Harlequin Beach Journal Page

 

The minute it gets cold in New York, the newspaper is full of ads for tropical getaway vacations, clothes to wear on your tropical holiday, and food and drinks to enjoy while you relax on the beach. The aquamarine sea and sandy beach called to me from the magazine pages. The islands are not in my budget this year, but I had a little moment of relaxation while I collaged the images.

I started with a gorgeous turquoise beach, added vintage newsprint and a pretty bracelet using matte medium. Next, an interesting bottle top—maybe some rum to sip in the sunshine. My focal image was a pink rose-like photo—I think it was really some cleverly carved beets. After applying the first three parts with matte medium, I put the pink “roses” on at a slight angle.

 

 The page called out for stencils, so I used my new “go-to” favorite, the harlequin. I applied sections of it in three places using white printmaking paint on a makeup sponge.

 

The page looked a little empty at the top left, so I used another favorite “go-to” stencil—the Jill K. Berry Sunny compass rose, and applied a dusty aqua chalk ink through the stencil. I put a little star in the center of the first stencil.

It needed words, so I handwrote my feeling, starting in the center with: “I want to go to a tropical beach, sip fancy drinks, all my troubles melting away…” and ended with “…and stop to smell those roses.”