Jeudi Journal - Cats

No, not the West End Show, but my blog page this week which features a cat.  That is because the quote from Dyan this week is "Only My Cat Understands Me."

To begin with I tried Valerie's technique which I had admired for a while where she used some Gesso and two colours of paint which she then brayered on her page.  I used a red and a yellow paint but did not have enough on the mat so only managed to do the technique on half the page (the right if you look at it) but I did enjoy doing it and will do it again but next time use more of the mediums.  

To make some texture on the left hand side I brayered some white paint on my Lotza Dotz Stencil (AALL & Create) and placed it paint down on the page and rubbed it over with a dry paper towel to transfer the paint.  It doesn't show up very much but you can feel the texture.  Finally I used a stamp with a pattern on randomly over the page just to create interest.

I chose a figure that had tears on her face but then I used the big spectacles so that her tears were spilling from underneath the lens.  The figure was too long for the page so I had to do a bit of creative snipping here and there to allow her to have feet on the page. The cat is not one of Dyans, it is a Tim Holtz one from his "Crazy" range - am sure Dyan would not mind at all.  To create a bit more texture I stamped the ball of wool but then put a piece of red wool (real wool) going up the page on the right hand side in a wiggly line.  Did you notice the fish bones on the bottom of the page?

The story goes:  "Deirdre has had an argument with her boyfriend.  He wanted to go to the football match but she explained that she was not dressed for such an occasion and if he was supposed to be taking her out then he should take her somewhere she wanted to go - and not somewhere HE wanted to go.  To make matters worse she had bought herself a new hat to go with the skirt she had so skilfully made from ties she had collected from the local charity shops.

Harry had stormed off so Deirdre had gone into the lounge to her mother who was busy knitting another waistcoat for her her other daughter but mum had not understood at all.  She had said that Deirdre should have been grateful that Harry had given his Saturday afternoon up for her when most young men of his age would have been out with their mates.  Poor Deirdre took herself off to her bedroom, still wearing her hat and new skirt.  Puss was sat there having been playing with a ball of mother's wool which was now across the floor and halfway up the wall.  Deirdre then related the story to Puss who looked so sorrowful for her making Deirdre say "only my cat understands me" - which for that precise moment seemed perfectly true."

What is this obsession I seem to have of late with texture?  Well, the delightful Jo has chosen to have us use texture in our journal pages over at Art Journal Journey this month and I love joining in the challenges with them.  I am sure you would too so why not pop over here and see what you need to do and then join in.