More Altering Fun with Dixie Belle Paints

Welcome to the DIYDesignStudios Blog!  
I am so glad to see you again. 

Today I have for you a work in progress, otherwise known as a WIP.  I am very excited about this project as it is a bit of a collab.  I will be creating an altered junk journal using DIYDesignStudio.com supplies as well as AlteredPages.com goodies.  Please see the supply list at the end of this post to find what you need to make a creation of your own. Here is a little tease.....

I began my project with a leather bound vintage law book that was about 800 pages long!  We eventually are going to remove tons of vintage paper from this book, some to be used on this project and some to save for literally 100's of other uses in altered art and mixed media projects for a later time. 

First a couple layers of Dixie Belle Paint in Chocolate. 

I then added a few paper embellishments consisting of torn bits of vintage pages from this very book.   This was de coupaged on with glue that had been tinted with the Chocolate Dixie Belle chalk paint.  I added more glue/paint mixture here and there to add 

dimension with lights and darks.  I allowed this layer to dry thoroughly.  I also added bits of collage from AlteredPages.com, 

which can be found here.  I found in the One of a Kind  catagory the great grid paper.  You just never know who you will find in the one of a kind catagory.  

Next, I added a bit of dimension with a stencil and Swamp Mud texture medium.  I used Chocolate and Dried Sage Dixie Belle Paint to tint the Swamp Mud.  It was then applied over the Compass Rose (small) stencil using a palette knife directly to the book cover.  I then added Dixie Belle Paint in Gulf for some pretty highlights.  I just used the tip of my finger to add the beautiful Gulf color here and there, where ever I wanted.  I just kept adding Chocolate and Gulf to add the dimension that I was after all the while using my finger as the tool of choice. 

After giving the whole project a good once over with the heat gun, I added a Giant Tag that I had in my stash.  This is when I value my "make it for future use" pile.  The tag needed a bit of color tho, Gulf chalk paint to the rescue adding that all important "pop".  A few pretty fibers were added and then I attached it to the journal cover using Tacky Glue. 

And, here is the cover of my Junk Journal.  I am so looking forward to filling this bad boy up.  As mentioned above this is a collab project so watch for instructions later on the Alteredpages blog on January 20th for more progress.  I will address how to deal with different bindings and signatures and how to go about removing sections of pages to avoid that dreaded alligator mouth look to your completed journal after adding all of those goodies we all LOVE!  

Here is a sneak peak at that....

removing approximately 12 pages per signature,

many times over within an 800 page book, 

creating space for journal and pocket pages. 

Thanks again for joining me today. 

Please check back next Wednesday to see what our designers have in store for you using Dixie Belle products. 

Again, mark your calendar for January 20th and check the AlteredPages.com blog 

when I will be posting my progress on this 

labor of love vintage law book/junk journal.

Have a great day! 

~ Stef  S.

DIY Design Studio
Dixie Belle Paints
Altered Pages
Vintge books
Palette tools
Glue
Ranger brayers
Embellishments and fibers
tags manila

DIY Watercolour Cards

The Altered Pages Design Team is preparing another month of treats for you.  This month we are working with the theme of Peace, Kindness and Love.  You can never have enough really, right? 

So, in keeping with that I have a creative, easy and quick project for you today that is totally worthy of gift giving.  I am AGAIN working with my true love, watercolour.  I will show you how I incorporated watercolor with collage, paper packs and embellishments.  

I seem to always be in the need for a greeting card of some sort, Birthday, Congratulations, etc.  So, today I have for you a couple sweet cards that can be whipped up in no time thanks to Altered Pages. 

My first card started with a theme chosen from a prepared paper  pack, handpainted watercolor background, custom seam binding (dredged in the remaining watercolor paints used to paint the background) and a sweet sentiment from one of many of the Glitz 6x6 paper pads then applied.  

Using the envelope as my template I added coordinating paper from the Glitz paper pack to customize the inset of my envelope.  Just use the envelope as a template and you can retrofit any theme or color you desire.

   

   

Aww, they match perfectly.

Now, on to the next card and coordinating envelope...

This background was created with watercolour pinks and greens as well as some chalk paint in Vintage.

Fussy cut collage images from the Shabby Chic digital collage were then added (did you know that you can print and print and print when you order digital). 

I added a bit of border in that same chalk paint in Vintage to the outer edge of the card front of the card. 

 I then attached the water colour background. 

 And, then the shabby chic collage images...

 And here are the final cards with coordinating envelopes. 

I hope you are inspired to make your own greeting cards.  It really is easy as pie with original supplies from Altered Pages!

Thanks for stopping by. 

Steph S. 

Alteredpages.com
Misc paints and inks
Pipettes for filling water brushes with inks, etc.
Waterbrushes
Dyeable Seam Binding
Glitz 6x6 paper pads in 77
Glitz 6x6 paper pads in Carpe Diem
Shabby Chic collage image
Multiple adhesive tools