being creative...

i bought a new mixed media art journal the other day and as soon as i got home, i wanted to get it started.   i saw this quote on pinterest and thought it's so true. so this is going to be kind of a long post. i did a bunch of things with this page so i wanted to explain them a little bit.

being creative
stamps:  unity, smash*
paper: mixed media journal, becky higgins pp, dictionary page
ink:  walnut stain, broken china, worn lipstick, jet black
paint: gesso, acrylic
embellishments:  muslin, glimmer mist, buttons, tiny attacher, ghost alphabet
other: decoupage, bubble wrap, india ink

here are some close-ups of the page.  i cut some flowers out of muslin, then sprayed them with glimmer mist. and you see my favorite bubble wrap stamped all over!

i love using pages from books.  it gives such a cool look.  with this one, i wanted to leave the 'create' definition unpainted so it would stand out.

used more muslin to mat the piece of paper i stamped 'hobby' on.  also used a button for the 'o'.

using some of these plastic ghost alphabet letters, i laid them out, then sprayed glimmer mist over the top of them so they were like a stencil.  i outlined them with my favorite new pen.  if you like writing or doodling on anything, you need this pen!!

i loved this gelato thing where you make paint using gelatos, then realized halfway through the process i could do the same with thinned out acrylic paint. but i do love how it turned out.  i did add some white to the paint to make it a little lighter.

after i mixed up the paint, i used a very technical process i learned from tracy, know as "drippies", it left some tiny flecks of the gelatos that didn't get dissolved. the result looks cool.

and if you are still following this long post, here is the whole thing (when i remembered to take pictures!) from the beginning!!

night owlie...

so i have been off work for the past four days.  it's been great.  the mister has also been off work.  we were going to go away on vacation, then decided to stay home and just hang out.  so we've done a lot of just relaxing.  he found a new game he likes (he's a little bit of a nerd, but who isn't?) which works for me because it gives me lots of time in my craft room!

i was obsessing over discovering new things on pinterest the other day and saw a cute owl canvas that was adorable.  so it gave me the idea for this  8x8 canvas.  consequently, this one looks nothing like what i thought it would, but i'm still happy with how it turned out.

night owlie
stamps:  unity
patterned paper: lilybee designs, authentique, we are memory keepers, american crafts
ink:  shabby shutters, walnut stain, seedless preserves
paint: gesso, acrylic
other: india ink-black, mod podge, modeling paste, bubble wrap

i have had a few goto places for insiration for all this mixed media madness. i have to credit my friend, cindi, for prodding inviting me to monday night ustream with tracy weinzapfel.  that pretty much started the spiral down this path!  so kuddos to tracy and cindi!  i also love things by donna downey and christy tomlinson.  those women are so crafty!!

a few people have asked to see how i do my canvases.  so i made a little video of one.  i made another butterfly canvas that i used from the mystery project to show what i do.

and if you are still with me after all of that...don't forget tomorrow is the {ippity} new release blog hop.  i have to say, once again, that i love this month's release!!  so stop on by tomorrow at 6pm mst (that's 7pm cst) and check out the new goodies!  there might be a prize involved!  

and don't forget i'm giving away some unity goodness with this post!