Butterfly art journal page

Posted: September 15, 2021 | Author: Heather | Filed under: Art Journal, Butterflies, Darkroom Door, diamonds, French Script, gel press, Mixed Media, starry night, Stencils, Wildflowers Vol 1 | Tags: Art Journal, Darkroom Door stamps, Darkroom Door stencils, gel press, gel printing, Mixed Media | 4 Comments

My art journal is a place where I experiment with new techniques and mediums. It’s also a place for taking ideas further after making a card or creating a gel print. For this butterfly themed page I experimented with layering. I don’t find layering easy so it is a good technique to be playing with in my journal. You can’t see all the layers clearly on this page but there are layers of rice paper under gesso as well as on top of it.

Another technique which I am just beginning to play with is sewing on cards and mixed media pieces. Rachel Greig from Darkroom Door is a master at it and provided loads of inspiration during her recent Artful August challenge. I have tried sewing on paper with my precious Pfaff sewing machine but it didn’t like it so a few weeks ago I bought a second hand machine especially for sewing heavy and unusual materials. The machine is an old one but it is very sturdy and hums along beautifully.

I began by tearing up a large gel print done on rice paper. It featured diamonds on one side and stars on the other, both patterns made with large Darkroom Door stencils. The colour scheme was blues, reds and gold. I glued the torn pieces around the edges with gel medium then painted over them with diluted gesso. After the gesso dried I stamped a few butterflies then added more gesso over the top.

I spritzed over the pages with a faded jeans and broken china distress sprays, only enough to add a bit of speckle here and there, not so much as to cover the colour and pattern underneath. I stamped more butterflies from the DD butterflies set in colours similar to those in my gel print patches.

Once the stamping was done I sewed borders around two pieces of gel printed rice paper then glued them on the pages. I stamped, cut out and glued down sentiments from the DD wildflowers vol 1 stamp set.

Oh, and I stamped the DD French script stamp a couple of times on each page in gold to co-ordinate with the gold on the gel prints. Not a ton of layering or sewing but I am learning how to paint over background layers just enough to make them fade but not so much that they disappear. I realise looking at these photos that the gel print on the left looks like a pocket… it’s not but that’s an idea for another page.

Supplies

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To Treasure

Posted: July 16, 2014 | Author: Heather | Filed under: A Pocket Full, By the numbers, Dazzlers, Footnotes, Gelatos, Let's Chat, Life's Journals, Mixed Media, Remember This, Rose, Scrapbook Page, Textures | Tags: Faber Castell gelatos, Faber Castell Textural Accents, Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer Watercolour pencils, Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress stains, Tsukineko Memento inks, Tsukineko Radiant Neon inks | 13 Comments

The new Pocket Treasures release from Penny Black inspired me to do something I haven’t done in years; I created a scrapbook page! I designed my page around one of my daughter’s prom photos. As the dress was finished the day before prom I still had all the fabric scraps lying around so I incorporated some of them into the page along with watercolouring, die cuts, stenciling and stamping. I used three new background panels from the Pocket Treasures release, text and music from “Footnotes” as well as canvas from “Textures”. I also used several intricate circle designs from the transparent set “Dazzlers”. The cute little notebook pages are cut with a die from ” A Pocket Full” set.

The 12 x 12 panel is watercolour paper. I have a large block of hot-pressed paper so I did all the work on the page while it was still attached to the block then peeled it off at the end and trimmed it to size. Three of the roses are die cut from watercolour paper and coloured with gelatos. The two paler roses were painted onto the page through a die cut stencil with gesso; I then added colour with gelatos.

I used two dies from the “Leaves” set, one to die cut leaves out of tulle (the dress had four layers of tulle in the skirt), the other to create a stencil to paint through.

Supplies:

Stamps: Dazzlers, Footnotes, Life’s Journals, Textures (PB)
Creative Dies: A Pocket Full , Rose, (PB)
Gelatos: Metallic Melon, Green Tea, Guava (Faber Castell)
Watercolour Pencils: Medium Flesh 131, Pompeian Red, Pine Greren 267 (Faber Castell)
Inks: Memento London Fog, Cottage Ivy & Olive Grove Memento markers (Imagine Crafts Tsukineko), Worn Lipstick distress stains and ink (Ranger)
Textural Accents: Gesso, Gel Medium (Faber Castell)
Paper: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, PB Mix & Match Coral Reef Paper
Also: Tulle, Satin, Staple

and now for something completely different…

The stamps and dies in the Pocket Treasures release are not just for scrapbooking. I went in a very different direction when using some of the new products on a card. I can hardly bear to keep my soft romantic rosy scrapbook page and my neon grunge style card in the same post they are so contrasting. To create my card I used a brayer to apply blue and pink ink onto white cardstock then cut out a piece with the “By the Numbers” die. I used the same Radiant Neon inks to apply pale blue and pink to a white card base with the brayer. I featured yet another background stamp to add arrows along with canvas in grey ink. I then wiped the grey ink pad along the edges of card base for a distressed look. I stamped arrows from “Let’s Chat” in black and the sentiment from “Remember This” also in black. Finally I cut a speech balloon from “A Pocket Full” set out of brayered pink cardstock and stamped words in black ink.

Supplies:

Stamps: Textures , Let’s Chat, Remember This (PB)
Creative Dies: A Pocket Full , By the Numbers (PB)
Inks: Memento London Fog ink, Radiant Neon Electric Blue, Electric Pink, Versafine Onyx Black(Imagine Crafts Tsukineko)
Paper: Neenah Solar White 110lb card stock.

Summer Sun Collaboration with Faber Castell

Posted: June 12, 2014 | Author: Heather | Filed under: Fresh Breeze, Fuchsia, Gelatos, Mixed Media, Tutorial | Tags: Faber Castell gelatos, Faber Castell Paper Crafter Crayons, Faber Castell Textural Accents, Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stamps, Tutorial | 4 Comments

All this week there is a special collaboration occuring between Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft and Penny Black. There are projects on the PB blog using Paper Crafter Crayons and Double Scoop Gelatos AND you’ll find projects from the Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft designers on their blog featuring PB stamps. Visit both Penny Black and Faber Castell Memory Craft for details of giveaways.

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I decided to create a mixed media panel, a rare occurrence for me. I really enjoyed playing with the Textural Accents and the gorgeous colours in the Paper Crafter crayons and gelatos. (if you click on the tutorial pictures you will see more detail)

I started by painting a stiff cardboard base with gesso. When dry I painted with Gel Medium and attached tissue paper. I scrunched creases into the tissue and coated it with more Gel Medium.

I applied colour using lemon, butter cream, green tea and pistachio gelatos.

Next I spritzed with water and blended the colours with my fingers.

Using stencil plastic I created a stencil using the Fresh Breeze die. (I can’t find the packaging for the stencil plastic so I am not sure what brand but it was sold specifically for creating your own stencils. In order to cut it with a Big Kick I used a metal shim in the sandwich) I applied colour through the stencil with gelatos.

Next I spritzed with water and blended the greens with my fingers through stencil.

I created another stencil using the Fuchsia die and applied colour to tissue paper with lime, lavender, grape and guava gelatos, then blended with my fingers.

I stenciled some Fresh Breeze leaves with green gelatos on tissue paper and attached both tissue panels to the main panel with Gel Medium. The gelatos on tissue gave the flowers a background misty look that was exactly what I was after.

I die cut some fuchsias from 140lb cardstock and lay down some base colour with Faber Castell’s new Paper Crafter crayons. On top of that I melted crayon wax directly onto the die cut fuchsias with a heat gun.

I then covered the fuchsias with parchment paper and ironed over them to spread crayon wax over petals.

To finish the fuchsias I painted them with Glaze. Once dry I heated the tip of a yellow Paper Crafter Crayon then dabbed it onto of fuchsia stigmas. I flicked Gesso over the panel before arranging the fuchsias and attaching them with Gel Medium. Finally I stamped a sentiment in co-ordinating ink, smudged gelato colours around the edges, painted glaze over it, matted it and attached it to the fuchsia board. I am not sure that I will keep the sentiment on the board as I yet to decide how I will use my mixed media panel.

In other related and creative news, there is likely to be another lull here on the blog in the next few weeks. My daughter’s prom is in two weeks and the dress making countdown starts today! If I have a chance I will update you otherwise please understand that I am creating with tulle and silky fabric instead of paper and cardstock for the next little while.

Supplies:

Stamps: Truly Great (PB)
Creative Dies: Fuchsia, Fresh Breeze (PB)
Gelatos: Faber Castell
Paper Crafter Crayons: Faber Castell
Textural Accents: Gesso, Gel Medium, Glaze (Faber Castell)
Paper: Thick natural coloured cardboard, White 140lb smooth, Tissue paper, PB Mix & Match Periwinkle Paper

Mini Journal boards – Autumn & Winter

Posted: August 22, 2013 | Author: Heather | Filed under: Background Stamps, Floral Applique, Japanese Maple, Leaves, Mixed Media, Tagged | 10 Comments

On Tuesday I posted the spring and summer mini journal boards I made as part of the Penny Black collaboration with Design Memory Craft Faber Castell.

Today I have the autumn and winter boards along with a description of my creative process. Once again I relied heavily on the new creative dies from Penny Black and the gelatos from Faber Castell. I began my autumn board by creating a collage background in red and rust. I used the music background stamp, the Japanese maple stamp and some sponging. The next layers are all die cut using the Leaves dies. Some are cut from Penny Black mix & match fall festival papers; the patterned leaves are cut from a watercolour panel I created using red cherry, tangerine and chocolate gelatos and a stamp from the Floral Applique set.

Supplies:

Stamps: Music Background, Japanese Maple, Floral Applique (PB)
Creative Dies: Leaves (PB)
Gelatos: red cherry, tangerine, chocolate (Faber Castell)
Mini Mixed Media Journal (Faber Castell)
Inks: Potter’s Clay, Rhubarb Stalk (Tsukineko)

Last but not least, the winter board. To create the co-ordinated board and tags I cut a hill mask from two post-it notes at once so the masks were identical. I positioned one mask on the board then layered the tags on another post-it note to hold them together while positioning the second mask across the tags. Before applying any ink I flicked masking fluid onto both the board and the tags then let it dry. To create the night sky I used a combination of gelato and ink blended over the masking fluid. When the sky was complete I repositioned the hill mask on both the board and the tags to create a couple of snow banks by sponging. The berries were die cut from white cardstock then coloured with red and brown inks and the snow was added with a coconut gelato. To finish I removed the masking fluid, popped up the tags and arranged the berries across the top.

Supplies:

Creative Dies: Leaves (PB)
Gelatos: boysenberry, coconut (Faber Castell)
Mini Mixed Media Journal (Faber Castell)
Inks: Memento love letter, rich cocoa, Paris Dusk(Tsukineko)

Design Memory Craft Collaboration

Posted: August 20, 2013 | Author: Heather | Filed under: Bashful, Dies, Dots, Floral Applique, Gelatos, Mixed Media, Polka Dot Sprig, Summer Fun, Tagged | 10 Comments

This week Penny Black has teamed up with Faber Castell to create some multimedia projects. You can see projects on the Penny Black blog and the Design Memory Craft blog along with chances to win product prizes.

I decided to follow a seasonal theme featuring the Mini Mixed Media Journal from Design Memory Craft Faber Castell.

I began by creating the spring memory board below:

The first layer of this scene is the background sponging in blue, yellow and green inks. I then added a little texture to the grass with a pistachio gelato. The second layer is sponged flowers created by sponging through a die cut mask made with the Bashful die. Over them I stamped a row of Polka Dot Sprig flowers which I inked with guava, melon and tangerine gelatos then spritzed with water. The next layer includes sponging through a mask die cut with the Dots die and some text stamping using the transparent set Love Chapter. I die cut four flowers with the Bashful die and coloured them by blending guava, melon, tangerine gelatos with my fingers. On a piece of watercolour paper I applied the same gelato colours, blended them with water then added the love chapter script over the top before die-cutting the butterflies using the Tagged die set. The “spring” title is hand drawn.

Supplies:

Stamps: Polka dot sprig, Love Chapter (PB)
Creative Dies: Bashful die, Tagged Dies, Dots (PB)
Gelatos: guava, melon, tangerine, pistachio (Faber Castell)
Mini Mixed Media Journal (Faber Castell)
Inks: Memento Summer Sky, Cantaloupe, Olive Grove, Bamboo leaves & Versamark (Tsukineko)

My second board is the summer one below:

I know summer can be represented many ways but I decided on a bright blue sky, deep red flowers and some celebratory pennants. The flowers were embossed in clear powder, coloured over with a red cherry gelato and a few highlights added with markers. The sky is sponged ink with a little text and a few water droplets. I used the tagged die cut set to make pennants out of PB mix and match cardstock and designer paper, stamped a little message from the summer fun set then attached them with twine over my hand drawn title.

Supplies:

Stamps: Floral Applique, Letter background, Summer Fun(PB)
Creative Dies: Tagged Dies, Dots (PB)
Gelatos: Red Cherry (Faber Castell)
Mini Mixed Media Journal (Faber Castell)
Cardstock: Penny Black Mix & Match papers and Madison Designer paper
Inks: Memento Bahama Blue, Pear Tart & Versamark (Tsukineko)