This Life Is Pretty Amazing Art Journal Page

Hi There!!!  I've got a couple things going on here.  First I was inspired by some videos by Marta of Maremi SmallArt.  Second, I was also watching the Week 2 videos from The Summer of Creative Chemistry at Online Card Classes and wanted to include some of that also especially using Distress Stains and Stamping for the Week 2 Challenge.  I did take a few pictures as I worked.

This first picture shows my little scrap box and I've pulled out some things to use.

I attached strips and pieces to some Ranger Watercolor Paper using Collage Medium Matte and then did a light coat of gesso.  

Next I brought out the Distress Stains and a spray bottle with water.  Doesn't it look great!!!

Ok, a few things.  I didn't keep track of the exact colors of stain but I did also include a metallic, the brushed pewter.  I used a heat tool to dry as I worked and then when I decided it was done... the problem was it wouldn't dry completely.  I used the heat tool A LOT and I even left it sit.  I'll need to experiment further to see if it's because they're over gesso or just what it was.  At one point I even took a dry paper towel and lightly wiped over it at which point I lots the pretty drips, but that was ok.  I eventually sprayed it with Workable Fixative and then continued on.

I used Distress Crayons and also a little bit of Stabilo All pencil on the background.  For the tag I did the marbled stains technique, stamped the quote with Jet Black Archival, tore the tag, stamped the flourish with Watering Can Archival, inked the edges with Picked Raspberry Distress Ink and used a white gel pen in the flourishes.  The butterfly was stamped with Jet Black and inked with Distress Ink Squeezed Lemonade and Picked Raspberry and cut out.  .  

All put together.  The Tim Holtz doily is cut from plain Tissue Wrap and then some Picket Fence Distress Stain brushed over it.  Stamped Flourishes again.  Some Matte circle things and some blending of color around them.  Finally