Best Time Ever: Getting lost in the creative process...

 Good Morning and Happy Tuesday! Today I have a scrapbooking layout to share with you. I suppose I could call this a "Hybrid Layout." Most of all my paper and embellishments were printed from a digital kit by Katie Pertiet. I did do some inking and stenciling with a little doodling here and there. So, without further ado, I present... "A Hybrid Layout!" 

Here is the Digital Kit that I used: 

I started by printing the red stripe paper. Tearing it and inking it. I printed the Declaration of Independence on Vellum for an art journaling page I recently did. I used the leftover pieces on this layout. Below you will see part of it. The other part I used as a mat for my bottom right photo. 

Once I had the main layout complete, it was time to go in and start inking here and doodling there. Below you see the layout at the almost finished phase. I liked it, but it just feels a bit incomplete. 

I played with adding the half circle behind my main photo, but it still felt like it was just missing something.

I was sitting there looking at it, trying to come up with that missing piece... when a thought crossed my mind: it was the all the "stark white" space. So, a little stenciling for the win! 

I pulled out one of my favorite Crafter's Workshop stencil and Distress Ink in Walnut Stain, and wa-la! It tied my whole layout together. 

Normally, I am stenciling in the beginning of a project. Since this was one of the last steps I did, I grabbed some copy paper and threw it over my photos just to keep them safe. 

The last few details were added and then I was looking at my completed Layout. I just love how it turned out. This was a fun layout to do, because what I originally had in mind, completely evolved, and I was left with something even better. Sometimes, getting lost in the process yields the best results. 

Until next time.... Happy Creating! 

A Butterfly and a whole lot of Ink!

 Do you ever see something and are instantly inspired? That is what happened with this art journal page... 

I pulled out my journal, inks, and stamps, and just started going! 

Once the clear gesso dried, I inked the background with Distress Ink. There was a bit of issue with the Distress Ink drying, so I grabbed the heat gun and ran it over the pages to heat set it. Throughout the whole process, I heat set the layers. 

To create my paper pieces, I took some white cardstock, Black Archival Ink, and some of my favorite stamps, and...

I cut up the pieces and started inking. By this point my studio table was crazy:

I used Distress Inks: Peacock Feathers, Mowed Lawn, Uncharted Mariner. For the bright pop of yellow, I used Squeezed Lemonade Distress Stain. It was actually one of the original stain bottles, before they brought out the sprays. ...but I made mine into a spray! 

Now for the background. I had so much fun inking up the background. 

I started with a Crafter's Workshop stencil and some Distress Ink and then a little stamping with Archival Distress. 

I misted with some White Spray and then the fun really began. I used Distress Ink Re-Inkers and a piece of plastic sleave to apply the ink to my page. 

Now it is time to add my decorative squares. I used my Xyron Creative Station to adhere them to the art journal page. 

My favorite part of this whole art journal page is my orange butterfly. I stamped and embossed in black. Then, using Ecoline Watercolor Brush Pens to add the color.

Some closer looks: 

This stamp below: The Dream, Discover, Destiny Stamp is one of my ALL TIME favorite stamps. 

I hope that this has inspired you to pick up your favorite stamp and inks and Discover what you can create! 

Until next time... Happy Creating! 

Beach Babes and their Brus!

 Happy Independence Day America! 

Today I have a layout that I did using a background that I made with Stamper's Anonymous Tim Holt'z Stamps and Distress Inks. I also did a little painting with Distress Paint and my Paul Reuben Glitter Metallic Watercolors.  I had the best day yesterday getting lost in my studio and creating. 

Distress Inks Used: Shaded Lilac and Salvaged Patina with hints of Cracked Pistachio, Black Soot, and Dusty Concord Mist. 

I fussy cut out the tropical drink and colored with my Paul Reuben Glitter Metallic Watercolors and adhered with pop dots. 

I used my Silhouette Cameo to design and cut out my title. 

One trick I do with my designing in my Silhouette Studio is import a photo of my layout into the program and that way I can see exactly what I want and what size. 

I used my trusty Xyron X to apply my title. 

Until next time... HAPPY CREATING! 

Happy Birthday America!

I started this art journal page knowing I wanted to use the Declaration of Independence as my background. When I saw Katie Pertiet's Americana Vintage Mini Mix 16, my inspiration was complete. 

It was a struggle at first, and I ended up starting all over... but we will get to that later. 

I started by inking up my edge with Distress Ink: Faded Jeans and Frayed Burlap. 

I printed the Declaration of Independence on Vellum, trimmed it down, and used my Xyron Creative Station to add adhesive. The Creative Station was my saving grace in this project. I originally used Matte Medium to adhere the vellum and once dried, I used clear gesso on top to prep the surface for what I had planned. My pages curled and creased, and it just wasn't what I wanted at all! 

Using the Xyron Creative Station, I rolled my background vellum right through. It peeled off and went beautifully on my art journal pages. The Xyron Creative Station allowed my vellum to be adhered securely and lay super smooth.

My original plan was to use the Katie Periet Vintage Mix flowers on one side of the art journal. But I clicked something when I went to print and instead of fitting to my page it blew them way up and it worked out perfectly. I printed them on vellum as well and used the Xyron Creative Station to adhere to the journal. 

I then added the butterflies that I had printed on vellum. 

I loved how it looked so much! I almost didn't want to do anything else to it! ...but I forged on and added journaling around the flowers, which are parts directly from the Declaration of Independence. 

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,"

"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

Because I was working on vellum, I had to be careful with what mediums I used. I ended up using Faber Castell Gelatos, a light mist of Lindy's Moon Shadow Spray, and a few white speckles. 

As mentioned above, I did end up starting a whole new page when my first attempt did not go as planned. Maybe I will get back to it and try to salvage it. Maybe I will leave it alone forever. Or, maybe I will gesso over and transform it into something else. Only time will tell! Below are some photos from the first attempt. One thing I always told my students/customers is that you can never mess up. There is always a way to fix it or start over. Create without fear! 

It was definitely a journey to my finished project. But one that I enjoyed. 

Until next time, HAPPY CREATING!