boutique who are offering $25 to our randomly drawn winner. Good Luck.

Thanks so much for stopping by and all the very best for 2017. Tracy x x 





21 comments:

Monika Gulyas said...

Amazing creation! It looks like a vintage book of spells with the ageing and the face on the top! Nice crackles!

brenda said...

A super mixed media piece Tracy.

B x

Julia Aston said...

what a wonderful little book you created Tracy! LOVE the face pieces, the antiqued gesso and beautiful crackle on this! Julia xx

chrissy o said...

fabulous Tracy xxxx

Brenda Brown said...

Love this Tracy, so much texture and dimension and a wonderful shabby palette xxcx

Jennie Atkinson said...

Beyond words ....... this is an absolutely stunning book inside and out. Love it x

Words and Pictures said...

Stunning, Tracy - a new all time favourite for me. Love the crackle, the book pages, the wire circles (all elements I adore). I almost went with wire circles, but thankfully went another way - I couldn't top this. Outstanding!
Alison x

Pamellia said...

Absolutely amazing as always Tracy! Your work is an inspiration and I look forward to more in 2017! Sending wishes for a belated Happy New Year!!

Amanda said...

Stunning Tracy, so much fabulous texture
Love
Amanda x

Corrie Herriman said...

WOW! Tracy, this is stunning. Must be my favourite piece from you !!!! Love all the crackle and I am partial to circles too so double love !!! I got some of these Prima faces in the mail today ! Can't wait to play !

Corrie xxx

Mrs.B said...

An amazing piece, love all the crackle and wonderful mixture of circles.
Avril xx

Jenny Marples said...

Quite simply stunning! LOVE the way you've added the facial features with the circular centrepieces on the cover (touch of Voldemort maybe?!) and you've gone to another level with the circular inner pages xx

Marci said...

I love how you used the Sandra Evertson pieces. The crackle is gorgeous!

Astrid Maclean said...

Wow Tracy, you have outdone yourself with this one, BRILLIANT!! The cover is mazing, love that wire circle and the crackle of course, the inside pages are stunning too, I just adore the depth you created to your cirles with that subtle shading, - fantastic work!!!

Nikki Acton said...

Brilliant design and creativity! Just acquired some R&A bits so this was perfect timing to inspire me xxx

sarascloset said...

Well, I'm officially speechless, Tracy! What an amazing project, filled with so much gorgeous crackle and just an overall fabulous design! Now I see absolutely no reason not to invest in this passport die and DA crackle paint! My favorite bit of all are those fantastically shaded numerical circles on the inner pages! Oh my, I'm have a crafty crush on this one! Thank you so much for the inspiration and tutorial! Hugs!

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

Hello and happy birthday! LOVE the look of this, and the fact it's a journal is wonderful. LOVE the faces.

Rita said...

Wow, how fabulous Tracy. Love the whole artefacts look of this. Welll done. Rita xxxx

Redanne said...

A truly stunning piece of work Tracy! The pocket watch, the rusty wire, the relics, the crackle - I just love everything about this, it really does have the WOW factor!! Hugs, Anne xx

A Pink said...

Super fantastic work! Tracy All those lovely aged tones, the fabulous crackle, rusty wire and added touches of detail make for a terrific piece of mixed media. Love the 'life' pin and all the inside stencil/ circle work- such a cool idea .
hugs x

S@ndy Diller said...

Simply love everything about this Tracy - such fabulousness (if that's a word) in one little place. S@ndy x