Getting Messy with Celine

May's class at Studio Calico is Getting Messy with Celine Navarro and I've been working on my project for this class for the last few nights. Tonight, I really got into it and got a lot more done! Doing projects like this makes me wonder why I don't do more mixed media techniques in my albums - I really have so much fun doing this. But maybe I like it so much because I don't do it as often.

Anyway... the class is all about techniques, so we could choose any theme we wanted. I decided to do my album on a part of my visit to Cappadocia when we were in Turkey three years ago. We saw a lot that day, but the part I was most looking forward to was when we went to see the carved churches of Goreme. They were just incredible... and I thought the pictures from that would work well with the techniques we were learning in this class. So far, so good!

Here are the front and back covers to my book:

I kind of love them.

I wanted to do something that would kind of reflect the colors and feel of the frescos inside the carved churches - I was really pleased with how the gesso, modeling paste, and Mr. Huey's mists helped achieve that.

I used a Crafter's Workshop template - 12x12 Peony, along with Pumpkin Spice and Manila Mister Hueys mists. I added wood letters from Making Memories - I like how off-setting them over the pre-cut "today" in the cover (October Afternoon) actually kind of pulls your eye away from the "today" all together - better than if I had tried to cover it up, but I still get the window effect.

And it's no surprise that where I have modeling paste and stencils, I also have Liquid Pearls. I'm using a lot of them in this book - I love the pops of color and touch of richness that they're adding. Plus they're fun to play with :)

I just used the stencil from a different angle on the back. I had a little smear that was on the stencil and I didn't realize it until later, but I think it adds to the fresco effect. lol.

In the class, Celine gave us 3 photo transfer techniques and 7 things we could do to decorate our inside pages. She challenged us to go ahead and make all the pages at once instead of doing them one page at a time adding pictures and final embellishments as we go. I decided to go ahead and try that out - see how I like it.

First, here are the photo transfer techniques - the first are gel transfer. Those are the bigger ones on the bottom.

They turned out really well! I was excited to try a photo of one of the frescos in a transfer - it came out great. Rubbing the paper off of everything was a total pain, but the effect is nice. Now I'm trying to flatten them.

And then acetone and packing tape transfers - acetone are on the tags, packing tape is on the bottom left.

I think my paper was too thick for the acetone to really work right, but considering I'd never done it before, the fact that I can recognize the images in the transfer is kind of awesome! The packing tape one came out great - I just need to decide what I'm going to layer it over. I'll get there...

And now for the inside pages. Again, just techniques for now. The first was using gesso, mists, and diecuts to make a page background. The second was using modeling paste and stencils (which, as we all know, I absolutely LOVE to do!)

I used a peacock patterned file on my Cameo for the left:

I added some jewels and some Golden Gold Mica paste in the centers.

I love this page... I used a Tattered Angels glimmer screen for the shape - it was thick so the design is nice and defined. I love the little jewels and dots of Liquid Pearls.

Next up, we sprayed mists on a craft mat and kind of dipped the paper in them. The 4th technique was to create a collage-type background.

I stuck to the same colors of mists with the turquoise ink to highlight - I like the continuity. On the left, I stamped and embossed on top and added some more gold mica paste to both pages.

The 5th technique was to create a pocket / confetti page with vellum. I actually broke out my sewing machine for this one. It's kind of a miracle.

I put metallic sequins in as the confetti which I like. Since the entire page went into the pocket, I had to have the back ready too so I did the dip in the mist technique again and then stamped and embossed on top. I just wish I'd put the rubon on the outide of the vellum... wasn't thinking, I guess. It still looks nice, though.

Six was to alter the kraft star stickers with gesso and mists, and the seventh was to use a mask and mists two ways - including using the mask as a kind of stamp to make a 2-color effect.

The thin white lines on the left are another stencil and modeling paste. I spritzed the background with Mr. Huey's Pinstripe to tone down the pattern so the modeling paste would stand out, then added some gold irridescent paint, the altered stars and more jewels and liquid pears.

I decided to use a corner mask for the 7th technique - I thought it could make for a good journaling page.

There's still one last lesson in the instructions that I haven't done yet - making divider pages with my Cameo. I'll try a few of those, and then it's time to start adding in photos.

But first, tomorrow is NSD and I've got to get my goods together for a day at Doodlebug! Stacy Julien will be speaking, we get to do a class, have lunch, and all kinds of fun stuff. Then I'm going to work on some challenges at 2 Peas and Studio Calico. Time to knock out a few layouts!

I guess I'd better get my supplies packed up and then get to bed, huh? Off to get it done!

 

Comments

[Tammie Koehnen]

LOVE your projects from Celine's class Gwen. Just Beautiful!! Love how you use stencils with modeling paste. Such a cool technique. LOVE the (fresco) look you achieved with spray mists, and liquid pearls. The colors are so beautiful! You really make beautiful Middle East travel journals Gwen!!! Thanks for sharing your creativity! Hope you had a wonderful time on NSD at Doodlebug.