'Moments'

Hello my dear crafty friends, so glad you stopped by!

There are so many lovely 49 & Market goodies to play with in the new

spring kit from International Scrapbook Garden, and I love how this page turned out,

tenderness and the brutal beauty of nature was the look I was going for here.

'Moments'

This paper from the 'Tattered Garden' collection is called 'Tattered Leaves' and I really love the

details in these papers and the rich dark colors. I created a small step by step of how I  create

my backgrounds, it just involves a lot of layers of gessoes and paints, in this case I used

the two Shimmerz Inklings in Steely Blue Eyes and Coral Reef from the Mixed Media kit. 

I added some stamping with the Kaisercraft stamp and used the Crafter's Workshop stencil,

both of these from the Bonus Embellishment kit.

After my background was finished, I layered on some vintage book paper, some torn up pieces 

from another 49 & Market paper, the 49 & Market chipboard circle and honeycomb 

from the Embellishment Bonus kit, some fussy cut leaves and clocks from two 13arts papers 

from the Bonus Paper kit and some 49 & Market flowers from the Extra Blooms kit.

I would like to enter my layout into two challenges:

This gorgeous moodboard is by the wonderful blog called 'Cinnamon Tea Scrap',

one of my favourite blogs ever, my heart melts looking at all the wonderful 

work by these girls. They have moved their challenges over to Instagram now,

and you can find them at cinnamon_tea_scrap. Everything about this

moodboard inspired me: the pale colors, the peeling paint, the old books,

and the delicate softness of that pretty lace.

The second challenge was a sketch I really loved:

This is another amazing blog with so many talented designers, and 

a lot of different styles, please check it out here.

I created my page with the kit 'A Rustic Spring' which you can purchase here.

A simple tutorial on how to create a mixed media background:

Step 1: I always choose my paper, cover it with a coat of clear gesso to prep it for 

all the mediums I will use, and then gather and arrange my elements so I can decide

on the design, where I am going to use my paints and create the focus of my background. 

This helps me form a mental image in my mind that I can follow as I'm creating my page 

and also helps me from 'overthinking' things as I'm creating; it just allows 

my process to flow a lot smoother and be really enjoyable as opposed to frustrating.

Step 2: I like to apply heavy white gesso very randomly and very messily. I love my

pages to have an aged worn look, sort of like a peeling wall, and this gesso makes great 

textures, especially when I overheat it with my heat tool. I like to heat it up so the gesso 

bubbles up and cracks.

Step 3: This step of creating the background can take a while, as I'm using my 

paints, more gesso and also finally stamps and a stencil to create the look I'm going for.

It can take several different layers to get to this look, so just play with it and have fun!

I apply the Inklings here with a soft round brush, letting the paint seep into the cracked gesso,

and also just splashing the paint around (my favourite part). I really love those little pots of paint,

you can use them with very little water to get the saturated colors or dilute them more for 

a more watercolor effect. I use a stamp all around the page, and then finally 

use some more white gesso through a stencil to add some more textures.

The last steps are glueing down my elements, the photo and the flowers, and then 

after that is all done I go around the page with some more paint to blend everything

together. I hope this sparks some ideas in you all! My style is quite deconstructed

and messy, but you could still try these steps on your background just perhaps 

in a bit more delicate way to get some cool mixed media textures on your background.

Long post, hope you enjoyed!

See you soon,

Lisa xo

'Forever' for 13arts

Hello crafty friends, I'm back to share a page I designed for
the brand new challenge over at 13 arts called 'INKtober'!
I saw Olga's awesome theme in the design team group and thought about
making a page with an eerie, haunted feel.

'Forever'

I started with a paper from the 'Aria' collection by Aida called 'Lyrics' and from there added

lots of mediums, paints and inks to my background. On top of that some different laces,

some feathers, flowers and some silver tiny beads and silver mica flakes.

I was just amazed at all the talented designers and guests work for this challenge, 

so wickedly inspiring!
Please go here to find out how to enter, you MUST use 13 arts inks!

Here are a few close ups:

I really love working with these Pearl Pigment powders, what a beautiful shine!
I used one called 'Luster Black on the 13 arts title chipboard, and 'Warm Gold'
on the 2 Crafty Chipboard round vine frame. The powders when mixed with just a
little water give a really worn metallic look to the chipboards.

“When down her weedy trophies and herself

Fell in the weeping brook. Her clothes spread wide; 

And, mermaid-like, awhile they bore her up: 

Which time she chanted snatches of old tunes; 

As one incapable of her own distress, 

Or like a creature native and indued

Unto that element: but long it could not be

Till that her garments, heavy with their drink, 

Pull’d the poor wretch from her melodious lay

To muddy death. 

(Ophelia)” 

― William Shakespeare, Hamlet

Here is a list of all the 13 arts products I used:

'Aria Story' paper 'Lyrics'

White Modeling Paste

White Gesso

Stencil 'Postcard'

Stencil 'Scales'

Water Ink 'Violet'

Ayeeda Paint 'Green'

Natural Mica Flakes 'Silver'

Ayeeda Paint Silver Glitter

Pearl Mist 'Graphite'

Silver Microspheres

Black Star Glitter

Pearl Pigment 'Warm Gold'

Pearl Pigment 'Luster Black'

 I hope you join us!

Lisa xo

'Kind Hearted'

Hello my lovely readers, today I am up on the 13 arts blog with a brand new layout 

that I created using my dear friend Fiona's new collection called 'Strength in Numbers'.

Fiona and I have been blogger crafty friends for several years now and she has 

always shown me so much love and support, I was so thrilled for her when she 

got the opportunity to design her very own collection!

'Kind Hearted'

This new collection has beautiful bright almost neon colors with some fun patterns, and this page is 

 an homage to Fiona's art style, which I really admire:)

Her pages always have a fun modern twist, and she is so experimental, always trying new things.

I thought these photos of my boy while we were on our family vacation fit the look perfectly.

Please check out Fiona's blog called 'Pastiche Studio', here, so full of cool art!

You can find this collection on the 13arts online store here, 

and don't forget to check out the 13arts blog here, to see how

all our designers create with all three new collections.

Here are a few close ups:

I used some 2 Crafty Chipboard frames on my page, and I altered them by first painting them

with white acrylic paint and then with some Ayeeda paints in 'Turquoise' and 'Pink'.

Here is a list of 13arts products I used:

13arts White Gesso

13arts Black Gesso

13arts Modeling Paste

Stencil - XOXO

Stencil - Feathers

Ayeeda Metallic Multipurpose Paint - Turquoise

Ayeeda Splash Ink - Pink

Strength in Numbers - Feather chipboard

Paper 'Synthesis'

Paper 'Foundation'

Paper 'Full Potential'

Thanks for looking,
Lisa xoxo

'Through the looking glass...' for Mixed Media & Art

Hello dear readers! It's my turn over at the Mixed Media & Art blog today.
The moodboards that Olya and the team create are just breath-taking, and each one
I see inspires me so much! We now have two different inspirations each month,
and as always lots of fantastic prizes to be won.
This is my first layout with the 'Hazy Days' collection by 7 Dots Studio,
and what can I say? I'm in love....

'Through the looking glass...'

I used papers, stickers and sayings from the 'Hazy Days' collection by 7 Dots Studio, some 

2 Crafty Chipboard pieces, lavender shrubs and swirls, and mediums and inks by 13 arts.

I wanted to recreate the scene in the photograph, so I added lots of leaves, branches and flowers.

Here is the stunning moodboard for this month:

I felt inspired by the mysterious forest scenes and the rich jewel toned greens.

To check out the challenge for this month, please go here.

Here are a few close ups:

Thanks for looking, see you next time :)

Hugs, Lisa xo

'You are Brave' for 13arts

Hello girls! We made it! It's the weekend! 

I'm really looking forward to getting crafty with some things I treated 

myself to....I created this new page with the beautiful new collection

designed by Olga for 13 arts, called 'Vintage Moments'.

'You are Brave'

I used the papers 'In the past' and 'Rose Garden' and then I added some 13 arts White

Modeling Paste through the stencil from the same collection called 'Lavender',

and then I added some 13 arts paints and inks to my background.

To purchase this collection, please visit the 13arts online store here,

and don't forget to check out the blog to see how our designers have used the 

new collections, here.

We always love to see your work, so if you create anything with these
new collections, come over to the 13arts Artelier on Facebook and share it with us!
You can find our art group here.

Here are a few close ups:

I used the leaves from the white flower pack and covered them in white gesso.

Once dry, I used some 13arts mist in 'Chalk Violet' to color them.

So far I have played with Aida's and Olga's new collections......

next up is Fiona's! 

Big hugs to you my sweet friends,

Lisa xoxo

'Dream, Live, Love'

Hi girls! I'm back with another 13 arts layout, this one featuring Aida's new
collection, 'Art Journey'. Aida has been someone that I have looked up to for a long time...
I remember years ago I first saw her art posted on scrapbook.com, and it was then that I was
just discovering the mixed media world and I was so in love with her layouts.
It's such an honor to be on her team and design with her products :)
This collection, is fun, funky and really playful, just like how I imagine
Aida is in real life :) One day I hope to meet her in person.

'Dream, Live, Love'

This layout is all about my son and how much I adore staring at his sweet little face,

even while he is sleeping :)

I started with the paper 'Dream' and wanted to created a light airy page all about

the hopes and dreams I have for him as he grows up.

I used Aida's new chipboard set as a focal point of the page, and lots of 

Ayeeda's Paints on my background.

You can find this new collection and all the amazing embellishments,
stencils, cool stickers that go with it here in the online store.
And to see these great new collections in action please check
out Aida's blog here.

Here are a few close ups:

Here is a list of 13 arts products I used:

13 arts Gel Medium

13 arts White modeling paste

13 arts White gesso

'Dream' paper

'Art Journey' 6x6 Paper pad

'Art Journey' Chipboard set

Stencil 'Vintage Words'

Stickers 'Small Words'

Stickers 'Small Messages'

Ayeeda Mist 'Cobalt'

Ayeeda Paint 'Navy Blue' Rainbow Watercolor

Ayeeda Paint 'Lilac' Rainbow Color Duo

Ayeeda Paint 'Violet' Rainbow Color

13 arts Beads 'Cream'

13 arts White Flowers

I also was so happy to see that included in package this time was some paper clay and some

small silicone molds...I've been wanting to try these for a long time! They are so easy to 

use too, just press the paper clay in the mold, carefully remove, and then let dry overnight.

That is how I created this heart frame under my photo. I'll be using more of these little molds 

in my future projects for sure. You can find them in the 13 arts store right here.

See you soon,

Lisa xo

'Girl in Pink'

Hi guys! As you might have seen a few days ago 13arts ran a really fun 

contest on their blog in honour of Children's Day in Poland. They posted a 

photograph of all the designers from their childhood and then asked if anyone 

could correctly guess who each little darling was. It was really tricky! Even I didn't guess 

them correctly! (although a few of them were super easy to spot).

Well the photo I had sent was one of me as a little girl that I had never seen before 

my mum brought me a copy of it the last time my parents visited us. 

So I wanted to create a page with this cute photo and I wanted to make it

really girly and sparkly.....

'Girl in Pink'

I used an older 13 arts collection called 'Secret Letters' designed by Aida, do you 

remember it? It's so pretty, lots of pinks and greys, and so I used different papers 

from this collection to add lots of layers, and then I used a doily stencil, some white gesso
 and some 13 arts inks for creating my background.

I used some Splash Ink in 'Gold Glitter' on all my chipboards, and it

looks so pretty! Alot of different glitters don't show up very well, but this ink

is really dense and really adds so much sparkle!

Here is a list of all 13 arts products I used:

'Secret Letter' paper 'Written Stories'

'Secret Letters' paper 'Little Secrets'

13arts White Gesso

13arts Gel Medium

Stencil 'Doily'

Splash Ink 'Gold Glitter'

Ayeeda Mist 'Pearl Gold'

Ayeeda Mist 'Pearl Pink'

Chipboard 'Butterflies'

Chipboard His & Hers'

You can check out our online store here, and don't forget to visit our blog here.

Keep your eye out for our new collections being released soon...I can't wait! 

Thanks for looking, hugs to my friends that always support me with their kind words

and messages XOXOXOXO

Lisa 

'Happy Moments' a new layout for 13 arts

Hello friends! Today on the 13 arts blog we have created a post in honour of 

Mother's Day, and I created this page as a tribute to my beautiful mum.

'Happy Moments'

I love this photo of her.... young, happy and care free.
I am so lucky to have a mother like her,
loving, patient, kind and always there for me.
I chose the 'Out of the Blue' collection to make this layout as it has lots of pretty pinks and watercolor flowers, some of which I cut out of the paper and tucked in underneath my photo.

To see the post of projects with this theme, please go here,

and to checkout our online store to purchase this beautiful collection, please go here.

List of 13 arts products used:

13 arts Gesso
13 arts Modeling Paste
'Out of the Blue' paper 'Spring Blossoms'
'Out of the Blue' paper 'Posy of Blossoms'
'Out of the Blue' paper 'Pink Rosettes'
Stencil 'Aria Song'
Ayeeda Mist 'Pearl Green'
Ayeeda Mist 'Pastel Turquoise'
Ayeeda Mist 'Pearl Pink'
Butterfly Chipboard
Chipboard 'His & Hers'

Hugs,
Lisa xoxo