Mixed Media Background - Tutorial

As promised... here is a step by step tutorial to create a mixed media background, similar to what I have created for "Where Thou Art".

You will need to download it as a PDF by clicking either of these links:

Onscreen View 1.4mb
Printable 6.8mb

I'd love the chance to see what you create, so don't forget to leave a comment with a link to your work so I can have a see also!







Thanks for visiting, take care and

Where Thou Art

Another Mixed Media Canvas... this was such messy icky fun, I had paint, gesso and impasto everywhere!

There are many layers on the canvas, Donna Salazar Antiquities PP, Dress Pattern Tissue and; 7 Gypsies Tissue as a background, layered with vintage doilies, paint, impasto and many sprays! All topped off with delicious Dusty Attic and always so pretty Green Tara Roses!!

 The cogs were painted with Adirondack Copper and Terracotta Paints, dabbed with TH Distress Stain Walnut and then spritzed with Pearl Mist. This was heated until the copper paint bubbled to create texture.

 

The Wrought Iron Decorative Trim was painted in warm white and then spritzed with Moonshadow Pirate's Plunder Gold.

The dress form was painted in Golden's Titan Buff and Raw Umber, misted with Moonshadow Pirate's Plunder Gold and then dressed in Green Tara lace and muslin.

I am creating a step by step tutorial for the background on this one if you are interested, so check back soon, it should be up by the end of the month.  It's surprisingly easy and uses a minimal amount of 'fancy' art mediums, most you already likely will have in your stash!

Products used:

Dusty Attic 

    Wrought Iron Trim Set DA0547
    Dress Form #2 DA0390
    Jumbo Cogs DA0232
    Cogs 2 DA0002

Green Tara

   Lace L2864W

   Roses 1cm Ivory FDR001Iv

   Roses 2cm Red FDR006R

   Roses 2cm White FDR006Wh

Antiquities by Donna Salazar PP - Vintage Gears
7 Gypsies Tissue
Dress Pattern Tissue

Vintage Crochet Doily
Buttons


Mediums:
Derivan Impasto
Jo Sonya, Adirondack & Golden Paints
Claudia Helmuth Gesso
Glue & Seal, Mod Podge & Helmar Tiger Grip
Lindys Stamp Gang Moonshadow & Starburst Stains

 Thanks for visiting, take care and

All things are possible...

...in the land of Faerie!

I love this Dusty Attic Garden Fairy DA0278... last night I wanted to play with something but had no photos that were working for me, but she called to me to be created!

I have to admit, before I went to bed last night she looked like a dodgy fairy, but there must have been some magic in the air last night because this morning she was gorgeous... and so a canvas needed to be created!

The Canvas background is mixed media, using paper offcuts and tissue paper, all glued down and then tinted with paints and mists... then a little impasto to create texture, gesso and then more mists.  I have used Glimmermists as well as Starburst Stains on this one.  The Starburst Stains have that amazing glimmer!!

These Dusty Attic Leafy Stems #3 DA0580 above and Russian Alphabet DA0522 below were both painted white, dabbed with aqua paint, spritzed with Moonshadow Pirate's Plunder Gold and then coated with dimensional magic and sprinkled with mica flakes!

The gorgeous Dusty Attic Garden Fairy was painted white first and then with Golden Titan Buff for the skin tones, Golden Raw Umber for the hair {and left thick for texture}, and with Moonglow Glitz Spritz Desert Moon Horny Toad Teal {how's that for a name}, it gave her freckles!  Her wings were 'smooched' with Smooch {by Clearnsnap} Ocean Soul, Frosted Aqua & a little Habby Pink, and lastly were backed with Textiva Fusible Film.   She was then dressed in lovely soft muslin and draped in ZVA Bling!

The canvas was trimmed with some delicious Green Tara Lace L2898OW and was coloured with the same mists used over the canvas... love this lace!!

She will look beautiful on the wall in my new scrap room {if it ever gets finished}... she's for me, all mine!!

Thanks for visiting, take care and

Cute

It doesn't take much to make my day, today this cute little bottle had me clapping my hands with glee!!

Is it not the sweetest thing!

These are brand new to Dusty Attic, just perfect to make your own colour washes and spritz mixes! They are only 85mm tall so they fit perfectly snug in your hand, making them perfect for great spray control!

They'll be in the Dusty Attic shop very soon, so if you want to get some pretty spray bottles, have a talk with your fave Dusty retailer and ask them to get some in!!

Green Tara Design Team

I have the best most exciting news to share!!


We would like to congratulate and welcome to the Green Tara Design team the following very talented people,

Amanda Kitchen - Australia

Geraldine Pasinati - Australia

Mistra Hoolahan - Australia

Tina Dalton - Australia

JJ Sobey -Canada

Vicky Alberto - Canada

I have been asked to join the Green Tara Design Team!   It's one of my dreams come true... all those fabulous flowers and trims and lace and metal embies and and and... 

Click on the image to check out their yummies!! Green Tara are wholesale suppliers of one of the largest ranges of mulberry paper products. They supply paper petals, paper string, paper flowers {I so so so love the paper roses} and leaves, handmade craft papers, ribbons, lace {mmm lace} and other gorgeous trims! All those yummy bits!!!

It's also exciting that my friend Tina made the team, and  the gorgeous Vicky Alberto ! Very much looking forward to getting the know the rest of the team!!

Thanks for visiting, take care and

Handmade Halo

Yesterday I found the most delightful site of handmade goodies... and have to share {although really, maybe I should just keep them all for myself}!!  

Handmade Halo is an online Australian store... which I found via Natasha's Blog {and Natasha lives in the US... goes to show how small our internet world is}, I had a little too much fun ordering last night... and have been yabbering to the gorgeous Corinne via email since!

If you like trinkets and bits like I do, pop into Corinne Harrison's Store Handmade Halo - it's a treasure trove of delights!!  I can't wait for my goodies to arrive, it will be like Christmas!!

Thanks for visiting, take care and

Change

"If you put in the effort you will see change".   One of the many motivational posters I have pinned lately on Pinterest.  I've been putting in the effort, and finally am seeing some change!!  So time to celebrate with a Layout!

And what better way than to celebrate with some of my very favourite papers... Antiquities by Donna Salazar for GCD.  Still loving the soft girly grunge of these!

 All my favourite things as well... ZVA Bling, Dodgy Flowers, Green Tara Roses and Sprays, Crochet Lace Trim and as always, Dusty Attic Chipboard!

Techniques:  The chipboard was painted in warm white acrylic paint, then dabbed with some Tim Holtz Vintage Photo Distress Stain and blended with a nappy wipe.  Next it was dunked into LSG Cotton Candy Pink Color Shot, dried off and dabbed with LSG Cajun Carnelian Red.  White still wet it was spritzed with a shimmer spritz and dried.   The spritz over the top activates all the colours and they blend and pool together, love this look!

Products used:
Dusty Attic Foliage DA0506
Antiquities by Donna Salazar Papers - Harmony & Let's Ride
ZVA Bling Flourish
Prima Crochet Trim
Green Tara Roses & Silver Sprays
Kaiser Blooms
Basic Grey Life of the Party Micro Mono Stickers
Carolee's Adorn It Alpha Stickers, Burlap Rust

Finishes:

• Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Color Shots {Cotton Candy Pink, Cajun Carnelian Red}
• Tim Holtz Distress Stain {Vintage Photo}
• Tsukineko Sheer Shimmer Spritz {Sparkle}
• Jo Sonya Warm White Acrylic Paint

Thanks for visiting, take care and

Remember

I found this pic I snapped of Darren last weekend, I know it's only been a week but I had forgotten I took it so was a nice surprise to find it sitting on my camera!  He was talking to his Aunty on speaker phone with his dad, his aunt at 86 is one quick witted woman, funny as!  Was good to see Darren smirking away as he was talking with her.   She'll be over visiting in October {hopefully} so will be great to see her again... will make sure I get some special photos of them!

 

I am really liking this 11x8.5" format, think I'll stick with it for a while!!  It's a simple one {liking simple atm}, using some Dusty Attic Hinges.  

Techniques:  The chipboard Hinges were painted in warm white acrylic paint and then layered with about 5 embossing powders!  Umm yeah, a little overboard but it was fun and look... it was effective!!  

1st they were painted {just dabbed on lightly} and then dried of quickly with a heat gun, then stamped with EmbossIt and sprinkled with a mix of embossing colours, heated, cooled, painted again {just light dabs} and then Embossed with UTEE and the Verdigris Embossing powder.  The UTEE helps the other embossing powders all blend up through the paint, creating this wonderful motley look.

Products Used:
Dusty Attic Hinges DA0509
BoBunny Et Cetera PP
Prima Printery PP
Kaiser Hunt & Gather Cards
Collections Transparency
TPC Button, Pink Paislee Ticket
Martha Stewart "Cherish" Punch

Embossing Powders

• Ranger Antiquities Rust & Verdigris
• Ranger Ancient Gold Tarnished Gold
• Lindy's Stamp Gang TerraCotta Rust & Desert Moon Copper Teal
• UTEE

Thanks for visiting, take care and

Beauty

Just trying some new things... I think this might be about my 2nd or 3rd 8.5"x11" LO - I like... I know I certainly LOVED the papers!!

This is a photo I took of one of our climbing roses and edited in Photoshop, would be amazing to have a turquoise sky IRL!!

The Sweet Pea Border is just so delicate and lovely! I have painted it white and inked it with versacube inks {those cute little square ones} and then covered it with Tiara Stickles.

I have used:
Sweet Pea Border DA0593, My Minds Eye Lost and Found2 Papers, Paper Doily, Hand Crocheted Doilys {from Michelle and Heather}, Prima and Green Tara Roses, Websters & Jenni Bowlin Stick Pins and a gorgeous Melissa Frances Resin piece.

Thanks for visiting, take care and

I love my weekends...

I really do... 2 whole days to do whatever I want {most times}! This weekend was a stunner... beautiful warm days with bright blue skies, nice and snuggly chilly at night... perfect!

Friday night {because that's when my weekend starts, 5pm Friday} I worked the Moonlight Crop at Tomorrow's Memories.  It's always such a lovely night, the people who attend are lovely women, and we all know I love the staff... just a night of giggles, it's hardly working!  Mel was there scrapping away and Tina even popped in... was a happy start to the weekend!

Saturday I had the whole day to myself!  I went up the shop to get Kel some cereal for treat day, had a little wander around in the bush chasing butterflies, darn things wouldn't stop for me though so I had to settle taking photos of bees and flowers, big brave me getting close to bees!!   Then my nephew Talis wanted to come stay overnight... so the quiet weekend was gone, but it's nice to have him stay, revs Kel up LOL!  We went up to Midland Gate for a little shopping, grabbed a late lunch then just relaxed at home watching movies, baking sausage rolls "mum why did you have to make so many" says Kel - darn teens are never happy!

Sunday I went to mum's to give her and her friends a little 'class', it was so cute!  I keep passing mum all this chipboard and mediums etc, but she wasn't sure what to do with them, so I showed her some of my techniques and she was off and running!

I am thankful I had such a lovely weekend... I've had a rough couple of weeks on the emotional side, well months actually but I have never felt so flat in my life as I did this last week especially {missed some medication and whooeeee it stuffed me around, I've made mistakes at work and even forgot Fathers Day... I don't do that so I was really not with it}, but I am feeling so much better now and am thankful I have a dad who forgives me anything {poor guy doesn't expect much from me and I forget to call him for Fathers Day, I still feel so so bad}, am thankful I have an understanding workplace and am thankful I have a few great girlfriends I can be open with and tell them when I'm having a really crap day!   Not such a bad world after all is it when you have that much understanding and support around you.

So today I have levelled out and was able to get out of bed... get to work without feeling dread... get through my day so far without stress... it's a good day!!  Now to introduce slowly all the other things I've neglected for a while, just a bit at a time... baby steps and all!!

I can see...

clearly now!    Because after many years I have glasses again, now the world looks 3D again LOL!

This LO is a lift of the beautiful Gabrielle Pollacco's layout: The Perfect Pumpkin,  I have done it for the Inspired By challenge that runs at Dusty Attic each fortnight.  I find the best way to learn a new style that you're having trouble with is to lift one of the layouts.  But Gabrielle's style just has that special 'something' and I struggled!!   But I am happy with what I created... and determined to try again to achieve that softness Gabrielle has!

So other than the overall design of Gabrielle's I tried to find things that were 'her' in there.  She sews, so I have hand sewing; she uses {most times} gentle feminine papers, so I found about the most feminine I had at the time; and her chipboard often has that soft shabby chic look so I tried to replicate that also, simple white paint with soft inked edges... so pretty, I think I got that part just right!

 Dusty Attic Baroque Corner DA0543

The papers I have used are stunning IOD ones, I really love the gentle shabby designs to their paper ranges, such lovely designs.  There's also Prima flowers and Green Tara Roses, Pink Paislee Pebble Button thingy's, BoBunny Trinkets, Prima Pebbles, Prima Lace Trim.

Delish...

Kel and I are watching what we eat, we've changed our lifestyle... one day a week we have a day off, to have a treat... sometimes a couple, we're finding having this day to have something we've been wanting really works for us!!

This Saturday out we had ice-cream, it was the BEST ice-cream ever - but Kel and I couldn't eat the whole thing! 

Look at those dimples... and they are more noticeable now he's lost a little more weight, so cute!

I have used the large part of the Garden Frame Set DA0606 from Dusty Attic on this, it's a gorgeous design, one of those ones that's perfect for almost any layout!

The frame has layers of paint, Lindys Starburst Stains, Glimmermist and Tim Holtz Stains, sealed with Tim Hotlz Rock Candy Crackle Paint.  I used the same treatment on the Tim Holtz Metal Label Holder as well, love that you can paint the metal!  

I have used little bits and pieces to create a cluster - buttons, metal cogs, string, tickets etc. The background paper is by Prima and the rumpled matt paper is Kaiser. 

Create @ Home Kit #4

Designer - Mel Connell

If you are looking for something a little different, then you will love Tomorrow's Memories Kit#4 "Whimsical Collection".  Inspired by the "Collections Elements" range of products, this kit offers something a little different by introducing a 12x12 Canvas panel with an inspirational quote... a stunning piece of art for your home or office. 

The projects in this kit incorporate some of "Collections Elements" latest releases including the Vintage Rose 6x6 papers, Victorian tissue paper and small printed tickets. 

A simply inspirational kit which will have you creating many more projects using these wonderful products!

Here's a direct link to the online store... yep, these wonderful kits are available online and can be shipped internationally!  Tomorrow's Memories

Mis and Maia

This is me when I was a toddler, and I loved cats back then {not sure Maia was too impressed with me though}!   Mum unearthed another little photo album so I have lots of cool pics from us back in Dec 1970.

 

I have tried some more hand stitching here... I do straight lines well, the flourishes need more work though!!

 

This is one of the new Nameplates {Nameplates #4 DA0585} from Dusty Attic, sweet hey!

 

And this one is a new Scroll {Scroll #7 DA0589}, it's so delicate and elegant!

Both pieces of chipboard were painted white, then inked with Bundled Sage and Pumice Stone Distress Inks by Tim Holtz, dried off and then given a quick glaze of GlimmerGlam HayRide.

 Prima Resistant Canvas Leaves... inked with Pumice Stone and Bundled Sage.  Kaiser Blooms and Green Tara Paper Roses.

This here shows one of the Stick Pins my friend Tina is making... isn't it gorgeous!  They are well made too, tightly fitted so they aren't falling down the pin, using quality beads, it just shows that she put a lot of effort and love into making them.  I just love them!   They are available to buy at Tomorrow's Memories.

Papers used here are the beautiful BoBunny Gabrielle, this range calls out to me!  There is also Kaiser Blooms, Green Tara Roses & Rosebuds, Mulberry Leaves, Apple Blossom Flowers, Lace Trim and a Silver Stem, Prima Trim and some beaded trim I got from Tomorrow's Memories, BoBunny Gabrielle Trinkets & Stickers, Websters Pages Sparklers and Kaiser Mini Alpha Stickers and a paper doily.

Take care of you.

True Beauty

These are the original photos of the ones I edited earlier... how stunning is that little Blue Wren!

It's a simple style LO, I wanted those photos to shine!  

I used Dusty Attic barb wire {Barb Wire DA0154} to match the wire in the images.  This was painted white and then swiped with Tim Holtz Rusty Hinge Distress ink, sprayed with Pearl Glimmermist to blend the paint and ink.

Love these new clouds {Clouds #2 DA0601} from Dusty Attic.  I love the trend of the puffy clouds, but that 'cartooney' style doesn't match my style... these wispy ones are just perfect for me!! They were painted white then swiped with Tim Holtz Pumice Stone and Tumbled Glass Distress Inks, sprayed to blend and then dried, and inked again to build up the tones.

These leaves here are a cool new product from Prima - Resistant Canvas.  I love all things that resist and these are fabulous!  I swiped them with Tim Holtz Bundled Sage and Pumice Stone Distress Inks and then sprayed them with Pearl Glimmermist to blend the ink and let the resist show through.  The only thing with them is... they are adhesive, but the adhesive doesn't let go so much on these.  I played some more later and just left the backing on, saves all sorts of dramas, however the frayed edges look great for this LO, so I figure it was meant to be.  Knowing my luck they actually aren't supposed to be self adhesive and the carrier sheet is meant to be permanent LOL!

Papers used here are My Minds Eye and Sassafrass Lass - both are the reverse images.  I have also used Kaiser Posies, Collections Tags & Words, Prima Alpha Stickers, a Websters Pin and some vintage shell buttons.

Take care of you.