This Is Where My Day Job Met My Creative Life

This is where my day job met my creative life.

Although I've worked with Stamperia products for TV and live demonstrations, I realised that I'd never really shared anything using them as my project. They have appeared in my work because it was my job to demonstrate them, but that's quite different from sitting down and thinking, "What would I actually make with this if I'd bought it for myself?"

To really understand the collection, I needed to approach it in exactly that way - as though I'd bought it for myself, rather than as products I simply had to demonstrate. That shift completely changed how I worked. It gave me the chance to get to know both the products and the story they were trying to tell.

I adore my Dylusions black art journal but really do not use it enough in my creating. Somewhere along the way I'd fallen into the habit of using my journal to mount finished pieces instead of creating directly onto the page. This felt like a chance to break that habit.

Next came the wonder of faffing. The Stamperia Junk Journals are packed with die-cut elements and stickers. I flicked through the book, pulling out anything that caught my eye without overthinking it. Before sticking anything in place, I did lots of dry runs until the composition felt right.

Did I pop out far more pieces than I actually used? Absolutely. But that's part of my process. Playing with different combinations helps me discover the story I want the page to tell, and the leftovers will always find a home on another project.

My actual starting point became a frame panel mounted into the centre of the page, and I added different layers to build up my story. I was happy with the overall look but also felt as if everything was now firmly centred - I needed something to tie everything together. I found it: a simple draped curtain die cut. To me, it gave the illusion that you are looking at a picture being protected by the curtain.

After finishing everything I wanted to add to the page, it felt as if it needed a little lift. Everything was merging into one because I'd been a little too colour-coordinated - another very me trait! Using Burnished Brass Spray Stain, I painted and watered out the colour around the frame. It was just enough to separate the elements and make the main focal points take centre stage.

And because I'm making a conscious effort to film more of my TV samples, I actually have the process on video too. Here's the reel - faffing and all!

Looking back, this page reminded me why I love art journalling so much. There wasn't a right or wrong way to use the collection and there wasn't a sample list to follow. It was simply about playing, responding to what was in front of me and seeing where it took me. Ironically, I think that's exactly what made it a better TV demonstration too.

Until next time, take care,

Lou
xxx