A New Challenge

Hello friends!!  I hope that you all are enjoying Memorial Day weekend!!  Here in Indy, that means hide!!  With the Indy 500 going on this weekend, that usually means alot of craziness going on, and everybody drives around like they think they are on the racetrack!!  I've been once, not sure I will go again, but I've learned to never say never!!

I wanted to share will you all that I am going to do a challenge called Journaling by 5's (JB5).  The reason I am doing this is because it will force me to think out of the box, and it is a TIMED challenge!! (insert laughter!) There are a total of 5 sessions, 10 different medias (2 per session), 15 minutes per session, and 20 pages!!  I've already made my own 20 page journal to do this and I will be video taping my progress and sharing it here with you!  Aren't you excited about that!!  Ha!!

Here is what will be in each session:

Session 1:  Background - paint, ink
Session 2:  Texture - collage/craft, recycled
Session 3:  Pattern - stamps, stencils
Session 4:  Focal Point - words, images
Session 5:  Details - pen, pencil

So you all who know me, know that I can take 1 day to complete just 1 page!!  With this challenge I will have to get each session done on all 20 pages in 15 minutes!!  Gulp!!!  Shannon Green is the person who created this challenge and here is a link to her YouTube video explaining the process:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0ohBQFKqus&feature=youtube  She is extremely funny and I am looking forward to seeing if I can really do this!!  Shannon  also has a facebook page dedicated to the JB5 process where we can share our journey, ask questions, and most importantly, laugh!!  Here is a link to her facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/journalingby5s/  I hope that I will bring you all laughter and smiles on your faces as I embark on this challenge!!  It is my goal to start the first challenge today and be done by Friday, especially since I leave for Ohio on Saturday to FINALLY go see my new great niece!!  Wish me luck and let the fun begin!!

DIY Alcohol Ink Video Tutorial

Butterfly Mixed Media Page

Hello everyone!!  I had an opportunity to do some crafting this past weekend and this is what I created!!  It was def a work in progress and almost gave up on it, but after walking away and sleeping on it, wala!!  It all came together!!

I really enjoyed getting my hands dirty as I created this!!  Spring is almost here!!  Time for butterflies and flowers!!  The product list (to the best of my recollection) will be posted in the comment section!! Please be sure to leave me a comment and follow me!!

Home Made Gesso

Hi there friends!  I have also been asked for my recipe for my home made gesso.  I use gesso on just about everything!  It's great as a primer for a canvas or as a base coat on a mixed media page.  I also use it to tone down colors if I've painted something too bright or to add texture to an element I've used on a page.

1/4 Cup Baby Powder

1/4 Cup Water
1/2 Cup White Craft Paint
1/4 Cup White Craft Glue

Now because I use so much gesso, I will double the recipe!!  I store this in a cleaned up salsa jar, that way I can seal it up good with the lid!  It is also tintable with acrylic paints.  I've also tinted mine with embossing powders and gelatos by Faber Castelle.

The fun is endless!!  I really get a feeling of satisfaction when I not only create something, but part of my creation began with a hand made base!!

Home Made Texture Paste

Hi there friends!!  I have had a lot of requests on how I make my texture paste (aka modeling paste).  It's really quite simple and I store it in a cleaned up salsa jar!  Here is the recipe that I use:

1-1/2 Cups of baby powder

1/2 Cup of white craft paint
1/4 Cup of white craft glue

Now, here are a few tips.  Just purchase cheap baby powder, you don't need to use the name brand stuff.  You can purchase cheap white craft paint, no need to go buy the expensive stuff.  White craft glue, like white school glue will work just fine.  NOTE:  I used Aleens Tacky Glue and my paste is WAY sticky!!  I have to water it down every time I use it on a project!  Live and learn lol!!  You can adjust the consistency of the texture paste, if you want it thicker, add more baby powder, if you want it thinner, add more craft paint.

If you want your texture paste to have some "grit" to it, add a little bit of sand.  This texture paste is also easily tintable by just adding some acrylic paint.  I also like to add some of my embossing powders to it as well!  The sky is the limit!!  I have used this paste on a canvas for texture and I have also used it with my stencils and it works perfect.  It also drys well with my heat tool and will also bubble when you get the heat tool too close.  Sometimes I like that bubble effect!  The choice is yours!

Mixed Media Christmas Tree

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to all of you!  I hope that you all enjoyed this holiday season!  I am fortunate to work in an industry (education) that I get time off during the holidays, but the time always seems to go by much too quickly!  Jim and I were really excited this year because we got to have ALL the kids home with ALL the grandkids for a weekend!!  That hasn't happened in over 3 years, so that was the best Christmas present of all!!

So, in keeping with the season, I have created a mixed media Christmas tree!  The inspiration for this project did come from pinterest, but I cannot find where.  So when I do, I will be sure to give credit where credit is due.  But I will say that whenever I use an image for inspiration, my creation doesn't end up looking like what inspired me!!  That is the beauty of art!

So, from my family to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy New Years!  May all your dreams and wishes come true in 2015!!  Stay safe, be happy, and create some magic!!

Mixed Media Hearts

Hello there friends!  I know it's been a while since you all have heard from me, but I promise, I've been busy!  School starts early here in Indiana, we went back at the end of July and I have blinked my eyes and Christmas is just days away.  And no, my shopping is not done lol!!

I've had alot on my plate it seems these past few months.  So, I have been spending alot of time in my craft room.  Sometimes to craft and sometimes to just shed the crap off from the day, and that would be literally and figuratively lol!!

I do have a few pages to share with you, but I thought I would share this one with you first.  It is a representation of me.  I have a mother's heart.  I am a mother to two wonderful sons and step-mother to a beautiful daughter.  I have two beautiful grandchildren, and another on the way!  They fill this mother's heart with countless emotions.  But the love I have for them defines me.  It guides me.  It helps me to rise above and compels me to take the higher ground, even when I don't want to.  They make me a better person.

With that being said, here is my artistic representation of my "sappy" paragraph above!  I hope you enjoy it and that it inspires you to create an artistic representation of yourself!

I will make sure that all the supplies that I have used are labeled for you!  Enjoy your evening and I hope you enjoy my creation!!

Always,

Leslie