Mixed Media : Creative Dreams Art Journal Cover

Hello mixed media lovers.  Today I'm sharing the cover of my "Creative Dreams" art journal.  I've shared some of the pages from inside it in the past.   I finally finished the cover.  I'm really into these colors right now.  These are the colors I"m using  to decorate my studio right now and this book is sitting up on one of the shelves.

You can view all my mixed media journal pages HERE.  I have more pages started, just need to finish them up and will share later.

I started by covering the outside of the book with gesso.  The background was created by adding paint (aqua and green) and gesso til I got a distressed look that I liked.  

I LOVE using tissue paper in my art work.  I used some green polka dot tissue paper by Pink Paislee across the bottom.  I used yellow and pink tissue paper but didn't have any orange, so I sprayed white tissue paper.    I cut strips of each color, then rolled them horizontally, and then twisted each strip.  Then I used white glue and wrapped the twisted strips into circles to create the flowers. 

The stems and leaves were hand cut from green patterned paper.    I used a Sketch and Wash pencil to distress / add shading around outside edges of leaves, stems and some of the flowers.   I used a oil pastel crayons by Crayola.  I use the really cheap ones,  from Hobby Lobby, and I have a 24 ct Portfolio set as well.  They run about $10 and I ordered mine online from Amazon.  I used them to add shading to the leaves and on the background around the flowers.  You have to do your doodling (Pilot G-2 07 - Walmart) before using the oil pastels.  

"Creative" - I used a stencil
"Dreams" - rub-ons
"Dream Big"  - hand written, inspired by a doodling online class I took from Stephanie Ackerman

Inside pages
I adhere 4 or more pages together with gesso.  Then gesso all the pages and inside cover front and back.
The gesso is wet so the pages warp a little, but it's an altered journal, and I thing that just gives it character.

Some of the pages peel apart a little using the gesso to adhere them together.  Again, I like that look, so I don't worry about it.  

I have also started another one by altering a calender book.  I will share that one in the future as well.





I want to tell you about a new (looks like it started up in April)  blogozine I found that has lots of Mixed Media / Altered type projects and posts with technique tutorials.  Looks like they are hosting 2 challenges a month.  You can find them by clicking on the RAQ 1 and RAQ 2 tabs along the top of the blog.  And if you like to right "articles", then it looks like they have calls as well.  You can find out more about becoming a contributor to their blogozine HERE.  I love monthly challenges because it gives me lots of time to plan.  I'm off to work on my scrapbook project for RAQ 2 !!!

Thanks for stopping by!!
Melisa


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Fabulous Mixed Media Classes I have taken

Christy Tomlison - She Art 44.95
She Art 2  $44.99
Your Living Canvas $109  (purchased this one, but haven't had time to watch it yet)
Junelle Jacobson - The Art of Wild Abondonment  $44.99
Roben-Marie Smith - Art Journal Conversion $24.99
Stephanie Ackerman - Doodle, Too!  $35
Sue Pelletier - Burlap and Paper Clay $35

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Challenges

4 Crafty Chicks (thur) - circles

Paperplay (thur) - recycle (I used and old book to create my altered journal)

Wags and Whiskars (fri) - favorite color combo (this is my favorite color combo right now.  I'm actually creating an entire shelf of altered items for a shelf in my studio using these colors!)

2 Sisters (sat) -  In the Garden

Unruly Paper Arts (monthly) - Dear Diary (this is the cover of an Altered Joural)

Catered Crop (sun) - distressed ( I used ink, paint, and a Sketch and Wash pencil to achieve my distressed look on the cover of this altered journal / book)

Mixed Media : Altered Stamp Blocks

3 Houses
Last post I shared with you that I remove the rubber images from the wooden stamp blocks and remount them on cling so I can organize all my stamps in notebooks by catagory.  Well over the years I have saved up various sizes of the wooden blocks with the plan to re-purpose them into little works of art.  This is my fourth altered stamp block project.  There is a link at the bottom of the post, if you would like to check out the other 3.

I started with 6 rectangular stamp blocks.  3 for the bases and 3 for the roofs.  I had my husband cut 3 of the rectangular blocks into triangles to create my roofs.  Next I  spray painted the blocks.  I adhered the roofs on with Aleene's Tachy Glue.  The flower centers were made with clay and tissue paper.  I shaped a round disc with a dip in the middle from air-dry paper clay.  After dried, I wrapped it with tissue paper.

If you are interested in buying a set like this, email me.  (luv_2_stamp@yahoo.com) .

I couldn't find enough coordinating pattern paper in my stash, so I decided to create my own "text" patterned paper using a font that looks like it came from a typewriter.  Read more about how I created my "text" patterned paper below.  I used a free download from dafont.com called "Mom's Typewriter".

Creating your own text patterned paper
I had saved a list of quotes I found here and there that I thought would look good on ATC's or other Mixed Media projects and I just typed those up and then repeated them.  After printing my "text" patterned paper, I sprayed it with Krylon's Matte Finish "Workable Fixative".  Not sure I even needed it.  Heat setting with my heat tool may have been enough, but I was in a hurry and didn't want to risk the ink smearing.  I use Epson ink.    I used as little water as possible to add color.  I used Neocolor Watercolor Crayons for the pink and blue, and some Loew-Cornell watercolor paint for the yellow.  Doesn't matter what you use, those just happened to be the water color mediums that coordinated with the other ink / patterned paper colors I was using.  After the paper was dry, I cut pieces to fit my roofs.  I punched some circles from a sheet that was not colored, positioning the punch to focus on specific words.  Then I colored around the words and doodled.

You can view all of my Altered Projects HERE.

You can check out all of my Altered Stamp Block projects HERE.

You can check out all my Mixed Media style projects HERE.

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you are inspired to alter some stamp blocks of your own!

hugs, Melisa

This project was select as a trigger target over at Moxie Fab!!



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CHALLENGES

Moxie Fab - Hope this one is ok Cath.  I used a typewriter font to create my own patterned paper.





Link Parties :





Dear Creatives



Come "Strut Your Stuff" with us


Feather Your Nest Friday



Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home






Katie's Nesting Spot

Saturday Spotlight @ Craft Envy

 






What I Whipped up Wednesday @ Sugar and Dots

Make it Monday 


HERE


HERE
HERE


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Stamp Credits

House #1
Doily's - My Mind's Eyes
Butterflies on roof  - Hampton Arts
2 blue butterflies - Cornish Heritage Farms

House #2
Collage with butterfly - Hampton Arts
Key - Lost Coast Designs
Measuring Tape - Paper Artsy

House #3
Lock - Lost Coast Designs
Butterfly - Layers of Color

Mixed Media Project - Roben- Marie Smith Class

6" x 9"

Hello Paper Crafters.  I recently finished a mixed media class by Roben-Marie Smith called "Art Journal Conversion" and wanted to share my first two projects with you.  This one just makes me smile.  I still need to add the journaling, but couldn't wait to share it.  I seriously can't believe I made this!!  I LOVE Roben's style and I'm so excited that she has classes to teach the rest of us how to get that wonderful layered look.  I really enjoyed the class.  It used a lot of products I already owned and honestly, the techniques were not new to me (spray inks, stencils, modeling paste, doodling).  What I gained from the class was the inspiration to add MANY layers of spray inks and gesso so that you create a depth.  So much is going on in the background, but it is so subtle that it doesn't overwhelm.  The medium I was introduced to was using oil pastels.  LOVE them.  It really allows you to add shading.  Be prepared to use your fingers,  A LOT, in this class.  If you don't like a mess, then this is not the class for you. 

The stencils I used were : Plaid (diamond pattern), Layers of Color (swirly), Crafter's Workshop (dots), and the daisy is from Hobby Lobby HERE, sorry I didn't save the package.  The larger circles are from a Drafting Stencils that has a lot of circles with different sizes, but they are graduated.  So it's a pain to use.  HERE.  I wish someone made one with lots of different circle, in differnet sizes, randomly. 

Here are a list of sites that I found that have really cool stencils though :

Crafter's Workshop

Martha Stewart at Michaels  - I LOVE this one, but haven't seen it at my local Micheals.  Will have to see if I can order it.

Plaid  check out the Folk art catagory.  Their store is a little weird to navigate.  Once you get to the Folk Art section, then you have to look to the right and you will see smaller photo's of options and can arrow over.  Then click on the stencil you want to see.  REALLY cool stencils.

I-Stencils - I linked you to the background stencils but check out the left column for other choices.  You can order from their online store, but I don't see any shipping details.

Stencil Ease

Wall to Wall Stencils

Cutting Edge Stencils

Options for Spray Inks :

Adirondack

Dylusions

Glimmer Mist

Ranger Perfect Pearls

Mister Huey

Inkadinkado

And I'm liking the less expensive RIT liquid dye (liquid, already mixed).  I purchased an .99 cent spray bottle from the artist section at Hobby Lobby and just poured the color in.

Let me know if you think of any others I can add to the list

I started shopping around looking for other options for spray inks.  Glimmer Mist are so pretty, but mine often clog and for what I'm paying for them, I find that frustrating.  Roben used some SEI Tumbler Tie-dye inks, so I decided to check out the tie-dye section of Jo-ann's where I noticed the RIT dyes.  SOOOO much cheaper than Glimmer Mist ($7.50 for 2 oz).  I bought them pre-mixed in a bottle (8oz).  I think it was around $4.  Then I picked up some inexpensive spray bottles at Hobby Lobby and poured the color in those.  So I decided to give it a try.  The orange you see in this project is the RIT.  I will definitely try some of the other colors.

I didn't want to start out working in my art journal, because I figured my first project might not be so good.  So I did this piece on 6" x 9" 140# watercolor paper and decided to hang it on my 7 Gypsies Photo Display Stand.  I don't have any photo's on mine.  It's dedicated to mixed media projects.  Here is a picture I posted in the past :

I spray painted mine black.  I use extra large eyelets in the top.

2.5" x 3" Artist Trading Card

This one is a mini.  You can't really get the depth on such a small peice, but I like how it turned out.

If you are interested in taking mixed media classes, here's a list :

Christy Tomlison

Roben-Marie Smith

Donna Downey - tons of free video's on her blog HERE

and in her store HERE

Creative Workshops

Alisa Burke

Free video's at Cloth, Paper, Scissors HERE

Interweave

Traci Bautista

Julie Prichard

If you know of any that aren't on my list, please share!

You can view my other :

 Faith Art projects HERE.

Collage / Mixed Media projects HERE.

Artist Trading Cards HERE.

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Challenges

Project #1

Cupcake Craft (mon) - texture (flowers and circles are modeling paste)

Ribbon Carousel (tues) - lots of color

For Fun (wed) - anything goes

Let's Ink it Up (monthly) - distressing

Crafts 4 Eternity (fri) - try something new (new mixed media class - style)

Corrosive (sun) - from a bottle  (spray inks)

Project #2

Word Art Wed (wed) - Habakkuk 3:18

Fairy Fun Friday's - flower

OOzak's (monthly) - anything goes

Abby's Scripture Thur #25

Mixed Media Art Journal Project

I finished 2 more pages in my art journal today.  So much fun!  I started with color inspiration from the Color Throwdown challenge blog and added the scripture from this weeks Word Art Wednesday challenge.

1. I started with 2 gesso coated book pages.  I used a thin layer so that the words were visible.

2. Scribble some blue (#47 Lyra Aquacolor) over the background and then brush water on to spread the paint.

3. Lay stencil (I used a circular medallion from Layers of Color) and sponge on purple watered down acrylic paint over the openings on the inside of the medallion and very lightly around the edges. 

4.  Pounce on watered down yellow acrylic paint over sequin waste (punchanella). 

5. Smear on some green paint with finger.

6. Spray with Work Fixative and dry with heat gun.  May not have been necessary, but before I started layering more color, I wanted to set what I had already added.

7. Roll on brown ink (Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate by Tsukineko) using Jumbo Rollagraph Stamp Wheel with the Floral Flourish image around edges and in a few area's in center. I didn't want the full image, so I rolled lightly. You could use any type decorative stamp, but I like that the Rollagraph makes it easy for me to lightly roll and get a partial image. 

8. Wipe brown ink around edges. I used a little water on my fingers to smear it.

9.  Apply white acrylic paint with bubble wrap.

10.  Stamp Stampendous Music Score  on watercolor paper multiple times with water resistant ink (I used Palette Noir and then ran the heat gun over it a couple of times just to be safe).  Brush watered down white acrylic paint over some of the music score images (for picket fence and flower centers) and yellow watereed down paint over the rest (for sun). 

11. Hand cut fence and sun pieces.  Scribble around edges of all pieces with brown #59 Neocolor II crayon and smear with ZIG H20 Brush.  LOVE these brush's!  They come in different sizes and I just wipe them off on paper towels in between colors.

12.  Tear green patterned paper and adhere along the bottom of pages.  Only adhere along the bottom edge so you can slip the ends of fence and stems in later.  Use brown watercolor crayon around edges of grass.

13. Adhere fence and sun.

14. Cut flower #1 / heart flowers from purple patterned paper. Brush on yellow watered down yellow paint onto watercolor paper and cut flower #2.  Cut all flower centers from the white music score paper created earlier.  Cut leaves / stems from green patterned paper.  Add / smear brown watercolor crayon around edges of all pieces. 

15. Print scripture and cut into tag.  Tear one end.  Add / smear brown watercolor crayon around edges of tag.  Adhere tag to page and add bow.

16. Adhere stems, leaves, and flowers.  Before adhering leaves, crumble and crease.  Adhere ends of grass to page.  Embellish with buttons.  Doodle.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Melisa

See all my MIXED MEDIA TUTORIALS HERE

See all my MIXED MEDIA / COLLAGE PROJECTS HERE

See all my ART JOURNAL PROJECTS HERE

View all my Faith Art projects HERE.

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Linked to :

http://www.uncommondesignsonline.com

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Challenges

Color Throwdown

Word Art Wednesday (wed) - Psalm 28:7

For Fun (wed) - tags (handmade tag with scripture on it)

Little Red Wagon (wed) - spring

Crop Stop (thur) - buttons and bows

Lily Pad (fri) - flowers

Crafty Emma's (sat) - paper piece

Inspiration Emporium (montly) - watercolor

Sketchbook Challenge (monthly) - open

Artist Trading Card / Faith Art

Artist Trading Card 2.5" x 3.5"

Today I have an Artist Trading Card designed for this weeks Word Art Wednesday challenge.  Cass provides free word art each week for us to use in our projects.  Thanks Cass!!  I had fun getting my fingers messy with this one. 

hugs to you all!

Melisa

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Project Details

Trim watercolor paper to ATC size.  Mine is a longer than 3 1/2 because it's for my revolving ATC holder so I can extend things over the edges.  Stamp heart image (Hampton Arts) with VersaMark ink and heat emboss with clear embossing powder.  Brush on red watercolor paint (VanGough Permanent Red Deep) and blot some area's with paper towel so that it's not a solid color.  Let the first coat dry and then apply another coat.  Draw circles using a stencil (Crafter's Workshop).  Paint random dots black (Lyra Watercolor Crayon).  Paint around heart with black ink, smearing as you to.  Grunge up the heart a little by smearing on a very small amount of black here and there.  Create a mask (Eclipse Masking Tape) and carefully splatter on white watered down acrylic paint by loading a paint brush and flicking it over the ATC.  Ink edges with black ink and doodle.  Wrap with black twine and tie knot.  Adhere to revolving atc holder card.  Print word art, trim, ink edges, doodle and staple with Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher.  Embellish with stick pin (Maya Road) and trim (Hobby Lobby).  Print "true love", trim, ink edges, trim along top with deckled scissors and staple with Tiny Attacher.

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Challenges

Word Art Wednesday
Southern Girls - focus on sentiment

You can check out my huge list of daily challenges by clicking on the "Challenges" tab at the top of my blog.  Let me know if I have missed any!


You can view all of my ATC's HERE

You can view more of my Faith Art HERE.

MIXED MEDIA / ART JOURNAL PROJECT

When I started the "Art of Wild Endangerment" class, I told myself I was going to just stick to sketching in a sketch book right now, because I seriously have sooooooo many other things I need to be doing.   But ....... the more I watched Junelle add her art to her altered book  .... I had to take the time to get my own started.  So I selected an old book, tore / cut out pages about every 4 page and started adding gesso.  I used gesso to adhere 4 page together at a time so my pages would be sturdy.  After I removed pages and adhere some together, I started adding gesso to all the pages and outside of the book.  Then I added my first sketch / art journal project!  I haven't journaled yet, but left space so I could add that later.  I'm addicted!  I have to work the next 2 days, so I really do need to get some house work done, teehee.  But I just want to work on my journal!  This is what my daughter would refer to as a "first world problem".

So I decided to take the time to share my step by step process, just in case someone is interested in giving it a try.  Below you can find my VERY long, and very boring explanation!  Other wise that's it for the day!  thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a joyful day creating!

hugs, Melisa

See all my MIXED MEDIA TUTORIALS HERE

See all my MIXED MEDIA / COLLAGE PROJECTS HERE

See all my ART JOURNAL PROJECTS HERE

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Project Details 

I started out creating a blue background using water color paint and a "mop" paint brush.  I would put a little on and then use a paper towel to dab some off til I got the look I wanted.  I didn't wand a solid background on this one.  Not sure you can tell on the photo, but some of the white gesso is showing through. 

I had a old flourish stamp that had the cool deco leaves on it, so I used that as my inspiration and started by sketching (with a mechanical 07 pencil) flourish's.  Then I sketched the "deco leaves".  At this point you could just paint them in, but I decided I wanted to paper piece these.  Sooooo ...  I used tracing paper to trace each one, then positioned the traced deco leaf over the patterned paper.  After I was happy with where it was positioned over the patterned paper, I slid some carbon paper under the tracing paper and lightly penciled over the design, transferring onto the patterned paper.  Now you just trim and adhere.  I had to decide how I wanted to adhere the paper.  I could use Mod Podge, but that gets a little messy and usually ends smearing from underneath whatever I gluing down, leaving a shiney area.  Or I could use my Aleene's Tachy Glue.  When I took Christy Tomlison's "She Art" class, she Mod Podged everything.  I think because she liked how she could continue to smear her Neocolors or other mediums over it.  She also applied the Pitt pens over the Mod Podge as well and then was able to smear it to add shadow / distressing.  So I decided to go with Mod Podge.  But at this point, I didn't cover the whole page, just used it to adhere my paper pieces.   The smaller leaves were much easier.  I did't bother sketching them, because that's such and easy shape to cut.  So I cut a bunch of them from differnet patterned papers, positioned them on the page, and adhere.  Next I used a green water color pencil add added paint over all my sketched stems / vines.  I didn't put the color directly on the page.  I wet my brush, wipe the end of the brush over the end of the pencil to pick up the paint and then apply it to the page.

Next I trimmed patterned paper to create the bird house and a few of the banner flags (green).  I didn't have the right color patterned paper for the other colors, so I applied watercolor paint to some watercolor paper and cut them.  I used a font stencil for the letters on the banner.  Punch little holes in the corners (Fiskar's 1/16" ?? I think) and ran jute through them.  Adhered those pieces on with Mod Podge as well.

I sketched my birds on watercolor paper, add watercolor paints, and trimmed.  Adhered with Mod Podge.  This was my first time sketching birds.  I used a couple of my stamps (the ones on the project I posted monday) to inspire me.

Junelle likes to add little splatters of color to her art.  She makes it look so easy.  Hers look way better than mine.  Basically I just soak a brush wtih watercolor paint and then lightly tap it over the project. 

Next I tried to do some doodling.  I had some new pens from Prismacolor and started with those.  Basically I was trying to outline / sketch the lines in now with a black pen / marker.  But it wasn't working out over the Mod Podged area's or watercolored area's (stems / vines).  I think I ruined my pens trying it, because they stopped writing  : (  and I haven't been able to get them going again.  I also tried my Micron Pens, same problem.  I'm not sure why.  Maybe I just needed to let it sit a little longer.  I thought the watercolored area's were dry.  I used the Prismacolor 03 pen and my sharpie on Monday's project over the watercolored background and they worked fine ???  I was very frustrated, because the heart of Christy and Junelle's art is their sketching / doodling with the pen.  The project just isn't finished without it.  So at this point I decided to Mod Podge the whole thing and try a pen Christy recommends.  Here's the problem with her pen ... you can only by it at her shop (seriously ... the company discontinued them and she had them specialed ordered) and they have a wider tip, which I'm not crazy about.  I prefer an 03.  But this pen will write on anything.  After I dried the Mod Podge, I decided to give one more pen a try,  a fine tip sharpie.  I had issue with that one as well : ( .  So I finally went with Christy's pen.  You can find it HERE. 

Next I used acrylic paint and punchanella to add the circles you see here and there.  I started wtih the brighter colors and then went over them with white paint to tone it down.

The set from the photo above is HERE.

Scarlett Lime actually has some Punchanella in a "texture" kit HERE.  Christy showed us how to use these pieces in her She Art class to add interest to our backgrounds. 

All that's left to do is add some journaling.

If you are new to mixed media and are interested in online classes.  Check out THIS post for a list of online classes (some of them FREE) I am aware of.