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Scrapbook Page Design Tips
Do you ever struggle with coming up with a strong design on a scrapbook page or art journal page? This week I will be sharing scrapbook page design tips that will help you create pleasing compositions with ease. Creating a Strong Layout Creating a strong layout seems simple. But it can feel like a struggle to get the photos, papers and mixed media elements work well together. Here are 3 tips that I use for creating a strong scrapbook page design: Tip 1: Rule of Thirds By using the rule of thirds when placing your photos and images, this will help create a stronger design. If you are not familiar…
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How to Paint a Night Sky
This week we will be learning how to paint a night sky using watercolor paint. This is one of my favorite self-care exercises as it is simple and so relaxing. What makes learning how to paint a night sky so fun is this technique can be used with other colors and other applications. This provides practice and an understanding on what colors you can create from blending watercolor paints. The Inspiration The inspiration for this project was thinking about the warm summer days when I can get out of the city and see the stars. I love the night sky, there is something about the expanse of it that is…
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Valentine’s Day Slimline Card
As Valentine’s Day is just days away, I wanted to share with you how to make a Valentine’s Day slimline card. Valentine’s Day cards are fun to make, but what if you want to move away from more conventional colors for these cards? In this tutorial we will be creating a card that does not use red or pink, but the more muted greys and greens. Slimline Cards Slimline cards seem to be everywhere. The style and dimension of these cards lead to some great creative possibilities. The panoramic style of them allows you to approach creativity and cardmaking in a different way. When used in an upright format, the…
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Altering Paper on a Journal Page
Have you ever had paper that you wanted to use in an art journaling project but were uncertain how to add it to your page? In this week’s project, we will be altering paper on a journal page. We will be focusing on two different ways that you can use a piece of paper on one journal page. For this week’s project I wanted to share with you one of my new favorite paper lines by Wild Whisper Designs called Carefree. I love this paper because it is so bright and cheery. In my city, we are experiencing a typical Canadian winter. With the snow and gray days, I often…
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Mixed Media Art Journal Project “Grow”
Do you ever struggle with bringing different mixed media products together on a page? In this week’s tutorial I will be demonstrating how to do so in this mixed media art journal project “Grow”. In this project we will be using watercolor, Brusho Crystal Colours and pastes through stencils to make a colorful and dynamic art journal page. The Intention I usually start every art journal project with an intention for the project. Sometimes, it is something as simple as trying out a new art product or image. Other times it is a thought, word, or idea to work through as I create. Sometimes it is hard to know where…
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How to use Pan Pastels
Today I wanted to show you how to use Pan Pastels. Pan Pastels are a new addition to my mixed media work, and I have enjoyed using them to enhance my art. If you have never heard of Pan Pastels, these are a fun and versatile medium. So what are Pan Pastels? Pan Pastels are a soft, highly pigmented pastel that is in a pan form. These are not oil based but instead have a chalk-like feel. One of the benefits of using pan pastels is that you can apply color quickly and easily. They blend well, are highly pigmented and are created to produce very little dust. I enjoy…
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3 Ways to Use Brusho Crystal Colours
As part of building Creative Foundations in our artistic practice, I will be demonstrating 3 ways to use Brusho Crystal Colours. These powders are a versatile medium that can be used in multiple applications including cards, journal projects and watercolor projects. What are Brusho Crystal Colours? Brusho Crystal Colours are highly pigmented watercolor crystals. These crystals can be used in a variety of ways including mixing with water to make a watercolor paint and sprinkled onto surfaces and misted to create interesting patterns. What makes them such an interesting product is that there are multiple colors of crystals within each color. This means that a green color will not just…
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Having the Courage to be Seen
Have you ever had moments where having the courage to be seen is difficult? In my mindfulness practice this week I created this art journal project about how we can be brave in our lives and let ourselves be seen. Having Courage Having courage is rarely easy. We may upset people that we care about. It might mean making some hard choices to let ourselves be seen. Having the courage to be seen requires us to choose what is important to us, what we believe and how we want to be seen in the world. Having the courage to be seen can be difficult. It can require hard conversations and…
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Adding Your Own Art to Stencil Images
Today I wanted to share with you a way of adding your own art to stencil images. Many of us struggle with our drawing skills, so we often use stamps or stencils to help us create images that we are happy with. I was working on a scrapbook page recently and wanted a focal image that was larger than any of the stamps I owned. When I was looking for an image I found a stencil that was the correct size but it lacked the detail that I wanted for an image. The thought came to me, “Why not just add in the detail by adding in my own art…
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How to Use Alcohol Inks and Stencils
In this week’s project I will show you how to use alcohol inks and stencils to create this beautiful card. I originally created this card for my husband’s birthday in July. The idea came from watching videos by Tim Holtz on some interesting ways to use alcohol inks. This inspired me to add them to my own creative practice. Card Making as a Self-Care Practice I use card making as a self-care practice in my life. Making handmade cards brings joy to the people around me. I enjoy coming up with new card designs, and it is also a great way of trying out a technique on a small surface.…
The Art of Self-Care
