Texture Tips with Melissa

Good morning! This is my first post in a new series that I will be doing each month featuring ways to incorporate texture into your mixed media art. This month in our Frog Dog Studio kit we received several blank artist trading cards (ATC's) to alter. Also in the kit was some awesome Viva Glitter Paste, which is fantastic for adding texture. For my main project, I wanted to create and show off my ATCs in a different way. So I started by making the ATC's first.

For the first ATC, I painted the entire card with Luminarte Silk Acrylic Glaze. Then I placed a stencil from Heidi Swapp over the top, and using an old credit card, I coated the top of the stencil with the Viva Glitter Paste. When you put the paste on over a stencil, you want to have a light touch. It should feel like you're icing a cake. The glitter paste reacted beautifully with the Silks and it really added a nice built up layer of texture for the background.

When the paste had dried, I embellished the card using the Maya Road sparkly buttons and some of the ArtChix clip art. Due to the thick texture on the background, I found it was easier to use a bit of hot glue to adhere everything. Below is the finished card.

Moving on to the second card I thought I'd try a different texture technique. This time I put a bit of acrylic paint on my palette, then scooped out a bit of paste and added it to the paint. I loosely mixed it up. I painted another ATC with the same dark blue Silk and when that dried, I used a paper towel and dabbed the paint/paste mixture in random spots all over the card. It added a nice rough but sparkly texture to that background. You can see it here:

I finished off this card using one of the cute wooden anchors found in the kit and a bit of blue ribbon bling trim that I had in my stash. I went back later and added one of the wooden buttons from the kit along with some cut out words from the clip art sheet.

For the third ATC, I really loved a particular piece of the clip art so I used the entire piece, then cut out the moon from another piece and added some of the iridescent Inka Gold to the moon to really make it luminescent. I also added the wooden wave piece from the kit to the bottom.

I finished off the project by purchasing a small printer's tray and attaching the ATC's in the top spots. We had just recently taken a trip to the beach for a week and I had this cute picture of all my girls together in the water that I wanted to display in the large opening at the bottom. I felt like it went with the whole evening, beachy, mermaid feel of the ATC's. I further embellished the tray using other items from the kit like the blue trim, the wooden whale, and small window openings. I used some washi tape to cover all of the edges and tie all of the colors in together. Below is the finished product, along with a few close ups:

Thanks for stopping by!!

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Vacation Memory Box

Hello fellow mixed media artists, I am super excited to share my first ever post on the Fabulous Frog Dog Blog!  I don't know about you, but I get so excited when I see the "brown truck" coming my way...hoping it's my new FD Kit ...AND, I LOVE seeing everyone's creative projects on our blog...so inspiring:)

I received my July kit the day before I left on a family vacation to Glacier National Park in Montana. It was hard to wait to play with so many fun products, but my trip gave me great purpose for my project...a vacation memory box:)

So, here goes...

As we were literally walking out of the last hotel we stayed in, a toilet paper roll wrapper caught my eye.  I liked the color and the word River printed on it and swiftly stuffed it in my bag.  My husband just shook his head.  

I tore it into small pieces and used the Studio multi matte medium to adhere it to the box found in the kit.  I used to use a lot of Mod Podge, but I like this product so much better!  It's not as sticky on your fingers, has no odor, and works great!  It dries fast too.

Both inside and outside covered with just one toilet paper wrapper...Yay! And to think, someone was just going to throw it away:)

Next I utilized the Distress Paint in "peeled paint" & "Antique Linen"

by adding some color to both the box and the Tim Holtz hinges. 

To put the hinges on, I pulled out my paper piercer to make holes 

through the box in order to push the brads through the hinges and box. 

I used some of the cool red letters from the ARTChix studio Ephemera sheet

to spell out Montana for the front of the box.

I couldn't resist coating them with the Crackle Accents.  I  just LOVE the effect this product brings to a flat piece of paper! Be patient though...it's best to let it dry 1-4 hours, depending on the surface area and thickness of the coating.

I inked up a pine tree stamp (the forests of Montana were breathtaking) with one of my favorite inks (moonlight white) to add some texture and color.

The metal embellishment on the front was something I grabbed out of my "stash."

I altered it's color with the "peeled paint" distress paint.  (I sealed the whole project with a clear acrylic sealer, which will prevent the paint from chipping off the metal piece & hinges)

Next came my treasures for the inside:)  

One of the Maps from Glacier National Park had "little squares" of places to see and stay on the back.  They were the perfect size to add to the "coasters" in the kit.

I first painted gesso on each of the coasters.  Next, I added the map squares, and both distress paints.

I printed off some of my favorite snap shots (in miniature size : 1.65 -almost a 2 inch square) using my home printer on card stock and then added them to the "coasters"

 using the Studio multi matte medium.

I added some sentiments using both the Washi tape (found in the kit of course) and 2 of my favorite pens...Faber Castell's Pitt Multi liner (xs) & Scarlett Lime in black.

Below is a picture of the inside lid.  I tore off the title of one of our trail maps (after I altered the color using my Gelli Plate: more on that below), burned the edges, and added the Crackle accents.

Oh, and all the butterflies were "punched" out of the same map that I had altered using both distress paints on my Gelli Plate. I know you'll be learning more about the Gelli Plate in months to come! Hope you're intrigued:)

I added to the box a few maps and a rock I found by the River in the park.  I drew on the rock with another one of my favorite pens...Uni-ball Signo pen in white.  *If you use this pen on a rock you must seal it in some way or it may smear,  I sprayed the rock with a clear acrylic spray.

The WG on the top stands for West Glacier...

this was the location of the beautiful house we stayed in.

I dipped the ends of the twine in craft glue to keep it from fraying. 

I think I'll make memory boxes for all of our trips and display them on a shelf.  It's so much fun for friends and family to pull out the tiny treasures and reminisce.  

I drive my husband crazy, cause I collect rocks when we travel to remember each special trip.  They are all over the house:)  I think he's happy this one has it's own little box.

I Would love to hear from you about your creative memory keeping!  Hope you enjoyed this tutorial as much as I did making it!  Happy Crafting!  

Love, Sue

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July Kit Reveal!

Hello and Happy Sunday!

Whew...can you believe it is almost July 1st?  Where has this year gone?  6 months from Christmas and the holiday season.  I don't know about you, but I am NOT ready for that!  But let's not think about the holidays just yet...let's think about getting our hands messy with paint!  Sounds like a good idea to me!

We are so excited today!  The July kit is extra special and is jammed packed FULL of crafty possibilities and endless options.  The July kit is full of mystery, flight, and vintage inspired elements.

Here is what you will receive:

(1) Maya Road 3" Vintage Memory Box with Coaster Album
(1) .5 oz Bottle of Crackle Accents
(1) Bottle of 'Peeled Paint, Distress Paint
(1) Bottle of 'Antique Linen, Distress Paint
(1) 4 oz Jar of Claudine Hellmuth Studio Multi-Medium
(1) Roll of Prima Washi Tape (colors/design may vary)
(1) Package Tim Holtz Hinges
(1) 'Pretty Bird Notes' Ephemera sheet from ARTChixStudio

Just look at that goodness!  Many of the kit items this month can be used time and time again, and will allow you to continue building your mixed media stash!

And if you think the kit is amazing...wait till you see what the Design Team has cooked up this month!  You will be blown away with the amount of creative inspiration the team has in store for you.

You can always visit the Frog Dog Studio website for a peek at all of the Design Team projects, but I wanted to share just a few of the awesome projects with y'all today!

I told you they were awesome!  No lying here!  :)

I have a feeling that these kits will go quick, so if you are not already a subscriber, please send an email at frogdogstudio@hotmail.com, telling me you want to subscribe!  You can also purchase individual kits (without a subscription) at the Frog Dog Studio shop.  Remember, any additional product purchased from the Frog Dog Studio Store ships FREE with your kit!  This is the perfect time to add additional paint, ink, or art supplies to your order for more hours of creative fun!

Remember, as a Frog Dog Studio subscriber, you will receive a full month of video and photo tutorials as part of your kit purchase.  Every week, the Design Team will share project tutorials and and provides tips, hints, and how-to's for an endless supply of inspiration.  How's that for an amazing value!

July project tutorials start tomorrow, so be sure and stop back.

Thank you for visiting with us today!  We hope to see you soon!

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