Friendship Journal

Hello again, my lovely blog friends.  Happy New Year to you all!  It seems an age since I last posted, a full three weeks!  A new year means new beginnings, new resolutions and - joy!- new projects!  I must admit I've found it difficult to get going again after Christmas.  Part of the problem is that I'm swamped with possibilities and ideas and projects I want to do and take part in.  However, since I need to watch my energy levels and not overdo things I have to be selective about what I take on. 

One of the things I've decided to take part in is a circle journal.  I've always wanted to do one so I couldn't pass up this opportunity.  My theme is Friends and Friendship and I've already shared my pages here.  Today I'm showing the journal covers.  I was inspired to cover them with tissue paper by the challenge over at the PaperArtsy blog which they have revamped this year.  There will be fortnightly challenges with a different theme and the first one is Fragile Papers.  I love using tissue paper - it gives such a wonderful texture.  Here is the front cover:

and the back:

I brayered all over the tissue paper in different shades of PaperArtsy Fresco Finish chalk acrylics.  Since I learnt to do this, again inspired by Leandra at PaperArtsy, I can't stop brayering!!  Then I used matt medium to adhere the tissue paper to the covers.  The tissue gives a lovely wrinkled effect:

I stamped and embossed a friendship definition stamp and then added my home-made black texture paste through the Balzer designs Fleur de Lis stencil:

The hearts are made with white texture paste put through Balzer designs Mix and Match Hearts and then sponged yellow and cut out:

So I'm ready for the first posting.  There are 9 of us doing this so I will have to wait nearly a year before I get it back!

Wishing you all blessing, inspiration and fun for the year (and projects) ahead :)