Turn Turn Turn Art Journal Page

Hello everyone, thank you for stopping by!  Deb here today and since it is Monday that means it's time for a new art journal page.  I made my Turn Turn Turn art journal page to incorporate some of the metallic leaves I didn't use on my first project this month for our Autumn with the twist of Metallics challenge.

I've a few step out photos on how I made it, enjoy!

I started out with a single page from my art journal (which I have had to take apart since it was getting to thick to close, I can't stop adding embellishments!).  I stamped the page with Tim Holtz's new Pine background stamp and Tree Branch Archival ink and then coloured the page with Antique Linen and Frayed Burlap Distress stain.

The word TURN was stamped several times on the page with Ground Espresso Archival ink and I then spattered the whole page with diluted white, orange and brown acrylic paints.

I die cut the Bird Branch die from some crackled cardstock I had in my stash from another project.  I cut the bird off and saved him for a rainy day!

The branch was a little too pale for my design so I coloured it first with Ground Espresso Distress stain and then intensified the colours here and there with Walnut Stain and Vintage Photo Distress crayons.

The Weathered Clock was die cut from some chipboard packaging and embossed with Burnt Copper Leaves embossing powder.  Love this embossing powder!

And then the page was assembled.  I made a tag by painting a piece of cardstock with Frayed Burlap Distress paint and then running it through my printer to print the sentiment (the font is called Beyond Wonderland).

The tag shape was cut out and some oak leaves were punched from a remnant of Distress ink coloured cardstock with a couple of Recollections punches.  The edges of the tag were edged with some gold Decofoil.

The leaves are Ranger Foil tape mounted onto cardstock, die cut with the Layered Leaf

and Arbor dies and then coloured with alcohol inks.

Here's a close up of the Pine background and spatters, such an easy way to get some texture and interest on your background.

I hope that you've enjoyed seeing my Turn Turn Turn art journal page, I really enjoyed making it and was humming The Byrds song the entire time I was putting it together.

You still have plenty of time to enter our November challenge so hope you will head into your craft space and make something to link up.  I can't wait to see it, happy creating!

Deb xo

Fall is Here Yay! And so is a bit more Mixed Media Mojo Play!

Happy First Wednesday of Fall!

Hi! It's Kim from TangledBlueRose here with a Fall project to (hopefully!) get your Mojo going and make a project to share with us, we would loooovvvveeee you to share:)

The season just turned so it is official! Hope your weather in your part of the world is starting to show the season change!

This is a small canvas board, 5x7. I did not want a smooth base so I covered it with a generous layer of my homemade texture paste.  The I added some drywall tape pieces, one is a cool pattern with circles and another the standard grid one. I just pushed the things into the paste while it was wet.

Here you can see some of the layers. I stamped the images then embossed them. I like to emboss them, it helps me stay in the lines while coloring :)  I used Distress Paint and Inks to add the colors throughout this project. Have fun using whatever you have on hand! Just play.

The sunflower image is a digital stamp image transfer. I printed it on cheap dollar store photo paper. Then I pressed clear shelf contact paper onto it and smoothed it out with an old gift card. The contact paper is not paper, it is like a thin plastic. Once I made sure all the bubbles were gone, I put the whole thing into a bowl of tap water. Let it soak till the paper backing of the photo can be peeled up. This only takes a few minutes. I know it seems like an eternity but it is worth it. 

Gradually and gently, using your finger or soft rag, rub off the paper. Soon you will have all the paper removed and it will leave just the image on the contact paper. Let it finish drying now. Once dry if there is still some white on it that you don't want, just wet that section and rub it away. Don't worry if you accidentally rub away some of the image. It is perfect! You just made it rustic and distressed! This whole process works with clear packing tape too, it is just narrow. So depending on your image size, pick what works for you or just simply use what you have on-hand.

Ooooo this turned into a mini tut! I did not intend that to happen, but that is how art goes, right? Sometimes you just aren't sure where you are going, but then, boom! you are there!

Thanks for reading and I hope all of us here have given you a bit off inspiration! There is still plenty of time (even one more weekend!) to play with us on September's Challenge: Fall theme and add some paste. 

Show us your Mojo, let's play!

~kim

I have a few more photos of this project at my blog if you would like to visit. Let me know if you have any questions!

How to Make Leaves-the easy and less expensive way

Hello! Niki here a.k.a Pawsitively Creative.  Today is my first time on the blog as a DT member. Yippee! I created this canvas for my first DT project here at Mixed Media Mojo and wanted to share a brief tutorial about making leaves without a die cutting machine.

Not everyone has a die cutting machine, or the extra money to spend on one. So here is an easy way to make leaves without it. I used a die cutting machine for some of the leaves in my project (thanks to my hubby for an awesome anniversary gift in August) but also used these hand created leaves as well. 

First cut out a piece of paper to form a perfect square. I did mine as a 3x3 inch. Fold the paper diagonally BOTH ways to create an X in the middle of the square. Turn your paper square over and do the same to the back. (This is the black lines in the picture, you don't have to make the lines black. I did so that you could see where my folds were)

Now comes the fun part. Starting at any corner fold a small section over to make a pleat. Continue to fold your paper until you get your leaf the size you want it (the more folds-the bigger the leaf)

When you have all your folds done bring the paper edges of the corner together. 

It should look like the picture above. Apply glue to the inside edges that meet (any glue works as long as it dries fast). 

Now cut your new leaf from the remaining paper. Make sure that you don't cut too close to the bottom of your leaf that is still attached because it will cut the folds in your leaf. 

Viola! You have a pretty little leaf made by hand that you can use on your project for Mixed Media Mojo's September Challenge-Fall theme using Paste. 

The picture above shows 2 leaves that were made from the same paper. You could make 2 more leaves with the remaining corners.

I hope you try this and let me know how it goes. Feel free to ask any questions if you run into a problem or something is confusing. The DT is here to help in any way we can. Carpe Diem! ~Niki