Surround Yourself with Friends--A Mixed Media Canvas

Good morning! Today I have a canvas project tutorial to share with you. This is one of my personal favorite projects--it was fun and easy to do. Let's get started!

To begin, I used an 8 x 10 canvas board covered with a light coat of gesso. I used several shades of blue paint (including the one in the kit) and a brayer to lightly spread the paint around.

Next, I laid down a stencil and used the liquid chalk ink from the kit to create a light background pattern.

Using stencils, spray ink, and distress paints I created a few layers on the background.

I went around the edge of the whole board with gold Gelato and rubbed it in with my fingers. Then, I added a little bit more texture with spray ink and stencils.

Using the dropper in my sepia ink, I loosely sketched in some tree branches. I did this by just starting at the edge of the canvas and slowly dragging the dropper across the canvas. You can squeeze more ink out to make the branches thicker, or just spread sections that are already thick to add thinner branches.

I set the canvas aside to dry and pulled out a sheet from the vellum book in the kit. Using the new Dina Wakley stamps (which I LOVE!), I stamped the bird images then colored them in using a mixture of the oil paint crayons, oil paint medium, and watercolor crayons. I wanted a very soft blended feel.

Since this has a very springtime feel to it, I thought I'd make the tree sort of a cherry blossom by adding some paint through a circle stencil along the branches.

I fussy cut the birds and attached them to the canvas using matte medium. Then I added some colored glitter paste to the birds just for a little extra sparkle and texture. I also put a quote from my stash.

And here is the final product!

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Just My Type--Gelli Printing and Stenciling on Vellum

Good morning everyone! Today I am sharing a tutorial with you on how to create an art journal page using your Gelli plate and some of the fun May Frog Dog kit items.

To begin, I put down some of the paint from the kit onto my Gelli plate and spread it around with my brayer onto a sheet of the vellum from the notebook found in the kit. I added a few other complimentary shades of paint from my stash.

Next, I laid down the super cute typewriter stencil from the kit and brayered the blue paint from the kit over the top.

I added a little bit of the liquid chalk from the kit to the page. This stuff is seriously cool!!

I found this cute little quote stamp in my stash and stamped that on with black StayZ On ink.

Next I added some of the spray ink to the page and let it run and drip.

While that was drying I began to prep a page in my art journal using some stencils and paints to create a few layers.

I added some stamping to the vellum page and the journal background page using the Nat Kalbach stamps from the kit. I also added some pink Ranger Distress Paint to add some more color. I really like the pastel colors in the kit.

Finally, I glued the vellum sheet to the art journal page. Then, I added some journaling to the side. Here is the finished page:

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Easy Mixed Media Wine Charms!

Good morning everyone :) This bonus project I created combines two of my favorite things: mixed media art and wine! These wineglass charms are so easy and fun to create. They also make great gifts (Mother's Day is just around the corner!) Let's get started.

To begin, I selected several of the Tim Holtz Fragments from the kit to work with. I covered this first one with some matte medium and the Alumidust powder. I swirled it around in the medium, adding in some of the gold ink from the kit. I used the end of a paintbrush to create the swirl texture, then set it aside to dry. I also added a word and a piece of scrap paper from my collage drawer.

I continued in this manner, using different bits of collage pieces from my stash and from previous kits (love that tissue paper from an older kit!)

When these were dry, I did some light stamping just to add some texture to the background and create a distressed look. The stamp I used had sheet music. Be sure to use StayZ On type ink if you do this. You don't want it to smear everywhere when you move on to the next step. I also went around the edges with some more of the gold ink from the kit.
Next, I mixed up a batch of Amazing Clear Cast Resin and added some Alumilite Metallic Gold powder. Then, using an old small brush, I very lightly coated each piece with the resin. The gold powder gave each piece a really cool aged look and made them all look like a set, even though I used different collage elements for each one. Make sure when you are working with the resin to work on top of a white plastic garbage bag. The resin won't stick to it, so if you over pour or spill a little it won't stick. Plus it makes for easy clean up! I use a paper plate under my trash bag so I can move my project around if I need to.

After allowing the pieces overnight, they were ready for the finishing touches. I found these wire stemware hoops at Hobby Lobby. They were pretty cheap. I also had some larger beads leftover from my Titanic Inspired Tin project. I'm not sure what I was thinking at first, but I just put the beads and the fragments right onto the stemware hoop. Then I realized that the fragment wouldn't lay flat (duh) so I went back and attached a jump ring to the fragment, then attached the fragment to the hoop. It worked perfect and now lays completely flat. Of course this was done after I had already taken my final pics so you won't see the jump rings in the pictures below.

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Dream on, Dreamer!---and this month's Texture Tip

Good morning! Melissa here with a new tutorial using April's kit materials, specifically the super cool mini clipboard. Let's get started!

To begin, I covered the metal clamp from the clipboard with some gesso and the gold ink from the kit (my new favorite ink!). I also dabbed some random spots with Ranger Walnut ink. When that was dry, I used some of my leftover rusting powder from Dusty Attic (from the March kit) to give it an overall distressed look.

While that was curing, I covered the chipboard piece with a piece of the tissue paper from the kit. This blue and gold paper makes me happy!

Next, I added one of the Tim Holtz bingo card stickers and used one of the new Dina Wakely heart stamps and StayZ On ink from the kit to do a little stamping.

I continued to build the collage layers over the bingo card. I used a clip art image of the lady from my stash and fussy cut a little peacock "hat" from another sheet of the tissue paper found in the kit. I found two little flower stickers in my stash and added them onto her hat as well. Found the word "dream" sticking to the side of my collage junk drawer and that seemed to be the finishing touch.Now she's lookin' pretty fancy :)

Using the blue mini StayZ On ink pad, I did some inking around the edges. Just to give it a little definition!

Continuing with the theme of my lady's peacock-ish headdress, I altered a coordinating chipboard peacock to match. This poor little bird went through a few different variations. I finally settled on glitter. I mean, this lady is looking pretty glamorous, so why not!? TEXTURE TIP: In the past I have used glitter paste as a texture, but I think a lot of us overlook just simple glitter. It adds more of a fine grainy texture than what you get with texture paste. At Nat Kalbach's class at CHA we received some gorgeous Stampendous glitter tubes. I used this to make this chipboard dazzling! It started out red, then gold, then I settled on a mixture of the blue glitter with the gold ink. I didn't coat it completely, because I wanted it to look a little vintage to fit with the overall style of the piece.

For the finishing touch, I attached some gold ink enhanced paper flowers from Prima to the clamp. Then I "nested" the peacock above them. I had some leftover Amazing Clear Cast Resin left over from my elephant painting, so I decided to cover the entire chipboard portion with it. I can't bring myself to throw any of that stuff away, it's too awesome!

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