Happy Earth Day! ~ FotoBella DT

     Happy Earth Day! To celebrate our beautiful planet, I made an art journal page with an assortment of recycled items and some mixed media from FotoBella.com.

     I started by adhering a white napkin to (opened up) to my page with Prima Marketing Soft Matte Gel. Then I added torn strips from an old dictionary, the magazine images (the tree and Pacific Ocean in Northern California), and netting leftover from some fruit, and coated it with Prima Marketing Gesso (White and Clear). The clear gesso was applied to the circle stencil, and painted with Art Alchemy Paints (Deep Waters, Emerald Green, and Raven Black).

     Before adding some old stickers for the title, I painted the sky with Art Alchemy Sparks (Magical Pond).

     To blend the image with the background, I used a stipple brush with Prima Marketing Rust Pastes (Brown and Red) and (Dark Olive and Brown) from the Camouflage Set. Then I gave it some touches of Art Alchemy (Ginger Magic) Sparks Paint. I also used the pastes on some of the plastic greenery, which along with the grass, has been in my stash for awhile, and feels good to use up. 

     The bottom part of my page was painted with Art Alchemy Paints (Fairy Wings and Green-gold) before embossing with the Stamperia (Meadow) Stamp. Originally I was going to paint the globe from the Stamperia Wooden Frame (Around the World), but decided to keep it natural instead. 

Thanks for looking!

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Challenges Entered:

Art Journal Journey ~ Having Fun 

Frilly and Funkie ~ Re-Purpose, Re-Use, Recycle Challenge (Recycled napkin, dictionary pages, fruit netting, and magazine images)

 Bleeding Art ~ April Add Stenciling

Sweet Stampin' ~ Recycled Elements

Happy Earth Day ~ FotoBella DT

     Happy Earth Day! In honor of our beautiful planet, I scrapped this photo that I took of Big Sur, CA onto a leftover piece of cardboard from a frozen pizza, using lots of other recyclables, and some mixed media supplies from FotoBella.

     I ripped off the top paper layer of cardboard and gave it a coat of Prima Marketing Heavy White Gesso. Then I applied tissue paper, that I can never throw away, onto the background using Prima Marketing Clear Gesso to extend the water out from the photo. Once dry, I went over it with Distress Crayons, using Peacock Feathers and Mermaid Lagoon from Set #1, and Peeled Paint and Chipped Sapphire from Set #2, blending the colors with Prima Marketing's Water Brush Pens. The final step in making the water was using a heavy coat of the Clear Gesso again,to apply strips of white tissue paper sprinkled with Prima Marketing's Glass Glitter (Pearl).

     A couple of sticks were used to extend the trees in my photo with a few Petaloo Burlap Flowers (Teal), and a Petaloo Darjeeling Mini Mix (Teastained Cream) flower colored with Distress Sprays (Broken China and Lucky Clover).

     I used the same sprays to color the other Petaloo Darjeeling Mini Mix flower placed in the middle of the burlap ones.

     The best part of the view, an 80 foot waterfall that falls onto a beach in a cove, was cut off after printing my photo, so I made my own. I had to dig through my trash for some newspaper to create the rocks.by crumbling and shaping them. Then I gave them a coat of Prima Marketing's Heavy White Gesso. Once dry, I used my finger to paint them with Ranger Dyan Reaveley's Dylusions Paint (Slate Grey), and quickly used a toothpick with Ranger Dyan Reaveley's Dylusions Paint (White Linen) to add some detail. The waterfall was made with a torn piece of white tissue paper, applied with Prima Marketing's Clear Gesso, and sprinkled with Glass Glitter. To mimic the trees and grass, I added some green fibers tucked among the rocks.

     I used real sand added to Prima Marketing's Heavy White Gesso colored with Distress Sprays (Vintage Photo and Antique Linen). To create the pool of water under the waterfall, I added more strips of white tissue paper applied with Clear Gesso again, sprinkled with glass glitter, and filled with Ranger's Glossy Accents.

     The top part was painted with Distress Spray Stain (Broken China) using a paintbrush. After it dried, I went over it with Ranger Dyan Reaveley's Dylusions Paint (White Linen) using my fingers to create clouds. Then I added my recycled netting, before finishing the cardboard edges with a piece of rope that was once wrapped around a glass pillar holding a candle. It ended up being almost the exact size that I needed. 

   
     Thanks for looking! I hope I inspired you to look at your trash in a different way, with supplies from FotoBella!

Challenges:

Mixed Media Place ~ April Challenge (I was inspired by the colors, flowers, grass, and water)

Creative Artiste Mixed Media ~ Challenge #25

Crafty Creations Challenges ~ #339 Anything Goes

Beautiful Butterflies Tree Stump ~ Red Rubber Designs DT

     Happy Earth Day! I'm always saving items that would normally be thrown away for future projects, and decided to finally transform one of the many almond cans that I've been hoarding. So I used some mixed media to create a tree stump with these Beautiful Butterflies that I stamped from Red Rubber Designs!

       I started by covering the whole can with a light coat of gesso, including the lid. If you want to be able to take the lid on and off, I suggest you leave the top lip of the can alone, as I did NOT and had a hard time putting it back on again. :( Once dry I applied another coat with the Tim Holtz Woodgrain stencil just around the can. Then I sprayed it with various browns, sprinkled on some Lindy's Stamp Gang Magicals (Greased Lightnin' Green and Sandra Dee Sepia), and lightly covered it with some Distress Embossing Powders (Shabby Shutters and Brushed Corduroy) to mimic moss and dirt. Here's a closer look at the front!

     When I applied my second coat of gesso to the lid, I placed some twigs and these delicate fern leaves that my Mom collected for me YEARS ago, from the woods in her own backyard when she lived in Truckee, CA.  Thanks Mom! Then I used the same techniques that I did on the stump, but added more of the greens. I love the natural texture and almost didn't want to cover it up with the butterfly. Lol!

     But I did, embossing all of the butterflies in black onto white cardstock, and coloring them with Distress Inks. Then I applied some Wink of Stella for a light sparkle. Here's a view of the back.

I hope I've inspired you today to recycle and celebrate our beautiful Earth! 

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Red Rubber Designs Stamps:

Beautiful Butterflies

Challenges:

Scrap Africa ~ Mood Board Challenge no. 73

Anything But Cute ~ April Earth Day

Frilly and Funkie ~ It's Not Easy Being Green!

(Recycled an almond can)

Stamps and Stencils ~ Trash to Treasure

Simon Says Stamp Blog ~ Butterfly Beauty