Jenny's Paper Dolls

My  pages in Jenny James Paper Dolls Journal - downloaded paper doll cutouts from Pinterest, changed the head on the doll, made wardrobe from scrapbook paper.  Hope you like it Jenny!
 

Janie's Australia

 by Lisa for Janie

Janie's journal theme of Australia is a very broad one! There are some lovely spreads in it, and I had thought to do something to go with Dorothea Mackellar's My Country, but someone else beat me to it!  Not sure who, as they didn't sign their page...😢

Instead, I remembered an Australian song that I LOVE, by Redgum.  Great Aussie folk/political band of the 70s and 80s - even if you think you don't know any of their songs, you'll know I was only 19.  Every time I hear this song about the Vietnam War, it really gets to me.  I had an Uncle who fought there, and returned with PTSD.  I've been to Vietnam 4 times, and have seen what this country went through.  

But this is not about that song.  Another of my favourite songs on Redgum's album Caught in the Act is The Diamantina Drover.  It's just a beautiful ballad about the country, and the old days.

I started by adding recycled teabags to both pages, in wavy strips, to represent the land and sky.  These were adhered using matte gel medium applied over the top of the teabags.  

Once dry, I added teabag strings to represent hills and valleys, again using my trusty matte gel medium.

Next I added watercolours.  Tasman blue for the sky, and Pilbara red, Australian red gold, and yellow ochre for the land.  I love these Australian colours!  The blue ended up too blue, so I added a whitewash of gouache over the top to tone it down.

Next I added the chorus from the song:

For the rain never falls, on the dusty Diamantina

The drover finds it hard, to change his mind

For the years have surely gone

Like the drays from old Cork Station

And I won't be back when the drovin's done.

Lastly an old dead tree in black pen finished it off.

And the complete spread:

Here's a link to the YouTube video of a live recording of the song.  Please watch it and you'll see how beautiful it is! 💚

Hope you like this spread Janie; I really enjoyed putting it together and singing this song over and over again. 😄

Happy Arting all!

Cheers, Lisa xx

For Sass's Bohemian Floral - by Janie O'Brien

I first prepared my spread by making a dark metallic background with Lindy's Sprays. I found a variety of images I was happy with on Pinterest and made a collage I was happy with. I sure hope things are picking up for you Sass, and I hope you enjoy this, cheers Janie

Lisa's 80's journal

The 80s was the decade when we singles became couples, there were marriages, mortgages and lots of dinner parties. 

We worked hard and played hard. We were upwardly mobile. 

It was the decade our music went from Lp's ,vinyl to CD and Olivia Newton John encouraged us to get physical. 

When a shy teenager, Lady Diana turned into a princess and a fashion icon.

There were frills, legwarmers and lace.  Which was quite a lot to convey in one small spread. Hope it works for you Lisa. 

Gypsy Soul for Rebecca-Lee Fisher by Janie O'Brien

I wanted to sew this pretty trim around the end of this work, so I made the entire piece on tyvek and stuck it in Rebecca-Lee's journal.  It is all collaged pieces. I hope you enjoy it Rebecca-Lee.

 

Resilient

 

I find this band quite inspiring.

I love the stong women and the harmonies and the instrumentation and the lyrics, I guess I respond mostly to the lyrics in the music I love.

I appreciate the quiet power of sisters Chloe Smith, Leah Song and their band and music like this, is inspiring me through these times we are living in.