Julie Nutting Doll Beachside Art Journal Page

Surely many people reading this blog also make cards. But do you also do art journaling? It’s so much fun and uses all the same supplies!

You can make your own journal or just bind some pages together after you created enough for a book. I have two art journals I work in and another I swapped. The first two are hardbound, one with sketch weight paper and one with much sturdier paper. I use the study one for my final products and the sketch paper one for trials and experiments. The swap journal was one I made, decorated a two page spread in and then it was sent on it’s way to have pages done by people all over the world! It finally made it’s way back to me after over two years and I was thrilled with the art I received!

This particular page was done as a loose page swap (no book was mailed around the world) which ends up much cheaper in the long run and if a package goes missing, at least it’s only one page rather than a whole book. The theme was Julie Nutting summer. Well, as you probably know if you visit here regularly, I am IN LOVE with the BEACH! So I have lots and LOTS of fun supplies to use when making this page! It would take ages to list all the supplies so leave me a comment or email me if you’d like to know more about something specific.

Enjoy, Rebecca

CASE the Designer

I found a new-to-me challenge blog, Global Design Project a short while ago. This week their challenge was to CASE one of their designers, Steffi Helmschrott. Her card was so pretty, I just had to play.

The day I made this, I wanted to do something mixed media, but I couldn’t decide what to make. When I saw this challenge, it was so perfect! I started with white cardstock on a kraft base. But I didn’t want to just stamp or stencil ink on the background so I added some gold crackle paste (Prima) through a stencil (Tim Holtz). Then I added a postmark like you can see on her card but went a bit further and added a few more as well as some cancellation stamps.

For the green I added some leafy die cuts (PTI) and instead of the butterfly, I added a lovely lacy flower (Prima). For finishing touches, I sponged some ink on both the card base and on the focal panel. I added a gold embossed sentiment on vellum and some sequins. The button in the middle of the flower was originally plain wood so I coloured it with a gold paint pen so it would match better. I had so much fun playing with this challenge. I can’t wait to see what’s next!

Enjoy, Rebecca

Entered in: Global Design Project #44

Do You Like Piña Coladas?

And getting caught in the rain? If you’re not into yoga and… Ha! Remember that old song? Once I got this page almost done, I just couldn’t think of any title that worked better!

I started with the challenge by The Monthly Mixed Media Challenge: April Showers. Then the Wednesday prompt for the Simon Says Stamp blog was April Showers and/or May Flowers. So I went to work. First I added crumpled tissue with gel medium then raindrop stencilling to the top of the page and large roses to the bottom. When it came time to add colour, I was a bit stuck. I already made a canvas using another Julie Nutting Doll with a clear blue sky and nice green grass. I didn’t want to repeat that. So I thought of a night sky! I used Golden fluid acrylic paint to cover the page.

On the bottom, I added silver rub on metallic paste to the raised areas. You don’t even realize it is there but it makes the road look shiny and highlighted. I coloured and paper pieced my doll. I made my own stencil to make sure that the road lines were the same size and shape. At this point, I realized that this elegant lady probably wouldn’t be out in the rain without an umbrella. and I started thinking of the title. Even if you like getting caught in the rain, you might not want to get wet!

Her umbrella is made from white cardstock and lace which I sewed to add the ruffle. Then I sprayed it with Colour Bloom spray. The handle is a bamboo skewer split down the middle and shortened to make it fit better. Her dress is much brighter and more dramatic IRL. For some reason, it looks really washed out. The necklace is made of tiny rhinestones.

Finally, I printed the sentiment using a font called Old Newspaper. Since the song is about a personal ad in the paper, I sponged on faded burlap distress ink on the whole piece and vintage photo lightly on the edges. It does look like old newsprint.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Prima
Paper: journal page, printer paper, Basic grey paper pack, Georgia pacific white CS
Ink: black memento
Accessories: Prima stencils, golden paints and gel medium, big brush marker, Copic markers, Liquitex light moulding paste

Shabby Doll Tag

Here’s the second part of a swap. I posted the first tag HERE. While the other tag was chunky, this one was supposed to be flat. Since most of my embellies are chunky, this was a bit tricky!

I’m afraid the right side is a bit blown out. There is a second layer of lace out there that you can’t see very well. For some weird reason, this was hard to photograph. To get the main colours right, the lace disappeared into the background. I should have used something in the background but I’d already mailed it when I realized. :( There isn’t too much to really describe. I just collaged lots of fun stuff on there!

I’m entering this in the Card Concept Challenge #26. And another Happy Anniversary to the CCC! Yeah, I am so glad I found you. This is my first time even seeing this challenge!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: postcard-Crafty Secrets, Doll-Prima
Ink: Memento black, Ranger Archival black
Paper: Prima Something Blue
Accessories: lace-stash, tapes-unknown, rhinestones-K&Co, foam dots-Sticky Stuff Store, hand-dyed Hug Snug seam binding ribbon

Shabby Chic Tag

I am in LOVE with these Julie Nutting doll stamps. They take a while to either colour or paper piece but the results are really worth it.

I love how the hair turned out on this one. I think I used E53,55,57 and maybe E49 for the very darkest areas. It’s hard to see the very fine detail but the legs are also paper pieced which is why the colour is different from the skin I usually colour. I added Copics for shading that matched the paper’s tone. In case you are wondering, yes, this is a very large stamp. I handmade the tag but it is close to a large standard tag, about 6.5” x 3”.

The paper is from an older Webster’s Pages; background (made of several papers), lobster paper (distressed and covered with Rock Candy crackle paint) and the paper piecing papers all come from the paper pack. I carefully cut out the paper around the tag reinforcer so it would show through. The little boats were coloured with Copics too.

I messed up the stamping of the feet, I got a double line, so I made the shoes slightly higher to cover that up. The stars are covered with a Wink Of Stella pen. The sand is a product called Mudd Puddles; it’s basically sand in glue in a small jar so you can apply it like molding paste. It doesn’t apply as smoothly but it is fun.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Prima
Ink: Distress Frayed Burlap, Memento black
Paper: Webster’s Pages, vanilla CS-?, small premade tag
Accessories: star-Jesse James buttons, sand-Mudd Puddles, twine-reused from packaging, Copics, seam binding-Masterstroke Ribbon, lace-Fabricland, ticket-?, Rock Candy Crackle paint, tiny twinkles-TE, star, boat veneers-Studio Calico, foam squares-Sticky Stuff Store