A colourful fun scene in of animal and bird friends around an aquarium. Made using Dyan Reaveley rubber stamps with handmade masks and watercolour pencils and inks.

Put a Bird on It Journal Page

March 2, 2026

I created an art journal page and filmed it at the same time - and while it is quite rustic, I think it is ok! I was wearing my headphones with music bopping (Guardians of the Galaxy Awesome Mix), the fan was on windy and phone camera hooked up into the bendy gizmo to record from overhead. I thought the microphone was in the phone, so the fan and crafty noises would be knocked into the background ... but! 🧐 I think it was recorded using the headphones, because when I listened to the playback, I could hear Everything, even the music! 🙄 Well, at least it is true to being Me! 🫟🎶😂🤣

I hope it makes you smile, gives you a laugh, inspires you to get out your favourite crafty treasures and have some fun!

Finished - a colourful fun scene in my ledger journal, of animal and bird friends around an aquarium. Made using Dyan Reaveley rubber stamps with handmade masks, Ranger ink pads, Dylusions ledger journal and inks, Distress Spritz, Recoil scissors, glass media mat, Dylusions Sticks & Caykes and Distress watercolour pencils.

How to Stamp a Fun Scene using Masks - with Birds, Frogs and Friends from Under the Sea ...

Arty Treasures Used ...

I used Dylusions cling stamp designs and handmade masks, Ranger Archival ink pads (Dylusions Balmy Night, Distress Black Soot and Salvaged Patina), Tim Holtz Distress watercolour pencils, Dylusions Caykes and Sticks (watercolour paints), Dylusions Ink Sprays (Blue Lagoon, Rose Quartz, Lemon Zest, Island Parrot, Shimmer Ink Lemon Zest), Distress Spritz (Antique Linen, Saltwater Taffy, Tumbled Glass), a waterfilled aquabrush, black felt tip pen, white acrylic paint pen, Dina Wakley low tack artist tape, Tim Holtz Tonic Studios Glass Media Mat, Tim Holtz Recoil Snips (scissors), paper towel, scrap paper. Made inside the Dylusions 8x8 inch Creative Ledger Journal.

Dylusions by Dyan Reaveley stamps ... Put a Bird on It (the quote, DYR51251) . Under the Sea (fish, bubbles, octopus, crab, DYR37781) . Ocean Backgrounds (seaweeds, DYR37798) . No Place Like Gnome (spiral bubbles, DYR10008) . Monster Mash (aquarium, DYR37750) . She Sells Sea Shells (corner grassy seaweed, DYR72980) . Stevie Baby (frog, frog flowers, chicken, DYR10019) . Cat Among the Pigeons (little birds, DYR55471) . Around the Edge (spots, DYR34421) . Purrfect (fish bone, DYR10016) . Dinky Dolls 3 (spotty octopus, DYR10030).

All arty treasures used are available from the Art by Jenny craft shop ... https://www.shop.artbyjenny.com.au

Have a closer look ...

Finished - close up of fishtank - a colourful fun scene in my ledger journal, of animal and bird friends around an aquarium. Made using Dyan Reaveley rubber stamps with handmade masks, Ranger ink pads, Dylusions ledger journal and inks, Distress Spritz, Recoil scissors, glass media mat, Dylusions Sticks & Caykes and Distress watercolour pencils. Made by Jenny James, Art by Jenny.

Above ... When in doubt, put a bird on it! Animals and birds can be any colour you wish, realistic or whimsical, or both. With watersoluble ink sprays, paints and pencils, if you've made an area darker than you like, add a drop of water and press the wet area with dry paper towel or cloth to lift off some colour.

Finished - close up of curious crab and octopus - a colourful fun scene in my ledger journal, of animal and bird friends around an aquarium. Made using Dyan Reaveley rubber stamps with handmade masks, Ranger ink pads, Dylusions ledger journal and inks, Distress Spritz, Recoil scissors, glass media mat, Dylusions Sticks & Caykes and Distress watercolour pencils. Made by Jenny James, Art by Jenny.

Above ... The curious crab was stamped twice, once in black with a mask covering the tank, then again, just with his claw behind the tank using Dylusions Balmy Night Archival Ink Pad for a watery behind glass kind of look.

Above ... A closeup of the aquarium with curly seaweed and pair of fish, who can swim in here for hours without getting bored thanks to having short term memories. Adding a darker shade around the edge creates a rounded shape.

Above ... Dyan's chook (chicken) stamp peers in from the side to see what is happening... she has green eyelashes, spotty stripy comb and gorgeous Periwinkle Blue (Dylusions pencil) feathers.

Finished - close up of seaweed - a colourful fun scene in my ledger journal, of animal and bird friends around an aquarium. Made using Dyan Reaveley rubber stamps with handmade masks, Ranger ink pads, Dylusions ledger journal and inks, Distress Spritz, Recoil scissors, glass media mat, Dylusions Sticks & Caykes and Distress watercolour pencils. Made by Jenny James, Art by Jenny.

Above ... A closeup of the washy background (Dylusions Ink Spray Blue Lagoon mixed with water), groips of spiral bubbles, and the border of seaweed and blue spots.

Finished - close up of shimmery flasks of bubbles - a colourful fun scene in my ledger journal, of animal and bird friends around an aquarium. Made using Dyan Reaveley rubber stamps with handmade masks, Ranger ink pads, Dylusions ledger journal and inks, Distress Spritz, Recoil scissors, glass media mat, Dylusions Sticks & Caykes and Distress watercolour pencils. Made by Jenny James, Art by Jenny.

Above ... bubbles! The little flasks were stamped with a mask to make one go behind the other. They were coloured with Dylusions Ink Spray Island Parrot, Lemon Zest and Rose Quartz, the overpainted with Dylusions Shimmer Spray Lemon Zest and Distress Spritz Saltwater Taffy..

Finished - close up of the frog bubbles and quote - a colourful fun scene in my ledger journal, of animal and bird friends around an aquarium. Made using Dyan Reaveley rubber stamps with handmade masks, Ranger ink pads, Dylusions ledger journal and inks, Distress Spritz, Recoil scissors, glass media mat, Dylusions Sticks & Caykes and Distress watercolour pencils. Made by Jenny James, Art by Jenny.

Above ... a closeup of the stamped and cut out quote with the frog bubbles and baby octopus. This view shows the beautiful shine and shimmer of Dylusions Shimmer Spray in Lemon Zest. Vintage Photo Distress Pencil was used to add shadows inside the bubbles on the lower right side.

Finished - overview of the page - a colourful fun scene in my ledger journal, of animal and bird friends around an aquarium. Made using Dyan Reaveley rubber stamps with handmade masks, Ranger ink pads, Dylusions ledger journal and inks, Distress Spritz, Recoil scissors, glass media mat, Dylusions Sticks & Caykes and Distress watercolour pencils. Made by Jenny James, Art by Jenny.

Above ... the finished page propped up on the Tim Holtz glass media mat. Once finished you don't even notice any of the whoopses! lol Frayed Burlap Distress Pencil was used to paint the ground a sandy brown colour. Vintage Photo Distress Pencil was used to add darker shadows under each of the objects and characters. I've used white paint pens to dot and draw highlights, and splattered Distress Spritz Antique Linen over the page.

Thanks for watching the video and visiting my crafty world! Sing out if you need an arty hand.

Happy Creative Day!
:)
Jenny

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A Few of My Favourite Arty Treasures...

This collection is full of favourites that compliment new releases or a recent blog post or to simply share the exciting news that something is back in stock after hibernating for a while. I hope what we do inspires you to make time to be creative every day ... for healing, defragging the mind, crafting gifts, having fun, making art to create smiles :)