Crafty Art Journal with Emma Ivemey

Hello there!  Emma here with you today to share an art journal page I’ve created using the beautiful chipboard shapes from Southern Ridge.

I’m sure I’m not alone in sometimes going through a creative low patch.  When there’s a lot going on in your life, it can often be difficult to sit down and create.  Maybe you’re thinking “what shall I make”, or perhaps it’s “why do I make”? Creative blocks can be hard to get through.

I think the important thing to remember is that art doesn’t always follow rules, and often it can be helpful to use an art journal to create something spontaneous that comes from your heart.  It’s your journal, and it’s for you to keep entirely to yourself if you like. It’s a great strategy for experimenting with new mediums, or a new stencil.

For this piece, I have used the Vintage Dressmaker Mix set.  I have embellished the chipboard with Tim Holtz Distress Oxide, and also the Distress Crayons.  I loved the metallic look for the sewing machine and scissors.

Southern Ridge Trading Company Supplies Used:

- Dressmaker Mix

Other Supplies Used:

- Strathmore Mixed Media Ring Bound Sketchbook

- Tim Holtz Ideaology: Printed Tissue Wrap

- Tim Holtz for Ranger Ink: Distress Ink, Distress Oxide Ink and Distress Crayons

- Vicki Boutin for American Crafts: Mixed Media Stencil

- Taylored Expressions: Stamp

- Imagine Crafts: Versafine Clair Ink

- Spectrum Noir: Sparkle Pen

- Close to My Heart: Wooden Clothes Pin and Buttons

- Prima Marketing: Paper Flowers, Lace and Ribbon

- Fabritac Adhesive

Next time you feel you’re in a craft rut, try an art journal page.  You never know what might inspire you next.

Happy crafting!

~~ Emma ~~

Spring Dragonfly Frame with Erin Quiding-Sampson

Hello, I’m back to share this pretty Dragonfly décor piece with you. I started off by putting a thin coat of gel medium onto the front and back pieces of the frame. I then added some decorative tissue paper to that. I set them aside and allow to dry.

After the tissue is dried rip away any excess, then use a sanding block or nail file to smooth out the sides.

I added metallic paint in copper, peridot green and white to add some interest to the frame.

I cut apart and coloured the leafy branches and added a thin coat of white acrylic to the dragonfly.

When the dragonfly was dried I painted the wings in a muted purple and blue. I also coloured the body in the peridot green.

I put a coat of Mother of pearl structure gel over everything. I thought this might give the whole piece the iridescent of a dragonfly wing.

Now it's time to assemble. I used gel medium to adhere the whole project together. Glue together the front and back pieces of the frame.

I then added the leafy branches starting from the largest to smallest.

I did the same with the flowers. I opened the flowers toward the bottom and squished together the ones closest to the top. I wanted to make them look “bud” like.

I added pop dots to the back of the dragonfly and gently curved the wings to make it stand off the frame.

Here’s a couple close ups so you can see the colours better.

Southern Ridge Trading Company Supplies Used:

Zen Dragonfly 

Leafy Branches

Wood Tri Frame 4

Other Supplies Used:

- Stampin' Up!: Ink pads in Garden Green, Island Indigo and Rich Razzleberry

- Close To My Heart: Sanding Block

- Liquitex: Matte Gel Medium

- Folkart Acrylic Paint: Metallic Copper and Metallic Peridot

- DecoArt: White Acrylic paint

- Daler Rowney: Mother of Pearl Structure Gel

- Decorative Tissue paper

- Paintbrush and something for water

- Small flowers

- Pop dots

Thanks so much for stopping in.  

~ Erin