Vicki Boutin

More Storyteller with Nathalie

Hi there!

Happy New Year!  Nathalie with you today to share more inspiration using Storyteller.   Many of you will probably just receiving the new collection, as the new restock of material is making its way around the world.  This is such a beautiful and versatile collection, you are going to love it all.   For today, I am combining layers of mixed media with paper and embellishments layers in this project.

 

This page was so easy to put together, and I loved playing with all the papers and embellishments, but first let's talk about the background!

 

I focused on a very neutral palette for the background, and started with a bit of gray art crayon.  I diluted the pigment and added it using a piece of acetate trying to shape a frame with the pigment.  I set this to dry

 

 

I continued adding color to the background using the black art crayon. I tried to follow the shape of the previous application so that the shape is accentuated in the background.  This was set aside to completely dry.

The last layer of mixed media is a mixture of iridescent  glaze and gesso applied through a stencil using Vicki's Stencil brush.   The white satiny impression covers some of the dark background and bring texture to the page.

The fussy cut florals from the Fresh Cut paper are the perfect embellishment for this page.  Though the picture and paper layers cover some of the background, you can still appreciate little pops of the color and texture.   Those small florals and butterflies serve as a medium to tie this page together.

 

I used the small mixed media corner to add my title, and layered pieces of ephemera to replicate the look of the photo in this page.  I have created a process video where you can see how this came together:

VIDEO

 

 

Love how this turned out, and I hope it has given you some ideas for your next project!

XO

 

 

Materials used (links included)

 

 

 

 

Christmas Documenting with Storyteller | Nathalie DeSousa

Hello there! 

Nathalie here with my last project for this year! We are all taking a small break to enjoy the next few weeks with our families at home.  But, I wanted to leave you with one last fun idea for your Holiday documenting using the gorgeous Storyteller collection.  

 

Super simple and fun layout that documents this year's Advent calendar ( my family loves chocolate advent calendars!). Since most of these were gifted to my family before I had a chance to purchase them, I decided to put them inside an envelope, as they came via delivery to our place ( my sister bought one for each member of our family, as she was the only one not on lockdown)

I started by creating small envelopes about 2.5*2.25" using my Envelope Punch board and papers from Storyteller - Sequence, Patchwork, Wild Child, Memoir and Mariposa-.  I made 2 envelopes of each patterned paper, however I increased the size of one of the red envelopes so that it could fit my picture.

 

 

For the background, I chose a bright pink cardstock ( Michaels) as the envelopes showed nicely on it.  I mixed a bit of Gold and Iridiscent  glazes, and used my stencil brush to apply it through Vicki's exclusive poinsettia stencil onto the background. I diluted a bit of the extra mixture and added splatters to the page.  

 

 

Once the glaze dried,  I started attaching the envelopes atop the dried mixed media. I used a bit of foam adhesive to adhere the envelopes, so that they resemble a cascade of envelopes falling down the page.

I left one of the green envelopes and the large envelope open and set them in the center of the colum.   I used a group of small pieces of ephemera ( mostly all the star paper clips) to add interest to the green envelope.  Then slipped my picture into the red envelope and added a few stickers just to bring some interest to the picture.  I used stickers from the collection to create the closure of each of the envelopes.

 

To finish the page, I used a combination of the Alpha thickers and sticker from the tablet to create the title of the page.  The small puffy stars were the perfect accent to the title.   

 

 

I hope this inspires you to document your holiday memories using Vicki's Storyteller collection.  The collection is so versatile, you can create all sorts of paper crafting wonders.

HAVE A MERRY AND PEACEFUL CHRISTMAS, and let's hope 2021 is filled with blessings for all of us!

XO,

 

SUPPLIES ( images contain links)

 

Documenting Christmas with Storyteller | Nathalie

Hello everyone!

Nathalie with you today to share a new project all about Christmas happiness!  I love this season, and it usually it is the busiest season of the year for us due to family and friends; however, this year it seems to be busy with work!  I think most of our celebrations will look a little different than most years, but Christmas is all about family and smiles, and making memories.  Today, I decided to pull a few pictures from our 2008 Christmas and bring all the color to the page

Have I mentioned how much I love Storyteller?  It is the perfect collection to document any story.   The papers and embellishments are so beautiful, all you need is a bit of simple mixed media and  a cute cut file.

 

I am using the b side of the Storyteller paper for my background.   Here I simply added a bit of art crayon with my stencil brush.  I started by scribbling some navy crayon at the top of the page with the idea of building a color column.  I added a bit of teal, then moved to the ochre color crayon to finish the application; since I did not clean my brush in between, I was able to get an ombre effect on the page.

 

To finish the background, I added a bit of iridiscent glaze to the crayon and diluted it with water.  I used the mixture to add shimmer splatters to the page. I set this to dry and continued working on the page.

 

 

I used a cut file from Handipaper to cut the large title for the page from Foundation paper.  Then used the Sequence paper to cut the letters to back the cut out.  I used the Vagabond and Medley to back the leaves of the cut out, then used a bit of foam adhesive to attach it to the center of the background.

Since the title is bringing plenty of embellishment to the page, I kept the layers behind the three pictures simple. The top one was a large ephemera speech bubble with a small cluster of embellishments at the top left side of it.

For the bottom pictures I used papers from the 6x8 paper pad, and added pieces of ephemera and mini tag pieces as layers.  Then added more embellishments in small clusters around the pictures.  I added my journaling at the left of the bottom pictures, and added the stamped sentiment using the Collection's stamp.

 

To finish the page, I added a few splatters of diluted gold glaze just to add the extra sparkle of the season.   Just love how this turned out!   Remember to enjoy the season, even when it is a bit off.  Take the pictures, and use Vicki's magic to documenting!

see you all next week!

 

 

Materials used:

 

Inspired by ... Patterned paper with Nathalie

Hi there!

Nathalie with you today ready to share a new project totally inspired by the FLOURISH Paper from Storyteller.   All those tones of peach/pink flowers, the teal background, and the soft patterned design  are the basis for my page.

 

I just love how this turned out! The key was to slowly build layers of mixed media on the background in a soft and subtle way.

 

 

I started by using Art Crayons and a thick flat brush to create a column of color on the background.  I used some of the extra pigment to try an create a smooth transition of the colors at the center of the page.

Once the background dried, I used stamps to add the images of flowers and strip sentiments to bring a bit of interest to the background!   

To finish the background work, combined a bit of Iridiscent glaze and modeling paste together.  I used a Stencil brush and the new Exclusive Poinsettia stencil to add texture to the background in a soft way.

While the background dried, I worked on the paper layers for this page.   I backed  the picture with pieces from the MAriposa, Memoir, FLourish and  First Draft papers.   Along the way, I added a few pieces from the mini tag album as layers behind the florals. In addition, i  fussy cut some of the florals and used them as embellishments for the page.

For my title, I combined a few stickers to bring interest to the title, and added a few more fussy cut florals to the bottom right corner of the pictures.  A few lines of journal complete the page.  I have created a video that will show you how the page came together,

VIDEO

 

I cannot wait to see what inspires you for your next project!  Remember you can always contact me with any questions or concerns about the project!

XO

MATERIALS USED (available links)

 

Mixed Media on Patterned Paper | Nathalie

Hi there!

Nathalie with you today! Today I am going to answer two of the most asked and requested questions: 1. How to add mixed media to patterned paper?, and 2. Black backgrounds?   Well, how about I combine both answers in one project...

 

Patterned paper is as sturdy material for mixed media, however GESSO and patience are the keys to being able to mix these two for your projects.   

I started by adding gesso to the b side of the Stardust paper with a brush.  Once the application has completely dried, I proceeded to add diluted black art crayon to create my watercolor background.  The keys to achieve a flat background ( well almost flat) are to make sure you apply plenty of gesso to the paper, letting the layers dry completely, and only adding mixed media to the gessoed area of the paper.

Once the watercolor dried, I used Prism glaze, a stencil brush, and one of the new stencils to create the small pops of color, texture and shine on the background.  I diluted the leftover glaze with a bit of water and used it to add splatters on the background.  This has to completely dry before we can carry on with building the page.

I used pieces from the Bohemian paper to back the pictures, then added extra layers of paper from the 6x8 paper pad.  I created a cluster at the two further corners of the pictures.  Here I mixed pieces from all the embellishment sets to bring sentiments to the page.

 

To complete this page, I used pieces from the Tag book, and alphas from the Thicker set.   Just a few extra stickers and lines of journal complete the page. I have created a video that shows you how the page comes together, enjoy:

 

VIDEO

I hope this helps to answer some of the questions that regularly pop on my social media.   Remember to share with us any project you create with these techniques and Vicki's projects,

XO

 

Materials used ( with links)

 

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Gratitude Documented with Nathalie

Hi there!

Nathalie with you today with a new project all about Thanksgiving and the beautiful Storyteller collection.  I have so many memories and pictures from our celebration, and decided to mix a few of the candid shots in this page.  Since I wanted the focus of the page to be the picture, I chose a simple and clean application of mixed media.

I just love the layout, and how easy the background comes together with a just a few steps, let me show you:

1. I masked a foundation paper to create a large strip (horizontally). Here I stamped a few sentiments -with archival ink-   and then covered some of the areas with gesso.  The application of the gesso will cover some of the stamping resulting a ghostly impression of the sentiments.
2. Using art crayons, and a round brush, I added color to the masked strip.   I was careful not to let the water puddle at the edge of the masking tape; this will prevent from pigments seeping under the masked area.

 

3.  While the background dried, I used the same colors of Art crayon and a brayer to add color to a piece of regular cardstock.

 

4.   I used the Storyteller stamp set, Vicki's Metallic ink pads, and clear embossing powder to create all the butterfly outlines on vellum.   I used the matching dies to cut the butterflies out of the colored cardstock and the vellum page.

5.  Once the background dried,  I used one of the new stencils, a stencil brush and art crayon to create a dry impression of the stencil right on the center of the masked area.  Now I am ready to assemble the page.

 

Assembling the page takes no time.. First, I created the layered butterflies.   Then, I cut  a slit along the bottom and top edges, fold in the cut edges, and backed the spaced with paper and a piece of washi tape.   The slits are going to serve as reference for the location of the butterflies.

 

I used a few papers to back and as layers behind the pictures.  After gluing directly to the background, I laid the butterflies on the page, and started to add a few more embellishments that will help tell the story of the day.  I have created a process video where you can see how this came together:

VIDEO

 

 

I hope this inspires you to document your memories using Storyteller and a bit of clean mixed media on the page. 

 

XO,

 

SUPPLY LIST 

 

Creating with Texture and Storyteller | Nathalie D.

Hello there!

Nathalie with you today with a new layout that combines watercolor, texture and the beautiful Storyteller collection.   This project ( as many of my projects) started with no plan in mind, just the need to play with mixed media and match the colors of the collection.   Let me show you  I have created:

I love how this turned out, especially the colors and texture of the background and how nicely the collection works with any sort of memory.  Storyteller is truly a versatile collection that fits all sort of styles and feels, even grungy backgrounds...

 

 

I started my background by applying a bit of diluted Peach art crayon to a foundation paper.  I used a brayer to achieve a column design on my page.

 

Once the watercolor dried, I used one of the new stencils  to  create the texture on the background using Matte Acrylic Gel.  I made sure to apply a thick coat of the gel, so that it will show on the finished layout.  I set this aside to dry completely before the next layer

 

I wanted to bring the purple and rusty red tones of the collection to my page.  So, once again I used art crayons and water to create watercolor and painted some areas of the column with the colors. I made sure to leave some of the original peachy tone areas intact, so that i can see all the colors in the background.  In addition, I added extra watercolor to the grooves created by the matte gel impression.  

 

To finish my background work, I buffed the impression with a slightly damp cloth.  This takes away some of the art crayon deposited on the surface of the gel, and brings the base (peach) layer through the impression.   This will bring lots of texture and dimension to the page.   I used the same colors of art crayon and stencil to add a dry impression next to the textured one, so that it covers the area behind the pictures.

To construct the layout, I started by adding layers of papers from the collection behind the pictures and set them at the top and bottom of the mixed media column.  I slightly distress the edges of the layout close to the picture location to add another piece of paper that match the area.  This helps with the grungy look of the page, and adds interest to the background.

 

 

I pulled lots of elements from all the embellishments that had black, white and kraft accents.  There are so many embellishments to choose from, it was so easy to create the clusters around the pictures.

To create the title, I mixed the Puffy foam word stickers with a few cardstock stickers, then added a few of the layered butterflies to connect the two pictures together.  A few splatters of black ink and lines of journal complete the page.  I have created a video to show you how the page came together:

VIDEO

 

I hope this inspires you to create a new page of your own using Vicki's versatile products and new collection.

'til next time,

 

Nathalie

 

 

Materials Used ( images contain affiliate links)

 

 

Storyteller with Nicole

Hey there Vicki Boutin fans! Nicole here to share my first project using Vicki's new collection - Storyteller!

 

Let me tell you, I am in LOVE with this collection. I could hardly wait to dig into all the gorgeous papers in this collection and build a layout. I was inspired by all the rich colours in the collection and thought they would make some amazing leaves for a fall inspired page. I started by created a simple mixed media background using Vicki's Art Crayons in a soft yellow, burnt orange, brown and a little bit of blue. I trimmed it down to a triangle and added that to the left side of my page.

I love the rich dark striped paper and thought it would create a great contrast to the mixed media part of the layout, but didn't want the page to be too dark! So, I added several diecut leaves from various papers in the collection, layered them together and added them along the top row of my mixed media triangle. I even added some fussy cut leaves from one of the patterned papers in the collection - so if you don't have a digital cutter, you can create the same look with a little fussy cutting too!

I had to add some stickers and ephemera around the photos and to fill the empty spaces under the leaves to finish off my page. There are so many choices for embellishments in the collection, it is hard to choose!

 

I hope you are inspired to create something fall with your Storyteller collection!

Getting inspired with Storyteller | Nathalie DeSousa

Hello lovelies!

Nathalie back with you after a long break.  So happy to be returning to Vicki's DT and bring you more inspiration with her newest collection, Storyteller.    I am always so grateful to Vicki for asking me back, and to all of you who are always asking about my projects and supporting my crazy ideas!!!   Now onto the project...My inspiration for today is the gorgeous Medley paper ( I fell in love with the paper when all  I could see where the paper schemes. That is how long I was holding the secret!), and Fall

 

 

Those leaves were just calling my name, so I had to use them in this page.  Of course I am all about creating a bit of a background with mixed media, and always fall back to Vicki's art crayons. 

 

I started by softly stamping the script  lines using the BoBunny stamp ( I picked this up from Vicki's shop) with Archival ink  ( Watering Can) on Foundation paper. I created an inverted "L" design with soft impressions of the stamp at the top left corner of the page.  I added a bit more of the stamp at the bottom right corner of the page.

I pulled a few of the art crayons to add color around the stamped image using the packaging/kissing technique.  I build the colors in layers, making sure that the color application dried  before the next color layer was added.

To finish, I used one of the new stencils to add a soft impression of the navy Art crayon around the background, especially where the picture and title will sit.

 

 

I fussy cut quite a few of the leaves from the Medley paper  and used them to frame the image by following the color background positioning.  I mixed the colors of the leaves, but used the blue one as an anchor for the picture as it brings some of the colors of the picture.

 

 

There are so many beautiful papers and embellishments in this collection, that it made it so easy to create the layered look behind the picture, and the clusters at the corners of the picture.  The new stamp set sentiments are just perfect to add small details to pictures, cards and layouts.

To finish the page,  I used a combination of ephemera, stickers and the stamp set to create the title of the page. In order to balance the page, I trimmed the top and right edge of the page by about a quarter of an inch, and used the Vagabond paper to create a soft corner frame for the layout. You can watch this page come together in the following video:

VIDEO

 

I am so excited to see all the projects that you will create with the new collection. Remember to share them with us! 

'til next time,

 

 

Materials used:

 

Stamping with embossing folders

Hey there Vicki Boutin fans! Nicole here today to share a super fast technique that mixed Vicki's acrylic paints and embossing folders.

I started my project by using a premade mixed media backgroound. I just love the watercolor ombre feel on this one and wanted to pair some of the same colors on my project as embellishments but didn't have quite the right stuff - so I made my own using paints and one of Vicki's embossing folders.

 

 

I applied a thin layer of color onto the distress polka dot embossing folder and then used that to stamp onto some cardstock. I really love the distressed look of the stamped image.

This technique is meant to be distressed and not perfect! it is definitely an easy one and you can use the pattern you create in so many ways too!

 

Sit back and watch how easily this came together in the process video I made here: