Pan Pastels, Gelatos, Stamp, Collage! February Kit Happiness!!

The February Kit inspired me in so many ways!  Working with all the elements of Gelatos, Pan Pastels, stamps, and collage, fills my soul.  Makes me happy!!!  The Gelatos and stamps give a strong image, while the Pan Pastels give a soft look.    Mix both for contrast on your layout.  Soft and hard, simple and detailed.  It all adds interest to an art piece.  This is a journal page.

Started out soft with Pan Pastels.  Even with just the pink and green in the kit, you can create a stunning background.  As my other works, I like to do patches of Gelato color - this time I used a damp paint brush to spread the color out and break down the binder.  The Pan Pastels like to adhere themselves to the Gelatos.  A marriage made in heaven!!


I used Sin City Stamps - our partner this month.  Look at stamps in different ways.  I wanted the music so I left the background and collaged over the rose.  Whatever way you decide to use your stamps is the right way to work.

Random stenciling with a contrasting color of Pan Pastels adds a strong contrast.  With the kit, try using the pink for the background and stenciling letters or patterns with the green!  It will look awesome.  Note:  Look at the flowers...they were pink, but made red with Pan Pastels!

Use your tool in the kit and draw the pastel into the stencil, not tapping or just moving over the surface.  Right to left, then left to right.  I like to be hap-hazzard and not use the whole the whole stencil for a free form look.


The "U" chipboard was done by coloring with a Gelato color, then using the damp brush to blend in.  I also used the brush on the end of the Gelato to pick up more color to darken various areas.  With the February Kit, you might want to add some white as a highlight as well.

PLAY PLAY PLAY PLAY is my Mantra!!!

Don't think, just feel and do!!!

Cre8tivelea Yours - Lea

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Honoring the Heart-A Mixed Media Board Book

Good morning everyone! In honor of February and all things "love", I created this mini board book honoring the heart using the Faber Castell mixed media journaling boards from this month's kit. I wanted to do a different background technique for all of the pages.

For the first page, I started with the black Gelato from the kit. I just rubbed it right onto the surface and added water to create a smoky background. I made the dots with the white Gelato and highlighted them with a red Faber Castell Big Brush pen. I added the doodling with my white gel pen. I had these cute mixed media stickers that I received from my sister in law for Christmas, so I altered this one by adding the valentine and label from the kit clip art and Stickles to her crown. I found a heart quote from a piece of old paper in my stash and cut that out and attached. Here is a close up of the finished page:

For the second page, I wanted a painted background. I finger painted some of my favorite colors on the background, then very loosely painted a flower shape with black paint and a thin brush. I added some highlights with the white paint.. I also used the Sin City stamps in the background, as well as dots from a Ranger paint dabber. Very simple, but colorful and fun to do!

Page 3 was a fun one to create. I started with a background of Pan Pastels. Then, I stamped with the rose stamp from Sin City stamps and Versamark to create a resist. Next, I laid down a stencil and used the Pan Pastel through that was well. It was cool seeing the pattern from the stamps come through the stencil. I sprayed with fixative, and let it dry. Finally, I created the horizon line at the bottom using my Aqua Letraset markers and smudged it in. I added another little mixed media sticker girl and attached another quote.

For my "fearless heart" card, I started the background with Pan Pastels again. Next, I rubbed an area with the white Gelato from the kit to create a highlight for the clip art heart I added. I found a little corner stamp in my stash and stamped that in the corner with black StayZ On ink. Then, I took a chipboard key, coated it with Glossy Accents and Distress Glitter and attached it to the card with my hot glue gun. I also added the Prima button. When it was all pieced together, I added a thin layer of Glitter Structure Paste in Magenta.

For the fourth card, I used Distress Paints and a stencil to create the background. I added a strip of washi tape down the middle and added another of the mixed media sticker girls and a "loved" label. I hand drew the border with a pencil, then filled it in with my markers and gel pens.

For the last page, I did stripes of Gelatos in pink, gold, red, and yellow. I added some water and used downward brush strokes to create a blended effect. I used a stamp from Sin City as the focal point. Then I used my Letraset Aqua markers to create the "grass" area at the bottom. I added a few doodles with my gel pen and another cut out sentiment.

I covered the back of all of these pages with a solid color paint, and on the advice of my five year old daughter, have decided to add some writing eventually to each page. I hope you enjoyed, have a great week!

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Bloom Art Journal Spread...

Hi!  Tina here today with a video tutorial on how I created my Art Journal Spread, 'Bloom'.  Before I get to the video, here's a peek at the project and some close-ups.

The base of my spread was created with PanPastels and wax medium.  Love how they blended and melted together.

And my video!  I hope you enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by today!  Have a wonderful week!

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My Life is Mixed Media

Continuing with the feel of impressionistic artists, the February Kit is a fun way to explore color, texture, and expressing what you feel inside.  Gelatos, Pan Pastels, a button (enhanced), paint, and Amazing Mold Putty was used for this journal page.

I cut a white journal page from another white board book.  The main journal is painted with a sponge and a few blue hues tapped on to create the background.

The page itself started out with paint, sponged in various colors, overlapping.  The hues were intensified with Pan Pastels.  I love that the kit had the pink and green color!  The white Gelato was drawn through various areas in a free form way.

I made inkjet stickers of the woman and quote printed on vellum.  Adhere those with an adhesive that dries clear.

The button is enhanced with Copic Markers.  Copic Markers work well on non-porous surfaces.  The areas were a plain light tan, and I wanted to tie the colors in with the page.

The wing is molded with Amazing Mold Putty and the regular resin.  Once molded, I painted with a pearl paint.

Close up of molded wing and enhanced button.

The word Life is enhanced with the black Gelato.

I glued the page to the cover.  I can't wait to start doing more art journaling inside!!!

If you look at this art, I have used paint, pastels, Gelatos, elements, and quotes.  Mixed media is so fun to experiment with and play with how all these mediums work together.

Cre8tivelea Yours - Lea

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Love Is All You Need: A February Canvas

February is All About Love:)

Using our February kit, I created the above Framed Canvas..."Love Is All You Need."

I can't share enough with you how LASTING each monthly kit is!!  My "stash" of products has become so "deep" due to the fact that many kit products last the whole year long! (& longer!)

Buying kits are a sure way to expand your mixed media tools while getting great support and information on how to use each wonderful product!!!

So, on to the project:)

To create the background I used my Gelli Plate.  (found in our store)

Apply acrylic paint to Gelli using brayer.

I then pressed a diamond stencil into the paint, moving it to cover the whole plate.

Next, I covered the whole plate with blank tags.

Below are some examples of what I did with these blank tags later!

Laying a blank sheet of card stock on top of the tags, I carefully used the brayer to press down all areas of the paper against the Gelli Plate. Below, is the image on the card stock.

(I'm sure I'll use it for another project)

After I lifted the tags, I spritzed the plate a few times with water and then I put a piece of heavy watercolor paper on the Gelli Plate again, and rolled with the brayer. 

 Below is the image I "pulled off."

I hadn't decided what my project would be until I saw the image above, and decided it would be a great background for a canvas piece.

I had an empty frame, and a blank flat canvas, but the background size I needed was a bit bigger than the size of the Gelli Plate image...SOOOOO, I used Mod Podge to glue the Gelli image to the canvas 

and added torn pages for the borders.

To add some texture and interest, I created another background page.

1.) Covered card stock with gesso.

2.) Once gesso dried, "scribbled" whole page with  black Gelato.

3.) Used a wet brush to spread the color.

Once dry, I took a 12 X12 Diamond stencil, holding it in position, and used a baby wipe to "pull off" some of the color in the diamond openings.

See below.

You can see the diamond background above.

Next I used one of my favorite cookie cutters, to draw the heart shape.  I drew it on both sides, (by holding the first drawn heart up in a window so I could see the lines on the back to copy)

I tore the beautiful sheet of ephemera from our kit and glued the pieces 

onto the heart using Matte medium.

I did worry about going over the lines, because when I was done covering the heart, I would simply turn it over and cut on the lines I drew on the back.

Next, I aged the heart piece using a brown Pan Pastel I had in my stash.

To add a bit more detail, I stitched around the heart about 1/4" in from the edge using black thread.

To make the tag, I took one of the original tags I used on the Gelli Plate for the background and added the permanent green Pan Pastel over the top.

I used the same brown Pan Pastel to age this cute "bank note" from the same 

ephemera sheet in our kit.

I used a wet brush to pick up the color of the black Gelato and used the "loaded" brush to add a black edge to the tag.

I also added a bit more detail to the tag using more ephemera and ribbon, the super cute button and thread from our kit along with the adorable crown pin.  I especially love the pin!

I added the green Pan Pastel to the book page border along with the dots.  

(white Uni-ball Signo & Scarlet Lime pen)

The Black edge was done with the Gelato.

The sentiment was added by stamping the letters onto book pages, cutting them out and mounting them on black scrapbook paper.  I added a few doodles and words with a black Pitt multi-liner pen.

Some of the detail is lost in the above photo, but hopefully you could see some of it in the close up shots throughout the tutorial.

As always, it is a blessing to share with you!
Sue

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Frog Dog Teams with Sin City Stamps : A Letter Journal to my Daughter

Hello fellow mixed media lovers, I am up today with a project highlighting both our 

Frog Dog Studio February Kit, along with Sin City Stamps.

I will also be featuring, Amazing Crafting Products Clear Cast Resin and Pan Pastels.

Sometimes I  create for the sake of creating...it's an outlet, relaxing and satisfying...but often, I try to create projects that are lasting and with specific purpose...this project is the latter.

A Letter Journal to my Daughter:)

I started with this great Butterfly Mini Chipboard Journal from Sin City Stamps.  It came with 2 pieces of chipboard and several white pages (sturdy mixed media paper)  to go inside.

I covered the front and back of my journal (chipboard pieces) with black gesso, to allow a nice contrast for the Pan Pastels I would add.

I "inked up" the large Butterfly stamp from the set with Versa Ink from our kit, and pressed it onto the front piece.  Next, I used a small sponge applicator (our kit came with some of these) to brush on the Pan Pastel color.  I actually blended a white and blue to achieve a slightly lighter shade.

Below, you can see how you can blend colors right in the "pots", and when you are finished, simply wipe the colors with a clean applicator and your color is back to it's true shade. 

*To clean applicator simply rub a few times across a paper towel.  You will see the color stop coming off the applicator, and then you know its clean)

Above, you can see where I added more color on top for a bit of contrast.

I actually used a small dry paint brush for this, wiping the brush on a paper towel in between colors.

When you are finished adding color with the Pan Pastels, you can "set" the color with water, a fixative spray or even hairspray, to prevent the "chalk" from rubbing off.

Next I added some detail with a uni-ball signo pen in white. (flowers, butterflies, and sentiment)

AND...I used the Faber Castell White Gelato from our kit, to accent the journal's outside edges.

In order to make this piece more beautiful and durable, I added Amazing Clear Cast Resin.

Follow the products simple directions.  (Mix part A & B, stir and pour!)

I used a very small amount (about 1 tsp. of each part A & B) careful to stop slightly short of the very edge to prevent the Resin from flowing off the piece.

I used an old clean paint brush to spread the resin across the butterfly. After I was finished, I rinsed the brush in warm soapy water and in the morning my brush was good as new:)

I let the piece set overnight. 

I created the pages inside just like I did the cover. (minus the resin)

Versa mark, Stamp, Pan Pastel.

I blended the blue with a bit of white for a lighter shade like I did with the cover.

Once I created the background color, I wrote the "letter to my daughter" using a Scarlet Lime pen.

I added an extra large jump ring to hold the journal together, then added a charm, a key, 

and a few pieces of ribbon.

I just love this Butterfly Stamp set and Chipboard Journal from Sin City!  

They were perfect for this project.  

The sentiment around the front cover is one that is very special to me...

"Wired into a creature who looks nothing like a Butterfly, 

is the complete identity of a Butterfly!"

(just like the lack luster caterpillar whose true identity is the miraculous Butterfly...so are we created for so much more!)

If you are interested, I share the letter on my blog:)  It is personal to me, but contains general sentiments that are meaningful for "any daughter."

Hope you are inspired to create your own Letter Journal using some of these great products:

Frog Dog Studio February Kit, Sin City Stamps, 

Amazing Crafting Products Clear Cast Resin and Pan Pastels.

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

Sue

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