Simply beautiful by Sandi Spink

Hi hope everyone is enjoying their week. I have always had a problem of knowing when to stop and when to add more or not, so today I decided to go back to my old style of simple is best. I have always loved white space so here is my take on going back to simple and beautiful using ' Fearless, Brave and Free' paper range by Fiona Paltridge.

I used:  Papers - Frames and Phrases 'Free', Circles 'Collections' 'Within' 'Leap' and the B sides of 'Confidence' and 'Chance'

12x12 white cardstock 

Music paper coloured with a wash of 'Lagoon'

Black cardstock to back title

Colour Blast Artist Ink- 'Sunburst'

Colour Blast Colour Spray- 'Lagoon', 'Carribean', 'Road base' 

colour Blast Shimmer dust- 'Amber'

Archival ink- black

Black wire

Step 1- I sprayed a small amount of 'Lagoon' onto the right side of the paper ensuring that there was minimum spray in the area. 

Step 2- Using the 'Carribean' spray I unscrewed the top and dropped droplets of colour over the 'lagoon' colour. Moving the paper helped the ink move, make patterns and mix. I let it dry slightly before adding more droplets so that I didn't get a large puddle. By placing the corner of a wet one into the puddle can draw up excess ink. 

Step 3- Whilst the ink is drying it's a good time to cut out the phrases, frames and shapes needed to be layered together to add dimension and colour. I used the artist dye ink 'Sunburst' to add red to the hearts to the frame.

 Step 4- Picking out a title and backing it with back card stock makes the title pop so after adding this to the page I decided to add arrows to connect the title and the layers. Remembering all the time.... simple don't add to much. I felt there was too much white space so I used the 'Lagoon', 'Carribean', 'Road base' and some 'Amber' shimmer dust mixed with a small amount of water to add splats. 

Sometimes things don't go to plan so if 2 colours mix that spoil the look you can do what I did and find some of the 'chance' circles cut them out and cover the area and then of course add a few more to even out the look. Mistakes can add a dimension you didn't think of before. 

Here is some closeups for you to look at:

Thanks for joining me and I hope I inspired you to check out this and other amazing kits at beearty.com.au . You can find more inspiration and links on BeeArty's facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BeeArtyHive 

'Come in we are AWESOME' by Sandi Spink

 Hi everyone,

I'm really looking forward to the new year of creating ahead. I took the chance on my holidays to relax and enjoy some creative time. I'd like to share one of my projects with you. 

I always have some left overs from kits, so I thought I'd challenge myself and use them to create a page. This page was using the 'Grateful Heart' kit by amazing Michelle Grant.

I used: 12x12 page 'Love' and 'Blessed'(phrases)

Heavy White Gesso

Colour Blast Artist Ink 'Lime

Colour Blast Colour Paste 'Deep Water'

• Using gel medium I glued some torn strips of old book pages onto the 'Love' 12x12 from the kit.
  

• With a spatula I scraped Colour Blast 'Heavy white gesso' over the torn papers, wiping sections with a wet one to smooth out the gesso in some areas.
  

• Using the spatula I applied Colour Blast 'Colour Paste Deep Water ' across the dried gesso using the wet one to blend the Colour Paste. 
  

• Cutting out all the left over phrases from the kit page 'Blessed' I edged each with black ' Archival ink' before experimenting with a variety of placement and direction of text. I took a photo of where all of the phrases, old negatives and some photos were before individually gluing each into place. Some of them I added small pieces of cardboard to the back to help add height and dimension.  ( I later changed and added more photos to balance the page better)
  

• Adding a small amount of the Colour Artist Ink 'Lime' onto the mat and into it dipped a small paint brush using it to splat colour onto the background. I covered photos and phrases with scrap paper to protect them from added colour.
  

• I repeated the process with watered down white heavy gesso.

Here are few close ups to check out:

  

Thanks for joining me and I hope I inspired you to check out this amazing kit and others at beearty.com.au . You can find more inspiration and links on BeeArty's facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BeeArtyHive 

Find Yourself and Be That by Julie Schinkel

 Hi everyone, today I'm sharing a quick and easy mixed media layout using the "Find Paradise" collection designed by Fiona Paltridge. This collection is so much fun, great for holiday snaps or quirky selfies like mine lol. It also fits the theme for this months challenge which is “Monochromatic Magic”.

My apologies for the lighting and page curling and buckling in photos. We had a lot of rain and high humidity when I was creating this layout. 

 To start, take a piece of white cardstock and trim down to 11 inch x 11 inch square.

Take a piece of black cardstock and trim down to 11 1/4 inch x 11 1/4 inch square. Cut out a one inch frame. This will be used to mat the white cardstock base. Use the cut out piece to double mat your photo.

Take the "Secret Garden" 12x12 paper and cut a one inch frame. Set the leftover piece aside for photo matting. Adhere the matted white cardstock base to the "Secret Garden" frame as shown.

Find a scrap piece of plastic (and old product packet) or even a large acrylic block and lightly spritz some water onto it. Add some paint (I've used the Colour Blast water colour paint) but you could also use Mica Powder in "Cool Mint", Shimmer Dust in Peacock, Colour Spray in "Lagoon", Artist Ink in "Mermaid" or even some Colour Paste in "Envy". Any of those products will work as long as you add water to it. Blend into the water then smoosh across the white cardstock base. Splutter excess across the page using a paintbrush. I wanted a little more depth and contrast for the splutters so I used Colour Spray in "Lagoon" and Artist Ink in "Soot".

Using the "Foilage Stencil" and Colour Paste in "Snow White", add paste over the "berries' only. Rotate the stencil (don't flip it) so you can do both sides. This adds a subtle accent and texture on the page.

Using the same green medium, randomly brush across some scrap white cardstock. Take the "Unwind Stamp Set" and stamp out the two lily stamps. You'll want to stamp some on plain white too to break up the cluster. I stamped five large lilies and three small lilies in green, one large lily and seven small lilies in white. You can add more or less if you like. Fussy cut and set aside. You will also need to fussy cut one large lily from the "Botanicals" 12x12 paper.

Double mat your photo using the centre pieces of paper and cardstock cut out earlier. Arrange and adhere your lilies as shown on the finished layout. Cut out the "Find Yourself and Be That" quote from the "Relax" 12x12 paper and adhere over the large white lily. I've added some matching gems for a bit of extra sparkle. 

Here is the finished layout plus close up photos so you can see how I've created and embellished the page.

Products Used: 

Bee Arty Find Paradise 12x12 Paper - Secret Garden
Bee Arty Find Paradise 12x12 Paper - Botanicals
 Bee Arty Find Paradise 12x12 Paper - Relax

Bee Arty Find Paradise Stencil - Foilage
Bee Arty Find Paradise Clear Stamp Set - Unwind

Colour Blast by Bee Arty Colour Spray - Lagoon

Colour Blast by Bee Arty Colour Paste - Snow White

Colour Blast by Bee Arty Artist Ink - Soot

Colour Blast by Bee Arty Paint Set Inspired (currently not available)

Other: 

White Cardstock
Bling/gems 

I hope you enjoyed this layout tutorial. Thanks for stopping by.

Until next time, happy crafting.

Julie xx

Art Journal - Shadow Lady by Tracey Campbell

Hello, I am excited to be here today, sharing my first Art journal page. I have been part of the Bee Arty with Colour Blast Kit Creative Team for some time and am now happy to be sharing my inspiration here on the blog.

Today I have created Shadow Lady using a few different products which I will outline as I give you step by steps on how she took shape.

In my art journal I lightly traced the Face Side Profile 1 Stencil with a lead pencil.

Next I lightly filled in an outline for some flowing hair and a flower in the hair.

 Using the Fuchsia Inspired Collection Pan Watercolour Set  or some watered down Slipper Colour Artist Ink  paint in the hair, with varying degrees of hues. This is done by adding more water to the paint or ink to dilute the colour down.

Repeat the process with the Sea Foam Watercolour Pan Set or Mermaid Colour Artist Ink adding highlights to the hair.

Fill in the back ground, the feather and the flower with the Watercolour Pants or diluted Colour Artist Ink. Once dry lightly sprinkle Midnight Colour Shimmer Dust around the background of the Shadow Lady.

Using a spray bottle of water activate the Colour Shimmer Spray and let dry.

Place the Face Side Profile 1 Stencil over the traced profile and apply a layer of Dusty Charcoal

Colour Blast Colour Paste.

Let dry.

 

Using a waterproof ink and the Meridian and Live Your Art Stamp Sets ink the circle images around the profile. Let the ink dry.

 Using a pallet knife spread some Bling Colour Paste through the Dusk Stencil over the inked back ground.

Speed up the drying paste by using a heat gun, this will also make the Colour Paste bubble, which adds texture to the page.

For the finishing touches use a black marker to outline the Shadow Lady image, the feather, the flower and add waves of hair.

To add interest fill in some thicker lines of the hair and then use a white paint pen to add details of dots and lines.

Here is the final image, I hope I have inspired you to pull out your mixed media and get messy.

Thanks for you time.

 Hugs

Tracey

Love Exists in Our Hearts & Souls Layout by Julie Schinkel

Hi Crafty Bees! Today I'm sharing a layout that I created using the stunning collection designed by Sue Smyth called "Vampyre Rose". This collection captures both "dark and light" and can be used for wedding/formal projects, masculine projects or even what I have done here.. gone to the dark side!

Here is my finished layout with a brief tutorial so you can see how I created it.

Since I have used a lot of different elements from different papers, I've circled each one so you will know exactly which pieces to use.

Take the "Smitten" 12x12 paper to use as the base (reverse side). Cut out the "Love Exists in Our Hearts and Souls" quote from the "Smitten" 12x12 paper. If you don't have a spare sheet of the "Smitten" paper, you can carefully cut it out from your base, cover with scrap paper at the back and then place your embellishments over the area so you won't see it. Ink around the edge with Cranberry Artist Ink and a clean paint brush.

Lightly stencil around the centre photo area and random areas on each side using the "Devotion" stencil and Steel Colour Paste. It plays off the print in the paper perfectly.

Fussy cut the flower clusters from the "Immortal" 12x12 paper - front and back.

Cut out elements from the "Poison" 12x12 paper. You'll need the floral tag in tact. I've fussy cut the crow from the tag and kept the top and bottom to use as embellishments. The "Together Forever" was cut in half and used as part of the photo mat.

Cut the elements from the "Gargoyle" 12x12 paper. You'll need the medium wings, two black and white roses and the arch window which has been cut in half.

Cut floral elements from the "Beloved" 12x12 paper. I've used the reverse side for photo mat.

Using the dropper, take the Cranberry Artist Ink and dribble ink in five random places as shown. One from each side where you've stenciled coming in from the edge and three coming down from your photo area. It's meant to be blood but you can skip this part if you're not comfortable with it.

Use Cranberry Artist Ink and paint brush to edge the layout base. It doesn't have to be perfect, in fact, the messier the better. Splatter Cranberry Artist Ink with a clean paint brush randomly around the layout (make sure you cover your photo first).

Accent with red heart gems including the Crow's eye and red web trim.

Add some red ribbon to tags.

Here are some close up photos so you can see how I've created and embellished the page.

Products Used:

Bee Arty Vampyre Rose 12x12 Paper - Smitten
Bee Arty Vampyre Rose 12x12 Paper - Immortal
Bee Arty Vampyre Rose 12x12 Paper - Beloved
Bee Arty Vampyre Rose 12x12 Paper - Gargoyle
Bee Arty Vampyre Rose 12x12 Paper - Poison

Bee Arty Vampyre Rose Stencil - Devotion

Colour Blast by Bee Arty Artist Ink - Cranberry

Colour Blast by Bee Arty Colour Paste - Steel

Other:

Red web trim
Red ribbon
Heart gems
Photo size is 4" x 6"

I hope you enjoyed this layout tutorial. Thanks for stopping by.

Until next time, happy crafting.

Julie xx