Friday 5 April 2019

In the Neutral Zone for A Vintage Journey

It's Nikki's turn to host the challenge at A Vintage Journey and she want us to be in the neutral zone. 
Time to banish colour and use blacks, whites, greys, beiges, creams and browns, just what I love for some shabby projects.


I love sewing and haberdashery themed projects but rarely make them so I thought what better way than give me an excuse to get the sewing machine out, a little fabric and dress form and sewing associated stamps than to create a journal. Now I have somewhere to stay fairly neutral and to use collage papers, old patterns and vintage images to fill it.


Having cut one of Eileen Hull's wrapped journals I set about getting the covers sorted first.  I used DecoArt gesso and premium acrylic paints to create some texture and mottled colouring, adding layer upon layer until I was happy with it.


I sealed the whole surface with varnish so it will take more wear and tear.
The products are listed at the end of the post.


I used Stamperia papers to line the inside and yes ok I have included a little colour here but I know I will also use pastel tones on some of the pages I create over time.


Next came the collage front cover. The stamped dress form from Tim Holtz took centre stage and I collected together some ephemera, fabric oddments and used the sewing machine to leave some hanging threads.
I really like the way the dress form stands out prominently having been stamped with white acrylic paint on some dark brown card, it's a fabulous contrast.


The collage layers came together with me sitting and playing with small pieces of papers, ephemera and fabric until it looked balanced. I always know when it looks 'right' and I just have to spend time arranging and rearranging until it fits like a jigsaw puzzle for me.



 I decided to do something very similar for the back cover as I had this dress form left over.


Some more words to inspire me when I look to add some pages.


I added two small but very strong magnets to hold the journal together and covered them with a strip of tissue tape so that you don't see them when you open it.


I'll add my signatures soon, but this is what it looks like standing up.
There's a little button sewed onto the dress form as an embellishment and some words that open up the world for my imagination to run wild.



If you'd like to see more inspiring projects pop over to A Vintage Journey to see what some of the rest of the team has been making and please join in if you choose to use a neutral palette in one of your projects this month.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by - and ....


Supplies
DecoArt Premium Acrylics - raw umber, burnt umber, burnt sienna, dark grey value 3, titanium white, titan buff.
DecoArt Premium white gesso
DecoArt Media ultra matt varnish, matte medium