Friday, April 27, 2018

The grateful heart


I'm joining Alison/Craftytrog, our host this month at Art Journal Journey again today.  Her theme is recycle and collage.  And because my journal page is nature inspired, I am also linking to my friends at Try it on Tuesday, whose theme is nature's beauty.  Probably not my best work, but this was fraught with peril from the very beginning.

I began with a large cracker box, added two napkins, and a recycled holiday card.

I quickly realized I needed something other than a napkin for my background, so grabbed a used page of colored paper from my recycling bin.  I also decided to include some of my hand dyed turmeric lace to the mix.  However, when I began assembling the piece, I realized the two napkins didn't look good together, so I decided I would save the one with leaves for another day.

I'm not sure I like this completed piece, partly due to the fact the heart didn't really look like a heart after I cut it to size, and partly because I still am not satisfied with the background.





Since I had nothing else to share today, I decided to let you, my dear friends, followers, and readers decide if I should have thrown it in the recycle bin, or shared it as I have.

I began by recycling a portion of a cracker box, a used sheet of printer/copier paper, and a holiday greeting card.  I also repurposed five buttons removed from an old blouse, a 6" X 6" sheet of scrapbook paper, and a piece of my turmeric dyed lace. 

Thank you beyond belief for joining me today and voicing your honest opinions of today's "art."   I hope to see you at Art Journal Journey and Try it on Tuesday, too.  The art found at both sites is simply beautiful.
 

22 thoughtful remarks:

Helen said...

Your heart does look a little more like a shield but it's very pretty! you could always re-recycle it, into the rubbish bin...have a great weekend (as it's nearly upon us again!)

Valerie-Jael said...

Beautiful page. Have a great Friday, Valerie

aussie aNNie said...

Love this post again, I don't always have the time to do mixed media depends on what design teams want but love this sort of art...Have a great weekend.x♥
[aussie aNNie Blog]

froebelsternchen said...

What a happy recycling project! That brings sunshine in the viewers heart! I love it!
Happy Friday dear Elizabeth!
Thank you so much for joining Try It On Tuesday and making so much extra pages for Art Journal Journey! Hugs, Susi

RO said...

I love this and the bright colors definitely say Spring! Hugs...RO

Tracey@Hotchpotchcreations said...

There can never be anything wrong with something we have recycled and the glory of creativity is that we can recycle it again and again and again.
Take a step back from it and you may find it's perfect to use in your next project.
Wishing you a super weekend ahead with much creativity Tracey xx

Rosie said...

A wonderful page, Elisabeth.

Thank you for joining us at TRY IT ON TUESDAY

kathyinozarks said...

I think this piece turned out well and is a keeper. the background yellow picks up the hello in your heart piece as does those circles on the bottom

kathyinozarks said...

I should have said buttons not circles ha ha and I think the heart shape looks more like a shield which is perfect as well, and I like the writing in back of it

CJ Kennedy said...

I think you're too critical of yourself. You created a lively and bright page. I love the birds and the buttons. So the heart didn't turn out exactly as you had planned. That's life. Here's something I learned from the Martial Artists when they were talking about perfecting their forms. Wabi Sabi. Japanese. It means nothing is permanent, nothing is perfect, nothing is complete. Enjoy what you created because it is beautiful for today

Elizabeth Varadan, Author said...

This came out quite beautiful! I didn't realize you could hand-dye lace with turmeric. (My husband and I both cook with it.) The yellows in this are so rich. Just beautiful.

Darla said...

Congrats on the mixed media piece. Since you asked for opinions, my only thought is that you might have "dulled" the edges of the heart to make it blend in instead of sit on top of the page. Maybe just some brownish ink on the very edge? Or turmeric color? Can't wait to see what the May theme for AJJ is. Hope to join in

jinxxxygirl said...

I LOVE CJ's comment Elizabeth... You know how much i like bright colors so this piece grabbed me immediately .. Love the little birds.. The heart may not be exactly a heart but who cares . I love the buttons. Mixed media always speaks to me.. Something about the cutting and pasting down is just soothing to the soul ... you should not be torturing yourself over this piece.. Did you enjoy yoursel? If so .. then it was a good day. Hugs! deb

Jeanie said...

Great color. Don't you love chickadees? This makes me happy. I wouldn't throw in the bin. I think I might have (although it would take forever) fussycut around the graphic as opposed to using it on the heart shape -- not because of the shape, but because the text would show through. But that's just preference. The colors and birds carry it!

Meggymay said...

It is a fantastic mixed media piece. I love the sunny yellow background for all those wonderful additions. You maybe wanted a heart shape, but the one you have looks great, it certainly shows us nature's beauty. For me it is a keeper, we are always to critical with our own work.
Thank you for sharing this with us all over at TioT's Elizabeth.
Yvonne xx

Lowcarb team member said...

I think it looks so colourful ...

Enjoy the remainder of Friday and have a good weekend.

All the best Jan

craftytrog said...

I love this page with the shield-shaped heart! :-) xx

Divers and Sundry said...

It looks like a heart to me, and I love chickadees. Such a cheerful piece. I like the button arrangement. Yes, this is a keeper!

Let's Art Journal said...

What a wonderful piece! I love the bright colours and the heart-shaped bird image is beautiful 😁. I hope you are having a lovely weekend and thanks so much for joining us at Try it on Tuesday! J 😊 x

pearshapedcrafting said...

I can see why you don't like the heartbut I really love this page! The colours go so perfectly together and have lifted my spirits on a drab day! Did I mention that we both had colds while away and they are refusing to go away! Hugs, Chrisx

pearshapedcrafting said...

Silly me!! Of course you should have shared this and I am so pleased you linked to Try It On Tuesday! Chrisx

Joan said...

Great recycling, I love the idea of turmeric died lace!

Thanks for joining us at Try It On Tuesday challenge

Joan