Just an Instagram kinda day.

Still working away on a boat load of stuff that needs to be done this week.
Problem is, none of it is laundry.

Good thing I have a husband who can do his own if it becomes necessary.
He's good like that.

Everything I am working has to do with counting and measuring and filling in boxes on a spread sheet...not really my cup of tea.  I decided I had had enough of that and set out to continue the journey I started last week with the modeling paste and paint.  Today I am going to put into practice what I leaned and make a little zig zag book that I cut from some very beautiful 140lb Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper I bought at Dick Blick in Las Vegas in the fall.  I know most people go to casinos, I go to Dick Blick.

 The paper is very long.  I cut it 5" tall and then just folded it back and forth, every 4" to create the book.  You end up with a short little stubby piece on one end but not to worry that will easily be resolved by adding a sturdy back piece.

After I took the picture above I decided to change it up today (once again) and use my iPhone and Instagram to take the rest of the pictures.  Love the results.

Anyway, here we go...
Golden Fluid Acrylics are the paint choice for today...
in my favorite color, Cobalt Teal + water = happiness on a paintbrush.

Paint on Golden Fluid Acrylics in Green Gold along the top edge...spritz with water. 
Lift paper to make the diluted paint run.

Adding diluted splatters to the craft mat to add more Cobalt Teal to the backside (just because I can...and I like what's going on back there) 

Note: Here is where I loose my mind an change to a different filter on the pictures...darn it, I was going to stay with the same filter the whole tutorial.  Funny, it only took two pictures and I forgot which one I was using...uggg.)

See what I mean?  

Now I can't decide which do I like better, the front or the back?

Using a mask, add modeling paste to the project (refer to last weeks post for directions).  This one is Christy Tomlinson - vintage doily.  Let the paste dry.

Work on another project that is in progress in the kitchen while modeling paste dries.

30 minutes later and back from the kitchen.

Paste is dry.

Paint over the paste with diluted Martha Stewart Metallic Paint - Vintage Gold (this color is DIVINE).

Oh, I like this part.   Seriously, you must try this.

Use stamps to create more texture.  

Archival Ink in Aquamarine and Dyan Revelry Stamp - Basic Backgrounds

The Archival Ink pad is new so I stamped it on a tag before I stamped the book to get a lighter image.

Add some vintage paper strips.

Words are next (my favorite part),

This is my "One Little Word" for 2012

Substance.
You can see that when folded, the cover was part of the "backside" of the paper so I got the best of both worlds going on.

Font Stamp: Doodle Bug Designs for Hampton Art found at Michaels

(here is where I noticed I changed Instagram filters some time ago)

More words inside in Archival Ink - Coffee

More doodling with a random black pen and a circle stencil I made from punching a piece of cardstock with a 1" circle punch.  I really don't doodle much on projects because it always seems like I mess it up when I do. 
No thinking like that today. 

My signature...word strips cut from an old book.  This one, a Grammar book I picked up in Old Town Orange when I was shopping with Carolyn Peeler after CHA.  The equation is from an old math book.  I love the line, "Carefully cherish virtuous principles".  Not something we hear much about in this day and age of the "Housewives" and the Kardashians.

A bit of handwriting...again, something I don't do too much of.  The writing never seems good enough.   But today, I am not going to let fear stop me from trying.

NOTE TO SELF: practice writing!

And lastly, a bit of stitching.

Love it, love it, love it.

I am happy about the way it turned out.  

In fact, so happy I am ready to make another.

If you look back at the picture of the folded paper there's that little bit on the right end that was sticking out.  I had one of the cards I made a while ago during experimentation with Liquid Pearls that fit perfectly on the end (love when that happens).  All I did was glue it to the little stubby piece to make a back then added some vintage music to the backside behind the yellow card.

Happy day.
Amazing what doing something free and creative can do for your spirit.

I have to go back to counting and measuring now but I am going to be thinking about getting back to the worktable all day. 
Maybe I can sneak in a little between laundry loads.

cheers
paula

ps) of course you know what measuring and counting means....a new kit is coming soon.