Monday was April Fool’s Day, but, there’s no foolin’ around here!  This weekend, I got busy with some mixed media FUN!  I have NO idea what happened, but all of a sudden I found myself 3 weeks behind on the Mix-Ability challenges on SCS.  How does that even happen?! Maybe the same way March decided to vaporize.  In any event, I had some GORGEOUS nature inspiration outside my craft room window, so I HAD to create something, so here goes…

That was outside my stamp room window.  Now you see why?!  I believe this is a sandbill crane, but in any event, it sure was cool!

I decided to make a cover for the art journal I’m putting all of my Mix-Ability challenges into.  I’m using the Multi Medium Spiral Book by Canson (and LOVING it!).  I took the book apart (saw that on YouTube – hello, genius and DUH all at the same time!), so then my cover was flat.  I tried to mix White Gesso with Chocolate Gelato, but that didn’t give me what I wanted, so I colored directly on the cover and that tinted the Gesso better.

I forgot to take a picture of it before I started coloring it, but you can see the little texture and all I made with the Gesso on this pic.  I set this aside and began on some more FUN!  I printed a To Go Cup on Sticky Back Canvas.  Oh yes, that’s right – printed right on the sticky back canvas!!!!  I used a laser printer, and there was absolutely no smearing at all.

I sprayed it with Pearlized Water and then colored this fun cup with several colors of Gelatos (yeah, I know…) and Big Brush Pitt Pens. And then I sprayed some more!  I smudged a bit with the fingers, and got this…

While those two were drying, I played with Tiffany’s Mix-Ability challenge to use splatter, which is Mix7.  I tried the techniques Tiffany showed in the video on the challenge.  They were SO easy, but so fun!

I played first on small pieces of paper, but then put them all together on the background of my art journal page.  I liked some of my “practice pieces”, so I attached them with some washi tape.  I was having an absolute blast playing with the Tropical Gelatos… oh how I LOVE those colors!!!  I think I may have a Gelatos addiction, tho… oh well, I think I’ll live!

In addition to the Tropical Gelatos (*swoon!*), I used Kraft Glimmer Mist, White Gesso, and a FUN Bo Bunny stamp called Stained Textures.  What FUN playing!

And now back to the cover…  Wait, not yet!

I added more Gelatos to the cover.  When I put them on the Gesso, they were kind-of rough, like this:

But, just a little smudge-y with the finger, and it looks like this:

Here’s the whole cover done:

After I was able to separate myself from the Gelatos, I sprayed the whole cover with Pearlized Water and tipped it up to let the wet Gelatos RUN… go, Gelatos, GO!!!! And it looked like this:

I always dry on a paper towel because, well, I have no idea…  I didn’t want the chocolate to take over the bottom, so I didn’t let it… Stay, chocolate, stay!

I kept the cover simple because I may want to add more later.  The title is written with a Pitt Pastel Pencil.  I outlined the To Go Cup with a White Big Brush pen.  Oh, and did I mention that the To Go Cup is FREEBIE???

Post a comment with your art journal creations here for us to see what you’ve done, too!