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!