Shaker Journal Page

This piece was done for a Papero Amo "Shaker" challenge. Shaker cards are IN these days but I'm not a card-maker - so, I challenged myself to do a shaker element on a journal page.

I'm still working in my Numbers Journal so I went through the quotes I'd chosen for this journal looking for some word that could be turned into a shape I could cut out and use as a window for the shaker element. I found this one:

Five exclamation marks, the sure sign of an insane mind.

- Terry Pratchett -

First, I created the front piece. I decided to go for my trusted washi tape background. I covered the page with washi tapes - some are hand-made, some I bought.

I covered the tapes with a coat of gel medium - not all the tapes had the same finish and I wanted to have a smooth uniform surface.

Then I used one of my own stencils. I had this design in my computer for so long not really rushing to cut it because I thought it wasn't very nice. But I'm so glad I was wrong. I love it!

(Giving myself a pat on the shoulder.)

Then I did some drippage using the Daler Rowney FW Artists acrylic inks.

I love these inks, I wish I had more colours but they are not available in my country :-(
I also tried the Liquitex acrylic inks but the FW inks are my favourite.

Drippage detail:

This is how the finished background looks. 

Then I cut out the exclamation mark shapes from the front...

... and also from a foam that will be used a spacer between the front and the back paper. 

I added a piece of acetate to the back (of the front piece). I used wet glue which was a pain... it oozed out in some places and made me pretty miserable.

Then I glued the foam down. The same problem with oozing glue... When it dried, I put  some beads into the "windows" and attached the back paper (which I painted with orange/yellow acrylics). I waited for it to dry, not daring to move it because I didn't want the beads to stick to the glue I suspected was oozing on the sides...

Finally, I added the quote to the front. (The letters were cut on my Silhouette Portrait - and I just couldn't have cut them smaller... It took almost an hour to glue them all down.)

I really love it!!!!!