Art Journal

Art Journals

What is an art journal you ask, basically it is a diary. It can be a daily journal or just about everyday things each month or memorable moments that you wish to journal about. How you use it is entirely up to you :)

Art journals are fun and a great way to learn or share new techniques. I am going to share a quick step by step to creating your very own Art Journal page. I love the freedom of these journals, you can try new products or techniques and be as creative as you like, journals are awesome for using up all those little bits of left overs or your stash :). First you need a book, can be a cheap exercise book or a hardcover blank book in whatever size you like. Then you need to decide what you are going to put on your page. Journal about the things you love, what's on your mind, where you've travelled, things you are grateful for or inspire you, choose a song and add the lyrics or maybe what you want your future to hold. So lets get started...

Step One: Gesso is your friend and a great base, so apply some to your page and while that's drying you can use this time to go pick out some scrap papers, embellishments, inks, pens or markers from your stash or if like me you are a little impatient give it a blast with your heat gun. (No need for this step if your page is white, has no blemishes or bleeding from previous pages)

Step Two: Choose two or three distress inks and use your blending tool - I used Tattered Rose, Aged Mahogany and Scattered Straw. Mist lightly with water to help blend all the colours together. Gives a lovely soft look. Another idea for backgrounds is using an old giftcard or credit card and scrapping paint over the page for really cool effect!
 

Step Three: Pick out one of your favourite Glimmermists or Perfect Pearl Mists in coordinating colour and spray onto your page. I used Tattered Angels Vintage Pink, adds a really nice sheen! Watercolours are also great.

Step Four:  Choose some stencils, templates or punches and create your design, you might like to add some texture and depth. Ripped paper, drywall tape and other household items can add extra interest and texture. Using TH Distress Paints, TH Distress Inks, Donna Salazar mixed media Inx Chox, texture paste or any other medium you like just keep building layers.

Step Five:  Randomly add some stamped images, allowing some to hang off the page. Using a black (or a colour of your choice) sharpie pen start doodling on your page. Don't think to much about it, just have fun and let your imagination flow! Using black and white charcoal pencils are also fun. Add a quote or an inspiration thought!

Step six:  Ink around the edges with TH Walnut Ink or DS Inx Chox Sparrow to grunge up the pages a bit to finish off.

TIPS: Jar lids, bottle tops, sponges, kitchen spatula's, plastic doily's, steel wool and so much more can be used to create different textures on your backgrounds in your journal. Just think outside the square :)

 

 

Altered Tea Light Candles

Last official day of school holidays, they have gone so quickly. I had so much I wanted to do but only achieved half and I am still making lots of Mother's Day gift for my youngest daughters school stall which is next week - eeek!!

Thought I would share here a really cute idea for altering Tea Light candles and when wrapped look really pretty and make an inexpensive gift! Who doesn't love candles!

 

 

I cut out 1 1/2in circles using my cricut of some scrap patterned cardstock from my stash, punched a small hole for the wick then placed on coordinating card stock. Finishing off with a thick ribbon for decoration.

(of course the paper disc will need to be removed before lighting!!)

 Now back to some more sewing and hopefully finish off a few potpourri sachets :)

Thanks for stopping by, hope you all have something wonderful planned for the weekend, May is our busiest month as a family! and it all starts tomorrow xx

 

March - A year in Time

I am really enjoying the 'A Year In Time' project' here at Wild About Scrap The G45 range is just so beautiful and eligant! and a must have!! I am totally in love with this collection! and you will be too.

Our little managerie grew recently as my eldest son purchased a cute little puppy! She is so adorable, a little German Shephard born 25 January who has won all our hearts! and bringing much joy to all and growing so fast!

1.  Using the front of the G45 March foundation A Place In Time page I cut and distressed all the edges and adhered it to a piece of matching purple bazzill and added some lavender Say it with Pearls to the swirls in the top corner.
2.  Spritzing a little water to help soften and manipulate the paper I scrunched up and distressed just a small section, placing a small doily behind, adding a tiny Prima flower and butterfly from Collections.
3.  Using the coordinating cut apat from March I chose the patterned floral paper reverse side and used a MS layered arches edge punch, inked the edges with TH distress ink Vintage Photo then placing some pretty scalloped lace over and a small doily in the bottom right corner.

4.  Two 4x3 photos placed slightly angled and overlapping.
5.  Adding a cut down Floral embelishment by Petaloo, blossoms and fabric tulle flower from Prima and a few scattered leaves. Small ribbon bow added to centre, with two more Butterflies from Collections place on either side of floral arrangement.
6.  Finishing off with Weave Extras Teeny Tiny letter stickers 'So Dog Gone' which were inked with TH Vintage Photo and Purple Thickers 'CUTE'.

Most products are available instore at Wild About Scrap or alternatively you can find a similar product in the store, so much to choose from. There is still time to catch up and play along! So please consider joining us, I am really enjoying this wonderful project!

Next up April ... check back soon :)


 

I've been sewing....

Well it's not often I sew, either with a machine or by hand these days! Usually just to mend something but as I had said in an earlier post our school has organised a stall for Mother's Day so the kids can purchase inexpensive gifts. Trying to come up with ideas was really hard and it's not like our p&c had surplus funds to go purchase at the wholesalers!

The other day I needed to sew on a button and do you think I could find a needle, nope! Then I remembered I had this really sweet needlebook I bought at a craft fair awhile back sitting in my draw so I thought I would give it ago. It didn't look to fiddly, quite simple actually. So I thought lol! Off to spolight to grab some cheap fabric and wadding, then started cutting out. This took the longest time, I tried to save time by cutting out a number at the one time but made so many mistakes I went back to individually cutting each book. Anyway I am really pleased with how these turned out. I just love the little fabric gathered flower too.

Thanks for popping in and if you have any sewing tips I would love to hear them! Also any other little crafty items or ideas for our stall would be greatly appreciated!

Until next time, have a very crafty day!

 

Cupcakes

Mother's Day is just around the corner and as a brand new school and p&c we don't have many funds available to buy giftware for the kid's to purchase at our first Mother's Day Stall, so I have been trying to come up with inexpensive gift ideas that the Mum's will love. A few years back I made cute cupcakes with socks so this time round I have made these little cute cupcakes using facewashers and dish cloths. I just love how these little cupcakes look all pretty packaged ready for our stall! Hope the Mum's like them too :) Good thing we are on school holidays at the moment and I have time to play!!

packaged up ready for the stall!

 

 

Don't they look cute with the lollypop substitute cherry :)

I have a few other little crafty items I am working on, makes a change from the usual scrapping, so please drop back later in the week. My sewing machine has had the dust blown off and been given a workout!!

 

A Year in Time - February

February

After spending 14 years at the local primary school in our area, having all three of my older children completing their primary school education there and my baby doing kindy and pre primary, with myself volunteering in the classrooms, canteen, sport carnivals and for quite a number of years on the P&C holding various positions we learnt that we no longer lived in the intake boundary. A new school was built, completed and opened in February this year in one of the many new estates popping up in the area and was to be our new school! How very exciting!

The start of the school year this year meant many chances for all three! My second eldest welcoming his siter into high school, such a big chance for her from primary school and my baby starting year one and a new school! I have hidden the journalling in the scroll. We are set for a very exciting, busy and fun year!

This is the second page in my 8x8 Easel Album, I really am enjoying these gorgeous G45 papers. If you head on over to Wild About Scrap store you can grab yourself a pack and maybe join us in our journey - A year in time!

 February

February

showing scroll open to reveal hidden journalling

 1.  Using the front of the G45 February foundation A Place In Time page and adding some Kaiser blue bling to the swirls to bring in the colour of the photo.
2.  I used Coredinations Whitewash and embossed with cuttlebug script, then sanded and inked with TH Broken China distress ink as my photo mat.
3.  Layered photo onto a paper doily.
4.  Cutting the pattern paper from January cut aparts reverse and using TH Mini Paper Rosettes die I made three small rosettes using buttons for the centres.
5.  Adding some left over Prima sprays, blossoms and Manor House leaves in the bottom left and top right corners.
6.  A tiny scroll hides some journalling and is held closed with some twine tied in a bow.
7.  Finishing off with a few sentiments from the cut aparts in the very back of the pack and small square cut out from April.

If you haven't gone over to Wild About Scrap store yet you will be missing out on all the fabulous products and great specials so remember to call in and have a browse through all the new lines!

If you have decided to join us on this rewarding and fun journey don't forget to drop Veronica an email so we are able to showcase your wonderful layouts too.

We've almost caught up so please pop back and see what March brings :)

Wishing you all a very Hoppy and Safe Easter! Hope the Cadbury bunny brings you lots and lots of yummy chocolate!


 

A Year in Time

January 

 January is my birthday month and for many years now my wonderful husband has always spoilt me with a beautiful bouquet of flowers from Jesson's Flowers and this year was no exception! Always roses as they are my favourite flower! Over at Wild About Scrap we have been set a challenge. So Veronica, Sharon and myself are going to be making an album using the gorgeous G45 Easel Album and Place in Time paper pack. Feel free to join in :) it's going to be so much fun! and don't forget to check out the Wild About Scrap DT blog and follow us!

My A Year In Time album will be pieces of my life in 2013.

January

1.  I chose to use the reverse of G45 Place in Time foundation January page as the cool blues just didn't go.
2.  I matted the G45 onto Pink Bazzill after I distressed with TH distress tool and gently inked with Vintage   Photo distress ink.
3.  Slightly overlap the G45 cut aparts and heart shaped doily embellishments under photo which was matteded on pink bazzill.
4.  Add a chipboard swirl which was painted with TH Distress Paint Antique Linen, then lightly spray with GlimmermistTattered Rose.
5.  Using Gelly Roll glitter pen Green, colour in the leaves.
6.  Arrange blossoms and buds, adding some tiny paper swirls.
7.  Place Pinkpaislee Artisan Chipboard butterfly's which have been inked with TH distress ink Victorian Velvet and addsome pink pearls.
8.  Randomly place a few Kaiser Pink Pearls on the swirls in each corner.
9.  Finish with some sayings from the extra cut aparts from the back of the G45 paper pack.

I hope you are able to play along and make your very own special calender of events, it's going to be so much fun!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sue
xx