Sunday 19 May 2013

72 - Discover Journey Explore

Usually my layouts begin with the photograph, but this time I was inspired by "the tall tale" prompt in the Testimony list.  I remembered a couple of extraordinary days in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

I attended a work shop by the uber talented Louise Nelson last weekend, and some this background was created during her expert class.  If you don’t know her art, you might like to pop over to her blog athttp://louise-justloolabelle.blogspot.com.au and be inspired.


All colours used, although the yellow has not photographed well.  
 I wanted a minimalist look to this page, to evoke the sense of space in the outback.


I fell in love with the textures of the landscape and have tried to imitate it here


EVIDENCE
Layering of stamps
Metal cogs  
Something clear - the bubbles
Drawing - the fish (a very crude attempt to show the style of the Aboriginal dot paintings)

TESTIMONY
I chose to write about a tall tale which really did really happen, during a three month caravaning holiday 2012.

THE JOURNALLING READS
We had travelled from Adelaide, South Australia to Mabel Downs, Western Australia, about 4000 kilometres; a base from which we planned to explore the famous Purnululu (Bungle Bungles) National Park. This ancient rock formation was only discovered in 1983 by a film crew. 

We anticipated the track into the Park would be rough, stony and corrugated, but what we didn’t know was there were about 30 flowing creeks to cross as well. Most of them were easy crossings, but some involved deeper water, with a steep approach and random holes to drop into on the way across. The 50 kms took about 2 hours to negotiate. 

I don’t have adequate words to describe the “Bee Hives”, the rock formations we’d come to see. The colours of orange and dark grey, the patterned striations and sheer enormity of  them simply took my breath away.  The vastness of the landscape, the chasms and gorges as well as the silence, created a sense Sacred Place.  

That evening we discovered the front number plate was missing from our car. We asked what we should do about it and were told, just report it at the next police station. On the way back into the National Park the next day we kept an eye out for the it. I stripped off my boots and walked the two biggest crossings, poking around with a stick, trying to find the number plate, but it was nowhere to be seen. Luckily I didn’t find any crocodiles either!

To add insult to injury, we developed a fault with the back suspension of the car, which was a bit worrying. The nearest Land Rover garage was in Broome, 800 kms away.  The photo of me in my Bombay Bloomer shorts is taken from a distance.  I didn’t want to frighten the horses!

We saw so many natural wonders on this trip, but to walk among this ancient landscape, truly was one of the highlights.

MATERIALS
Greyboard - Imaginarium
Chipboard frame - Imaginarium
Atelier - Gesso
Prima - Epoxy Srickers
Ranger Distress Ink - Rusty hinge
Tim Holtz - Sprocket Gears
Tim Holtz - Long fasteners
Tattered Angels Chalk inks - Inchworm, Firefly, Evergreen
Kaisercraft Stamps - Pack your bags collection


9 comments:

  1. Fabulous, Helen - you've really got that bg going beautifully ...looks sensational...& I'm loving all the white space [which really isn't white, cos of all the texture, but YKWIM:):):)]

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  2. Wow - just loving that awesome crackle background - looks really amazing!!

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  3. What a totally glorious page Helen! Amazing work!! So glad my internet is playing nice for once...

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  4. Love, love, love this Helen! A definite favourite of mine...love the styling and the artsy look! Just fabulous! Love the story too of your outback adventures.... Sterling job on this one! ;-)

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  5. fabulous textured background, awesome details, great photo too :)

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  6. Wow Helen, totally amazing, LOVE your wonderful background work and the way you've "framed" around the photograph!! Great story too....you've captured what you were after with this layout!! Amazing!!

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  7. Wow, wow, wow Helen!!!!! Totally AMAZING!!!!

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  8. Another simply amazing background. I love the crackle effect. I think I must look for some crackle paint here. You learned some amazing techniques and have absolutely put them to good use. This background fits in perfectly with your journalling. It must have been a truly wonderful trip. I love this :D

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  9. LOVE the textured background and the colours really make your beautiful photo pop. Love the story and brave girl getting in looking for your number plate
    Mary x

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