Grunge and Burlap-Burlap Runner, Burlap Pillows

I have had this burlap laying around for about a year, desiring to make a table runner and pillows. Never got to it. But then again, I have been collaging, decorating, homeschooling and active with church.

Why do I always decorate or make something when a busy day is coming? Last week, I was having a recipe swap at my home with the ladies and daughters from church. So off I go the night before to make the burlap runner. I wanted to decorate to make it feel fall indoors for the ladies.

1. I cut my burlap the length of my shabby white table.
2. Grabbed my tomato red acrylic paint.
3. Maskin tape out of the drawer
4. Placed the maskin tape down to make a 1/2" runner line down the length of the runner.
5. Used a stencil brunch and just brushed and rubbed the paint into the burlap
6. Removed the tape.
7. Let it dry a few moments
8. Used the maskin tape again on each side of the 1/2" line, making approximately a 1/8" line.
9. Frayed the edges of the runner on all four sides.

The left over burlap...

1. I cut into square shapes
2. Grabbed my chandelier stencil
3. Grabbed my black acrylic paint (cheap stuff at AC Moore's)
4. Layed down the stencil and rubbed with the stencil brush, the black paint
into the burlap.
5. Voila!

(Haven't sewn the pillows yet but will do!)

They all came out pretty nice.

Bees Wax on Bird ATC

I just loaded on the bees wax trying to let it drip before dry!

Many layers here of ink, marker, maskin tape, distressed inks of various colors with stamp pad collection

Nooks and Crannies

This is my second score on finding items that can go on top of my art bureaus that have nooks and crannies to store art supplies like:

acrylic paint,

fancy tapes,

scissors,

charcoal,

sparkles,

ephemera,

glue stick

mediums,

ATC's to display

stamps,

inks

Does This Seem Boring to You?

Does this seem to be a boring journal spread to you? The look of it kind of thrilled me at first.

Let me tell you my story about yesterday's spread..............I was watching many you tube videos on techniques of journaling. So instead of watching, taking notes, I figured I would take real notes in my journal and put into action what I am learning. I didn't have maskin tape, but I had a water color tape so I used it not knowing if it was going to stick to the pages and I was going to have to leave it on. Sitting on the floor next to me is a bag of acrylic paints. Two years ago, I bought a bunch of paints at a yard sale for $12.00. There were three boxes of them. Lately, I have desired to clean up my art room (again) and get rid of things. Too much I thought. My idea was to cold turkey, close my eyes and grab a bottle of paint out of the bag and use it no matter what color it was.

Citrus and Liberty Blue were the two colors I selected out of the bag with closed eyes. Oooo, ocean colors. I painted between the tape, pulled the tape up (yes it tore the surface of the paper in spots). "Ah", I said. "I have seen other artists rip their paper and they just went on". The perfectionism in me is starting to go. I don't know how on earth I can be a perfectionist and do grungy mixed media collage. It is the other part of my brain working. Imagine that, using both parts of the brain.

Another artist on a video was doing things with circles. I don't usually like circled art. I think it was from college when my professor made us cut out a huge circle and do geometric designs in the circle. Ugh! I saved the cover of a milk container, dipped it in gesso and plopped down circles. What next.....a rubber stamp shaped like a tag with lines, I began stamping all over for the line journal effect.

If any of you have heard of Teavana, go and get a sample. If you havn't, look it up. Expensive but delicious tea. One of their small catalogues is delectable paper and colors. No, I don't eat the paper, but it is so nice to touch and look at. I did more than look at it, I tore it to pieces andapplied that. More gesso circles with a blue calligraphy pen to outline the circle.

Tiny bubbles (have any of you ever heard that song), I love bubbles and their translucentness. So on went medium and sparkles. White pen, black marker, charcoal........

Results-one of my favorite pages so far. Mixed media all of the way!