Joggles Art Journal Adventure Week 45 ~ Remembrance/Veterans Day

Hi everyone! The prompt for Week 45 of the Joggles Art Journal Adventure was an easy choice since today is November 11. In Canada, we call it Remembrance Day. In the US, it's called Veterans' Day but either way, it's an opportunity to remember those in the military who have served our countries and preserved our way of life. It's an opportunity to remember and to say thank you. The prompt is Remembrance Day/Veterans' Day or poppies. My dad was a WWII vet who flew a spitfire for the RAF so when I think of this day, that's who comes to mind, along with my mom's brother and several of my dad's brothers, as well.

I decided to feature a copy of a photo with my very young dad in his Air Force uniform. Just look at those dimples :) I cropped the photo and rounded the top corners before adhering it to a piece of designer paper printed with a world map design and done in sepia tones. I wanted a botanical image of a poppy which just happens to be one of my favourite flowers, to fill the right side of the page and overlap the photo slightly. This one, which I fussy cut leaving a narrow cream border, came from ArtsCult on Etsy. I loved that it looks vintage and slightly faded or muted since that suited my design.

I inked around the edges of a TH Adage ticket as well as a scrap of very old dictionary paper and added them to the top right corner of the page. I topped that with a one inch wooden maple leaf (Canadian, eh!) which I coloured with about 8 different Big Brush Pens. I know...so many colours on such a tiny leaf! The wording, which really struck a chord with me, was printed onto white cardstock, cut into sections, and matted with black. Foam tape was used to pop the wording up, adding dimension. To balance the design, a fishtail flag was cut from kraft cardstock, decorated with star rub-ons and faux stitching, and added between the photo and the top part of the wording.

The page was finished with a simple doodled black border, Coffee Archival inking around the edges, and the black matting provided by the journal page background.

Thanks for joining my dad and me today. I just know he's seeing this and smiling...probably my mom is, too. Thanks to all those who have served their countries, for the sacrifices they and their families have made, and the courage they have shown. I feel pretty lucky and I know I'm not alone <3

Life is good; so is art.
Bonnie