Beautifully broken by Emilia Tapiola

Hello, dear Finnabair friends, 

It’s November and nature is now filled with the gentlest and softest of muted colours, and I thought it’d be perfect timing to start a project I have been trying to start for a couple of years now. It’s an art journal I have already made covers for and even named it Reflections of a Quiet Mind.

So, here is the first page. I used Finnish vintage document as the base and secured the folding with Soft Matte Gel and fabric.

Then I added some vintage papers, ripped tea bags, cheesecloth, Mini Art Stones, and die-cut pieces with Soft Matte Gel, created a background collage, and primed everything with white Heavy Gesso.

Next, I used Modeling Paste and Iris Tapestry stencil for some texture.

When I had the background ready, I painted the pages with Impastos Snow White, Ink Black, Dark Chocolate, and Manor Blue. 

I made a journal, Grace Notes, a while ago, and thought I’d repeat the idea with this journal, too, as I loved it so much. In the Grace Notes I didn’t plan what I’d do, but just went with the flow, while listening to my favourite music, and when each page was nearly finished, I picked a line from the song that was playing at that precise moment and either wrote it down onto the page with a pencil or typed it with my vintage typewriter. 

For this page, the lyrics were to be from a song Beautifully Broken by Plumb which I typed and attached with two-sided tape onto the page, adding some twisted linen cord behind it.

I added a dried Pearly Everlasting with Soft Matte Gel on the opposite page, as its symbolism fits into these lyrics so well: immortality, hope, courage, and light.

As finishing touches, I added some Golden Metallic Flakes with Gilding Glue and did some stitching. And the first finished art journal pages for my Reflections of a Quiet Mind art journal was ready.

I wish you the gentlest light for the darkest time of the year,

Emilia

Products I have used - all the images linked to Mixed Media Place online store: