Mixed Media....Dare to Dream

I started the first page in my art journal. I got messy with some mixed media products and some MFT goodies.  It all came together after stumbling across Mona Pendleton's new Mixed Media color challenge.
 If you remember, I loved her Cr84Fun challenges and was even on the design team for a short time before she ended those challenges. Little did we all know at the time....she had something BIG in the works. It was her line of stamps, Die-namics, and Mix-ables with My Favorite Things. 

Mona is uber talented! I love everything she creates. So I'm super excited about this new challenge blog she has started. You can check it out HERE.  And here is the first challenge-pink, silver, and black. Seemed easy enough. 

I started my page, by first tinting some white acrylic paint with my Bubble Gum re-inker from MFT. I think I added about 5-6 drops to a glob of the white paint. I mixed it up and then brushed some onto my page. It gave a soft, pretty color for my backdrop. 

 Next I decided to try out some of the new stencils MFT just released. This one is the Square Motif.  I used some modeling paste to add some texture. I found it interesting that the modeling past picked up some of the color from my background and turned pink when it dried. I wanted it white, but like how it ended up with a tone-on-tone texture for my page. A happy accident! 

I did not use silver, but I pulled in the grey color by cutting some SU Basic Grey cs with the Large Leaf-filled Flourish. I softened the cardstock by brushing on a thin layer of white Gesso. 

I cut a handful of butterflies from Lisa Johnson's new Blissful Butterflies Die-namics. The small ones were cut from designer paper and I brushed on some Gesso and then sponged on some Bubblegum ink to the edges once they were dry. 

I did cut the large butterfly from Pink Lemonade cs and stamped the matching Blissful Butterflies stamp in Bubblegum Ink. I then spritzed it with the new Sheer Shimmer mist. 

I added in the black from the color combo, with the Art Expression Text Stamp.  I used it without an acrylic block. I inked it up with my Big Pitt marker and then pressed it on my page here and there. 

I added the Dare to Dream stamp, from Dandelion Wishes, along the bottom. I thought it was a beautiful way to start my journal, reminding myself that I can dream and create however I want. 

A few last touches I added were the fabric roses. I picked them up from Stampin' Up! a few months back and thought they'd be pretty with the butterflies.  I sponged the edges with some Bubblegum ink so they would flow with my design better. 

I also added some flicks of Steel Shimmer Mist. I wasn't brave enough to spritz my whole page. I find I have more control if I use a paint brush to add my splatter.  So, I sprayed some into a plastic paint pallet and then I used a paint brush to pick up the mist and then I tapped it a few times to splatter the color across my page. 

I'm so proud of myself for diving in with my new journal. I look forward to filling it up with pretty things! I hope it inspires you to try something new. Have a Great Day!