Tuesday 27 July 2010

Garden Journal


Over the past few days I've stitched my journal together and completed the first page. I used a variety of layers including an image from my garden transferred onto fabric, dyed scrim, a page of text, silk paper, organza, polyester habotai and a felted/beaded fabric flower. I used an old dictionary for the cover (below) which will be later covered in fabric and collage....which seems a bit of a shame.....so I may find a way to leave some parts of it showing, especially those leafy columns.



My next page will be this digitally altered clematis. I put the original (below) into Photoshop and dragged the texture on top. I then played with the layer effects until I found one I liked (I think it was hard light) and reduced the intensity. Next I stamped it with a script brush and finally altered the colours using hue/saturation.


 The original photo plus my texture from Calke Abbey.


For the final piece I dragged another layer on top (a yellowy digital scrapbook layer from Katie Pertiet) and altered the layer effect and saturation.
I'm currently in the process of printing this image onto fabric. My  favourite method is to coat the cotton fabric with white matte inkAID then iron it onto freezer paper before putting through the printer. The inkAID creates a surface which gives the strongest colour reproduction that I've found.

And finally......yesterday I taught a class at The Beetroot Tree. We altered mint tins (from M&S and Aldi) using alcohol inks and a variety of embellishments including metal, Angelina fibres, grungepaper, flowers, shrink plastic, felt and collage sheets.
Here are my three examples......
.......and the girls at work......

The gallery has a great new exhibition starting this weekend ...its called Fresh. It promises to be an exciting and eclectic exhibition of new craft and design talent with work for sale.

Wish you could all come........ :-)

44 comments:

peggy gatto said...

Your garden book is so beautiful, a treasure!!!!
Every thing I love!!!!

Rosie said...

Can't wait to see that beautiful garden book - know what you mean about the cover, it's gorgeous! The pictures of your class look such fun, wish I'd been there ...

Netty said...

Hi Linda, your garden book is going to be so fabulous, I adore what you have already done. The tins you have altered are amazing as well, what a brill thing to teach, just wish I lived nearer I would adore this experience.
Annette x

Bunty said...

I'm loving your journal Linda and good thinking to use digital photos onto the fabric. I still have lots of pages left to do and was actually thinking of including some photos but hadn't got around to it yet. Maybe some textural alteration may be called for now! Thanks for the inspiration.

Barbara

Sandy said...

Wow wow what a beautiful book.
So fantastic created. Awesome Linda. Love it.

Gill M said...

Linda your garden journal looks awesome, but I bet it is even better in person as it looks so wonderfully textural. I think it is one of those projects where the sense of touch is just as important as that of sight. Can't wait to see the finished product.

An Zeelmaekers said...

waw your book is great!!! love it. ans using an old book for the cover is original.

Heather said...

I wish I could come to the exhibition too Linda and your class at the Beetroot Tree. Those altered tins are super and as for your Garden Journal - well, it's just gorgeous. I could look at those pages for hours.

Diane said...

Oooh, I'm drooling over that class! I love what you do with digital art--You have the touch!

Shashi Nayagam said...

Wow awesome post. Love your journal the way it is looking and you must a great teacher the boxes are beautiful.

Janny said...

What a gorgeous book you are making! And I wish I could be there;o)

Mescrap said...

Seem so much fun ...I wish I could join your class too.

Caterina Giglio said...

just fantastic! your lovely book, the pages are so rich and textured.. looks like everyone had a great time in your class as well!! xx's

Lynn said...

I will be back tomorrow to look more and make a decent comment, right now I am just WOW!!!!! I think I need to take a trip home to England and learn a few things from you girlfriend :)

Anonymous said...

your journal page is beautiful, I love alliums! The tins are spectacular, you will have to come cross the pond and teach that class here, so romantic! xox Corrine

Janet Ghio said...

Your garden journal is just yummy !!

My Journey to Hope said...

Your book looks amazing! I love those colors, and the way you've put it all together. It was great to see how you did it too. Thanks for sharing! I wish I could attend one of your classes. I finally bought some alcohol inks and I'm anxious to try them out. Just wish I knew what I was doing! :)

Michelle

ShabbyChicShaz said...

Your garden book is looking stunning, you really are an inspiration. Love the tins as well. I really must get over and visit the Beetroot Tree :)

Miek said...

Wow your garden book is really stunning.
I love how you use the colours. The print on fabric is very cool!
Greetz miek

Shane Pollard said...

Hi Linda
WOW your garden journal is beautiful.
I agree with you about the book, it is such a beautiful cover and it sets the theme - lovely.
Photoshop is very tempting - I really should consider looking into it.
I haven't posted any photos of my journal yet - I've been sick so got way behind - it will happen!!!
Shane

Jensters said...

Such a wonderful start to your Journal and some great photoshop tricks.

Lorraine said...

marvellous pages and tins..wish I lived near the beetroot tree then i would come and visit

Edleen said...

hi! dropping in from Singapore and just wanted to say i *heart* your work :)

Sandies' Patch said...

Lovely, lovely, lovely!
I'll have to quiz you about those alcohol inks when we meet! Can they be used on natural shell? I'll tell you why later.

Sandie xx

Jacky said...

Hi Linda, just been reading back through the posts I've missed lately...fantastic stuff!!! Love those textured backgrounds (need to get better with photo enhancement and photoshopping!!!).
Your class looks like like a lot of fun...gorgeous little tins for keepsakes and treasures.
Your new garden journal is sooo beautiful and I love that cover. What a shame to cover it up. LIke the idea of some pieces peeking through.

Jacky xox

Terri said...

Your Garden Journal is fabulous! I love it so much!
What a creative process that is. As well as your beautiful digi art.
I wish I could have been at your altered tin class. It looks like it was really great.
Those tins are amazing.
Hugs,
Terri

~*~Patty S said...

Your book is a stunner Linda
WOWEE gorgeous peek!
Lucky lucky students to get to create with you!
Wish that I could AND see the art show as well ... you are in it I assume.
oxo

Nancy said...

I get so excited when I come to your blog....I have recently started a class in ditital collage and it is so much fun....

Your page is great and I appreciate so much you giving the description of how you accomplished it....You really have a talent for digital collage.....so fantastic....

Please come and visit and join me at my new blog.....www.createdforajourney.blogspot.com

Julie said...

Beautiful work Lynne and the tins are wonderful too. I shall have to put the exhibition on my calendar and try and get there, it's not too far from me.

Lori Saul said...

Your garden journal is thoroughly inspiring and a beautiful treat to see - I'm sure it will grow and be a treasure to keep Linda - wow!

Dot said...

What a beautiful post Linda! Love your garden journal. And (as always) the colors you use sing to my heart. You are such a whiz digitally now and I love how you print on fabric too.
Your class looks fantastic. Am sure the students were very inspired by you.
Thanks for the photo's in the post below too!
Dot xx

carole brungar said...

Have to say I just adore your altered clematis!
And what gorgeous wee tins :))

Jaqi said...

Oh wow, this all looks so delicious. You always make the most wonderful things Linda , what an inspiration you are

Angela Smith said...

Stunning book and tins, I love the way you have transferred a photo onto fabric, you have made it sound so easy although I wouldn't know where to start.A really inspiring post

Mary S. Hunt said...

LOVE love LOVE the garden journal!
the tins from class turned out so excellent...i wish you were close enough to go take class from...!

Holly Loves Art said...

Oh it's just gorgeous Linda! A real prize! Go botanicals and youre amazing artistic skills!
Thanks for sharing... I just love nature.
Holly

Lela said...

Those journal pages have such beautiful texture. I just want to touch it. I love what you've done digitally. I'm not yet technical enough to do it. Good work. Can't wait to see more pages.

Ali H said...

Hi Linda
Just found your blog & WOW !! what wonderful work .. I shall be back when I get a more time !!

Ragamuffin Gal said...

Linda ~ What an incredible class! How I would love to learn from you! Everything you art is just the sort that I love! Fabulous Fabulous Art! Thanks for sharing! ~ Katie

Gini said...

Hi Linda!
Your garden journal is looking scrumptious.
I love the contrast between the black and white outside of the book and then wham open it up to be startled by all the fabulous colour and texture inside.
The cover is lovely in it's own right and I look at it and think; OK a dictionary, so that makes it a bran muffin but open it up and it's really an iced doughnut with shiny sprinkles on top :-)
And THEN my eyeballs go out on stalks!
Your class looked like a lot of productive fun.
Hope you enjoy Fresh, I wonder if you'll see any triffids, Princes or peaches?
Gini
xx

P.S. My word vertification is forante. Didn't you go there on holiday?

P.P.S Blogger is playing up and not accepting my google identity, so who am I then?

Val said...

Love this post Linda - thanks so much for sharing what you did to get the digital pic. of your clematis, and the altered tins are magical. Look forward t seeing more of your Journal.

Catharina Maria said...

YOUR GARDEN JOURNAL IS BEAUTIFUL LINDA !!
LOVE ♥RINI♥

LazyKay said...

Totally breautiful journal and LOVE those tins.

xxxxxxxxx

Morna Crites-Moore said...

These are fabulous - all techniques I've never done, some I've never heard of! It's exciting to see something where I don't feel like "I could do that." I would have liked to be in your class. :-)

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