Mixed Media Layout & a Simple Tutorial

It's been such a long time since I've actually done anything for TCR, I always find color palettes so much more challenging than sketch challenges. But when I saw the soft blues from Palette #89 (His Room) I willed myself to give it a try although I had absolutely no mojo, and then I found Sketch #187 on Creative Scrappers and an idea started to form. Still, I didn't have the right colors and I guessed the only way around it is to go mixed media which is SO not my strong point, as opposed to my comfort zone of paper-crafting ... so I googled around and got inspired by this mixed media artist Ruby Claire and her amazing video tutotials. After watching some of her vids, I recalled that we did have a workshop on using tissue to create a textured background with Sharon of Scrappingville a few months back. What a great opportunity to put that into good use here :)

Here's The Color Room's Palette #89 (His Room):
 

Here's Sketch #187 on Creative Scrappers:

Here's the result of combining the two with some tips from the video tutorials...

This is a 12 x 12 layout on a plain blue cardstock which is decorated with tissue, gesso, acrylic paint, spray paint, gauze and a whole bunch of embellies. Below are some close-ups. Blooms are Prima. Clapper board chippie sticker from Bo Bunny.

Since this is not my usual style of creating a layout, I'm actually quite thrilled with it although I ended up with paint everywhere, on my clothes and the floor and the table LOL! Note to self to wear an apron!!! It was more of an experiment for me since I'm not so good at visualizing the end result of a mixed media project so I was pretty apprehensive along the way. I guess it turned out pretty ok albeit a little messy. Anyway I'm happy to share the steps I took here, let;s move on to the tutorial...

Firstly, we start with the background....

1. Cover cardstock surface with Mod Podge using a brush
2. Lay on a piece of white tissue (this was a recycled gift wrap! I'm so earth-friendly *beams* LOL!) Do not make it super smooth, we want lots of deliberate creases and folds, leave the edges of the cardstock uncovered or just tear along the edges.
3. Stick on some torn and crumpled book pages (I should've used bigger sheets as they didn't show up much after the LO is done)
4. Cover the book pages with gesso and sponge off lightly with paper towels
5. Stamp on acrylic paint using bubble wrap
6. Spray ink on selected areas, I tried masking with the butterfly but it didn't quite work out LOL!

Next, we'll move on to attaching the photos and embellishing.

1. Cut matching pattern paper to be photo mats, distress the edges with ink and lay them over the bubble stamped and book pages area. I also placed some mesh netting ribbon under the photo mats. Add on a little bit more bubble wrap stamp over the pattern paper.
2. Paste on photos.
3. Add bits of torn corrugated sheet, gauze and some die cut flourishes.
4. Punch a butterfly, distress with gesso and add on to part of the photo. Embellish with flowers over the gauze. Paste a strip of lace under each photo.
5. I wanted to add a touch of a lighter blue, so I used a chalk ink pad and dabbed randomly around the layout.
6. Decorate the butterfly and flower edges with a fine glitter glue. Add on buttons and gems under the main flowers. I also spritz on some blue glimmer mist around the embellishment clusters, just be careful not to spritz your photos! I kinda ruined the bottom left photo with some spritz! I used my hand to cover the photo, bad idea, will use a dry flannel cloth or paper towel in future.

Well, that's it! It's surprisingly quick to do this LO, except for the oh-so painful cleaning up process! Hope you find it helpful somehow :)

Thanks for visiting and have a nice day!