Find Joy Mixed Media Canvas

 

Right from the start I'm going to mention that I'm not a huge pink and purple fan. I have nothing against the two colors, they just aren't ones that I'm drawn to naturally. 

The background on this canvas was made probably well over a year ago. I've had this canvas and another one just waiting to have something done with them. At the time I was playing around with distress inks (I don't remember what the colors are that I used) and they turned out a little different than I expected. I just set them both aside knowing that someday I would get back to them and create something. 

I used a stencil called mini bricks by The Crafters Workshop with some Golden light molding paste on both corners of this canvas. The paste picked up the color on the canvas. 

I stamped randomly around the canvas with a Tim Holtz stamp. I don't have the name of the stamp as I don't have the packaging anymore. I then splattered black soot Distress ink over the canvas.

 

 

The flowers are from Little Birdie. I believe I picked them up at Tuesday Morning. 

The metal frame I've had in my stash for awhile. It's from Momenta.

I used Tim Holtz Quote Chips for the sentiments. I cut two sentiments apart. 

The photo is from an ephemera packet that I picked up back in 2013 when I went to a show called Junk Bonanza that is held twice a year here is the Twin Cities area. 

 

I thought the quote fit the photo. The two women look like friends having a good time!

Now I have one more project off my list! 

I have another canvas that is almost finished. I have everything ready to go to finalize it, but I have to wait for the molding paste to dry. I will share it once I'm done with it. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Home Of The Brave Mixed Media Canvas

 

I love Americana decor. I love flags or anything with a flag.

At one point I had quite a few pieces. We had a four-season porch and I had all of my decor on the walls. When I had to down-size after my husband passed away I just kept a minimal amount. I knew I'd never have the room for it wherever I would move to. 

This small mixed media canvas will find a home in my craft room.

 

I actually bought all the products for this canvas two years ago! When I saw this project on Tim's blog I knew I wanted to make one. Here's a link the Tim's original blog post. He has a tutorial on his blog and he lists all the products that you will need for this project. 

I have so many projects that I want to work on or finish. I now have the time to do that!

 

 

Before die cutting the stars I adhered bits of memorabilia to a piece of chipboard. 

 

 

 

 

After I diecut the stars I adhered them together. 

 

Once I watercolored the flag and the statue of liberty I was ready to assemble all the pieces.

I love how it turned out!

I didn't sew around the edges of both of my panels. I was too lazy to set up my sewing machine. I was going to use some stamps that I have that are stitched lines, but after looking at the panels I like the way they looked without stitching. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Mini Junk Passport Book

 

I have been collecting ephemera for making junk journals for years.

When I lived in Wisconsin I used to wander around the Antique stores looking for anything that could be used in a junk journal, even though I hadn't really started making them yet. 

In 2012 when I was visiting relatives in Kentucky we went to the Milton Flea Market in Milton, West Virginia. We had first gone there in 2007 and loved it! I picked up quite a few old books that I've kept stashed away in my craft room. I take pages out of the books every now and then to use in projects. My plan is to take all the pages out of each book and makes signatures to add inside and then embellish the books. I'm going to be visiting that Flea Market very soon!

When I moved back to Minnesota after my husband passed away in 2013, I went to Junk Bonanza. I found a dealer that was selling ephemera packs. I was thrilled! I picked up five of them. They've been sitting in a drawer patiently waiting to be used in junk journals.

I've also been collecting ephemera from Tim Holtz and I've got some in my stash from 7Gypsies. Actually I collect anything that looks like it will fit in my idea of what should go in a junk journal. 

I started this book about a week and a half ago. I took a break from crafting for a few days and just finished it last night. For this little junk journal I used the Sizzix Scoreboards XL die by Eileen Hull called Passport Book. I have two other journal dies by Eileen that I'll be using soon. I've had these dies for awhile because I've been collecting! I did buy some Sizzix Little Sizzles Mat Board, but for this project I just used chipboard. 

I used the Engraver collection by Prima for this book. I have all the embellishments for the collection but I only have the 6x6 paper pad which means whatever I create has to be a small project. I didn't use much for this book so I have plenty of paper left to use. This collection has been retired but can easily be interchangeable with paper from Tim Holtz. You can tell I've had it for awhile since it's retired!

For my cover I used embellishments from the Prima collection and filled in with a quote chip from Tim Holtz, some steampunk buttons (not sure where they came from), and a key that I have a small bag filled full of. Inside the decorative frame, I used some of the package backing. I just cut out the part I wanted and adhered it to the back. 

 

The charm on the spine of the book is one of the Vintage Trinkets from Prima.

The brown seam binding I used for the closure and on the spine came out of one of the ephemera  packs I have. 

 

 

There are three signatures inside this book. 

Inside each signature there are pages that I have covered with patterned paper and I've added papers from some of the ephemera packs. I've also added deli paper. Not all the pages have patterned paper added. I've added a pocked here and there using mini paper bags. I've stapled a few items to some of the pages. It's really pretty random. I also used some Tim Holtz washi tape to adhere some tickets to the pages. 

I used several layering stencils from the Stampers Anonymous Tim Holz collection throughout the book with Ranger vintage photo distress ink. I also inked all the edges with this ink. 

The signatures were attached using round electric cord.  

I used several clear and rubber stamp sets that I have in my stash from Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz. I stamped on several of the pages and on the covers of each of the signatures. 

Because I couldn't get the pages to lay flat for photos, below I have added a few so that you have an idea of what the inside looks like. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I just love little junkie books so much! 

If you're wondering what you would use these for, they can be used to add photos & journaling. You could also add bits and pieces of memorabilia. 

I have another one that I'm working on, but I haven't decided what I'm going to use for a closure so I've just set it aside for now. I've got about eight projects going on right now! I know that would make some people crazy, but I get bored or my creative process stops and it seems like if I have something else to work on it helps me when I go back to another project. I'm also in the process cutting all the cardstock for two gatefold books. I always get everything done! 

What I'm really enjoying is that I have TIME to finally do things that I enjoy and that's all that matters to me!

Thanks for stopping by!