Here We Go! - May 2023 Scrapbooking & Mixed Media Kits + Mood Board
Hey, y’all! This week I have a mood board inspired layout for you using the 49 & Market “Everywhere” collection from the Scrapbooking Kit and the mediums and stencil pack from the Mixed Media Kit. I started my paper crafting journey close to 15 years ago – with paper, glue, and scissors – it didn’t take long for me to realize I “needed” a few more supplies! I started with solid papers - I was terrified of patterned paper! How do you not have elements clashing?!?! And, even though I used duplicate photo prints, I still couldn’t fathom cutting them! Suffice it to say, my initial layouts are, comparatively, bland.
What was my biggest game-changer? Learning about the existence of gesso – especially clear gesso. I have zero formal training in physical art, so for everything I do now, I had to learn from videos, experience, and luck! Lots and lots of “dumb luck” LOL! Y’all, I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how others were adding wet mediums to their layouts and getting them to move around instead of soaking in and becoming splotches. Then I learned about gesso. Clear gesso when you don’t want to cover everything, and white gesso to create a “clean” area for your feature photos. And, even though I haven’t needed to (yet!), black gesso could easily be used too!
That brings us to my layout! A remarkable evolution from my first layout which had two solid colored cardstocks and two 4”x6” photos. Make sure you check out my process video to see what I did to put it all together!
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This project was also inspired by this month’s mood board - maps, travel, and adventure – even if the adventure is a walk and picking flowers. Plus the twist “Oh The Places You Will Go” has both a literal and figurative interpretation. There isn’t just the physical adventure or possibilities of adventure, but the great adventure of life!
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After I finally managed to decide which sheet of patterned paper I wanted to use, I added a coat of clear gesso. While that gesso dried, I remembered I needed to coat the Tres Jolie Chipboard pieces – but I had already rinsed out my brush and was preparing to wind down for the day, so I gave them a spray of Workable Fixatif for convenience!
After the gesso had dried, I used the Seth Apter “Flakey” Texture Paste and the Tim Holtz Circle Fade Stencil from the Mixed Media Kit this month to start building my background with a few random areas of texture where I was planning on adding my photos and clusters.
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After the texture paste had dried, I mixed together each of the three PearlEx Powders from the Mixed Media Kit with water in a small palette to use as watercolors to add on and around the stenciling – then I just dipped into my three watercolors, let them move around on the background naturally and added a few extra splatters of the “Duo Aqua Blue” and “Sky Blue.” I also added a light coating of Workable Fixatif after my colors had dried to hold those powders in place.
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As I started playing around with the elements I had decided to use, I realized I needed a little extra separation between the background and the photos, so I added some extra, torn-edge, pieces of paper as part of my layering process. I have my photos backed with some adhesive foam to help stabilize them, and then I just started positioning everything where I wanted it, then came in and added hot glue underneath the pieces – because I didn’t want to “forget” what I had originally planned if I tried taking everything off then rebuilding with the glue!
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For the Tres Jolie Chipboard, I used a mix of the “Worn Jeans” Chalk Ink found in this month’s Cards, Tags, & More Kit, the three PearlEx Powders from the Mixed Media Kit, and clear embossing ink (refill bottle) and Extra Thick Embossing Powder from my stash. I started with the chalk ink, sprinkled, brushed, and watered down the PearlEx Powders while the ink was still wet, then decided what I really needed was some embossing – and that’s when I used my refill embossing ink to “paint” my powders in place before adding the Extra Thick Embossing Powder. Then I did it a second time – minus the chalk ink – so I have two layers of color and embossing powder!
After everything was in place and the hot glue had cooled down, I came back with my palette of “watercolors” to extend the areas of color and to blend in the torn pieces of paper I had added with my clusters and photos.
I hope you enjoyed this layout and it gave you some ideas of how you can use the mediums from the Mixed Media Kit and the “Everywhere” Collection from the Scrapbooking Kit!
Stay Crafty, Friends
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In addition to this month’s Scrapbooking Kit and Mixed Media Kit, I used:
StazOn “Jet Black,” Dear Lizzy Date Stamp, Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher, Finnabair Clear Gesso, Ranger Clear Extra Thick Embossing Powder, Ranger Clear Emboss-It Ink Refill Bottle, double-sided adhesive foam, Krylon Workable Fixatif, Art Glitter Glue, Gorilla Glue Gun & Glue Sticks