Some Inspiration on Thursday

Hi all - been keeping as busy as ever in the shop and the studio!  So happy to have made the time to play lately.  If you have been following me on Facebook &/or Instagram, you will have seen a few of these 'sneak peaks.'

I finally finished the one that I ended with in the last post.

I had an extra of this lady on my desk (getting in the way, and of course refusing to throw out), so thought this was as good as time of any to add her onto a page!  A trick when using printer paper or any other thin paper application, is to apply Fluid Matte Medium to the base page first, then to the back of your intended ephemera.  Place it down on top of your pre-adhered area and smooth out with either the brush or a straight edged tool (like an old credit/gift card).  I don't always do this as I usually don't have an issue with the wrinkles and creases you may get if you don't (it's called free texture)!

I pulled out some more bits and pieces of paper ephemera off my desk and simply started placing it down (as stated above).

As you know, I was able to get some of the Easy Joint Tape in the shop (not an item I can find in Canada, so had to bring it in from the states).  This stuff is AMAZEBALLS!  So versatile.  It is a sticky backed paper drywall tape that is similar to what is called punchinella in the sewing world.  Why is is cool you ask? Well is is instant texture for one.  With the peel away backing, you instantly double the amount of punchinella; also, the backing is similar to a kraft waxed paper so you are able to use is as a stencil too! The actual drywall tape is paper, so it accepts color fabulously.  Need I say more....?

I tore off about a 7 inch strip and used every bit of it on this journal spread. 

Now I added some Liquitex Super Heavy Gesso to bring the photo forward and take the backing back (I know confusing, but it does totally make sense in my head). 

Time to add some color.  I decided on using DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics in Raw Sienna 

...then some Green Gold. 

I used the extra Green Gold I had on my palette and painted her dress. 

I used on of my Inktense Watercolor Crayons for the hair.  I then pulled out my Stabilo All Pencil  in black  to trace around the lady and to create shadow.  She is all done for now (I think)!

If you want to see more to this story...check out the short video on my W2 Scrapbooking Facebook page here.

I was working on a page for tomorrow's Weekend Junket, and came up with a brain wave...

I decided to use the prompts from Weekend Junket #10, here is the result of it.

I wanted to create layers of texture across the center of the page.  I started off using some of the Easy Joint tape across the page side to side, over top of it I added some mesh netting ribbon from my stash (an old Prima one that is discontinued), then added a layer of Light Modeling Paste through a Prima Stencil (Finnabair Elementals Dots & Stripes)

Next I used my Crafter's Workshop 4x4" Remnant Stencil (Radar) and put DecoArt Media Crackle Paste through it. I may have gone a tad overboard on a few of the stencils...but hey, now I know for next time.  I went on very easily, but I put it on too thick on a few of them, as you will see (why) in a few pictures coming up.

I used the excess pastes (crackle and modeling) on other areas of my page to create more textures.

Here is the radar stencil the next morning.  Some crackles were better than others.  The ones that I had way too much paste on, cracked large and had curled up.  I was okay with it as I had plans of course! 

I decided to use DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics in Cobalt Teal Hue as I had some 'seepage' from another page so hey, why not!?!  I took a good amount of the teal paint and brushed it heavily over the center textures of the page.

Then I tilted up the journal and sprayed it with water and allowed it to drip down. 

Once I was happy with it, I did the same thing again for the top half. 

Now it was time to add a layer of glaze using Golden Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold.

After waiting about two minutes, I used baby wipes and wiped off the glaze. 

Totally love love LOVE how this one turned out.  The Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold over the Cobalt Teal Hue created a patina look, especially over the areas where the modeling paste was applied.

I wanted the drips to show more, so I applied more of the teal paint and used a very wet brush and again sprayed with water (same as previous).

I found it a tad too bright, so I added a mix of Faber Castell Gelatos in Black Licorice and Iced Coffee around the edges of the page, as well as the top and bottom of the center texture line.

Finally, I finished it off using one of Donna Downey Stencils called Create Truth. I used Black Gesso and one of my Tulip Pouncers after I masked off the flourish I did not want on my page.

Calling it done for now.

Thanks for stopping by, be sure to stop by again tomorrow as there will be the next set of prompts available for Weekend Junket, and maybe even some inspiration!