Texture Tips with Melissa-Adding Texture to an Art Journal Coloring Page

Good morning! Melissa here with this month's texture tips. When I received this month's kit and saw the coloring pages from Catherine Scanlon I was totally excited. Some of my favorite childhood memories are of me and my grandma coloring together. She always had a good stash of coloring books at her house, plus the 64 count box of crayons with the built in sharpener! (fist pump!!)

Also included in this kit are the watercolors. I was looking at everything together and I decided to do different pages in different mediums. So for the first coloring page I used the watercolors for my main source of color. I added in the embossing powder to the middle of the flowers and some of the glitter (attached using the Glossy Accents from the kit). The embossing powder adds a nice, shiny texture to the page. And of course so does the glitter (plus it's just a really gorgeous color!)



Next I used the gel pens to add some accents. I used the green along the stems and the blue to fill in the dots. These pens also offer a smooth shiny texture.



As I was digging around in my stash I found a packet of words from Tim Holtz, so I used them to create a little phrase that I liked. I stuck them in the empty spot of the coloring sheet.



To finish, I cut around the edges of the page and found a background in my art journal that needed some help (ok, it was a really ugly epic fail page that I've always hated) and glued it down right over the top. Now it looks so much better :)



How do you cover up journal pages or mistakes that you make? I'd love to hear about it!

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The Witching Hour--October Limited Edition Kit

Welcome, friends!! Today I have another spooky project for you using the October Limited Edition Kit. For this project I used the 5 x 7 canvas board, ephemera, Lindy's sprays and Magicals, and the Dylusions stamps. Let's get started!

To begin, I laid down a background of the Lindy's Magicals combined with the spray ink. I also worked in a bit of the Viva Decor Glitter paste because I just can't get enough of that stuff!



I wanted to create a quirky, funky little Halloween house so I de-constructed the viewfinder and it's envelope. I cut the envelope into a house shape, and the stamp sheet into a roof. I cut up the viewfinder and tried to use the little negatives as windows, but they wouldn't stick so I ended up using the frames they were housed in instead. I also cut the club off of the playing card and stuck it on top like a weather vane. Then, I used one of the Dylusions border stamps to create a little eave to attach under the roof. I also attached one of the bingo pieces on the front door.



At this point I thought the bingo piece didn't really fit in too much so I painted it with the Lindy's. I also added some rub ons and stamping to the piece, as well as an older Tim Holtz sticker that I had in my stash.



This piece sat for a couple of weeks like it is. I wasn't totally happy with it, but couldn't figure out what was wrong. I just knew that it felt "off" somehow. So I gave it some thought. In the meantime I added some white Magicals because I thought I would be adding something else to it and wanted to lighten up the background a little bit.

In the end I ended up removing the Spooky sticker and the bingo piece. I then downloaded some free vintage clip art and added that instead. I found the cute sentiment and added that as well. While browsing around at Hobby Lobby I found the perfect frame (which happened to be 50% off!) and once I made those changes I was a lot happier with the piece overall. I think that this is why I struggle with making videos. I change so many things around and go back and forth and let things sit for so long while I mull them over!



I'd love to hear your thoughts on what you do when you get stuck on a piece that doesn't feel right. Any suggestions on how you push through a creative block? Thanks for stopping by :)

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With Brave Wings--Mixed Media Drawing on a Gelli Print

Hello everyone! Melissa here with a tutorial on a little project I made up using the rest of my September kit.

This month I was introduced to Gelli printing for the first time and I just can't express to you how much I LOVE making these prints!! There are just so many possibilities. For this little project, I wanted to do a simple drawing on top of the gelli print background that I had created using the canvas paper pad from the kit. I started out by lightly sketching the bird with a pencil, then outlining it with a black Pitt pen. I stuck a few leftover neon reinforcement circles onto the page, and also added some polka dots to the wing, using a Sharpie poster paint marker.



Next, I used my white gel pen to outline the bird and add a little character. Using the Faber Castel Big Brush marker (in pink), I outlined around the reinforcement circles and the bird and then blended it all in with my finger. This helps to incorporate the images and stickers into the background, rather than have them sticking out. I also used a purple Inktense pencil to shade under the wing.



At this point I noticed a few blank spots on the piece that were bugging me, so I added a few pieces of Tim Holtz tissue tape to fill in the gaps. I also smudged a little bit of pink with the big brush marker to help it blend in. Using the exclusive Frog Dog Studio stamp set and the Faber Castel Big Brush pen (in Pink Madder), some stamping was added into the background for texture. To finish, I stamped a quote onto a piece of scrap paper then cut it apart and glued it to the piece. Rub ons were also added.



I found this cute little frame when I was cleaning out my closet and thought it matched this project perfectly! So here it is, all complete and ready to gift :)

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Stampin' Mica Collage

Lea here...Ready for some Fun????  Layering can be created without a lot of embellishments.  Ink, stamps, and mica powder create the background; while a collage image and Gelly Roll Pens complete the art.  ATCs are so fun to play with!!!


Supplies:

August Kit -

ATC Blank
Artchix Studio Collage image - Woman with Rose and scrap from another image
Button

Other Supplies:

Any pigmented mica powder (USArtQuest Used),
Sakura of America Expressionist Oil Pastel and Gelly Roll Pens
Copic Markers,
Mica Watercolors (H2O's used)
 Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive
Scissors
Soft Mop Brush
Embroidery Floss

1.  Spread white oil pastel to cover the surface of the ATC.  I used this because the mica powders will adhere to the oil pastel; otherwise, I'd use Gesso.

2.  Dip soft brush into mica powder, tap off excess, and brush on top of oil pastels.

3.  Use as many colors as you want to create a pleasing background.  Soft, glimmery surface.  Yellow, green, blue, and irridescent mica powders were brushed onto the surface.

4.  Words are stamped over mica powder with a terra cotta color ink.  A cross-hatched image is stamped over that in blue ink.

5.  Collage image of lady and the words from the collage sheet about "Les Colours."  I used left over pieces of cut button (use craft scissors or heavy metal scissors) to add dimension to the art.  Used watercolors to brush color over the words matching the color that was already there.

 

6. Use white Gelly Roll pen to accent lady's dress and her eyes.  Also at the bottom of the words, do a slashed lines and add random white dots around surface.   Use Copic marker to accent rose and lips.

7.  Edge ATC with pigment ink in a Fushia color.  Adhere embroidery floss, twisting it and letting it fall in a random pattern.

Finished and ready for trading!!!!

Cre8tivelea Yours - Lea

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