This journal page was inspired by Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2013.  One of my New Year’s resolutions is to Art Journal more.  I’ve also been wanting to take part in Tim’s 12 Tags.  I never met a Tim technique that I didn’t love but I’m not much of a Tag maker.  While executing one of my other resolutions…getting organized…I had a “Eureka” moment in the studio which eventually led to the creation of this page.

Today I’ll be showing you the steps taken to create this art journal page and sharing some tips and techniques using some of the latest and greatest Ranger Ink products that you can take beyond the page and use for whatever your creative little heart desires!

I titled this page “Learning to fly” because during my first year of blogging I learned to spread my creative wings.    Now that I have a year of learning and creative growth under my belt my goal for 2013 is to flap those creative wings and learn to fly!

It’s was easy to create this page following Tim’s steps for the January 2013 Tag.  I used all of his techniques but put my own spin on them.  Like the film strip ribbon for instance.  Instead of layering it on top of the page by itself, I used it to stamp some of my “goals” for 2013.

*FYI I LOVE Idea-ology filmstrip ribbon and am chomping at the bit to get my hands on Tim’s new Sizzix Alterations View Master die this spring!  This die was made for film strip ribbon

Another one of my favorite Idea-ology products from Tim Holtz/Ranger Ink is these amazing sticky backed mirrored sheets.   Endless possibilities with these sheets of awesomeness!

12 Tags of 2013 Journal Page Steps

 

The first step I took to creating this page was clearing a space in my studio to work.  It looked like Christmas had imploded down there and left a tangled mess of ribbons, wrapping paper remnants, and glitter.

Prepping Your Page

As I cleared, organized and put things away I put some items aside for use in my page.  These handmade christmas tags were perfect!  Along with the sheet music star punches and remnants leftover from the Sandy Hook Memorial Tree I made.

STEP 1:  Gather some bits, bobs, scraps etc. from your creative space as a starting point for your design.

 STEP 2:  Just Gesso It!  Something about a freshly Gessoed journal page.  It’s like creative primer  * I like Claudine Helmuth’s Studio Gesso.

 

Creating a Background

I FINALLY got Distress Markers.  I’m simply mad about markers and Ranger’s Distress line has never failed me so purchasing the Distress Markers was high on my wish list.   To christen my new Distress Markers I tried out Distress Marker Stamping.

 

STEP 1:  Grab your favorite background stamp and color with Distress Markers.  *Lay your markers out in the order you want your colors to go

STEP 2:  Stamp across your page until the colors fade. Re-color and repeat.   *Give your stamp a quick huff of breath in between applications to reignite the colors

STEP 3:  To blend your colors mist with water or Perfect Pearls.  *I like shiny things so I used Perfect Pearls mists…its the best of both worlds!

 

STEP 4:  Stamp over your Distress Marker Background using a bold stamp and Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black).  *This flourish Stamp from Hero Arts is a new favorite.  I purchased it to create Brown Paper Gift Wrap for Christmas and cannot stop using it!

 STEP 5:  Fill in any gaps or large white spaces by brushing on Distress Ink with a blending tool.  * I used the Spring and Summer Seasonal Distress inks

 

Embellishing Your Page with Metallic Distress Stain

Remember those Christmas tags I found while cleaning my studio?  Well here they are after a nice run through the Vagabond and a Sizzix star burst embossing folder.  Unfortunately, the embossing caused some of the tags to break apart.  Cutting before embossing = BIG mistake!  Pish Tosh I say to that!  It’s not a mistake, it’s a design element!

STEP 1:  Put some Metallic Distress Stain on some of the scraps and such you found.  Emboss them if you like.  *Brushed Pewter Metallic Distress Stain looks AWESOME on black cardstock.

STEP 2:  Swipe some Distress Embossing Ink over the Metallic Distress Stain.  Emboss with Ranger Holographic Embossing powder.  *It doesn’t matter if the embossing powder is all over, trust me the shine is incredible!  Have I mentioned that I like Shiny things?

STEP 3:  Cut some shapes out of Grunge Board.  Color them with Metallic Distress Stain.  *I used the Tim Holtz Alterations Caged Bird Die with my new Sizzix Vagabond

STEP 4:  Outline Embellishments with Distress Marker (Black Soot).  Further embellish the page by stamping dots of Metallic Distress Stain and doodling over them with Distress Marker.

 

STEP 5:  Add a Metallic Sheen to key areas of your page by applying Distress Stain to a craft sheet and dipping a piece of gauze in it.  Dab the Distress Stain soaked gauze where you want a little shimmer.

*To see more ways you can use Metallic Distress Stains check out this helpful review from Craft Test Dummies.

 

STEP 6:  Create custom ribbon by stamping and dyeing with Distress Stain.  Be sure to heat set your stamping before dyeing with Distress Stain.  *I used Stampers Anonymous Stamps (Tim Holtz) and Ranger Archival ink (Jet Black.  To dye my ribbon I used the Summer Seasonal Distress Stains.

 Adhering Embelishments

After tying my ribbon on my tags I adhered them with foam squares.  I decided to use the broken tags and arrange the pieces so that I could add Confetti with birds flying out of them.  Hey, I’m learning to fly here!  I’m breaking free…that calls for confetti, no?

STEP 1:  Dab on some Multi Medium to adhere embellishments like shapes and confetti etc.  *The multi medium will smear the ink a bit so dab DON”T paint it on.

*Oops!  I forgot I stamped my birds with the same Stampers Anonymous stamps I used for the ribbon.

STEP 2:  Embellish your Embellishments with Stickles, beads, feathers etc.  *To give feathers added depth brush with a white paint marker

STEP 3:  To create the Film strip words count out the letters and cut a strip with equal spaces.  Place a piece of card stock underneath and mark the middle of each square with a pencil.  Stamp your letters under tic marks (I used Stampendous Typewriter Alphabet).  Secure with Brads.  Trip and adhere with foam squares

 

Here’s a few close ups of all the mirror stamped embelishments.  I selected stamps with phrases that remind me of what I need to be, what I want to be….

 

 

And of course, what I hope to BECOME!

 

Thanks for flying by, keep flapping those creative wings!

Amy*

Linking To:

Tim Holtz 12 Tags 2013:  January

Art Journal Everyday

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tagged as: art journal, Distress Ink, Distress Markers, distress stain, Hero Arts, Ranger Ink, sizzix, Tim Holtz, Tutorial