Santa's Journey- Mixed media Art Journal

Working in a large journal for a swap that is organised through the Australian Art Journal Swap Group. https://australianartjournalswap.blogspot.com/
Seeing as we are close to Christmas I decided to do a non-traditional Christmas theme in Jenny's Stuff and Nonsense Themed journal.
To start with I applied white Gesso to the pages in this Journal. I then applied black, blue, violet and white paint with a sponge to create an Ombre background.

I then used some embossing paste (as I had run out of modelling paste) and mixed it with some yellow Dusty Attic acrylic paint which I then applied through a Dusty Attic stencil called Cityscape. I repeated the pattern across the page adjusting the position of the stencil to make the skyline vary in the height of the buildings. I let this dry naturally.

Using another DA stencil called Map, I applied distress ink in Twisted Citroen through it on both pages. I then used markers and gel pens to draw looped dashes around the pages and writing various cities and countries names, linking the maps across the two pages to show Santas' flight.

Below is the finished layout.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Distress Oxide Ink on Glosy Paper with Distress Glaze- Experimenting

I love experimenting with all my craft products and I am always wondering "what happens if I...?".
My other friend Cat, is horrified at the things I mix together sometimes, but if we don't try different techniques how will we learn? How do you think the experts became experts in their field? I guess because of the cost of materials sometimes, people don't want to waste their products, which is fair enough. So I experiment on ATC (Artist Trading Card) sized samples so I don't waste a lot, but can still see if I will be successful or not.
A friend of mine (Hi Ric:) asked me to show him some samples of what it looks like when  Ranger and Tom Holtz's Distress Oxides are applied to Glossy Paper and then covered in Distress Glaze. I had fun using this Technique so I decided to video my findings. It is only the second video I have ever done, so please be kind as I am learning about cameras and editing software etc. I am always open to suggestions, tips and questions as well. Click on this link to view the video.
  https://youtu.be/cBhhZ2l1D9M

Below are close up photos of the samples from the video and names of products I used.

Set 1 ATC sized Samples.
Distress Oxide Ink Colours used: Faded Jeans,Iced Spruce and Broken China.(Left sample is un-glazed,right has been glazed)

Set 2 ATC sized Samples.
Distress Oxide Ink Colours used: Spiced Marmalade, Peacock Feathers, Wilted Violet.(Left sample is un-glazed,right has been glazed)

 

Set 3ATC sized Samples.
Distress Oxide Ink Colours used: Hickory Smoke, Aged Mahogany, Tattered Rose.(Left sample is un-glazed,right has been glazed)
Santoro London Stamp: Gorjuss Girl Collectable Mini Rubber Stamp No2. New Heights (GOR907302)
Ranger Black Archival Ink.

Set 4 ATC sized Samples.
Distress Oxide Ink Colours used: Squeezed Lemonade, Pickled Raspberry, Seedless Preserves.(Left sample is un-glazed,right has been glazed)
Stencil Used: Dusty Attic DA1488.

Thank you for visiting and hope to see you back here soon!

The Magic Of Alice- Art Journal Entry

The Magic Of Alice- Journal Entry 1.

Hello Everyone!

It has been a while but I am so glad to be back into swapping Art Journals with a talented lot of artists through the Australian Art Swap Group Journal Swap . I'm hoping this will re-inspire me to get journaling again. Head over to their blog and check out all the cool journal entries and details on how I created this entry.

http://australianartjournalswap.blogspot.com.au/

Feel free to visit me on Instagram and Facebook to view other creations, art and ideas.

https://www.instagram.com/purpledebs27/

https://www.facebook.com/purpledebs27/

Thankyou!

"Family" Layout

This Layout is inspired by my friend Paula and her gorgeous boys. I had recently had a haul of ScrapFX Chipboard and Blue Fern Studios paper, which is beautiful and thick, so just perfect for using some heavy mediums on them. I used a Dusty Attic Stencil with some Couture Creations White embossing paste with the stencil and a range of Distress Inks to add splashes of colour. the Heart frame and sentiment were by ScrapFX and I added some coordinating flowers and fibers from my stash. I love how this Layout turned out and I hope it inspires you to get creating. Thanks for stopping by!

Art Journal Entries in My own Journal.

Sometimes its nice just to take some time out and do things for myself. Create and play just for the pleasure of it. So I thought I'd share a few entries from my own journal that I have loved.

Dirty Old Lady Journal Entry.

 

Image Transfer from an advert in a magazine, surrounded by stenciled embossing paste and gold powder.

Kaisercraft paper background with Gel Medium and inks, Image transfer and Stamps in Archival Ink.

Trust Yourself.

Gorjuss Contained.

Happy Crafting Everyone!

Travelling Art Journals For Australian Art Swap Group- Creatures of the Bay

Hello again!  I am part of an awesome swap group that have a Facebook page an a blog and I was due to do an entry in one of these gorgeous Journals. I love the feeling of getting one in the mail and opening it up and checking out all the varied entries and interpretations of the theme.

Joan's Journal was so interesting as it was an old photo album that had been recycled into an art Journal. There were many pockets protecting our journalling and also heaps of magazine cut outs and maps etc that we could use with the theme. There was a strong recycling theme going through but Joan said we didn't have to stick with it and to just have fun so I did.

I am a little mermaid obsessed, and so I thought well they could live in "The Bay" too right?

so I got some gesso and some background colour down. I originally wanted spirals in the background in blues, but I didn't get the results  I wanted so I smudged it all with baby wipes. while it was wet I pushed pieces of Tulle into the page.  I had a trim that looked like roses on tule and I thought they looked a bit like underwater weeds so I put them onto the edges of the pages.As I am very impatient, I got my heat gun out and started drying, but then the tulle started to crinkle up and shrink and burn and I LOVED it! I had a few Beachy type embellishments from a swap years ago and decided to put those in as well.  

I them put some embossing paste over a stencil and dropped some midnight sparkle coloured embossing over the top of it... Instructions said "wait till it dries before heating".bahahhahahah...Me? Wait?? Heatgun attack! and it Puffed up beautifully to give the page more texture. 

My little mermaids are layered stamps and the Queen of the Bay is a Prima/Julie Nutting doll stamp. I stamped her on one of the pages from the back of the book , cut it out and then attached sequences to her tail. I then glued her down onto the page. 

I used my really old dymo labeller to punch out the quote and then stuck that down too. I love how some of the mini mermaid tails lift off the page. I hope you enjoy this Joan! Happy Crafting everyone!

Mixed Media Tags - RUSTY

I am obsessed with making things look rusty and old. I had a blast playing with a heap of products including adhesive aluminium foil, Dusty Attic Rusting powder, Lindys Stamp Gang colour shots and colour burst powders and other items I have been collecting along the way for projects such as these.
I am hoping to get a video camera soon so I can start filming and posting these adventures. Happy Crafting everyone!

Close up of embellishments and rusting effects

Close up of embellishments and rusting effects

Close up of embellishments and rusting effects

Cards

I love to make cards as I think they are a great way to try out new techniques on a small scale, so I thought to show you a small selection of greeting cards I have made. I have used stamps, embossing folders, colour sprays, dies and alcohol markers (to name a few products) in some of these projects.
Have a great week everyone!

Time Goes By- Altered shadow box

Here is a store bought shadow bx that I altered. It started out life as a white glossy frame. I have been collecting various bits and pieces for a while and decided now was the time.

 

 Layering die cuts, chipboard and other embellishments and decicing what looks good.

Start gluing it all down with gel medium and Helmers Glue. Once dry, cover it all with black Gesso.

Add Prima texture crackle paste with a palate knife on smooth surfaces and let dry. Add Copper metallic paint with a dry brush. once dry add a touch of Silks Acrylic glaze in turquoise with a dry brush as well. Add bits of Blue crystals and pearls to highlight. I mounted this on acetate leaving a border of clear plastic so it looks like its floating in the frame.

 

 

I sanded lightly before I did this next few steps as it was a glossy frame and I knew the Geeso would be repelled. I applied modeling paste through a stensil to 3 sides (not the bottom) and let  dry. Cover the inside border and the outside of the frame and modelling paste with Black geeso.  I applied 2 coats, then I drybrushed on the copper and the turquoise paints again.

This isn't a great pic of my finished product as the light kept throwing a reflection off the glass. I do love it and really enjoyed making it as well.

Forgive to Forget mixed media piece

I got introduced to the artist Tamara Laporte's whimsical style of portraits and creatures last year and was captivated. I was always convinced I couldn't paint landscapes leave alone portraits! But she makes it so achievable with her step by step video lessons and how she plays with a variety of media.

So after doing her Art, Heart and Healing class, I took the time to write all the negative things I was feeling, down on my paper and pondered it. I then Gesso'd over it all as a way of letting it all go. My beautiful lady emerged. People say that your emotions come through in your art and I guess it's true because everyone says she look sad. But the most important thing for me is that I replaced my negative thoughts with a positive quote that I feel will help me every time I look at her. Shes not perfect but then neither am I, or you or anyone for that matter. I used  a mixture of Gelatos, Lyra Aqua colour crayons, acrylic paints, Versamark and Archical ink stamp pads and various stamps to complete this piece.

Adding Texture and Dimension to air dry clay AND my first youtube Video!

This video thing is a huge learning curve for me. I love watching tutorials on different techniques and products. I had signed up to a swap where I had to make 10, 2x2 inch tiles to send to my partner. Initially we were to use cardboard, paper etc but then I thought to use the pack of DAS air dry clay I had sitting there. But I needed it to be the thickness of chipboard and I wanted texture and dimension.
So out came the manual pasta rolling machine that was still in its box in the cupboard. I got my supplies together, got my hubby's Go Pro and the rest is history. I do however take my hat off to all the You tubers out there that do videos all the time.

Here is the link for my video on using embossing folders with air dry clay to get texture:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F44ydZkRO0I
Unfortunately, I only found the clamp to hold the machine to the table AFTER I had shot the video. Isn't that always the way??

Otherwise, here are some pics of using stamps on clay.

These babies have all been sent of to be distributed without being painted so that others can customize them to their own projects. I love using Silks acrylic glaze pints to paint them though, and covering them in a hi gloss varnish like JOSONJA's . I will post more pictures another time when the project I am using them in is finished.

Fabric Tissue Paper Tutorial Outcome

One of my fellow artists had posted this link fabric tissue paper tutorial on our FB page and it fascinated me. How to use scraps of material and tissue paper and Gesso and Modpodge to make flexible fabric paper! So.. I did it! Here are the results. The only Modpodge I had was the glitter kind which did just beautifully!

And then I got to manipulate and trim them into 2 index card sized pieces fabric swap for the AASG group. It was so easy to paint (Tim Holtz distress acrylic paint daubers worked very well and were so easy to apply) and spread colour around on. After it dried, I applied neutral shoe polish with a soft buffer as a sealer on top.

TA DA! Just do it, it was really fun. I will upload pictures later of how I used it for myself in my art journal when I finish the page.

Inspired By the AASG Napkin index card swap.

I participated in a napkin swap recently through the AASG Facebook page and received a lovely haul of paper napkins that then led to another swap where we had to use some of those napkins to create 2 Index cards to swap. This posed a challenge for me, as when I see these pretty napkins, I just see these pretty napkins with cool art already on them..not how I can transform them into my own works. But after a lot of You-tubing and Pinteresting and Googling this is what I  managed to come up with .

 I've always liked the quote by Aibileen Clark in The Help (book and movie) so I decided to add it to this napkin card. I really liked how it turned out so I decided to do a page in my art journal using the same quote and technique so I had a "tweaked copy" I liked as well. I made my own stencils for these projects, using thinlit dies and overhead projector plastic sheets, and created my own texture paste by adding beach sand with impasto medium. seemed to work well. I will be making a lot of my own stencils now using some of the dies I already have.

Using a combination of spray inks and dripping and paints for background colour before I used gel medium to glue on my napkin ..

I then finished of with Tim Holtz Marquee Alphabet thinlit die cuts and liquid pearl accents for the light globe parts to make the quote and gave everything a wash of gold metallic paint.

Thanks for looking, hope you have a great day!