Mini Stenciled Journals

As promised I am posting the video for making what Gwen refers to as "Mini Stenciled Junque Journals".  When I saw her video I had to make some. I love recycling mailers, cereal boxes, etc. so this was right up my alley.  I love her details and am going to have to get some of the metallic paint pens; I tried using Metallic Permanent Markers, but did not get the same effect. I'm not going to bore you with the details on how to make these journals as Gwen does a fantastic job of explaining it.

What I did differently to make them my own:

1. Collaged paper with a Matte Gel Medium.
2. Used six strands of Embroidery Floss to hold the pages in place and to secure the journal closed with the button.
3. The Blue Journal has lots of dots. I used a White Sharpie Paint Pen and the end of a paint brush to make all of those dots.
4. I used large buttons instead of twine.  I poked two holes and secured the buttons with the embroidery floss.  The blue journal button securing was a little more involved as the button has a loop and not holes.

The stencils used are unique to the Monthly StencilGirl Club members, so you can't purchase them unless you are a member. However, that doesn't mean you can't use some of the awesome stencils they have at StencilGirl Products.

Her video is here:

Gwen's Gems: Mini Stenciled Junque Journals (I changed the link to go where the actual video is located. Sorry for any confusion.)

Red Mini Journal

Supplies Used:

Postal Mailer
Bristol Paper
Oriental Rice Paper (Four different types and patterns)
Gel Medium Matte
Embroidery Thread
Large Button
White Gesso
Gold Metallic Permanent Marker

StencilGirl October 2016 StencilClub 4"x4" Stencil

Green Mini Journal

I stamped the two Rubbermoon stamps directly on with embossing ink and used Gold embossing ink.

Supplies Used:

Postal Mailer
Oriental Rice Paper (Four different types and patterns)
Gel Medium Matte
Embroidery Thread
Large Button
Acrylic Paints
Gold Metallic Permanent Marker
Gold Embossing Powder
Rubbermoon 7-Petal Flower Stamp
Rubbermoon Stampstracts - Petal Pusher Stamp
StencilGirl October 2016 StencilClub 9"x12" Stencil
StencilGirl October 2016 StencilClub 4"x4" Stencil

Blue Mini Journal

I stamped the "Beautiful Mistakes" sentiment after using Tim Holtz's Distressed Inks on a piece of Bristol Paper. Then I used an embossing ink pad around the edges and added Silver Embossing Ink.

Supplies Used:

Postal Mailer
Oriental Rice Paper (Four different types and patterns)
Gel Medium Matte
Embroidery Thread
Large Silver Button
Acrylic Paints
Silver Metallic Permanent Marker
Silver Embossing Powder
Tim Holtz Distressed Ink - Black Soot
Tim Holtz Distressed Ink - Broken China
White Sharpie Paint Pen
Rubbermoon Moonmail Exclusive "Scattered Stars" Stamp
Rubbermoon Mindy Lacefield's Beautiful Mistakes Stamp
StencilGirl October 2016 StencilClub 6"x6" Stencil
StencilGirl October 2016 StencilClub 4"x4" Stencil

Collaged Oriental & Fairy Boxes

So, I ordered coffee "samples" from a company called Intelligent Blends for our Keurig and they came in these really sturdy boxes.  I really like the boxes and decided they needed to be upcycled.  I have a ton of art/craft supplies and, so, I proceeded to start figuring out how to collage each box.  The first one has an Oriental feel and I love it.  I was going to give it as a gift and then decided I wanted to use it to store craft supplies. I am now using it to store the little containers of buttons, sequins, and gems.

Oriental Box

Supplies used:

-One Intelligent Blends sample box

-Various types of Oriental Inspired Rice Paper

-Modge Podge

-Acrylic Paints

-White pen

-Cherry Blossom, Geisha Girl, and Stampstracts Stamps

-Sequins

-Metallic Seed Beads

-Oriental Face Bead

-Glass Bead

-Macrame Twine

Steps:

1. Tear paper into various sizes paying attention to color themes.

2. Open box and start collaging paper with Modge Podge to main flap, top of box, back of box, and sides of box.  I chose not to collage the bottom of the box, but that is really preference.

3. Stamp images, paint with acrylic paints, add accents with white pen, cut out each image, and adhere to box with Modge Podge.

4. Paint tops of sides with Acrylic paint or when collaging the side just go up over the top where it's thin.

5. Add sequins and seed beads.

6. Create closure with macrame twine and beads.

Fairy Box

Supplies used:

-One Intelligent Blends sample box

-Various types of Fairy inspired papers

-Modge Podge

-Acrylic Paints

-Fairy and Butterfly Stamps

-Sequins

-Glitter

-Felt Flowers

-Ribbon

-Buttons

-Ribbon Flowers

Steps:

1. Tear paper into various sizes paying attention to color themes.

2. Open box and start collaging paper with Modge Podge to main flap, top of box, back of box, and sides of box.  I chose not to collage the bottom of the box, but that is really your preference.

3. Stamp images, paint with acrylic paints, cut out each image, and adhere to box with Modge Podge.  For the Fairy and butterflies I used Modge Podge and sprinkled each one with a different glitter.

4. Paint tops of sides with Acrylic paint or when collaging the side just go up over the top where it's thin.

5. Add sequins, felt flowers, ribbon, buttons, ribbon flowers, etc.

6. I cut out the word "FAIRY" from some alphabet paper someone sent me and then rub ink over each letter.

I don't think I'm missing anything, but remember the possibilities are endless.

More Christmas ATCs

I am not a big collage person, but since my muse left me about a month ago, I decided to use some Christmas die cuts my mom bought me and make some ATCs.  At least I'm doing something creative and it actually turned out to be fun.

Last night we went to the NEO Christmas tree lighting ceremony and that kind of inspired me to come home and do something artsy.

Be Merry Bear

Frosty Nutcracker

Just the right tree for me

Sugar Cookie Bear

Winter Wonder

I used art markers, permanent markers, glaze pens, diamond glitter fabric paint, Christmas diecuts,, scrapbooking paper, and washi tape to make these.

Memorable Christmas Ornaments

It took me two days, but I figured out what to do with those can tops that I saved up and asked my sister-in-law to save up for me.  I found a tutorial that used the frozen juice metal lids and kind of followed that.  Instead of using some "template" that someone else was selling; I broke out my Cricket and made circles out of my pretty Christmas paper and I used Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 to manipulate some of my favorite artwork and pictures of the girls.

I spray painted the metal lids with black spray paint.  When those were dry I looped some velvet and glued that on the back and then covered the entire back with a felt cirlce.

Finally when they were all dried I brushed on some Glossy Mod Podge and beaded them with Diamond Glitter Fabric Paint.

I'm really proud of how these turned out and can't wait to see them on the Christmas tree.

These paper ball ornaments were based on another tutorial I found and was easy enough that my youngest helped me make all ten of them.  The tutorial can be found here.

Halloween Accordion Scene

This is the scene I made from the original post of just one Halloween arch.  I finished this last night and am really happy with how it turned out. I made "hinges" out of card stock and rotated them so the scene would open up accordion style.  I am thinking about starting a swap for this type of scene.

I have some other arches in various themes that I didn't want to punch holes in and am thinking about doing this to those as well, so I can enjoy them by setting them out around the house.

2nd Annual Halloween Fun Swap

I usually only do hand drawn/hand painted swaps, but I love Halloween so much I decided to do the 2nd Annual Halloween Fun Swap over at ATCs for All!  I found a stash of fun Halloween pieces and came up with these four cards for the swap.  I am now going to make some more to add to my collection.

Then I found an arch laying around, so I used some of those Halloween pieces and made this "Gone Haunting" Halloween Arch.  I am thinking about making two more and hinging them together for an accordion type scene to put out for the holiday with the rest of my decorations.

Wake Up & Smell the Coffee Swap

Who doesn't like a good brew of coffee in the morning?  I know I do, so this swap was right up my alley.  I haven't done mixed media collage in a while and I wanted to make coffee cups with a little more than just the cup.  I used permanent markers and white gel pen for accents.

Mixed Media Collage

Wow, it's been a while since I've done any collage work and I have this box sitting next to me of stuff that was just asking to be put together.  Last night I was able to make four cards and I was really happy with how they turned out.  They all incorporated a piece of a sheet I put together from a YouTube video I watched like over a year ago. 

Basically, you take all of your scrap paper and start gluing, with gel medium, down to a piece of 8.5 x 11 paper.  You can tear the extra paper, cut it, do whatever you want, but you have to fill up the entire piece of paper.  Then when that is dry, you take out large stamps, preferably ones with wording, and start stamp all over the sheet.

When all is said and done, you then cut the sheet down to 2.5 x 3.5 pieces to use as the background for ATCs.  I kept the "extras" and this is what I used on the cards I made last night.

Follow Your Heart

Sweet Child of Mine

Hearts Flutter

Flower Vine

Day 104, 105, & 106

Day 104 - Red Panda

Day 105 - Nature

Day 106 - Legacy

These artist trading cards (ATCs) are all paper collages.  While some might say that collage is not "art", I totally disagree.  I spend just as much time on these as I would on an actual drawing/painting.

These are all ATCs that I submitted in the 2010 Project ATC 365.

Day 69 - Red & Green Kimono

Here is a collaged artist trading card (ATC) that I made using ribbon, vintage paper, and a picture of a Kimono that I colored in.  The Kimono was black and white and I colored it in to go with the colors in the ribbon.  I was really reluctant to use the vintage paper as it is one of my favorite pieces, but I just had to use it on this particular ATC.

This is Day 69's ATCs that I submitted in the 2010 Project ATC 365.

Day 67 - Gone Fishing

With the new season fast approaching I thought a "fishing" card would be appropriate.  I used to fish alot with my dad in my younger days and I really miss that.  I can't even remember the last time we went fishing.  When we lived in Colorado Springs he took my husband and kids fishing, but my 7 year old was like 2 or 3 then.  

I used to love catching them, but had to insist on releasing them afterward.  I remember when my 14 year old was like 4 and we went fishing in Colorado; I thought the fish was dead when he released it back into the water because it just laid there floating.  I turned my back to tell my dad that it was dead and when i whipped back around the fish was gone.  What?  My dad told me that they sometimes play dead and when you aren't looking they come back to life and swim away.  Since I don't get sarcastic humor I couldn't tell if he was joking or serious!

This is Day 67's ATCs that I submitted in the 2010 Project ATC 365.

Day 63 - Inca Mask

This is a picture I found in a 1983 Sewing Magazine that I picked up at the local Thrift Store.  It is knitted picture of an Inca Mask.  How cool is that?  

I used gold and black sequins that a friend of mine gave to me from her stash!

I just love diving into the bottomless pit of vintage magazines at the thrift store.  When I got to the bottom of the pile, there were 5 amazing 1980's sewing magazines.  It really took me back as the fashions were outrageous.

I kept telling my husband "I remember wearing that style", "OMG, check out that hair", etc.  We were cracking up and totally showing our ages!! LOL

This is Day 63's ATCs that I submitted in the 2010 Project ATC 365.

Day 46 - Egg Shell Seedling

This is an image transfer and paper collage artist trading card.  I love the little plant coming out of the open egg.

This is Day 46's ATCs that I submitted in the 2010 Project ATC 365.