Well, my break from social media didn't last long! During the past week, I have been trying to reconnect with my crafting soul. It got lost somewhere during the past few years (I'm blaming Covid!) and while I was crafting, I just wasn't feeling it. So the little hiatus was good for me! I found some crafting sites on YouTube and became instantly hooked on the style of Mixed Media. I now have a purpose for all those craft supplies I haven't used and have been hoarding saving over the years. 😂 I guess I knew deep down there would come a day when they would all come together for a common project.
I literally watched dozens of videos of different styles of Mixed Media by different artists; Laly Mille, Tiffany Solorio, Keren Tamir, Graphic 45, Prima Marketing, and a bunch of junk journal artists, to name a few. Each has a different style, but the techniques were pretty similar. My first attempt at it was terrible. Made no sense whatsoever because I tried to do it all at once and in way too many colors. 😂 I was way to excited and couldn't wait to give it a go. Then I stepped back, tried a couple techniques to see if it would work, and then I jumped back in and made this little beauty, which I am quite happy with!
It took me all morning mind you, and a bit of fussing about in the afternoon, as I am my worst critic and wanted everything to be perfect. Then I realized, it didn't have to be perfect! The paint and inks could be splotted and blotched where ever they landed, and the paste embossing needn't be perfect either.
This project started out as a plain canvas I purchased at the dollar store for $1.25. I actually spent about $50 there getting quite a bit of craft supplies like canvases, the laser cut butterflies, metallic pens, etc., etc., and some corrugated tin cut outs for future projects. I painted a layer of white gesso on first; it's acts as a primer for all the glue mediums, paints and inks to adhere to. I had some pretty script card stock and some bits of embossed paper that I tore into strips and collaged onto the canvas in random spots with some matte gel medium (kind of like Mod Podge), painting the medium over the paper as well. Then I gave it another light coat of white gesso and took my hair dryer to it to help it dry faster.
Then it was onto adding some dimension and texture with a chipboard lace cut out and some laser cut butterflies. A quick topper of white gesso was added to the pieces with a paint brush and then it was time to paint and ink in random spots, spraying it with water every once in a while, tilting the canvas this way and that to let the colors move across the surface. After quite a bit of fussing about with the colors, I went back over with a bit more white gesso in a light touch, then added some beautiful irridescent white water color paint over the butterflies, chipboard lace and the paste embossed areas to highlight them a bit.
The little white butterflies were from the dollar store as well. So cute. The purple and green butterflies and flowers were some rub-on transfers I found that the scrapbook store. They are even more beautiful in person and you can barely tell they are rub-ons!
Last but least, I added a small die cut ribbon and stamped a sweet sentiment on it, and attached it with some dimensional stickies. Well, I thoroughly enjoyed this project and can't wait to make more! There are many more techniques I want to try, but I have to tell myself that I don't need to do it all at once. Enjoy the process of each one!
Thanks for stopping by and let me know what you think in the comments!
Sam 💜
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