Big Adventure Display Panel

Hello friends,

Its been a busy week at my house. School finished on Friday for my husband so he's now at home with me everyday which is great, but makes it harder to work like I normally do. I also had a journal kit go up for sale this week which was perfect timing, since he does all the shipping. Almost all kits have sold (in just 24 hours) so I am very grateful for that.

The project I am sharing today is an easy one. Really, anyone could make it with just a few materials. I started with a 9 x 9" Display Panel, but any size substrate would work. I used multiple neutral papers from the Backdrops Vol 4 pack (my MOST used Backdrops pack) to collage the flat side of the panel.

I used 6 different neutral papers, but you can use as many or as little as you wish. I liked the idea that the seams created by the papers gave me an opportunity to use Cello Tape Stickers as an accent, as if I needed the tape to keep the papers together.

Once I had the papers adhered to the Display Panel with Collage Medium, I added floral images from the Collage Paper Serendipity. I love the organic nature of this image, a real contrast to the linear lines created by the paper piecing.

I also added stamps from the Postmarked sticker book and a bit of cheesecloth for texture.

The Cello Tape is such a winning product. Even just a small piece can give you a sense of authenticity. 

I used foam squares to raise the house off the surface. Then added a more under the ladies. NOTE: Both the house and the ladies are from the new Paper Doll Poses pack.

I also added a Stencil Chip to the front using more Cello Tape and a Screw Head. The new Screw Heads are nice a thick with multiple levels. They look very realistic!

Here you can see that I was able to build up some texture using Distress Crayon over the Screw Head. I also used the Crayon to build up some grunge on the edges of the Cello Tape Stickers.

NOTE: the Blackberry Jam strip is from the Snippets Number Strips pack

When I came time for the Typed Tag, I used Picket Fence Crayon to add texture rather than Walnut Stain Crayon. The Screw Head is just glued to the Typed Tag with Collage Medium. Once dry/set, I scribbled and rubbed the Picket Fence crayon over and into the recessed portion of the Typed Tag.

The Typed Tag was to added to the right side, to fill in the space under the house that was created when I added the ladies. It fit perfectly!

And with that, this easy project is done!

I hope you will give this one a go! I love the new Collage Paper so much, I think you will to!
Now carry on,

paula

Holiday Greetings

 Hello Friends,

Hope your week is going great. We are normally in the thick of Christmas baking for family and friends but this year our oven decided it was done for the season...so there is no baking till the parts arrive from Viking and the heating elements are replaced!  It's already been 10 days of toaster oven cooking at this house!  Let's hope we are not still cooking this way on Christmas or I am going to be cooking one Cornish game hen instead of a turkey! 

Today I'm sharing another of the makes using idea-ology Christmas.  This time it is my large Vignette Tray! Follow along and I'll walk you through it!

The tray was covered with our beautiful Christmas Collage Paper.  I added the Collage Paper with Collage Medium to the front of the tray.  The Collage Paper is 6" wide and so is the tray. That made it easy to roll out a 12" strip and cut it, to prepare to lay it into the glue.  We all know Collage Medium dries very fast so you must work fast, adding the Collage Medium across the tray surface.  

Once the Collage Paper has been pressed into the Medium, add a coat over the top.  Again, working quickly so the glue does not dry on you.  I had my Mica Stains, Tree Lott and Crooked Broomstick, at the ready so they could be sprayed or dribbled over the surface before the glue was dry.  If you spray after the glue is dry they will sit on the surface (since glue is a sealer) and never dry.

Let talk about the frame in the background.  The frame is part of the Baseboard Christmas pack that has multiple frames and other pieces to choose from.  

I wanted a little sparkle, so I quickly painted the surface with Collage Medium then added Clear Rock Candy glitter over the surface. Once dry to the touch, the frame was added to the the Tray with 3D foam squares. I could have filled in the window but I loved the look of the pine spray and did not want to cover that up.

The Paper Dolls are again, from a Christmas pack.  I used Distress Crayon to color their clothes.  Aged Mahogany was used for her coat and Chipped Sapphire was used for his.  I used the crayons directly over both coats, then wiped away the excess crayon with my fingertip.  For the collar of her coat, I used a Detailer water brush to get the sheer color over the fur.  I also used a detailer water brush to pick up some Fossilized Amber crayon to paint the blades on the skates, buttons on the coats and hats as well as the plaid on his coat. There are no lines on his coat, I just made up the subtle pattern.  Once the Paper Dolls are complete, add them to the surface with bingo chips so they sit a bit above the glittery frame.

I decide to use some of the Christmas idea-ology to create a small collage to the left of the frame. I used the plaid slide frame (also from the Baseboard pack). The rest is from the Christmas Ephemera with the addition of the flair button.

I added glitter to a red star from Baseboard pack.  I could of covered the red with the glitter but I decided to leave it showing like old ornament glitter that has been worn away.

You can see here how many levels there are.  All done using foam squares or bingo chips.  It takes a bit of trial and error before getting the right configuration but I love how it turned out.  

I added glitter to the 25 (Glossy Accents) and tucked a bit of shredded cheesecloth under the Tiny Clip for added texture.

And the little Woodland Tree...

I twisted off the base that is on the tree then sprayed the tree with Bundled Sage Distress Spray Stain and dried with a heat tool.  You only need half the tree, so use scissors to cut off the back of the tree so it can sit flat against the tray.  

I decided to use a Wood Slice for the base because it was thicker.  I used a flat head screwdriver and small hammer to split the wood circle in half.  Then used Collage Medium to glue the small paper measuring tape to the edge.  Once that was dry, I added the tree and base to the tray with hot glue.  The shredded cheesecloth and the metal snowflake were added with a little Collage Medium.

You could add any kind of embellishment to the tree that you wish.  I decided to keep it simple and just add some Mercury Glass Stickles to the tips of the tree.

So happy to share this collage tray with you today. I love Christmas projects and this is no exception.  The Baseboards and ephemera make it easy to find just the right piece to make everything merry!

now carry on,

paula

Salvaged Patina Fabric Journal

Hello friends,

I am sharing a project from the Salvaged Patina release today, my mixed media Fabric Book.  This was such a fun project to create!  Lots of Collage Paper, Spray Stain and Distress Paint in the mix, along with Paper Dolls (both Solos and Groups)!  The Fabric Book is compact...or rather, it is just the right amount of space for Paper Dolls and ephemera and not so much space to be overwhelming.  Just my kind of substrate.

Lets start with the book itself...

The idea-ology Fabric Journal is made up of Cover and two, 4 page signatures. In the picture below, you can see the cover on the left and I am folding over one of the signatures.

To make the book I will be showing you today, I am only using the cover and one signature. Can you use the whole book and never take it apart? Of course you can. I just found it easier to unstitch each signature seam, work on the book using only the pages that I wanted.  The second signature will be use at a later time, so there really is no waste.
In the picture below, I have removed one signature from the Fabric Book and laid the two pieces I will use at the bottom of the picture.  I still need to remove the second signature so I can free up the cover.

And here we are...a cover + a large page + a small page, leaving one signature leftover. When I sew the book back together, I am going to switch the pages, placing the small page in between the cover and the large page. No real reason, other than I thought it looked better when turning the pages.

COVER

To begin, I quickly painted the INSIDE of the front cover with a layer of Collage Medium.  This will serve two purposes, it seals the fabric so the Spray Stain (next step) does not soak through and it will make the cover stronger once dry and cured.  

Spray Salvaged Patina Spray Stain right over the wet glue.  NOTE: I tactually urned my surface to spray from the left side to create a fade to the right or center of the book.

I also added Rustic Wilderness and more Salvaged Patina to the page. I did a much better job at spraying slowly/dribbling the Rustic Wilderness ink than I did in my original sample.  I guess 'practice makes perfect' rings true.  You can dry the surface with a heat tool to speed things up.

I love how the Spray Stain looks over the glue, you can still see the fabric and really, once the glue is dry you will be able to feel the texture of the book again.  So cool.

Once the inside of the cover is sprayed, move on to the Collage Paper that will be used to cover the outside of the cover and some of the pages.

Using different techniques to alter Collage Paper

Rip varying sizes of Collage Paper Entomolgy

Use Salvaged Patina Distress Paint to paint the BACKSIDE of any image.  Keep the paint thin, you do not want to overwork the thin Collage Paper.

This is what it will look like on the right side of the paper once dry.  Very cool, right?

Lightly spray with Salvaged Patina Distress Spray Stain. Practice pushing the nozzle down with a scrap paper to test out the spray/splatter pattern before moving to the Collage Paper. Keep some of the papers light (not too much spray) so once you adhere it to the Fabric Journal, you will see the fabric texture through the paper.

On other pieces, add more colors to the mix. If you leave the colors as you sprayed them and dry with a heat tool they will stay dark/deep. For lighter color, pounce over paper with a paper towel before drying.

For the cover and one of the pages, I went heavy on the color. I did pounce to get lighter shades, but added more spray. One thing to take note, was that I sprayed Salvage Patina at the start, then added the other colors and dried with a heat tool. Then I went back and added more Salvaged Patina to a few bare spots. This really brought back the bright blue. So leaving a little white space is good!

Once the Collage Paper is complete, you can start to adhere it to the book. Using the large piece as an example, I covered the entire canvas with Collage Medium making sure to work quickly so it stays wet enough to adhere the ALL the Collage Paper.  Press the paper into the fabric (you must have clean hands) until you can feel that it is adhered to the surface.  Add a layer of Collage Medium over the top - this will seal the paper and make it transparent. Collage paper can be dried with a heat tool so you can move through the book quickly, but it will not be fully dry or "cured" till the next day.  In fact it is always surprising how it changes overnight. The Collage paper portions will feel like oil cloth.

You might notice that I added paper from Backdrops 1 to the back of the large page. I like that the eye has a break from all the sprayed pages. 

Once you are to this stage, get the pages in the order you want and stitch them up the center. Now you are ready to embellish the pages with what ever you wish!

I have kept the inside simple to really show off the Collage Paper, adding just Paper Dolls, Backdrop paper, Clipping stickers (all words) and ephemera from both Field Notes (standard and snippets size), as well as a few cards/tickets from the Ephemera pack, Keepsakes.

The gold paint behind his head is Dina Wakley Acrylic paint in Gilt. This thick body paint is my go-to gold for all my projects. The white dots were made with a POSCA paint pen.

I could have left the alphabet card in the background alone but I decided to add the POSCA pen work to add more visual texture.

I created the pattern on her yellow colored dress - all with Distress Crayons and a Detailer Water brush. The clothing here was colored directly on the surface with the crayon, then rubbed till I got the right transparency of color.  The pattern was added by dotting the surface with the end of the Detailer Water Brush dipped into the crayon color.  If you want to know more about working with Distress Crayons, please refer to this blog post HERE.

The dots made with the POSCA pen add such detail to the clothes!  The faux tweed on his pants was all done with the damp bristles of the water brush and crayon.

Here is where you can see the mix of the two Field Note SKU's. The bird is from the standard size Field Notes and the small pieces, the rose and blue circle are from the Snippets pack.  

I also used crayon to color the bird and the grass - this is most successful if you coat the ephemera with collage medium first, giving the card a slick surface.

The journal cover embellishment is again a mix of small and large.  Large label from Field Notes and small blue label from the Snippets pack.  The button is from the Mini Flair pack and the words from the Clippings Sticker book.  

The twill tie comes with the Fabric Journal.  I sprayed it with Salvaged Patina Spray Stain and water, then dried it with the heat tool.  Once dry, I was able to use Archival ink to stamp the words, "tell your story" on one side of the ribbon, from the Stampers Anonymous Simple Sayings stamp set.

I had already added the Paper Doll on the inside so I could not sew the label directly to the book.  My solution was to stitch the label then glue it to the book with Collage Medium at the top and bottom, allowing the tie to move freely.

I love making little books and this is no exception.  From the spraying, adding the paper, to coloring the Paper Dolls I just love it.  I guess I like the fact that anything goes!  I'm ready to make another one!

Now carry on,

paula

PRODUCTS USED IN PROJECT