See Beauty Everywhere

Hi everyone! Melissa here with a dt page for the March moodboard at Mixed Media Warriors.

I was inspired by the almost summery feel of the photos.

To make this page I took a piece of Blue Fern paper and glued it onto a piece of cardboard,so that it would be free standing when I took photos, and also to help prevent warping. I painted it with mat medium so the paper didn't soak up the paint. I applied a thick layer of texture paste using a TCW stencil, with a credit card. Starting from the top layer I have the photo, cardstock, foam core board, watercolor paper, and two more layers of foam board. 

I dyed a piece of gauze an inch bigger than the photo with Shimmerz paints and Distress ink. I cut a hole in the middle of the gauze and worked it around the photo.  

I painted the Dusty Attic and 2 Crafty chipboard with Steampunk Copper by Finnabair, then topped it with Rock Candy Crackle.

The background is painted with mostly Shimmerz paints, in greens and purples. The very pale pink on the watercolor paper behind the photo is called Dear John Letter. 

The flowers are Prima and 49 and Market. The metal leaf is Vintaj. The fussy cut pieces are Graphic 45. The little white butterflies at the top of the photo are from Pion.

I painted on colors, and when I was done, I sponged on gesso to create more negative space,because the page was looking too busy. I took a dry paint brush and put small amounts of gesso on and brushed it over different raised areas, to create more contrast and add some light.

The title sticker is from 7 Dots. I added broken jewelry, a charm, rhinestones, pearls,lace, and more.

The metal round piece at is from Tim Holtz.

The purple flatback crystals are Swarovski, the brad is Tim Holtz. There's some gold leaf, and small pieces of metallic Tresors de Luxe lace. The metal at the left hand corner of the photo is from Finnabair. I also added tulle, metal glitter, distress glitter, micro beads, seed beads, Tim Holtz gold rub ons, a 7 Dots title sticker, dried flowers, sequins, strings from the gauze, and tiny rhinestones. I used a Prima stamp and did a few random areas with black ink.

The very pale pink to the left of the photo is Dear John Letter Inklingz, a very smooth,creamy, shimmery watercolor paint. I love that color! The brown on the page is Winsor and Newton watercolor.

Thank you so much for looking, and have a great week! I hope you are inspired to make an entry to the March challenge!

Winter is Coming

Hi everyone! Melissa here with an inspiration page for Mixed Media Warriors. Everyone on the team does an extra page for the month, in addition to one for the mood board. We can do anything we want. I've had this photo for awhile, and I love the way it looks against the dark background of this paper, Frosty Morning, from the Until Dawn collection by 13 Arts. I bought a bunch of chipboard from Scrapbook Diaries at Christmas, I've used Dusty Attic, and also some from my stash. I like the idea of winter, and snow, but we have nice mild winters in Houston. When it gets below 40 degrees, that is already too cold for me. Don't visit in the summer, it stays a humid 95 degrees for about six months.

To make this page I applied the paper to cardboard using mod podge. I painted on matt medium. I  used double sided foam tape to put the photo onto a piece of cardstock, then watercolor paper,and finally, three layers of foam core board.  I had gauze I'd dyed with Lindy's from another project, took a piece bigger than the pic, and cut a cross shape in the middle. I fit it around the pic and glued it with glossy accents. 

I applied texture paste using a Daisy stencil from 13 Arts. You can't really see it, I painted the raised areas black on the black parts of the page.I didn't plan on applying a lot of stuff, because I thought even just the photo and the paper was enough. I wound up putting a lot on the background, but I tried to keep it wispy looking.

I treated the Finnabair metal butterfly and all the chipboard with Patina Effect Paste. I added clear rock candy crackle to the board,and brushed on a little Shimmerz, then Magic Pond Art Alchemy.

To add visual interest I glued on micro beads, seed beads, dried flowers from both my yard and dog park. Sequins, pearls, crystals, feathers the birds leave in our bird bath, lichen from my yard,mica flakes, tulle, cut up pieces of gold metallic tresors de Luxe lace, metal glitter, rhinestones, and big glass pebbles. You can't really see the pebbles, they're underneath chipboard and other things. 

There's a couple Tim Holtz snowflake rub ons, and I tried to put gold ones at the bottom but I guess because of the matt medium, it didn't work, I wound up with gold smudges.

The flowers at the left of the pic are from Prima.

The metal feathers are from Hobby Lobby, I used the Patina Effect on them too.

I used glossy accents to apply everything.

The elvish girl has a leaf as a headdress, and I wanted to carry out the in the woods theme. That's why I put all the dried flowers on I guess.

The metal snowflake at the top of the pic is from Finnabair.

I added the copper paint to the watercolor paper.

The little pendant is from Hobby Lobby.

Thank you so much for looking, and have a great week! 

Fearless in Neon

Hi everyone! Melissa here with my entry for the More Than Words September 2017 Main Challenge FEARLESS & GRUNGE.  I have faced a lot of fears in my life, and to me this photo is of someone who is very calm,cool, ready for battle, and FEARLESS. I added GRUNGE with black paint splatters, a rough surface on the cardboard, beads tossed on randomly, and a generally messy look.

 I bought this Reminisce paper at my LSS, I was amazed by the color and look of the butterflies. It is definitely one of my favorite colors. I used a Prima stencil and put on texture paste. I later spritzed it with Tattered Angels mists. The cardboard has layers of paint, clear embossing powder, and mica powder.

The lace is Tresors, the flowers are by Prima and Recollections.

The little gold faces are by Sculpy, I used clay,baked them,prepped with gesso, and painted with some gold Momenta stencil paint. I added a little purple mica powder on two of them.  I used Heidi Swap  Black Sugar mist around the edges of the cardboard, and on around many other areas.

I dyed cheesecloth with Tattered Angels Mist in Purple Rain and Rasberry Blue. I painted the chipboard with Prima Finnabair-Art Alchemy-Sparks Acrylic Paint Iris Potion,  black gesso,  Faber Castelle gelatos in orange, and gold paint.

I made the orange flower with satin awhile ago. I added orange glass beads, sequins, distress glitter, micro beads around it. I used a Derwent Inktense pencil in Bark around the edges of the texture paste, and softened it with water. 

Thank you so much for looking, and have a great week!

Art Journal Cover

Hi everyone, Melissa here with a design team project for Mixed Media Warriors! 

To make this I cut a piece of Blue Fern paper to match the size of the cover. I inked the edges, stenciled on some ink and texture paste.  I glued on Dusty Attic chipboard, Tresors de Luxe lace, Petaloo flowers, shells, stickers,glass beads,bling, and metal pieces. I covered everything with gesso, then applied paint. I sprayed on Tattered Angels in brown and turquoise. I also used Prima waxes, Art Alchemy paints, Lindy's Stamp Gang, Shimmers, Liquid Pearls, Jaaquard Mica Powders, and gold stencil paint by Momenta.

Inspired by a youtube by Gabrielle Pollacco.

Thank you so much for looking, and have a great week!