Halloween Art Journal Cover - October DT project by Deb Stephens

 I've recently become a Halloween convert. Not for any other reason besides the fantastic range of kooky craft products that are becoming so readily available in this theme. iCraft products are so great that they can be used to create anything from a gorgeous, flowered layout , right down to a grungy Halloween themed Art Journal Cover. So this is what I prepared.

I used black gesso to paint all my elements first. Then I applied 3d Texture gel through the iCraft layering stencil and let it dry. I went over the dried texture gel with Charcoal metallic paint. I layered up and adhered all my iCraft Wooden elements and others from my stash to the Art Journal cover and applied some Arty Balls as well. 

Using a dry coarse brush, I roughly applied my paints to the project. I used the metallic paints last for highlights. This has always been my 'go to' technique.

To finish off, I used my clear glue to dot and drag fine points from limb to limb on the trees to so that they look like fine spiderwebs everywhere. I hope you enjoyed this project and look forward to see you all later this month!

All the iCraft products used are featured below:

 

Mark My Words - Customised Blackboard by Deborah Stephens

 

Close up of Face on Blackboard

I needed a notice board in my craft area so I could write reminders and lists for myself, but in a place I could see easily when I sit at my craft table. Unfortunately, the view from my table, is of the two doors of my large craft cupboard (see below... BORING!) So I thought, how can I make this work for me? I taped off two large squares with masking tape and prepped inside them by lightly sanding and then applying three layers of blackboard paint. I then drew in my design on the edges of one square with a white charcoal pencil. I love painting and drawing faces (that doesn't mean I do it well every time, trust me!) so I wanted this in the design somewhere. 

                     

Then came the fun part, applying the iCraft Chalk and iCraft Metallic paint in layers and letting them dry. I did not Gesso anything first, I let the blackboard paint act as the gesso. Once I finished the painting, I used some large alphabet stamps I had and stamped "Mark My Words.." across the top of the square in white pigment ink. I went over the outline of the words in iCraft chalk paint (Cream Pie) using a fine detail brush to make them stand out. I have varnished the painted surfaces only with matte medium, to stop it from scratching or getting rubbed off when I clean my chalk board.

Now... what shall I do to the other square/note board? Any ideas?

Close up of flower in Lady's hair - Metallic and Chalk Paint

Note board 1- (left side door) - Completed

I hope this project brightens your day, as I hope it will mine, every time I look up when I am working at my table. 
Until next time, take care!

Below are the iCraft Chalk Paints that were used in this project:
Billow
Campfire
Cream Pie
Dessert Warmth
Flamboyant
Iris Impact
Irish Acres
Lights Out
Midnight Coffee
Old Glory
Supernova

iCraft Metallic Paints used:
Ancient Copper
Charcoal Black
Gold Rush
Golden Moss
Moon White
Romantic Pink

Altered Trinket Box - By Deb Stephens

 

For this project I wanted to try decoupage and have a craft box decorated with pretty florals as it was going to be a present for my 9 year old niece to store her trinkets in. Well, what I wanted and what I ended up with, were two very different things.  I learned things during the creating of this project (like don't paint detailed items after 3 cups of coffee at 11.20 pm!) I have decided to include pictures here of its journey so that you can see that often designers of projects have big fails as well, but mostly they are salvageable if we stop, walk away and re-evaluate. 

  

 

The picture above shows that I covered the box with  iCraft decoupage paper first, then applied iCraft modelling paste through stencils before gluing on my iCraft wooden embellishments. I topped them with some paper clay embellishments from my stash. I then started  to paint it all with iCraft chalk paint (iCraft products used are shown below, as well as links listed at the end of the post) I couldn't stop myself and kept adding more until I overworked it and it started to came undone. The more media I applied to it, the worse it looked and the more unhappy I felt.  So I put it aside for a few days. 

                               

                                         

A few days later, I decided to cover the whole thing in iCraft black gesso to start again.  I lightly sanded some areas to give it a distressed look. To  finish it off, I dry brushed iCraft metallic paints in Blue Patina and Antique Copper over the raised elements and fell in love with the stunning shine of these paints. Here are some close up shots of the painted elements.

I am undecided if I will gift my niece this piece, as I don't know that a 9 year old would appreciate the metallic grunginess of a project like this. I may need to keep it for myself! 

I hope I have inspired you to get out your mixed media supplies and I look forward to sharing more with you soon.

Deb Stephens

Links to purchase iCraft  products used:

iCraft Layering Stencil 8561

iCraft Layering Stencil 8501

iCraft Artists Heavy Gesso Black

iCraft Metallic Chalk Paint - Blue Patina

iCraft Metallic Chalk Paint - Ancient Copper

iCraft Modelling Paste

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