Guest Designer: Nature’s Sketchbook

Hello again, everyone! I’m back this week with another project for WOW! Embossing Powder. I wanted to do a variety of projects for my tenure as guest designer, so I knew I had to create an art journal layout as one of my projects!

I had thought, at first, to do an autumn-inspired layout, since we are so close to Thanksgiving here in the U.S. But like so many of my plans, they changed as I progressed. Still, I wanted to challenge myself by using some autumn colors — reds and oranges — two colors I am just not comfortable working with. I think it turned out OK in the end!

I decided to work in my Moleskin journal. I wanted to add a bit of texture in the background, so I grabbed some washi tape — which turned out to be Halloween tape, but it worked! — and added some strips here and there until I was happy.

I then covered the pages and tape with a thin layer of white gesso.

After that dried, it was time to create my background! First, I added some Botanical remnant rubs from Tim Holtz.

I then used Lindy’s Stamp Gang Starburst sprays for the colors — Autumn Maple Crimson, Sea Mint Green, Yellow Rose of Texas, Hag’s Wart Orange and Rudolph’s Nose Red. The rub-ons left a nice white halo around themselves as I sprayed. I then took the Travel Journal background stamp from Carta Bella and stamped randomly over the pages with embossing ink. I used Perissa embossing powder to add texture and shine to the stamped images. Finally, I used the Honeycomb stamp from Stampendous to add a little bit of texture using Acorn Versafine Clair ink.

I stamped out a few bugs using the Tim Holtz Entomology stamp set. I colored them with Distress Markers and added some Nuvo Crystal Glaze on top to make them shiny. I also die cut some flowers and leaves. I colored some with Distress Inks and some with embossing powders in Metalline Greengage, Kiwi Krush and Metalline Flame. I used papers from the Graphic 45 Nature’s Sketchbook collection that I distressed to create “boxes” for my bugs and layered the die cuts and a bit of linen behind them. A large butterfly from my stash was the finishing touch!

Thanks for stopping by! I’ll have another fun project for you next week!

WOW Embossing Powders:

• Metalline Greengage
• Metalline Kiwi Krush
• Perissa
• Metalline Flame
• WOW! ink pad 

Other supplies:

• Lindy’s Starburst sprays: Autumn Maple Crimson, Sea Mint Green, Yellow Rose of Texas, Hag’s Wart Orange and Rudolph’s Nose Red
• Carta Bella Travel Journal stamp — [SBcom] [ACOT]
• Tim Holtz Entomology stamps — [SBcom] [SSS]
• Stampendous Honeycomb stamps — [SBcom] [ACOT]
• Acorn Versafine Clair — [SBcom] [SSS]