The picture was the inspiration for the colors and the feel of the design. I used a 12x12 cardstock paper that had a not so pretty design on the other side. I really wanted just plain white and luckily it was only patterned on one side.
This paper warped so BAD! I was kinda freakin out a bit but then got the bright idea to iron it back flat. It kinda worked so I kept going. The picture below is after ironing.
I ended up ironing the paper twice. Yes there are small creases but that's okay because I have a secret that will fix it!
Now, while the paper was drying after the ironing I got to work on painting the chippies. I used black acrylic paint for the base and then poofed on some Primary Element Powder-Green Apple (the same green is on the paper as well), spritzed it with water and done! The mushrooms were painted with Inka Gold-Turquoise and also just the Green Apple. I forgot to take pictures of that step.
I added all of my elements and decided to ditch some and add others (hence the fairy and corner piece are gone). I popped the picture up on some foam dots, the paper layer behind the picture was created with DI Twisted Citron and Mermaid Lagoon and then splattered with water. The small blue design tucked into the rips of the page is made from polymer clay that I stamped into and sprayed with LSG sprays.
To finish off the design I splattered some DecoArt Misters in Cyan Blue and Turquoise and Titanium White. I then added a bit more stamping and ghost stamping (another first for me) and some cheesecloth.
Now for my SECRET-to get my paper to lay flat again I laid it face down (before adding the chippies, picture, and flowers) and spritzed the backside with water. I gently swiped my hand around the entire page and then set HEAVY books over it. I waited 2 hours for the page to dry and lifted the books off, it worked! My page was flat again! Wowzers! Now I know. Hehe!
I am going to pass this layout around to these wonderful challenges:
Creative Embellishments March Challenge
I have used The CE "Believe" chippie and the branch chippie (I cut it in half). I was inspired by the greens and the mushrooms in the pic.
I have used The CE "Believe" chippie and the branch chippie (I cut it in half). I was inspired by the greens and the mushrooms in the pic.
This is gorgeous! Have a nice day, hugs, Valerie
ReplyDeleteWooooooooow, Niki, it's absolutely stunning! I am totally blown away by this spectacular layout full of beautiful textures, awesome techniques and amazing colours! You did a fabulous job! I love the versatility in your art work! You are a super talented artist, my friend! Thank you so much for the inspo! Lots of love to you! Branka xxx
ReplyDeleteBeautiful layout in my favorite colors!!! Wow, it is amazing how you can play at any style and make it look like you own it--and this is only your 3rd layout! Great design and yummy splatters,drips and textures! Love it! And great little tip to flatten a large piece! I have a high tech pressing station too, which includes a vintage book and my kiddo's baby piggy bank which weighs a ton! Sometime's I will run something through my Big Kick, too, which really flattens it in a hurry. I just give it a tiny spritz of water first. Glad to be back at the keyboard again, but seems like commenting is going to be super slow! Thanks for all your help! Hugs to you, Punkin'!
ReplyDeleteDANG!!! You just blew my mind right out with this extraordinary layout! WOWZERS!! I just did my first layout a couple of months ago for the magazine and it's way not as cool as this hot diggity page! I love how you took a pic so you could design around where you wanted the image to go (mental note: steal that idea). lol. Love the colours and your flourish stencil pattern...just love it all actually! Well freaking done girlfriend! hugs :)
ReplyDeleteNiki....I could TOTALLY relate to your words when you say you are on a journey to find out who you are artistically. I'm right there with you, sister! :) I think so many of us are on that same path and with all of the options out there, it's hard to sometimes figure things out for ourselves. I just wanted to thank you for your very nice comment and tell you that I am so happy that I stopped by your blog. This layout is absolutely fabulous! It so much more than a layout. It is beautiful art! It makes me so happy to see people taking the plunge and including mixed media into their scrapbook or layout work. It's so much more personal and gives so much more depth and beauty to a page!
ReplyDeleteI also wanted you to know that I shared your amazing mixed media bottle (along with several other entries that I thought were unique) that you did for Creative Carte Blanche on my blog. I want to share this piece as well. I hope that is all right. I will link it back to your blog so people can see your tutorial.
ReplyDeleteThank you Candy! Creative Carte Blanche is what got me to thinking about my style. I am using Seths idea from the video. And thank you bunches for sharing my bottle and LO as well. You just made my month! Hugz!
DeleteNiki this is awesome huni and it makes perfect sense to me lol! I can't pin down my style because I love shabby chic and I love CAS too as well as distressed and vintage I am, what my husband kindly calls an eclectic crafter (I called it something less flattering).
ReplyDeleteYour post perfectly fits some advice I got late last year from Georgie Connelly.
I was lamenting the fact that I really had no idea where to start or what to buy because I wanted to do more mixed media. There's so many MM products and I didn't want to spend money on stash and find out it didn't do what I wanted it to do or wasn't right for me (also on a tight budget).
Georgie was kind enough to contact me on Facebook and we had a discussion which really helped me to think about what I wanted to create and why. After a month or so I was able to purchase Tim Holtz distress stains on Black Friday (awesome deal) and played with them for a few weeks. Once I was comfortable with them my lovely hubby told me to get more (January sales). Then I won the challenge at Country View Crafts and used my voucher to get a few of Tim's Distress paints and I am playing and learning with them right now.
Don't worry about creating a certain style. Create what you can and when you can and know that sometimes you will like or love it and sometimes you won't. So sorry I have waffled a lot lol Karen xx
Haha! I know what you mean about the many products out there! Sales and coupons are my big spending times. I hope you followed your DH advice and got some more!
DeleteI'm not worried about creating a certain style, more like experimenting to see what I like and don't like. It's a fun journey so far. I know I don't like really girlie but I do enjoy looking at designs that others have made that are girlie. And anything "Cute" is not on my to do list. Hehe! Thank you for the advice! Georgie is a sweetie pie and full of inspiration! Hugz!
Niki, your layout is stunning! I love the colours and that gorgeous focal image. I am totally with you, I have never been able to understand what my 'style' is but I think that's OK because I like to try out lots of different things and I think it is good that you do too, you seem to be able to turn your hand to most things!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on being featured by Candy Colwell too, how fabulous is that !!! Big hugs, Anne xx
Oh Niki, I just loved reading this post and seeing your creativity in action! What a beauty! This is right up my alley, girlfriend! ;0
ReplyDeleteBrilliant, Niki! And good on you for making a layout! I am not a scrapbooker even though I admire many layouts that I see..... but how you have incorporated great composition and colors and details is absolutely inspiring!! As to style - I love what Candy says above. Jump in, have fun, and enjoy what happens, whatever it is! Your work is incredible, girl! I am honing in on the "series" idea myself...because I am still a novice at techniques, lol! And you are one of my favorite crafters, no matter your style! xxx Lynn
ReplyDeleteNiki, this is so cool! Love the photo you used, and the gorgeous colors!! No one would ever know it's only your third LO!! Awesome sauce!!
ReplyDeleteI am in love with the use of blue with the green and that little mushroom is perfect!
ReplyDeleteHun, I completely get that journey, I'm still on it, but mixed media I think is my first love as I love so many products but as to style, I go through phases, depends on my mood, time of year etc, but that is the greatness of art, you never have to be pinned down to one area, so keep experimenting and if you love it all then you'll never be bored!! Now on to this fabulous piece... I love the focal pic you chose and how you created it's background to be an extension of it, the colours are just LUSH... I love those shades together xx
ReplyDeleteWow - what a great post and such a super LOVELY project Niki. And reading all these comments was such a treat too. YOU ARE LOVED girl!!! It seems to me like everything you do is delightful. I wonder if having a 'style' is a bit over rated considering that we seem to go with the flow of the challenges/assignments/creativity that is upon us at a given time!! One thing for sure - what ever your style - you are stick with me singing your praises because 99% of everything you make is EYE CANDY to me. Xx j.
ReplyDeleteAwesome colors and background !!Love how the colors splash on the page !!Thanks so much for playing along with us at Creative Embellishments Challenge
ReplyDeleteNiki, your LO is stunning! I love the combo of blues & greens. Thank you for sharing your journey with trying to find your style. I am on that journey too - so far I have only been able to eliminate what styles I am definitely not. Thank you for joining us at Emerald Creek Dares.
ReplyDelete{julia} Emerald Creek DT
Awesome layout Niki, beautiful texture and layers in the background.
ReplyDeleteThanks for joining us at Emerald Creek Dares.
Dude, super cool! I'm all over the place in terms of papercrafting style... It's funny but I love the girly shabby pieces with lace and flowers, but I also am pretty alternative... Love my skeletons... I feel like Zoolander looking in the puddle saying, "who am I?" And his reflection says, "I don't know." Ha!'i love watching your creative journey! Do what you love!
ReplyDeletewow wow wow love the details thanks for playing at ColourArte Challenge
ReplyDeleteWow if this is only your third layout, i shall look forward to seeing what they are like as you practise more lol! Thanks for sharing with us and joining in the fun at The Artistic Stamper - Debs DT
ReplyDeleteYour layout is great, love your MM background and thanks for sharing your steps with us. Thanks for joining our Creative Embellishments challenge this month.
ReplyDeletebeautiful and amazing background. thanks for playing with us at Creative Embellishments!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful page and amazing layout !! Thanks for the sharing :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for joining us at Creative Embellishments
Oh my love the tutorial...I enjoy reading your story about how you made this awesome layout. You totally rock at mixed media and I could really learn form you. I have never tried to iron my work hihihihi never would have guessed that would work...Thank you so much for playing with us this month at Creative Embellishments and the best of luck to you hugs Amy
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