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! 

Ryan at the Beach

Hi everyone, Melissa here with my DT team page for the Mixed Media Warriors April Moodboard Challenge! My sister-in-law sent me this photo of my nephew Ryan years ago,it was taken at Eaton's Neck,Northport, NY.  I thought it would be good for this month's project.  

I made this using a 12 x 12 sheet of watercolor paper. I added a layer of gauze in the shape of a giant C with gesso, then stenciled on texture paste with a few different stencils. I spread some on some paste as it were cake frosting in a couple spots. I painted the page with thin layers of LSG,and added the photo, followed by the embellishments.  The photo is on watercolor paper, the bottom two layers underneath are cardstock. I put  two layers of foam core board between the layers to give the page some dimension. I brushed on gesso to try and unify all the pieces, then added more LSG.  I decided everything was too shiny, using my face powder and the brush I apply it with, I put on a layer of it. 

The sea horse is by Tim Holtz, I painted it blue, put a thick layer of crackle on, and let it sit overnight.  I brushed on gold acrylic by Firefly, I got it at Tuesday Morning. The little stickers are from 7 Dots.

I love to collect scrapbooking supplies, can you tell?  

The button with the bee on it is Prima, the black letters are Tim Holtz, the chipboard is from Blue Fern I think. The butterfly is fussy cut from Graphic 45.

The braided metal bracelet is from my sister, she gave me an a stash of jewelry she didn't use anymore a few years ago.  

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

                                         

Beautiful Girl and Spring Colors

Hi everyone! Melissa here with my Design Team take on the March Mood Board, at Mixed Media Warriors. Spring is the best season here in Texas, and we're right in the middle of it now. 

  I have used a photo of my son's beautiful girlfriend,Aron. 

I used the color palette in the bottom middle photo of the moodboard.

To make this page I took a sheet of 12 x 12 watercolor paper and put some gauze on with gesso. I put homemade texture paste on with a few stencils. I painted it with a mix of white acrylic paint and Lindy's Stamp Gang. I painted over some of the page with white paint to create some negative space,  then used a brush to apply texture paste to several areas.

To add visual interest I put on flowers, pearls, die cut sizzix leaves and butterflies,micro beads,seed beads,and bling.

I ran a bark colored Derwent Inktense Watercolor Pencil over the surface by holding the pencil sideways,I wanted to make the gauze texture more visible.

I used several kinds of Prima and Petaloo flowers.  I made the chiffon purple one.

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

Beachy Altered Box

Hi everyone! Melissa here with an altered box. The paper I used is so beautiful, it was hard for me to put anything on it. The beach is one of my favorite places to be. 

Supplies Used:

• Footprints 12" Double Sided Scrapbook Paper
• Atlantis Cloudy Skies 12" Colorways Scrapbook Paper
• Believe 12" Double Sided Scrapbook Paper
• Atlantis Map 12"Colorways Scrapbook Paper

To make this covered wood box I first took the hardware off.  I adhered paper to the inside and outside with gloss gel. I painted the hardware with gesso after putting it back on.  On top of the gesso I applied gold rub n buff with my finger, gold mica powder, and very lightly brushed on  aqua metallic paint. 

To make a surface to apply paint to, I applied mat modge podge with a cosmetic wedge sponge. I also thought the sealed paper would be easier to dust, for when it's on a bookcase in my scraproom.

I painted on brown glimmery mist around the hardware,and drew on thick lines with a brown watercolor pencil. I softened the pencil with a wet brush.

I left three sides of the box relatively plain, to allow the shoreline on the paper to be the main focus.

I rubbed on gold mica powder with my finger on the edges of the box.

I used glossy accents to glue on shells, metal,micro beads, and pearls. I painted with brown,then turquoise shimmery mist on the front of the top.

  I sprayed on the same colors of mist on gauze. After it was dry, I  put small pieces on the box,  sprayed with water, and using a straight pin drew the threads out to where I wanted them. I lightly applied glossy accents along the threads.

  I put on a photo of a Black Crowned Night Heron that I took a while back. He's a water bird so he fits right in.

As a final step I patted on gold mica powder with my finger to random spots. This was to kind of tie together all the items.

I kept the color scheme pretty simple.

I'm sure I will enjoy looking at this on my bookcase for a long time.  Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day!