Meadow Wanderer blog post - by Pj

This journal spread was inspired by the March “Meadow Wanderer” challenge from Scrapping Clearly, which focuses on earthy tones and a calm, nature-inspired mood.

I love how this spread turned out — earthy, a little wild, and full of motion. I started in my Dylusions ledger journal and built the page up in layers so the background felt organic and lived-in before I added the birds and stamped elements.

Process

I primed the pages with the 13@rts clear gesso so the journal could take wet sprays and lots of layering without warping. For the base color I blended a soft aloe-toned Dina Wakley acrylic sprays with a touch of Stamperia leather spray to get a warm, aged foundation — the spray gives that beautiful mottled depth once it drys.

Some of the birds I stamped directly into the journal for a looser, in-situ look; others I stamped onto card and cut out so I could separate them from the background making them stronger focal points. I also stamped a Scribbly Bears and the Frida-inspired Dina Wakley stamps on card, cut them out, and collaged them in for extra texture and contrast.   

To add subtle pattern and atmosphere I used a 13@rts stencil ... with my ink pad and a blending brush, then layered the Dina Wakley leaf mask/stencil .... with the Stamperia avocado paint to create delicate foliage peeking through the background. Once the stencils and stamping were in place I scribbled over shapes and reiterated linework with pens to bring movement and energy to the birds. 

Finishing touches

I finished by lightly splattering gold and brown paints to tie the foreground and background together. The cut-and-paste stamped bits help the eye travel across the spread and give a sense of depth without overwhelming the ledger’s grid.

Thoughts & tips

Priming with gesso is a must when you want to add sprays and wet media without bleed-through.

Mixing stamps on card and stamping straight into the page gives you both control and spontaneity. Try both and see what balance you like.

Use stencils for atmosphere more than for perfect shapes — soft, blended stenciling reads like texture at a distance and keeps the page feeling layered.