Step by step journal spread

From time to time I like to show how a journal spread comes into being and wouldn't you know it, now is one of those times! Take a peek at my process and see how a page comes together.

We'll start with a fresh white spread. Very empty indeed. No worries, that won't last.

Tearing some decorative paper and sticking it to both sides already fills it up quite nicely.

Now we get out a stencil, a piece of wet sponge and some gouache.

Stencil away! Just a few minutes ago these pages were white, now they're ready for action.

Take another piece of decorative paper and tear some border strips to put on each side.

Let's get my favorite tool, the circle template. And some more pretty paper. We'll be cutting circles!

Spreading the circles across the spread and sticking them down.

Time to get a paint marker and draw some dashes around the circles to make them stand out more.

Time for some imagery. I found these gerberas in an online flower catalogue.

And here's some more pretty paper with flowers and butterflies. Let's do some more cutting and pasting.

That seems to fit perfectly with the atmosphere of the page!

Of course this wouldn't be my journal if there was not some border around the edges in marker. Dots this time.

Time for some words. These come from a magazine.

To make them fit better I outlined them and coloured the area around them yellow.

Now I felt like the page was lacking in yellow altogether, so out comes the template and some yellow paper.

Cutting some smaller yellow circles and adding them to the bigger ones. With this I considered the spread done.

And here are some details for those of you who like to see things up close.

I really enjoyed doing this spread. If you have any questions about materials or techniques just ask.
As always I didn't plan these pages, they just happen as I go along. That's how I work, one step at a time with no idea where I will end up. Somehow it always works out.

Wishing you all a wonderful and artsy weekend!