Best Thoughts Joy Fold Card

Finally had the chance to get back to the images I colored using my new Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers!

It seems that I can't get enough of the Best Thoughts stamp set as I am drawn to use it again and again.

Using my MISTI I stamped the rhododendrons using Ranger Archival ink on watercolor paper. My MISTI allowed me to re-stamp the image a couple of times to get a good print. Watercolor paper tends to be hard to stamp on, even using the smooth side so using the MISTI is a good practice.

I used Cornflower Blue (037) for the flowers and Olive Green (043) and Mid Green (046) for the leaves, using my Aqua Pen to blend the watercolor inks. When it was completely dry, I fussy cut it. To ensure a continuous black edge, I used a Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker to edge the image.

I wanted to use patterned paper as well as an embossing folder with the flower image so I decided to make a Joy Fold card. This is a lovely fold technique that uses a regular card with a narrower front than usual and a smaller card that overlaps and opens within the base card. You can find a great tutorial for a Joy Fold card on Debbie Henderson's blog.

I changed the measurements for my card as follows:

6.5 x 7.5" for the Pear Pizzazz card base, scored on the 7.5" side at 2.5"
2.5 x 6.25" DSP for the small flap
4.75 x 6.25" DSP for the inside of the card base
4.75 x 8" for the smaller Pear Pizzazz card base, scored at 4" on the 8" side
3.5 x 4.25" for the Night of Navy piece
3.5 x 4.25" for inner matte of Naturals White card stock

The patterned paper comes from the Regals DSP Paper Stack. All pieces of DSP had the edges inked with Night of Navy using a sponge dauber. All pieces of DSP were adhered to the larger card base using Fuse Fast adhesive.

The Night of Navy card stock panel was embossed using the Woodgrain Embossing Folder. It was adhered to the front of the smaller Pear Pizzazz card base using Fuse Fast adhesive, making sure the card opened in the opposite direction to usual.

The sentiment was stamped on a matte of the now retired Naturals White card stock using Night of Navy ink and the edges were also inked. It was adhered to the inside of the smaller card base using Fuse Fast adhesive. The smaller card base was centred and adhered to the larger DSP panel on the larger card base.

The colored flower was adhered to the embossed panel using Dimensionals. Sequins were scattered around the card and adhered using Crystal Effects. Wink of Stella provided a nice glimmer for the flower petals. (I really wish that I could get a good picture of the Wink of Stella effect to show those of you who are not familiar with it, but no picture seems to capture the subtle yet shimmery goodness Wink of Stella creates!)

A small bow of Old Olive 1/8" ribbon was added to the flower stem using Crystal Effects.

I hope you'll try creating a card using the Joy Fold technique. It's a great way to use some of your patterned paper and creates a lovely card!

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Blossom Shaker

At long last, my Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers arrived in the mail from Japan! I have been drooling over these markers for a long time and finally bit the bullet and ordered the 48 pack.

These markers are SWEET! They are unlike any other marker I've used. They feel like a paintbrush (thus the real brush) but in a marker form. The colors blend wonderfully well, wet or dry as long as you use watercolor paper.

My first task was to create my swatch list to show each marker in both dry and wet states on watercolor paper. Once this was done, I stamped a slew of images on watercolor paper using Ranger Archival Ink.

I spent the day coloring; such fun to try blending colors together to create new ones and to add depth and dimension to colored images! Coloring with these markers really is a breeze!

For the image on my shaker card, I used a stamp from Indescribable Gift. I used Light Carmine, Carmine, Pale Green, May Green, Brown and Dark Brown.

I would scribble a little with a marker and then blend the rest using my Aqua Pen. If needed, I would go back over a section to give darker shading.

I die cut my image using the Squares Collection Framelits and also cut a polaroid-type frame from Early Espresso card stock as well as a square of Window Sheet.

I adhered the colored image to a Watermelon Wonder card base using Fuse Fast Adhesive and put strips of foam tape around the image.

On the under side of the Early Espresso frame, I put a strip of Sticky Strip and pleated a length of Cucumber Crush Dotted Lace Trim. I also used Fuse Fast Adhesive to secure the window sheet.

I placed a selection of sequins on top of the colored image, inside the foam tape. I then removed the protective strip from the tape and adhered the frame over the sequins to form the shaker.

I stamped the sentiment from the Watercolor Wings stamp set on Cucumber Crush card stock using Archival Ink and then punched it using the Washi Label Punch.

The sentiment was adhered with Dimensionals at the bottom of the frame.

What have you colored with the Zig Clean Real Brush Markers? Leave me a comment below!

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

And Now For Something Completely Different!

For a long time now, I have been admiring art journaling pages, created using a variety of mixed media techniques. In particular, I enjoy the layouts created by Vicky Papaioannou and often watch her videos of how she creates her art journal layouts.

Over a little while I have been collecting various supplies–gesso, gel medium, molding paste, distress paints, gelatos, stencils and just recently purchased a Moleskin Art Plus Sketchbook. It was a 5.5 x 8.5" in size.

Finally, I decided I was ready to take the plunge! Now, what to do a layout about?
A lot of art journal layouts start with a prompt of some sort. It could be a theme, a technique, a quote, etc. I decided to use a poem.

Back in my teaching days in Sagkeeng, the English teacher at the high school presented a wonderful poem written by Langston Hughes to the class. The poem was called "Mother To Son" and basically the mother was encouraging her son to keep going when the going got tough and the poem used a staircase as a very effective metaphor.

To start the process of the layout, I used Soft Gel Matte to glue two journal pages together for either side of the layout. I used my Heat Tool to dry the pages and then covered both pages of my layout with the same gel and adhered some Tim Holtz Tissue Paper to both pages. Gel was also brushed over top of the tissue. I dried this and then trimmed off the excess tissue paper.

At this point, I used old pages from a magazine to put between the pages I was working on and the other pages in the book.

Next, I brushed Liquitex Gesso over the tissue, alternating with a bit of water. This served to make the print from the tissue recede without covering it completely.

I then began to color the background of the layout. I wanted a dark purple but the Seedless Preserves Distress Paint I had seemed a bit bright so I thought I would mix it a bit with Spun Sugar. I dabbed on paint and spritzed with water and then used a brush to apply it to the pages.

The color was still too bright. I thought I could "dirty up" the color so after drying it, I brushed on some Gathered Twigs Distress Ink. That helped a bit but in restrospect, I probably should have laid down some black paint and then applied the purple on top to make it the dark purple that I had wanted. This is where my lack of art training failed me!

Next, I added a border around my pages by brushing on Vintage Photo Distress Paint around the edges and brushed it with a wet brush. I dried and then repeated this step. I also brtushed Walnut Stain Distress Paint around edges and brushed with a wet brush; dried again with my Heat Tool.

I used the Tim Holtz Clockwork Stencil with Black Soot Distress Ink and dauber to add some interest.

I mixed Light Molding Paste with Tarnished Brass Distress Paint and used the Tim Holtz Burlap Stencil to add texture to the pages.

This was where I forgot about taking pictures as I went! The last thing I did to the background was to take a small paintbrush and mix a little gesso with water and flick the brush to create paint spatters on the layout. I repeated the process with black by mixing a little Black Soot Distress Ink with the gesso.

I printed a photo of a staircase that I had taken in an abandoned house near Beausejour. The photo was in black and white but I decided to color it in Photoshop before printing it out on Whisper White card stock. I trimmed the photo to size and applied gel medium on top of photo to seal it and allow me to further work with it.

Because the color of the photo was not quite what I needed, I brushed on Gathered Twigs Distress Ink with wet brush to alter the color so it would work better with the layout. I dried it and then inked the edges of the photo with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. I then applied gel medium to photo to adhere it to the page, as well as over top of it, and dried it.

I printed the poem on Whisper White card stock and cut out each line of the poem. I first brushed gel medium over each piece to prevent the ink from running but still some of it ran. Next time I will try to seal it by using Distress Micro Glaze by Tim Holtz.

I inked each line of the poem with Antique Linen and inked the edges with Vintage Photo Distress inks. Gel medium was used to glue all the lines down and also cover them with the gel.

I used one of the border stamps from the Indigoblu Rugged Edge Stamp set with Ranger Archival ink to add a border to my pages. I also added a border of Black Soot Distress Ink to the pages before giving each page one last coat of gel medium (This is where I definitely made an error! Note to Self: Do not put gel medium over molding paste!)

At this point, I considered my art journal layout to be complete! However, the next morning, I realized that I had forgotten to use the special Crackle Paste I had purchased for this layout! I applied it just over the photo and spoiled my layout! I thought this stuff was supposed to dry clear and provide a crackle finish but it didn't! It kindo f took on the color of the photo but lighter and gave a grainy texture but not what I wanted! Next time I will use Tim Holtz's Crackle Paint in Clear Rock Candy! If you are interested in reading the poem, be sure to click on the photos to see an enlarged version.

This was definitely a learning experience for me! With the exception of the crackle paste issue and brushing the gel medium over the molding paste, I'm pleased with my layout! I look forward to creating my next one soon!

Have you tried art journaling?Leave me a comment below!