Mini Mixed Media Faith Journal Cover for Butterbee Scraps

Good Morning Creatives!

Today I would like to share with you a mini mixed media faith journal cover I made recently for Butterbeescraps.

Here is the finished project:

There are numerous steps to get this look, but all of them are SUPER easy, so let’s get started!!

Inspiration

One of my favorite Artist is named Andy Skinner. He does marvelous projects for DecoArt that are loaded with texture. He posted this tutorial on his Facebook group: Skull ATC. I didn’t have all of the same “ingredients” he used, but I thought it would be fun to try it on my own with materials I did have.

STEPS

Step 1

Start with a  piece of thick chipboard or mat board. Using a scraper or old card, apply a thick layer of modeling paste to your surface.

Step 2

Using a heating gun, dry your modeling paste about 70% of the way. It should be no longer sticky, but not completely set yet. If you press your finger in it and it doesn’t stick to your finger, but leaves an imprint…you are good to go.

Step 3

Press a stamp into the soft modeling paste. I used an old script stamp I had.

Step 4

While the paste is still soft, press your Butterbee Scraps Metal Butterfly, Bronze Filigree Corners and Small Metal Gears into the paste. If you find paste isn’t thick enough to “grab” the metal, you can add a bit of matte gel medium to adhere them down. You can also add a fun charm like my fairy from the Butterbee Scraps “Steampunk Tibetan Charms” collection using your matte gel as well.

You can use any of Butterbee Scraps metals for this fun technique…use your imagination!

Step 5

Once it is all dry, add a light coat of gesso over the entire surface, including your Butterbee Scraps Metals and Charms. Keep the coat light so that you don’t lose all of the metal details. You are merely giving your next paints something to grab on to. {whoopsy…didn’t get a pic of this step until after I started the next step…just ignore that blue in the corner!}

Step 6

Next, choose your under colors. I chose Deco Arts Dazzling Metallics (plus a gold I had on hand because I didn’t have that color in Dazzling Metallics!) because I wanted a lot of depth.

Apply your color haphazardly…there isn’t a real “rhyme or reason.”

Step 7

Once this is dry, add a layer of DecoArt Media Antiquing Creme in English Red Oxide to the entire surface.

Step 8

Once the antiquing creme is mostly dry, use a damp paper towel or baby wipe to gently “buff” the surface of your project. If you get a little too aggressive and accidentally pull the paint up all the way to the modeling paste…don’t freak! It happens and we’ll deal with it next!

Step 9

How about another layer? LOL. Next dilute a small about of DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic in Carbon Black with water and paint a “wash” over your entire project, paying close attention to getting down in the grooves of your stamp and around your metals.

Step 10

IMPORTANT! DO NOT let you paint dry. While it is still wet, gently wipe your surface down, being careful not to over-wipe the shadows you just created. If you do, simply repeat step 9 and 10 until you get your desired effect.

Step 11

Almost done…I promise! To add a little more texture a sparkle, I went back with my gold paint and dry brush and just lightly hit all the raised surfaces. By making the higher points lighter, it will make the shadows more prominent by comparison.

Step 12

For my title, I used some old Fancy Pants Alphabets in my Butterbee Scraps Small Bronze Tibetan Charms and covered them with DecoArt Media Liquid Glass. Now keep in mind, this does take a little time to dry, but it does dry SUBSTANTIALLY faster than comparable products. Once you’ve applied the Liquid Glass, make sure to look for any air bubbles to pop with a small needle so you get a smooth finish.

Once they are dry, adhere them to your cover.

Step 13

Almost there…add a layer of DecoArt 1 Step Crackle finish over the entire project. I like this product better than the crackle paste that DecoArt has because it adds a clear, glossy finish so that you can put it on as a finishing step, as oppose to the crackle paste being under all your paint. (which is good sometimes too!)

Keep in mind that the 1 Step crackle (like all crackle products) “crackles” best when left to air dry. This is not the time to use a heat guns.

Here are some close-ups of the yummy crackle!

Step 14-final step!

Choose your paper and your binding type! I decided to go easy and punch holes with my Crop-a-dile and bind mine with simple jump rings from Graphic 45.

Here is the finished cover again so you can see my binding:

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this yummy project!

Butterbee Scraps Ingredients

Small Round Bronze Charms

Silver Butterfly Metal Filigree

Bronze Corner Metal Filigree

Medium Mixed Gear Charms

Steampunk Tibetan Charms (fairy)

DecoArt Ingredients

DecoArt Dazzling Metallics (Peacock Pearl, Crystal Green, Rich Espresso)

DecoArt Media Antiquing Creme (English Oxide Red)

DecoArt Media Liquid Glass

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics (Carbon Black)

Other Ingredients

Fancy Pants Alphabet Stickers

Liquitex Basic Modeling Paste

Liquitex Matte Gel Medium

Script Stamp

Heat Gun

Mat Board

Daler-Rowney White Gesso

Closing thoughts. 🙂

I hope you enjoyed today’s tutorial and…as always…I hope it encourages you to stretch your creative skills. It’s much more fun playing outside of the box.

Have a blessed day and please check out the products I used… you won’t be sorry.

XOXO,

Keri Sallee