Vicki Boutin

Make the most of your mess | Nicole Nowosad

Hey there mixed media fans! Nicole here today to share a project I made while playing around with some Vicki Boutin Crayons.

 

I really wanted to create something with a piece of paper that went too far, and this was the result. I decided to trim my paper down into floral shapes to use as embellishments on my project.

 

It is easy to play around with mixed media techniques and use those playful "messes" on your project! There really is no garbage when it comes to mixed media. Trim it down into strips, punch it or run your "mess" through a digital cutter and make something pretty with it.

 

 

I really love how fun and playful you can turn somethung you once thought of as a mess, and make it into something unique and eye catching - one of a kind in fact!

Here is how my project came together:

 

Sit back and watch how this project came together with a little patience and play;

 

 

 

Thanks for joining me today, see you again soon!

Welcome Fernwood! | Nathalie

Hi there!

Nathalie with you today to share some inspiration featuring the new Fernwood collection.  I was able to get a few of the papers from this collection, still trying to find the embellishments, and decided to play with them for this layout...

 

I am using a Foundation paper for the background. Here, I used diluted art crayon to add the color to the page.  The colors come from the Neutral Art Crayons.  Once the first layer dried, I used permanent ink and a script stamp to add some interest to the background. Then I continued to add some texture  using  a combination of  Rose Gold glaze and gesso.   I finished  the mixed media part of the page by adding  a few drops of diluted gold glaze.

 

 

 

 

 

I fussy cut a few of the flowers from the Flora and Fauna paper, a few butterflies from the Hello Friends, and a few extra pink daisies from the In To The Woods paper.     The soft colors matched the ones in the photos.

 

 

 

I can wait for you to check how this page comes together in the following video:

 

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I love how this layout, and cannot wait to see what you will create with Fernwood!

 

XO

 

Using Mixed Media to Document Fall with Nathalie

Hi there!

Nathalie with you today to share a new idea on documenting Fall using mixed media ( and quite a bit of it, too!).   If  you  have followed Vicki or me for a while, then you probably have heard her refer to my style as "black/dark".  Well, it probably is no secret that I love black, but what she refers to is my love for grunge.   So, today, I want to show you a small bit of my style using Color Study to document Fall

 

 

Let me start by saying that I love how this page turned out even when it took almost 3 hours to complete.  It is  a simple design with lots of layers, it is in waiting for each layer of mixed media to dry on its own, that the time just increased.

 

 

The base of my page is built on foundation paper using only the Neutral Art Crayon set to add color of the background.  I started by using a plate to create the wreath outline. then  adding diluted art crayon to give the background shape and color.  I, then, used a BoBunny stamp to create the two layers of stamping on the background ( one is pigment ink, the other art crayon).  A little bit of texture and shine followed with some Gold Glaze and one of Vicki's exclusive stencils, and then finished the look with splatters of diluted gesso on the page.

 

 

Once the background dried, I re-drew the paper shape a few times with a marker.  Then fussy cut a few Color Study patterned papers to create the embellishments of this page.  In addition, I used a Tim Holtz-Sizzix die set to create leaves and branches from one of the pre-made mixed media background paper.

 

 

I backed the picture with a piece of the 6x8 paper pad, and a piece of ephemera.  A bit of foam adhesive helps to make the picture from the page.  I used the fussy cut images to create clusters around the photo - making sure that they sit towards the inside of the wreath-, then used the die cut leaves to follow the circular design of the wreath. 

 

 

I added just a few extra embellishments to complete the page.  You can watch how the page came together in the following video:

 

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I hope this inspires you to use Color Study and mixed media to document your Fall memories!

 

XO

 

 

 

Woven Placemats using Color Study | Nicole Nowosad

Hi there! Nicole here today to share a colorful project using Color Study!

I decided to cut several strips of Color Study paper and create some color patterened paper mats to use on my page. I think this is a fun way to incorporate tons of patterned paper in a fun way! This is definitely one of those techniques that you can do over and over again in different ways to get a differing result.

I just love adding a fun title using the Color Study ephemera on my scrapbook projects. They are so easy to use and incorporate as the script font is so clean and classic!

I added in some fussy cut pie charts from the specialty paper to add some circular elements to the page so my page is not quite so graphic and will soften those harsh edges from the woven mats.

I hope you like how this one came together and are inspired to give this a try yourself!

 

SIt back and see how this project came together!

 

Flourescent Texture Paint Fun with Nathalie

Hi there!

Nathalie with you today  with a bit more fun with new Flourescent Texture Paint.    I just got the new texture paste; so, I am playing with it to see how it reacts with other mediums.    Slowly, I am  learning how to deal with the neon intensity of the paints.  Today, I wanted to find a way to camouflage some of the intensity of the paint but still have it be present in the page.   Here is what I have created:

 

 

I love how this turned out, plus it just worked for the images of my little sister.   I had so much fun with the background and all the layers of mixed media in this page.

 

I started with a Foundation paper, then diluted the flourescent paint and used it to paint the circles in Vicki's Large Circle stencil (exclusively available in her shop).  Once they dried, I followed with some stamping using black art crayons.  Next, I used one of  Color Study's new stamps and metallic ink to add more details to the background. Finally, I diluted gesso with water, and added splatters of it to the background.  The black stamping emphasizes the paint, and covers some of  it, while the gesso, creates a bleached look on the neon paint.

 

I used papers from Color study that matched the colors in the background.   I added a second frame to the photos with black patterned paper (Inspired paper).   I placed this on the page on a zig zag formation, so that it brings movement to the page.

 

I kept the embellishing simple so that they do not compete with the colorful background.   The round  ephemera just brings the repeated element of the background  forward.  The butterflies help to tie all the pieces together in the page.

 

 

I added a bit of color to the right of the page using washi tape in complementary colors.  This helps to balanced the page.  You can see how the page comes together in the following video:

 

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I love how this turned out and all the new ways that I can incorporate the neon paints into my layouts.  Remember to check for the paint and exclusive stencils in VIcki's  shop.

 

'Til next time

 

 

 

Watercolor Dragging with Nicole

HI everyone! Nicole here to share a fun project inspired by one of Vicki's recent Friday Night Lives on Facebook/Youtube!

 

 

Vicki used paint and glazes for her technique, and I tried the same thing but using watercolor made by Vicki's Art Crayons instead! It is really easy to do, especially if you are a bit of a newbie to mixed media and want to try something simple to color a background.

 

Once my watercolor background was dry, I used my stencil brush and one of the stencils from Color Study to add another layer of the same color over the top of the watercolor background. It adds a really great and easy bit of texture to your project.

 

I chose to add in lots of Vicki's ephemera pieces along with some strips of Color Study paper to match the colors in my background. The ephemera pack a big punch to a project for sure!

SIt back and watch how easily this project came together! I do hope you will give this technique a try - along with the many other that Vicki shares on Friday nights!

 

 

Fun with Flourescent Paint with Nathalie

Hello there!

Nathalie with you today to share a new page that features the new Flourescent paints from Color Study collection.  I finally got my set of paints, and all of VIcki's new stencils!  So, what better way to create a page than to mix them in.  

 

I just love how this page combines a bit of me ( my love for black/grungy colors) and Vicki's love for rainbows and neon.   I started the  page by applying diluted art crayon to a Foundation Paper with a brayer. Once it dried, I used both Color Study stamp sets and Watering Can ( gray) Archival ink to stamp a few images on the background.

 

I then, used the new Flourescent paints and one of Vicki's exclusive stencils ( Art Layers)  to create a rainbow of splatters on the background.  I diluted the leftover paint with water, and added it as extra splatters around the page.

 

I pulled all the circle ephemera and stickers that I had left in my  stash to create the clusters around the pictures.   I tried to color block the embellishments to the background  -this just makes each color area pop -.  I added a few phrase stickers around each of the clusters, this unifies the look of the clusters and makes the page cohesive.

 

 

I  pulled a combination of Alpha tickers, and cardstock stickers to create the title for this page. This  was placed at the bottom of the page. You can check  how the page came together in the following video.

 

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I really love how this turned out, and it took no time  to put together.   Remember to check all of Vicki's Color Study collection and mixed media products.  There is so much magic to create with all of it

 

' til next time

XO

Multiple Photos and a Masculine Palette Scrapbook Layout | Nathalie

Hi there!

Nathalie with you today with a new project that hopefully answers to  some of your requests... Multiple photos, masculine layout, and a quick process.   Well, this new scrapbook layout is a happy mix of the three prompts, the key was to start with one of the papers from the pre-made Mixed Media paper pad; the rest just came together in a flash...

 

The green tones of the paper where matched the tones in the photo perfectly.   So, I decided to enhanced the background a bit with art crayons and  glazes. First,  I used the  green art crayons from the neutral and Cool sets to add a stencil impression to the background.  I matched the tones of green to the ones in the paper,  this just adds a bit of interest to the paper.

 

 

Next, I added texture to the page by mixing a bit of Iridiscent  and Prism glaze  together to create the impression of the stars in the background ( the Prism glaze has been discontinued, and the stencil is from Vicki's past travel collection!)   A bit of water diluted the leftover glaze, and this was added as splatters around the page.

 

 

My choice to color block the embellishments and background just help to enhance the colors of the page. I framed the photos with patterned papers that matched the cool color palette.  Then added pieces of ephemera and  stickers that matched the background colors.

 

I opted for a colorful title -icon ephemera pack-as it stands from the background, but also complements the colors of the papers and photos. You can watch how this page comes together in the following video:

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I hope this project gives you an idea on how to incorporate multiple pictures, a masculine palette, and mixed media with Color Study!   Remember you can always contact me with any questins!

 

XO

 

 

 

 

Color burst with paper!

Hi everyone! Nicole here today to share a project using two of my favorite papers in the Color Study collection that you might not initially think "go together".

 

I had a scrap of the color wheel paper and wanted to salvage it a bit and use it mixed with the sunburst paper in the collection as well.

 

I popped the half circle color wheel over the sunburst background to start my page off, adding some rows of machine stitching to both to add some texture and co-ordination of the patterns.

 

Next, I added in a fun title using both the chipboard Thickers and puffy stickers and then a collection of different stickers and ephemera from Color Study to finish off the page. 

 

I just love the fun mix of colors in this collection and how easily it is to mix the shapes and patterns together onto one project. Take a look at how this project came together here:

 

See you again soon!

Color Blocking with Nathalie

Hi there!

Nathalie with you today with a new  project that is all about  highlighting colors by color blocking them on a page.  And what better way to highlight color than to use a rainbow palette and Color Study.  Let me show you what I have created...

 

The inspiration for this page is the NEW IDEAS paper, all those color swatch cards in the paper are a great way to create  a rainbow and emphasize the colors of each stripe.   I first had to cut the paper into separate cards -this isolate the color cards-, then played with the arrangement on the page.  Once I was happy with it, I used it as a reference to create my watercolor background.

 

 

I used Art Crayons to draw watercolor stripes on a Foundation paper following the colors of the cards.   My emphasis was on the right and left edges of the stripes -as those are the ones visible in the layout-.  For this, I added splatters of the correspondent color at each end,  I made sure to play with size of the splatters and tones of the same color.

 

Once the watercolor dried, all the cards were glued to the background using the stripes as a guide for the cards.    Once I reached the olive card, I flipped the orientation of the cards to so that they add movement to the page, and also emphasize the colors in the background.

 

 

To embellish the page, I used pieces that matches the color of the cards, and watercolor background. This helps to emphasize the color of each card, and creates that harmonious look of color in the page.   You can see how the page comes together in the following video.

 

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I love how this turned out, and I hope this gives you a bit of inspiration for your next project

 

XO

Kaleidoscope Technique | Nicole Nowosad

Hi everyone! I am here today to share a project using a mixture of Get Crayons and Art Crayons to create a fun kaleidoscope technique for your next project. 

 

I used a base of Foundations Paper and a mixture of dots of both Gel Crayons and Art Crayons to create this background look for the circles on my layout.

 

I applied the technique to almost a full sheet of Foundations Paper and then cut the paper down into circle shapes, as I used a lot of different colors, but you could certainly limit the colors and use this technique on a background!

 

This is how the whole thing came together. Kind of fun, super easy, just a wee bit time consuming - but I think you can do this in many different ways!

SIt back and watch how this technique came together and please give this one a try!