A Bunny & My Backyard

Our theme for August is "Exploring our backyard - Art Journal Fun". I have had a Large Dylusions Creative Journal for almost a year and have not started the first page. I was waiting for the perfect idea to hit me or an ink/paint,stamp to catch my eye - but it hadn't happened yet. And I will admit that I was bit afraid that I would start a page and ruin it !! Anyone else feel the same way when you get a new journal ?  SO this theme was the push that I needed to create a page. I quickly thought of Susan's Bunny Hugs stamp set because we have had 2 cute rabbits living in the yard the past few months. The are no longer even afraid of me; just move over when I pull out of the driveway or walk up the sidewalk onto the front porch.

Bunny Hugs Stamp set

 I turned the journal on its side to use a "landscape" orientation for my page. I placed colorful strips of Recollections Watercolor Washi tape across the page starting at the top. I used all 8 designs and it reached about halfway down the page. The bottom half of the page was created using Recollections Pink Shimmer and Green Shimmer Spray Inks and a top coat of Tattered Angels Pearl Glimmer Mist.

I made a sleeve out of an 8 1/2 by 11 inch piece of cardstock by placing it horizontally and scoring it across at 2 1/4 and 6 3/4 inches.  You then fold the bottom up first, then the top down. I decorated the top flap on the outside with a floral stamp from Journal Doodles with a Heart. All images were stamped using Colorbox Color Pop Archival Dye Ink in Mystery. I cut a square of Color Burst paper and mounted the fussy-cut bunny from Bunny Hugs stamp set   on the square behind a doily and a few strips of glitter washi. The bunny was colored with Tim Holtz Distress markers and Stabilo Fineliners. You can adhere the top flap to the bottom flap and slide a note,pictures etc into the sleeve. Instead, I left it open and mounted the bunny square only to the top part of the flap so you can open the flap and look inside.

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I consider  the entire area that I love in to be my "backyard". Some call it Hampton Roads, others call it Tidewater. I cut out pictures of my "backyard" and adhered them inside the sleeve. They are pics of my actual yard, my new yard flag, the King Neptune statue at the Oceanfront in Virginia Beach, and a picture from The Sunset Grill in Norfolk and Brian ( my guy ) playing his guitar there on their deck. I also used a tag from the Live in Color paper from Susan's collection. It reflects what I do in my "backyard".. LIVE, LOVE & CREATE ...

Completed Journal Page

I hope you like my first attempt at an Art Journal page. I meet up with a great group of art journalers from time to time and can't wait to show this to them and get started on a few other pages !! Explore your own backyards and let them inspire you to get creative ....

Stamp sets used :

Bunny Hugs

Journal Doodles with a Heart

Debra Davison

Susan K Weckesser Creative Team