Stepping Through Time: Quick Art Journaling with Ciao Bella

Remember our journey through the Ciao Bella Secret Garden Ephemera book? Well, the creative exploration with Ciao Bella Ephemera Books continues! Today, I'm diving into a different world - the world of Codex!

If you loved the quick art journaling from my last post, (check it out HERE), get ready for another dose of fast and inspiring creativity using Ciao Bella's Codex Junk Journal & Ephemera Book.

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What is the Codex Junk Journal & Ephemera Book?

The Codex book has a very historical vibe to the imagery, ephemera pieces and backing paper designs. However what is really cool, they are a mash up of historical references over different time periods but all centred around the genius of Leonard di Vinci.

Each book has over 32 pages and is rammed full of background images, stickers, backing papers, sentiments, tags, pockets ... as I said rammed full! I also forgot to say vintage maps too 😍 Photo above is just a glimpse to what's inside the Codex Junk Journal & Ephemera Book.

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Where to start?

With this book, I was a little overwhelmed. Not because it is hard to create with but because I didn't know what I wanted to use first! In the end, I decided to cut out a dozen or so images that I thought worked well together and just make an art journal page - basically stop over thinking!

Further down the post, you can see close up photos of the page and I have added additional description.

I made a reel to share my ideas as sometimes seeing the steps, helps when description fails 😏😀 In the reel I show -

• Adding a little ink with a stencil using a blending sponge as a starting point. I went for a contrast colour to lift the designs.
• I began by using simple ephemera pieces, working from the centre of the page outwards.
• How adding the additional elements give the illusion of perspective but also grounds everything.
• Adding the stickers takes your eyes away from the cut out edges and makes everything blend 
• Adding finishes touches with labels and cut up stickers.

In case your blog post loads slowly because I have added the reel, I have also added the reel to my YouTube channel and you can see it HERE or click the banner below - 

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A closer view 

I knew for my first page that I did want to use a Leonard image and also a window. Wasn't 100% sure how I would make them work but at least that was a starting point. I used a contrasting oxide ink - seedless preserves - to break up the colour tones and inked around the ephemera pieces. Also helped each image to stand out too. I did use another oxide colour too but more about that later.

To tie in the pieces, I added a few more ephemera pieces to the bottom left of my art journal page and then began adding the cog stickers. This helps draw your eye away from the cut edges and also slowly ties the whole piece together.

I also cut out some labels and added a few number stickers to those and added them to my art journal page. To make the number stickers go further, I cut them up creating new embellishments and added them randomly over the page.

Now back to the other oxide colour - vintage photo. I have used this to go around the edges of my finished page, watering it down. The colour helps bring back a vintage vibe but also contrasts against the seedless preserve. Finally a few splats of seedless preserve and the page was finished.

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What's next?

Just like the Secret Garden pages, this spread came together quickly thanks to the beautiful and varied elements within the Ciao Bella Codex Ephemera Book.

This is just the second stop on my creative journey through the Ciao Bella Ephemera Books! I have a total of FIFTEEN different projects to share with you, each exploring the unique themes and possibilities within these fantastic collections.

• A winter themed page using Winter Wonderland Ephemera Book with reel

• 6 art journal pages using Cabinet of Curiosities Ephemera Book

• 3 art journal pages featuring Christmas Vibes Ephemera Book

• 2 double page art journal pages with Book Lovers Ephemera Book

• and another 2 art journal pages with Codex Ephemera Book with reels

• finally, another art journal page featuring Secret Garden Ephemera Book with reel

I will share them all over the next few months, so please follow me on all my different platforms to know when the next has been published - 

Instagram (@simslou)

Facebook (Lou Sims)

YouTube (Lou Sims Papercrafter)

Finally, check out my Pinterest page where I also record all the different projects I have created HERE.

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Thank you ever so much for popping by today and I hope you are enjoying my creative journey using the Ciao Bella Paper Ephemera Books. I would love to see how you have used your books too, so please leave me a comment so I can see what you have been making.

Until next time, take care,

Lou

xxx

#artjournal #junkjournal 

#ciaobellapapers #ephemera 

#vintagejournal #quickartjournal 

#artjournalinginspiration #layeringtechnique