Thursday, 6 February 2014

A journal of many colours

Hi everybody!
Yesterday we had a wild, wet and cloudy day. In the morning I had a longish walk, and in the afternoon a rather shorter one, as the clouds looked  threatening and I didn't want to go too far. But I managed a walk along the Rhine, and enjoyed watching the sun trying to squeeze through the clouds. My total steps today were just under 18000, so I was pleased.

This week I have been playing a lot with paint, and little scraps of paper and gold leaf. I made a journal, using scrap card, which I textured with crumpled up tissue, applied with mod-podge, and then given a coat of gesso. When it was dry I daubed it with paint in blues, violet and metallic green. Then I added the scraps of old letters and books and the pieces of gold leaf before giving it all 2 coats of clear varnish to make it more durable. I divided it into 2 pieces to make the front and back covers, and lined the inside covers with some turquoise  textured card. I cut the pages to size and bound it all together with my BIA. The beads I have added as embellishment were some that Debbie sent me, and are hand-rolled from clay and beautifully painted - thanks a lot! They are perfect here. I have another journal ready, too, which I will show another day. I like playing around and getting painty and sticky.










I am linking to Paint Party Friday, hosted as always by Eva and Kristin, and to Country View Crafts Challenge, painty pleasures.
The skies over the Rhine were really dramatic this afternoon:




Have a great day, take care, and thanks a lot for coming by!

47 comments:

  1. Love the journal cover it has richness of colour and gold as well.

    Hope the dramatic sky didn't develope into anything more dramatic it looks quite stormy. Well done on all the steps you managed to clock up.

    Love Chrissie x

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  2. Hi Val, love your journal, looks very complicated to make, but the effect is wonderful. Have a lovely day, hugs, Sarah

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  3. Was für ein geniales Cover! so viel Struktur und Effekt darauf!
    Tolle Bilder - sehr beeindruckend - auch Deine Geh Leistung!
    weiter so Valerie!

    xxx
    Susi

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  4. You sure have a special touch with the colours you use. This cover looks fantastic. loved the moody skys, When I walked the dog this morning there was a most colourful rainbow over the valley, shame it was pouring with rain as well.
    Yvonne xx

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    1. Yes, that's why it's called a rainbow....but they are always beautiful to see.

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  5. Love your journal covers Valerie. They are so gorgeous. I really need to make a start on mine. Hugs Rita xxx

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  6. Gorgeous journal, and beautiful skies! Happy PPF.

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  7. Beautiful colorful journal! I'm glad you are enjoying the clay beads. They are not painted, though--it is actually a metallic leaf (perhaps made specially for clay) that was applied on before I rolled and baked them. I can see why you didn't want to walk far with those turbulent skies!

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  8. Wunderschön, sehr farbenfroh und gltzernd! Ein tolles Cover für ein Journal! Wunderschön!
    Deine Fotos sind sehr stimmungsvoll und sehr beeindruckend, wie viele Kilometer du so täglich läufst!
    LG, LonettA

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  9. Hi Valerie, your journal of many colors is beautiful. Love the sky pics too. We woke to snow dust and very cold temps in the teens. BRRRRR
    Have a great day.
    Hugs

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    1. Poor you! The weather is really crazy this year!

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  10. Wow, what a beautiful book cover this is! I love all the beautiful colors and the gold leaf is gorgeous! Great pics of the sky too. Big hugs,~Diane

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  11. Golden goodness at work here. Love the spiral as I am a lefty and it's so much easier to write in. xox

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  12. I can just imagine the state of your fingers when you were finished this! Fabulous rich colours and texture! Have a nice evening. Xx

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  13. Gorgeous and very touchable pages, love them Valerie. Happy PPF, Annette x

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  14. Dein Buch Cover ist wirklich eine Augenweide, liebe Valerie! Toll Farben und das Blattgold macht es richtig edel.
    Deine Fotos sind auch wieder ganz fantastisch!

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  15. Hey Sugar -- I have been watching believe it or not. Very busy- no excuse I know. But I do the best I can. Your pages are glorious - wonderful colors and textures and I love it when you use your golds. Interesting beads. I still think you need to do something with your sky pictures. They are so wonderful - at least a college!
    Sandy xx

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  16. This is gorgeous Valerie, such rich colours, and I love your clay beads. That's a very dramatic sky you have there xx

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  17. I love the color of the journal. It is very artsy.

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  18. PS - I am anxiously awaiting the recipe for that delicious looking treat!! Just thought I would remind you - hint, hint!
    Sandy xx

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  19. Wonderful, wonderful covers..such fabulous colours and techniques.
    Those photos are so atmospheric too..and well done on your walking...you put me to shame and I have three dogs to walk!!
    Hugs xx
    p.s. there isn't a vacant flat in your block by any chance....I could use some of your inspiration and vitality!

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  20. As a follow up..it would shock a lot of people if I moved to Germany...I've been "threatening" to move to France! With my son's support I hasten to add...he fancies holidays abroad I think!! lol

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  21. Famtastic journal, love how you have made the covers, and the beautiful colours. Looks like you spent a long time on it, and a sticky one at that! Have a lovely day, hugs, Barb

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  22. Beautiful textures, wonderful creations , I love the colors !

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  23. It looks like you will have lots of fun with this journal Those beads are indeed beautiful ....

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  24. lovely journal and great observation of sky. Thank you for sharing! Big hugs!

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  25. Lots of textures and colors! Lovely!

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  26. You've had lots of painterly and gluey fun with this, I can see, with a great result too.
    Love your wide open sky pictures.

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  27. Lovely texture and color on your journal! The skies are spectacular! Happy PPF!

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  28. I love your journal color, design and texture. Beautiful!

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  29. I envy you being able to take walks right now. We keep getting hammered with snow and lately ice-too treacherous for any walking. Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos of the Rhine. Your journal cover is so fantastic with all the textures and vibrant colors!

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    1. It must be awful for you all being snowed up and freezing for so long - hope spring will soon arrive!

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  30. I love all those blues and turquoises, Valerie. Your pages are beautiful.

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  31. Very colorful journal, Valerie. It is gorgeous!

    Hugs,
    C

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  32. Hi Valerie. I'm going to enjoy seeing what goes in that fantastic journal. Love the colors and your photos are great. Have a great day.

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  33. Love the glitz on those pages!! Look forward to more!!

    Hugs Giggles

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  34. Gorgeous journal covers!!! And who doesn't love a bit of gold leaf (especially with purple). I also love your photos - makes me want to paint!

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  35. Wow, love the gorgeous color and texture!

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  36. Oh, Nummy texture, I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!! and the beads add much to eye candy as well. HPPF!

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  37. I love the texture and bold colors! xo

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  38. Wow! Fantastic creation. This page is fabolous with so many beautiful textures.

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  39. Love the colour and texture of your journal page , especially the gold leaf. Looking at your photographs of the dramatic skies make me want to paint something dreamy.

    Annabelle : )

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  40. Ja das sind echt wunderschöne Journal Cover geworden. Traumhaft sehen die aus, wortwörtlich. Ich liebe die goldenen Flecken in Kombination mit den anderen Farben.

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  41. Those photos are pretty amazing but your art is even more so. I love the gold texture mixed with all the colors. Fabulous.
    Nicole/Beadwright

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  42. The journal page is so rich and colourful with all those textures popping.
    It's beautiful!
    HPPF!
    Deepa
    http://deepazworld.blogspot.in/

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  43. Fantastic, I love the play with so many different art supplies. It's good for me to learn about what does what on the page. Blessings, Janet, PPF

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