The Crafter's Workshop BlogGrateful, Thankful, Blessed Interactive Mixed Media Art Journal

Grateful, Thankful, Blessed Interactive Mixed Media Art Journal by Renae Davis

As a former elementary teachers, one of the easiest activities my students enjoyed was making interactive elements in their composition journals. Pockets, flaps, sliders- you name it- the kids thought it was the coolest things because it was something they could show off (and play with) in their workbooks. I applied the same concept today in my own art journal using gel prints and lots of stenciling.

The Crafter’s Workshop provided me with some product to create this project. The opinions I share are solely my own.

On my two page layout in my art journal, I sprayed the entire background with Distress Oxide Spray in Fossilized Amber. I then sprayed Distress Oxide Spray in Spiced Marmalade through 12×12 TCW936 Messy Writing Stencil and let dry completely.

On the left side of the layout I applied Dylusions Acrylic paint in Pomegranate Seed with a blending tool through 12×12 TCW944 Monarch Journal Stencil.

I used my Faith Impressions border gel plate to apply orange acrylic in blocks for my journaling area. On the right side of the layout I applied Dylusions Acrylic paint in Pomegranate Seed with a blending tool through TCW2421 Blowing Leaves Stencil just on the edges of the pages.

I applied white strips of scrap paper on top of the orange painted blocks and blended around the edges with Marabu mixed media crayons. I then applied my gel print borders printed on scrapbook paper on top of the blocks with washi tape to create interactive flaps for my journaling area.

For the title of this layout, I tore up some pieces of dictionary paper and black paper underneath my grateful title made with thicker stickers. To add one more extra bit of blackness, I applied a layer of TCW9009 Black Modeling Paste through TCW2312 Leaf Study Slimline Stencil with a palette knife.