'A Blank Canvas' December Edition

Hello and Happy Friday!

Tina here today with my 'A Blank Canvas' series.  Each month, I share my creative process on how I transform a blank sheet of chipboard into a Mixed Media layout, using the current month's kit supplies!

Let's take a peek at my layout.

 

The festive, bold colors of the December kit were perfect for a vintage Mixed Media layout!  Green and Red are always a go-to color combination.

Let me walk you through my creative process.

Step One:  Paint Sticky Back canvas with Gesso.

Step Two:  Apply Modeling Creme to canvas with Tim Holtz Stencil.

Step Three:  Apply a 'wash' of Silks to canvas.  Modeling Creme acts as a resist.

Step Four:  Age canvas with Distress Ink.

Step Five:  Cut up canvas into randomly sized rectangles.  Set aside.

Step Six:  Apply Gesso to chipboard and create 'stripes' with plastic fork.  Apply your favorite spray and/or Ink.  I used Lindy's Stamp Gang Moonshadow Inks, Magicals, and Starburst Sprays.  Dry.

Step Seven:  Peel backing from Sticky Back Canvas and adhere to background.

Step Eight:  Paint chipboard letters with Silks and while wet, sprinkle with Embossing Powder.  Heat emboss.

Step Nine:  Spray top of chipboard with Spray Mist and let it drip down. 
Cut randomly sized circles from Tim Holtz fabric and adhere to background. 
Adhere small metal findings to background.
Using technique in Step Eight, apply Silks to edge of layout and around fabric circles and sprinkle embossing powder.  Heat emboss.

Step Ten:  Using Charcoal Soft Pastels, edge around canvas rectangles, chipboard alphas, and edge of layout.  (this is my latest obsession.  I MUST apply Charcoal to everything HA!)

Step Eleven:  Add more Spray Mist and paint to areas of layout.  The close-ups really show all of the fabulous detail, color and texture.

Doodle a bit around the metal embellishments and fabric circles and you have a finished layout!

I hope you enjoyed this month's 'A Blank Canvas'.  Thank you for stopping by!

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Vintage Drawer Project

I have thoroughly enjoyed our October Kit, and upon receiving it, I knew it was just what I needed to make the "vintage drawer scene" I have been waiting to create.

I marvel at the depth our monthly kits provide...Tina makes it easy to create...So many options!

 I had taken the drawers out of this little antique in order to store my Copic Markers.

I knew I would use the drawers for something, so they have been patiently waiting:)

I began with the background that would be placed in the drawer "bottom" 

seen behind the houses in the scene. These are old Bingo Cards.

Above is Lindy's Stamp Gang's Moon Shadow Ink in 

Buccaneer Blue. I first covered the card with a very wet sponge brush, then spattered more with a liner brush.

(I used this color for several projects this month...love it)

TIP: When you paint one side of something it will begin to "buckle." Painting the other side 

(with anything) will correct this.

"The scene" takes place at the home of these three lovely witch doctor sisters:)

I found the images here, cut out the size that fit my Art Parts house window, and covered it with Glossy Accents to seal, protect & add dimension.

I painted the houses with black gesso 
(any paint would be fine, the gesso was just handy)

 I took our Frog Dog Exclusive Stencil out to add texture to the houses using the Studio 480 Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste....it goes on like "butter"  I REALLY LOVE this product!!

(Having exposure to Frog Dog Studio has opened up my "tool box" to SOOOO many new products!!)

Next, I "inked up" the houses with and embossing pad, and added Lindy's Stamp Gang Embossing Powders in Midnight Gold & Blue. 
Just sprinkle it over the wet embossing ink, tap off excess, then use a heat tool to activate the "magic."  
LOVE how it looks:)  

*Note: I did add some white gesso later, to help the houses stand out a little more from the Background.

To my surprise, when adding Lindy's Stamp Gang Embossing Powder in Cosmic Pink over black, it turns a very delicious blue:)

I added just a few touches of the Moon Shadow Ink in Long John Silver.

To the house, I rubbed on the number 13 from a 

Tim Holtz Transfer. 

(Advantus Idea-Ology Remnant Rub On Numbers)

For the Fence, I happened to "spy" a piece of twine ribbon in my stash that reminded me of a fence.  I didn't have any "STIFFY" (a product used to stiffen ribbon) but had some PVA. 
(PVA-book binding glue)

So....I saturated the ribbon with glue, and then hung it outside to dry.

When the Twine Ribbon was dry, I used Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Walnut to give it some color.

For the "Graveyard" next to the "Dr.'s Office", I took these Art Part pieces and covered them with Lindy's Stamp Gang Moon Shadow Ink.  (Long John Silver) 

I used a stamp with "script" to add character to the Gravestones.  

...using Brillance Ink...a favorite of mine for dark backgrounds.

For the "hill" I used florist foam.

 cut with a serrated knife.

Next, I added craft glue and sprinkled REAL DIRT all over it.

(my husband began to question my mental state 
at this point, haha)

Glue and Dirt were also added all over the entire "ground" of the scene.

Here you can see that I added some torn pages from a vintage book to the edges of the drawer using matte medium.

For the top of the drawer, I added the VIALS from our kit

(I happened to have the largest one in my "stash")

I printed off the labels, using the font 

"SANDWICH PAPER."

I used a XS Pitt Pen to "box in" the words and then added a

 little detail in each corner to give it a vintage look.

I added a chain to the "Spider Legs" Vial

(Tim Holtz, Idea-ology Swivel Clasp)

The Lizard Tongue is cut up pieces of the "left over" stiffened twine ribbon fence:)

ABOVE, housing the "Witch Doctors" sign, is and old fishing license tag.  I think this is one of my favorite elements of the drawer.  I have been waiting for years to use it on "just the right project!"

I had this old "Salve" container and joining it in this grouping, are a few odds and ends I had 

in my never ending stash:)

The last 4 additions to the drawer were the Vintage keys, (hanging on a small nail) the "Creepy" banner, the cute Wooden Spider Web, and the Cat Image. 

(last 2 from our October kit!)

Ps. I covered the Cat Image with Glossy Accents to give it some "Body" to stand.

I hope you are inspired to create something 

"out of /In the box" 

with our FABULOUS OCTOBER KIT!

As always, it is a joy to share with you,

Sue

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Hand Bound October Journal

I LOVE OUR OCTOBER KIT!!!  

In August, I attended the CREATE Mixed Media RETREAT in Chicago.

WOW...so many talented artists sharing their work and teaching amazing classes - from Quilting to Metal Work. I loved every class I attended, but Ingrid Dijkers is definitely the inspiration for my Book binding project this month.  If you're interested in seeing her work you can find her here. 

Her journals should surely be on display in a museum:)

I received a "goody Bag" at the Create retreat and in it, was a package of chipboard.  
There were 3 - 8X8 sheets.... 2 white, 1 black...

perfect for the covers of my journal.

***If you don't have chipboard, cereal boxes work well, just cut to size.

I began by creating the front and back covers.

I started in the center of the 8 x 8 chipboard and added 7 holes 1 inch apart. (1/4" from the edge)

-with my hand dandy crop-o-dile.
(You could use a paper piercer or an awl)

I used the smallest hole setting in my crop-o-dile, perfect for the waxed linen thread that will bind the book.

I used matte medium to cover the outside and inside of the front cover with torn pieces of the Newspaper Ephemera Sheet from our kit.

 the Wendy Vecchi Art Part 'Residences Set' (houses) in our kit will add character and dimension to the cover...

 along with the Exclusive Clay Frames from My Clever Creations for the windows.

I  cut through the cover so that you could look through the window to the pages inside.  

 I decided where I wanted to place the house on the cover, traced the inside of the house window, and cut that piece out of the cover with a utility knife.

In the picture above, you can see that I used the “cut-out” from the window to make shutters...I covered them with the newsprint too.

Before going on to more cover details, I cut out the pages for the inside journaling.

I decided to use a heavy watercolor paper, knowing that I wanted to "play" with color on the pages -Using the water color paper would allow me to try some of my new Lindy's stamp gang products, which come to life with warm water.

I like the weight of this paper, especially for a bound book, but you could use card stock too.

I used a pencil to outline the pages ( 7 3/4" square ) 
-a bit smaller than the cover dimensions. 

I wanted a "torn" look...so, I folded the paper on the pencil lines, using a bone folder. 

I then rested a metal ruler on the pencil line, while I "ripped" the page "pulling toward the ruler" with my hands.

I chose to rip 7 pages, creating 12 interior pages.  
(front & BACK)

Next, I went to work on adding color and detail to my cover.

I painted the chip board house and roof with black gesso...making sure to get the sides and inside of window. 

Next, I pulled out the Frog Dog Original Stencil, 
along with the 
Studio 480 Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste.

This embossing paste goes on so SMOOOOOOTHLY...it is a dream compared to modeling compound:)

I let the paste dry while I worked on some other pieces

It's hard to put into words how I feel about Lindys stamp Gang Moon Shadow inks...It's like applying a multitude of color with one product.

What you see above is one color...Buccaneer Bay blue

BELOW ARE SOME COLOR SAMPLES...YUM

NEXT I ADDED TORN PIECES OF SCRAPBOOK PAPER WITH MATTE MEDIUM.

When the house was dry (after I applied the embossing paste, I used black gesso 
(you can use any black acrylic paint to cover)

Next, I inked the house with an embossing pad and then added the Lindy's embossing powders in Midnight Gold and Midnight Turquoise activating with a heat gun.

I loved the way it turned out, but the colors ended up too similar to the cover background, so I layered black acrylic paint on top of this later. 

I adore these cute little frames and I used 2 of them after painting them with black acrylic paint.

I added one to the house on the cover

 and glued the other to a page inside, after adding an image behind it.

I found a "sister witch" image I love here... 
printed it ; then covered it with glossy accents to 
protect  it and add dimension.

After cutting through the cover and first pages, I added the 2nd frame with the image behind it, so that when you looked through the cover window you could see the "sisters."

Above photo is the back side of the Front page.  I "piped" extra hot glue along the cut area to give it a more finished look.  I painted it black and then added the brass details as a frame. 

 -I'm not even sure what these four brasss pieces are!  I picked the up in a "junk pile" at a vintage art findings table at CREATE.

I had this old "watch part" in my "stash." 

(you can find treasures like this at flee markets and antique malls for a dollar or less) 

Using a copic marker in yellow, I added color to the "Moon."

The bat below was done with the Black Modeling Film.

I drew the Bat with a white pen & cut it out, 

What cool stuff!  Heat it up, and you can bend it 

to add dimension and interest.

I used part of the German Dresen Foil Trim 

(from our kit) for the eyes.

to add a background color to the watercolor pages, I used Lindy's stamp Gang's Moon shadow ink in buccaneer bay blue.

This color is soooooooooooo amazing!  I used up my jar in a few days, because I used it on so many projects!!!!

Once the covers were finished (I used a piece of black chipboard for the back cover) and the background color was added to the pages, the journal was ready to be bound.

Below is a close up of the binding "stitch" and beads that I added.

The stitch is easy, but it is essential to use the right thread.

( Irish waxed linen)

You can actually purchase this at Michaels, but I found a supplier online that has a nice variety of waxed linen and also carries Davie board (cut to order for books) 

www.hollanders.com

Above is the "stitch" up close...if you would like further instructions or have questions about this, please email me!!!

(riversuefood@gmail.com)

the waxed linen is so easy to work with and adds a special touch to the finished journal.

You can see in the photo above that I added a few rub ons to the cover as well as some small painted circles, 

done with the eraser end of a pencil. 

(Advantus Idea-Ology Remnant Rub-Ons)

The fence was made believe it or not, with old plastic grocery bags, ironed & painted...

Here's how below

I painted mine brown.  I had these on hand, 

waiting for just the right project!

I couldn't resist adding the perfect finishing touch to my strung beads...

the Metal Spider Web Charm from our Kit.

I've finished the covers of the journal, but will add more pictures, recipes and sentiments 

in the months and years to come!

It will be a beautiful and memorable keepsake for my 

Granddaughter some day:)

She has already had fun looking at it!

Here are a few more pictures 

Above is a family favorite fall cookie recipe
(along with a few witches brews)
You can find the witch recipe cards here.

Above is the View Master Reel from our Kit... 
It's my FAVORITE element in this book!!

the pages were all colored with 

Lindys stamp Gang Moon Shadow inks...

I'll say it again...

It's like applying a multitude of color with one product.

Buccaneer Bay blue

The scrap pieces above were cut out, glued and outlined with a black derwent inktense pencil...

a little bit of water on a small brush expands the color and gives great dimension and shadow around each piece.  

The dragon Fly is an image that can be purchased through 
this etsy shop

I know this is a super long post!  

(thanks if you hung in there to read it all!!)

You can probably tell I'm a little crazy for these

hand bound journals & our October Kit...

If something catches your eye or you'd like more details please contact me!  

I'D LOVE TO CONNECT WITH YOU & ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS:)

OUR OCTOBER KIT provided HOURS of creative FUN for me, and I'm sure it will for you too!  

HONK IF YOU LOVE FROG DOG! 

As always, it is a joy to share with you!!

Thanks for stopping by:)

Sue

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