Thursday, September 18, 2014

Blog Hop: Cotton Wood Arts Blog Hop!

Welcome to the Mixing it Up loves Cottonwood Arts blog hop!
This is a closed blog hop just for the members of the Mixing it Up Every Day Face Book group so that we can get to know each other better.
Having said that, if you are not in our group, please feel free to leave a comment anyway and come join us over on Face k Book. We would love to get to know you better too.
Here's are the links to every ones blog, remember in order to have a chance to win the prize package from Cottonwood Arts you must:
1. Be a blog hostess
2. Leave a comment on everyone's blog
1. Are you a journal hoarder? How many do you have and why different ones? Maybe post a picture of your journals. If you don't do art journaling, tell us why not!


I am not a journal hoarder as I only have one journal just purchased and have not really worked in it yet.  I never felt I could afford a lot of journals and I am new at this mixed media and some times I like to frame some of my work.  I looked at my studio desk and found all my single pages all over the place on  the floor under stacks of papers, WOW..I need a new way to keep my work organized.
Journaling would be the way to go. I am learning to drawn and trying out a lot of new products and I need references that are handy and ready for me to make my art to hang or sell or give away.

Decoupage Tutorial 


A collage of different types of papers, surfaces and decoupage mediums I have used to complete each project.
Upper left picture is a collage of napkins in a mixed media style, I  tore the napkin in pieces and added them to a piece of Illustration board I  gessoed the board and added Inks and distressing with stamp pads, and then I used the Mode Podge brand in the Antique finish, I also used Tim Holtz crackle medium on this piece, and added some flowers to give it more texture. This piece is call Dream  Paris and can be seen in the May 2014  past blog.

The left hand side is my first work with Mode Podge Gloss Medium, It is on a journal page and the theme was What makes you happy. I gessoed the page and painted it blue and from the computer I printed the background picture, and the pictures and lettering were cut from magazines and the lettering was done with a White Gelli pen.

The Lower left project was a small Index card and I used a napkin and used the Decoart Deco page medium .

The Right hand picture is also a napkin done on a plain card all the Napkins were decoupaged and and the locket was added with a special tack for cards.

Steps for Decoupage 

  1. Cutting out your images with scissors or a sharp craft knife.  If you are cutting a napkin it is triple thick please separate the layers and only use the design.  Place all  pieces to the side to use in your project.
  2. You may choose to tear your papers or napkins to give them a rougher edge. This can be done with a damp brush or a wet finger but be careful not to over wet the area it will cause the paper to tear in the wrong places.
  3. If your cut out is very thin paper you may add some decoupage glue very thinnly on the back side and let dry before usisng it in the design.
  4. When you are applying the decoupage glue to the project you are going to add the paper use a brush or foam brush and wet the brush in between each time you use it.
  5. Apply a thin layer of decoupage glue on the back of your  small paper and apply them to your project as you have designed, You can use your fingers to smooth out the bubbles or a credit card work if not much pressure is applied, DO NOT USE THE CREDIT CARD ON THE NAPKIN.
  6. If you are doing a large area on a flat surface apply a thin amount of the glue on the bottom half of the area and then gently lay the paper, or napkin on here and hold the top half up with one hand and rub the bottom half with your hand toward the center of the paper and smooth out the area and then add more glue and continue to lay the paper down and work to the top of the project. To smooth out start in the middle and work outward to the edges, and you can wipe off the excess glue with a paper towel.  
  7. When Project is completely dry put the top coat of glue starting with thin coats and start in the middle and brush toward the outer edge.   You can add as many coats of  glue you feel your project needs.

Problems with papers and napkin
  1. Using to much glue and a lot of bubbles
  2. Napkins tear very easy
  3. Wrinkles in the papers 
  4. You can not easily move the paper after it has been placed down, so make sure it where you want it before placing it.
Patience waiting for the drying time. 

Please visit the following blogs and leave a comment to win the free Cotton wood art gift.

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