Tag Archives: mixed media

Giveaway!

I have a giveaway on my blog today.  It’s Day 29 of the 30 day blogging challenge and I have made it through so far. I’m celebrating by giving away this FUN ink blot art journal I made from a manila folder and some ink blot art. I made it today and figured it would be fun to give away. It’s definitely a one-of-a-kind journal!

Here are some pictures and the video on how I made the journal. You can enter the giveaway or you can make your own journal. 🙂

ink blot art journal
handmade art journal
ink blot art journal
the back of the art journal
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ink blot page
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ink blot page

 

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ink blot page giveaway
ink blot page
more ink blots

An idea for you how the pages look. I added a bunch of blank card stock pages as well to fill out the journal. Here is the video how-to.

The winner was Jean Marmo. Congratulations!!! 🙂

Fabric paper anyone?

I was pondering how to make some fabric paper from the stack of dry paint wipes I had collected while making art journal pages.

I knew I had to find a way to stiffen them, make them as solid as possible. I decided to do an experiment. I used Mod Podge for one wipe and Liquitex matte medium for the other.

I made a video of this process for you.  After the video was done I realized the sky’s the limit when it comes to making versatile custom fabric / paper.

Surely one-of-a-kind!  I even stiffened a paper towel rag to see how it would turn out. Check out the video and see for yourself. I hope it gives you some good ideas. 🙂

xo

Maria

Art journal made from a manila folder.

I have a fun tutorial to share today on how to make an art journal with a manila folder cover.

The pictures are not the greatest, but I had only artificial light when I took them.  I wanted to show the step by step process.

Now for the tutorial…

 

old manila folder
I started with a used manila folder and blacked out the text on the tab.  I used a liberal amount of Mod-Podge to glue the folder together, being careful that the edges stuck well.  I still ended up with some air bubbles once it dried.  Grrr.
I used a strip of washi tape over the uneven edges and glued down some white cardboard to reinforce the tab.  I made sure to lay down a strip of glue to hold down the washi tape forever, lol.
I folded the manila folder in half, using a bone folder to really press down the crease hard once the Mod-Podge had dried.  This was before the washi tape obviously…
I cut the white cardboard to the shape of the tab and now had a very sturdy tab.
I now laid the folder flat on my table and spread out a layer of paint…
I spread some paint on the back of the folder.  I like the shabby uneven look.
I used several layers of paint, mostly spread with an old gift card.  Both sides are similar, just a slight difference in the colors.
I painted the tab purple and wrote the words “Good Dreams” on it.  I stamped the front cover with the word Imagine, and there is plenty of space for embellishment.  The back cover has only paint on it, so there is plenty of room for creativity.
I cut out some paper stars to cover the air bubbles on the inside cover and stamped some inspirational words.

 

I used card stock paper for the signature.  There are 24 empty pages to embellish when all is said and done. They are a bit narrow, but that’s the shape of the folder. Card stock is not as durable as watercolor paper, but you can certainly use wet medium and paints on it. I used card stock in various colors.

 

I tried to get a picture of the various papers, but it didn’t turn out great.  There are two sheets of green, two yellow, and two manila colored.  I thought it was fun to add varied colors.

 

The inside front cover adjoins a green paper…

 

And another close up of the back inside cover.  The picture is pinkish, and I blame my camera for that.
What do you think? I really enjoyed the project and I can’t wait to embellish the pages.  It’s a good size for traveling too.
What are you working on now?
xo
Maria
P.S. I have some journals for sale in my etsy shop. CLICK HERE.

Art versus craft

Art versus craft, what is the difference?

What part of us needs to know?

I was making some polymer clay mosaic picture frames today and was struck by the thought that I feel the same when I’m doing crafts as I feel when painting.

In the past I have labeled painting as “art” and anything else that I enjoy to do with my hands as “craft.”  Craft ought to be more lowly than art, but there is NO difference since I’m the same creator.

Doesn’t it all come from the same inner source?  Yes, of course it does. Craft may be more mechanical in that you make more of the same items, but not one is exactly the same.  With my mosaics it’s hard to even make two that look alike, but if you put them all side by side, there is a definite similarity of style and a preferred choice of colors.

When I paint I also prefer certain colors to others. I don’t prefer a particular motif, but if I did, I might find painting easier than facing a blank canvas to start something completely new. I can’t seem to focus on a particular subject.  My color choices do carry “my” signature.  The mosaics all look similar because I have only so many tools in my toolbox for imprints and only so many rubber stamps. No matter. It won’t stop me from creating.

The me sitting in my studio is the one who creates, not necessarily the ego me who likes to think I’m The Great Artist. It doesn’t change what appears on the canvas or on my mosaic frames. If I’m having a good time, that’s good enough for me.

Feeling alive is what I enjoy, no matter what I do.  In other words, doing what I love.

It is a choice and sometimes a compulsion to create, but no matter how things transpire in the studio, I spent the day in a good way.

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polymer clay mosaic frame.

This one will end up with an altered Christmas ornament in the shape of a heart in the middle. I adhere some text to the surface and glue inspirational words on it. Then I attach it to the background that I alter with awesome paper.

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small frame with polymer clay mosaic tiles.

A 5×5″ picture frame.  Fun and fast to make since it’s so small.

What are you working on today?  I wish you all kinds of creativity.

This concludes day 10 of the blogging challenge …

xo

Maria

P.S. Check out some of my stuff for sale in my etsy shop HERE.

Art Journaling stuff.

Day 6. I have been doing some art journaling lately, experimenting with a lot of background techniques, which is fun. It’s an adventure since you don’t know how it will turn out. Art is very forgiving so usually everything turns out okay in the end.

In the two pictures below, I wet my heavy duty journal paper thoroughly with water. Then I used very diluted acrylic paints and dripped them on the water-logged paper. The paints spread in a nice, sometimes subtle way. You can use any craft paints or finer art paints as long as they can be diluted with water. Watercolor paints would work well if you want a more soft and subtle background.

Star angel

This is another version on my freebie art tutorial Star Angel. You can get that video tutorial HERE.

Splatter background detail

In the picture above, you can really see the background variations. Lots of fun. 🙂

Leather effect with tissue paper.

The one above is a faux crinkled leather background. I used medium spread liberally across the paper, and then I glued tissue paper over it. It’s important to crinkle the tissue paper into a ball in your hand, and then spread out the wrinkled paper on the medium. Let dry thoroughly, and paint whatever colors you like. I used some raw umber on my fingertip to brush over the ridges as a last coat to make the creasing more dramatic.

Art journal page with glued paper background.

Fantasy flowers painted on top of decorative paper, which was glued down in my journal.

art journal page

Just for fun!  Grow wild and free. Hell yeah!!!

What are you working on today?

Please share in the comments.

…because Life happens NOW!

xo

Maria

PS. If you’re interested in a fun self-study art journaling ecourse, please check out my e-course site HERE.

First snow grunge

 

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First snow, grunge art journal page

First snow is not really relevant since we’re coming up on Memorial Day weekend, but First Snow is what happened when I created this grunge art journal spread.  I made a video of it that you can watch. I added so many layers that it got really interesting, (almost a page ready to be cut up for some other project.) But I think I saved it. Judge for yourself.