Magpie Morning!

Hello to anyone passing by and welcome to Magpie Heaven! I feel like singing a rousing chorus of 'O what a beautiful morning!' today not just because it is nice and sunny-ish but also...because last night I was lucky enough to win the @Paper Artsy draw!!! It was so inspiring to take a peek at all the amazing projects inspired by Linda Cain, so many thanks to Leandra and Gillian for running these great challenges.
This is one of the Magpie Brood emerging! Well, no we don't all go round in masks looking like something out of V for Vendetta! This is one of the brood posing for his sister's photography project for her art foundation! I can't take credit for the photo, but the mask is part of my magpie gathering. I love the colours which have stayed so bright for over twenty years and all the memories it has of holidays in Venice.

That's what I wanted to evoke in this journal spread really.

I sponged on Fresco paints: Beach hut, Mermaid, a little bit of Inky Pool and a touch of London Bus here and there to add contrast. I think this kind of suggested a sunset. I used some of my favourite Lynne Perrella stamps from @Paper Artsy (LPC009, 011, 012) with black Archival ink - I love the way LP stamps seem to tell a story. The little figure crops up on two different sheets and really intrigues me. As I worked, the colours and images suggested memories and travels. The little frames suggested a locket.

I sponged over doilies from the Pound shop to create a lacy effect! The leaves are clear stamps I've had for years - so long I don't even know who the designer is - sorry! I stamped them on to @Paper Artsy crackly tissue and then embossed in silver detail embossing powder. It's difficult to see in the photo, but the blue and silver went quite well. The sphere in the corners is from another old, Non Sequiter set of stamps used with a Lynne Perrella flower. I embossed again with detail bronze straight on to the page, taking care not to set the whole journal alight ha ha!

I stamped the Lynne Perrella lady on to Crackly and coloured her on the back. I think Leandra's tutorial on U tube on doing this possibly changed my life! I thought the image looked a little like the fancy draw string purses I remember back in the 'seventies so I made a pocket and slipped a tag into it.

I like to use the journal to gather and keep snippets of poetry I like, so I wrote out an anonymous haiku type poem from an old collection I have on the back of this label, which is created using a mixture of  spritzed distress inks (especially Peacock feathers - my favourite), Portfolio Pastels and @Paper Artsy Frescos. I also like to make my own stencils using what's left behind when you've punched out little leaves, hearts etc. I shifted my stencil over a bit after sponging with Claret then dabbed on Snowflake. Again, thanks to Leandra for this tip! I attached my label with eyelets.

The tag and the little picture frames are a Tim Holtz die. I stained the lace (from dear Dennis' stall in the market) with distress inks. I know lots of people have been busy working on the TH April tag. Mo at http://almocraft.blogspot.co.uk/ has created a gorgeous one. I love tags, but a little too much, so I find I've made loads and don't know quite what to do with them. Added to a journal page you can flip them over to read a secret message! If you strain your eyes you can see torn pieces of vintage book stuck to the page.

This little haiku poem is a bit sad. I just doodled around this and added gems, but I'll probably return and add more stamping.  The story behind this page (entirely the product of my sentimental imaginings) seems to be two lovers separated by time and space who set out to find each other - in Venice maybe? And I have to give the romance a happy ending...

She kept his picture over twenty years and they're reunited in a cafe overlooking St Marks Square - shamelessly romantic! I think I shall return to this page and add to it when the mood takes me, when I'm feeling nostalgic and sentimental! I have a Stampington Clearly Impressed stamp of a Venetian ticket so I stamped this on to Crackly and whacked that on too!

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look. Thanks too for all the fun I've had since I started blogging, looking at the lovely inspirational work on other people's blogs. It's opened up a whole new world of creativity - there's some beautiful work out there! Thanks for sharing!