It is time for the next challenge in Michelle Ward's Street Team Crusades. The challenge is to take inspiration from anything you chose (be it a product, an image, a process, a pattern on your china, etc), then by applying your own artistic take on it, make it your own. Like applying your unique 'artistic signature' to it!
Recently, I acquired a roll of vintage wallpaper on Ebay. I just love the pattern. The thin leaf branches, extending from the cabbage rose, are a silver metallic. Here, it is applied to the pages in my art journal, in it's regular form:
I dry brushed the pages with gesso, to allow a 'glimpse' of that vintage beauty to show through. Then I doodled my way into oblivion, to commemorate a book I was reading, Life Is A Verb, by Patty Digh. I captured the key ideas of the book in small capsules of their own. After filling the spread with decorative elements, using my black Pitt pen, I added watercolor to liven up the page. Finally, added some handwritten thoughts, inspired by the title, in the large frame segment on the right side of the spread.
If you look closely, you can see the 'shadow' of that underlying wallpaper pattern. It is now the mysterious foundation to an overall whole page. Without the wallpaper, the page would be fine...but with the wallpaper, another dimension is added to make it far more interesting.
When that wallpaper was manufactured, I imagine the designers believed it would be applied to some nice 1940-50's living room wall. Do you see it in your mind, at your grandparent's home? I did! I don't suppose they ever thought it would become the foundation of a crazy art journaler's page, in 2009.
Fooled them..... I made it my own!
Melissa - terrific page! I love that you showed *before*, as well as *after*. You've claimed it, it's yours! Thanks for sharing with the team.
Posted by: michelle ward | Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 11:24 PM
I love this paper... and am lucky you are such a good "sharer"!! xo
Posted by: Deb | Friday, May 22, 2009 at 08:57 PM
What a find, and very cool what you have done with it. But you know, I don't remember the wallpaper in Nana's house - might ask Mum if she remembers...got me curious now!
Posted by: Cath | Friday, May 22, 2009 at 09:35 PM
What a terrific post Melissa! You surely made this your own. Love the wallpaper background - it's beautiful before and after! WOW!
Posted by: Marilyn Rock | Saturday, May 23, 2009 at 06:24 AM
I enjoyed hearing about your process. Lovely pages!!!
Posted by: Darlene | Saturday, May 23, 2009 at 12:07 PM
You did a great job making the vintage paper your own in this piece, Melissa. I agree that the gesso-softened images make a great background for your "doodly" journaling. I am reading "Life is A Verb" also and loving it so very much. I am lucky enough to being going to see Patti Digh read from the book on June 2, in Deerfield, NH. Can't wait ! The book has brought me and so many other readers so much ! Enjoy !
Cheers, Crusader !
Posted by: kim mailhot | Saturday, May 23, 2009 at 07:04 PM
very nice, love the dreamy quality
Posted by: Leau | Sunday, May 24, 2009 at 08:24 PM
haha Fooled them, indeed!! Beautiful pages. =)
Posted by: Julie Prichard | Saturday, May 30, 2009 at 12:20 AM
How fun! I want some vintage wall paper to play with too. What an inspiring post, thank you. Very well done, I think your page turned out great!
Posted by: jennifer lorton | Saturday, May 30, 2009 at 11:41 AM
Lovely spread. You're right, it is so much more interesting with the wallpaper peeking through.
Posted by: Melisa | Saturday, May 30, 2009 at 08:01 PM
Love what you did with the vintage wallpaper, and nope, I doubt anyone could've begun to imagine what you have done with it! Crazy? NO WAY! Very clever and very creative... really nice work, thanks for sharing it with us!
Posted by: Kathy McCreedy | Wednesday, June 10, 2009 at 07:27 AM
How beautiful! I hope you're enjoying Life is a Verb - I would love to post the photos on my website, 37days, if that would be okay with you? - patti digh
Posted by: patti digh | Friday, June 12, 2009 at 10:54 AM