I Wish I Could Art Journal - by Bibi

Hey everyone! I'm not sure whether what I've made for today can be called an art journal page or altered canvas, because it's really neither .. It's not a page in a journal and the "canvas" is a piece of cardboard, so... maybe it's a hybrid of sorts. No matter what it's called, here it is!

And this is what it looks like with the guitar flap open:

The reason why I made this .. "whatever it's called" .... is that I've had this bundle of guitar string-looking wire lying on the floor in my studio for some time. Yes, on the floor! (If you thought I'm a very neat and tidy person, I'm sorry to burst the illusion). I've no idea where that wire bundle came from, and I'm not sure why I hadn't bothered to pick it up... but I've looked down on it from time to time, thinking I could probably use it for something, some fine day...

.... and then, a few weeks ago a friend of mine was visiting, he picked up my old guitar, fixed one of the loose strings, tuned the guitar, and started playing... Ohhhh. I wish I could play the guitar like that!!!! Heck, I wish I could play the guitar, period! I used to know a few cords and some easy songs, but that was a long, looooong time ago... *sigh*

Anyway, so my desire to be able to play the guitar had been rekindled. But the days turned into weeks, and I still hadn't touched my guitar!! What's up with that??? Well, sometimes you really don't have to know the answer to such hard questions. JUST DO IT!! Easier said than done? Yes. I still haven't picked up my guitar ...but I DID pick up that bundle of wire from the floor! That's a start, right? (Haha. Nice try, Bibi!)

So....... I decided to use the wires and journal about my desire to play the guitar, and all my excuses for not doing it. "I don't have the time. I really ought to spend time doing this or that instead. What if it turns out that I cannot do it anymore? What if I discover that I'm never going to be good at it, isn't it better to just keep dreaming? Dreaming is nice!"  What a bowl of macaroni ... If I really want to play the guitar, there is only one thing to do. Maybe I should start taking my own advice from my two stamps: "If you think you can't, think again!" and "Believe in yourself". Yes, maybe I should ....

The adorable chipboard fairy is from Creative Embellishments, I painted it with Twinkling H2Os.
I stamped the sentiment from Rubber Dance on a piece of
copy paper I had kept on the side to test the colours.

Same with this one:

But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Let's rewind back to the very beginning, which was the bottom of a soda can box: 

When painting with Gesso, the rings made a cool pattern.

I also ran a fork-looking thingie through the Gesso for more texture: 

I added some yellow and orange Gelatos

and brown Brusho: 

When I sprayed water over the Gelatos and Brusho,

the cardboard got soaked... so I tore off some of the top layer to reveal the core: 

I used Twinkling H2Os and let it run from the bottom

by holding the cardboard upside down:

When using Twinkling H2Os, you have to add water

and let it sit for a few minutes: 

Background so far.

The guitar on the left side is a photo I printed out and painted with Twinkling H2Os:

I added some plashes of Twinkling H2Os....

unfortunately, the photo does not do the amazing shimmer of the H2Os justice at all: 

The chipboard letters I had were silver,

so I painted them with Silks Acrylic Glaze...

and used the stiff back of a dishwasher sponge to add some dots of colour: 

Both the background and the letters are stamped with Musical Notes

- from Rubber Dance, of course: 

Look! My guitar string-looking wire bundle has been used - finally!

Some efforts to show the shimmer and sparkle of

Silks Acrylic Glaze: 

Here, painted on a metal deco corner:

The flowers are from a candle holder decoration ring that I bought at a second-hand store.
Cheap and pretty:

The letters I used here are made of some kind of  fluffy material,
which I painted with a rather thick mix of Twinkling H2Os
(less water, let it sit longer):

Notice the guitar chords - printed out on copy paper and painted with H2Os.

I printed out the guitar several times; one that I adhered to my background,

one for the flap's left side (which is adhered with some washi tape).....

.... and one for the flap when it's closed.

I painted all of them with Twinkling H2Os

And, finally, a guitar for the back of my page/canvas,
where I jotted down some words on what I wish I could do
and why I don't do what it takes to master the skills:

Front again, flap open:

I wish I could tell you that I HAVE practised guitar playing, but I was too busy making this piece about why I haven't, and then I had to take photos and edit them and upload them and write the text and..... oh, dear - which excuses do I have now that I'm done?? NONE! *gasp*

Other than that I have to walk my dog first ......

Ulla has to go and she has to go NOW!

Thank you for stopping by! I'd love to hear what YOU wish you could do, and what you used to wish you could do that you now CAN! :-) 

All stamps from are from Rubber Dance (which is my stamp company).
Remember that I offer a very reasonable flat fee for shipping - worldwide!
Have you joined my GIVEAWAY yet? It closes at April 21st, so hurry up!
If you missed it, come back for a new one on May 19th.

Twinkling H2Os and Silks Acrylic Glaze are both from ColourArte and I just found out they're having a SALE right now!! 25 % off all orders! Whooot-whoot! (I am not affiliated, just a very happy customer). Sale runs till April 27th.

Till next time - bee good, learn something new, and keep stamping! :-)

XOX,

Bibi