Breath...

Somedays you just need to create just for creating's sake.

Today was one of those days.

The first week of school is over (thank goodness)

and already the drama that is middle school is starting up (only 174 more days to go sigh).

So today I just needed to escape into the messy world of modeling paste and acrylic paint.

All these colors are on my page.

                             

here is the page in my journal.

Cardboard with a layer of modeling paste through a 

Crafter's Workshop stencil.

Many layers of paint

Stamping with a Kaisercraft stamp and Prima stamp.

The title is stamped and embossed with white ep from Stampendous.

The little flower vine is created with a Prima felt stem and flowers made

by Funtoolas

Always better after creating a bit.

Now to enjoy the long weekend.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Mixed Media Card Tutorial

           

Do you ever think mixed media isn't for you? Maybe you are a card maker or scrapbooker and figure mixed media techniques don't work for what you do.

Or that you need to go out and buy all new supplies to enter the mixed media world.

Well today I'm here to show you how YOU can make a mixed media card using supplies you all ready have on hand (and maybe a quick trip into the kitchen for the last one).

This is the finished card.

Doesn't look to hard, right, and with the extra materials gives it a ton of texture.

Supplies:

Patterned paper, cheesecloth, gel medium, solvent ink, tissue or sewing pattern paper, book text (or more patterned paper), card base, and a background stamp

1:Place a piece of patterned paper onto your card stock base

2: Using Gel Medium place a piece of the cheesecloth into the center of the card.

3:Tear a piece of book text (or patterned paper), ink the edges and layer over your cheesecloth, making sure some still poles out.

4: Using the background stamp and solvent ink stamp across the tissue paper.

Cut out a heart shape from it.

5:Using Gel Medium adhere the heart over all the layers. Outline with a charcoal pencil & smudge. Add your sentiment

And you are DONE!

How easy was that.

Incorporating mixed media techniques into projects like cards adds a fun new element.

Enjoy creating!

ATCs, Inchies and Arches

Sharing a few pieces that have been recently published in

Scrapbook News and Review.

The first is an ATC created on a Gelli print.

The image is from a piece of 7 Gypsies paper.

Next is a Steampunk Gothic Arch.

Going really small for these inchies.

The backgrounds are tissue paper for texture then paints and mists for color.

and last but not least...

Another Gothic Arch

this one was inspired by a fortune from a recent visit to a Chinese food restaurant.

The background was another Gelli print

covered with some stamped and embossed images

                                        
    Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Pan Pastel Play

                           Tags are an easy way to get a feel for a new product. 

 They're big enough that you aren't constrained by working on a small space yet small enough that they don't take a lot of product or time.

                                                         

    I used one of the hottest products in the crafting market right now on this tag: Pan Pastel. They're easy and fun to use, they blend seamlessly, can be layered and used with a variety of mediums and best of all, mistakes can be quickly erased.

To learn even more techniques, check out my Pan Pastels for Scrapbooking class. 

In this tutorial, I'll show you how to create a fun tag using several Pan Pastel techniques as well as a bit of stamping.

Supplies
Tag
Pan Pastels in: Ultramarine Blue Tint, Turquoise, Ultramarine Blue Shade, Pthalo Blue Shade, and Diarylide Yellow Shade
Watermark Ink
Stencil
Sequin waste
Pan Pastel applicators or Foam makeup sponges
Assortment of stamps
Black Archival ink

Step One: Place your tag on your work surface and with a sponge applicator, cover the entire tag with Ultramarine Blue Tint. Apply it to the tag in small circular motions. Using the same sponge apply Turquoise Pan Pastel over, but not completely covering the first layer. Again use small circular motions to blend the colors.

Step Two: Take the Pthalo Blue Shade and using small circular motions, apply it in random spots on the tag for highlights.

Step Three: Place the sequin waste onto your tag and using Ultramarine Blue Shade, apply it randomly with your sponge across the tag. Lift and move the sequin waste around the tag and apply more of the Pan Pastel until you're happy with your coverage.

Step Four: Place the stencil onto your tag and with a small dabber sponge and watermark ink, apply the ink through the stencil across the tag. Lift and move the stencil as needed reapplying the ink until you are happy.

Step Five: Lightly apply Ultramarine Blue Shade Pan Pastel across the watermark ink and the Pan Pastel will stick to the watermark ink.

Step Six: Use the sponge to apply Dairylide Yellow Shade randomly across the tag, blending lightly as you go.

Step Seven: Stamp across the tag with Archival ink.

As a finishing step, I lightly distressed the edges of the tag and applied Pthalo Blue Shade. I usually use ink for this step but the Pan Pastels look great, too.

I hope you enjoyed this quick tag tutorial. 

Remember if you want to learn even more ways to use Pan Pastels on your scrapbook pages make sure to head on over to The Art Studio and check out my 

Pan Pastels for Scrapbooking class.

  Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Believe in your heart....

Just a quick layout share today.

This was featured in the May issue of Scrapbook News and Review.

A little fun with mixed media, using cheesecloth, bead gel, and

acrylic paint for color and texture.

The paper is from Prima, Die Cuts from Kaisercraft, and stencils from Crafter's Workshop.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Catch A Star...a New Art Journaling class at The Art Studio

New Art journaling class now available at

The Art Studio

     Have you ever browsed online galleries looking at Art Journal pages and wished you knew how to create something like what you see? 

   Or maybe you do art journal but you get stuck for ideas and are looking for new ways to infuse life into your pages.

Look no more.

    Head on over and check out the various art journaling classes offered at The Art Studio. Each class is about an hour in length, costs only $5.99, and takes you step-by-step through the creation of a page. You'll learn new techniques, play with products and, in the end, have a beautiful piece of art to call your own.

In the just released Catch a Star, you'll make your very own our product to accent your page.

We used watercolor crayons in Be Strong.

Stencils and mist in Leave your Mark

Journaling in Top 10

Collaging and doodling in Play

You'll get messy, have fun and slowly but surely fill your journal with your personal art. There's nothing better than that!

  What will YOU learn today???

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Tag Day

Some days there isn't a whole lot of time to get creative.

Tags are perfect for days like that.

The small size means they don't take up a ton of time to work on, but 

they are still big enough to give plenty of space to work.

Today was a busy day so it was a Tag Day.

I used a large Prima tag as my base.

Covered it with lots of leftovers that were taking up space on my desk, then covered everything with Gesso.

Many many Lindy's Stamp Gang mists and Golden Fluid Acrylics

add the color.

Black acrylic paint was dry brushed over spots to enhance the raised areas.

Bit of Gesso was also added to add contrast.

Now back to the business of getting ready for houseguests 

AND 

final preparations for back to school (whoo hoo).

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Skissedilla sketch #221

Skissedilla has another sketch up.

#221

and I used it as inspiration for the following layout. 

                             


    The piece of pattern paper is from Kaisercraft (Miss Empire Collection) and was covered with watercolor paint, Distress Stains, stamping & machine stitching.

A Crafter's Workshop stencil was used to create the Chevron design.

Tumbled Glass & White Picket Fence Distress Stains were stamped down to get splats

Watercolor paint was washed over the paper the a darker color was flicked on. Stamping with a script stamp & Stone Grey StazOn ink.

That is it for today.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Always...a mixed media canvas

So I love browsing Pinterest.

I click and pin somedays with what seems like reckless abandon never going back and actually really looking at what I had pinned.

This wasn't the case here though. 

I stumbled across a video tutorial by Gabrielle Pollacco showing how she goes about creating canvases.

I actually watched, start to finnish, with no fast forwarding (I am notorious for fast forwarding) and was so inspired I immediately had to create my own canvas.

I have this picture of my Grandmother from 1932. I copied it so as to preserve the original and went to town.

5 different mists were used (Lindy's Stamp Gang, Tattered Angels, & Smooch).

Chipboard from Blue Fern & Dusty Attic.

Modeling paste, stencils, and dry wall tape for texture.

Tons of bits and bobs that I have accumulated over time.

Flowers from the flower drawer (don't judge...I actually have 2 drawers full of flowers).

Gesso & Golden fluid acrylics, with some Ranger Distress pains on top.

It was fun adding layers and pieces. I didn't have to worry about colors matching, everything got covered with Gesso so it all worked.

If you are interested in seeing what else I pin...

come find me on Pinterest.

Who knows what may inspire me next.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

August Sketch challenge at Scrapping Everyday Miracles

It's the middle of the month and time for a new sketch challenge at 

Scrapping Everyday Miracles.

 The twist this month is to use butterflies some where on the layout.

Here is the 12 x 12 sketch

                                  

and here is my layout

Instead of using a real doily I used a stencil from Pink Paislee and ink

My butterflies and all the die cuts layered under my photo come from Kaisercraft

I hope you've been inspired to join us to create a sketch based project or two with Scrapping Everyday Miracles this month! I can't wait to see your creations. 

Our generous sponsor this month is 

Daysigns 

The prize is a Gift Certificate for $35 to the store. Also, they are offering a 15% discount code for readers. The code is PRETTY15. 

From the start of party planning with pretty invitations to the end with thank you cards, our printables are personalized for you. All that's left for you to do is print and cut! We want your parties to be perfect, just like you do. We strive hard to make everything just right for you. We offer quick and reliable customer service to make you happy!

Website: www.daysignsbyday.com

Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/daysigns

FB page: https://www.facebook.com/daysignsbyday

**NOTE: You may submit the project you create for Scrapping Everyday Miracles to other challenge blogs but your project must be mainly created for the Scrapping Everyday Miracles challenge in order to win the sponsor prize and/or be one of Top 3**

All entries must be linked HERE by August 31, 11:55pm PST.

Winners will be announced here on Saturday, September 7th.

*Important: Make sure your link is to the blog post with your project & not just your blog in general...and be sure to remember the SCRAP TWIST!