Me Time Messages

One of the free online classes I mentioned in the last post was Me Time Messages at Miscanthus Crafts. Clare Lloyd has created a series of instructional videos for a large envelope cover and smaller envelopes that fit inside. These contain your own messages and the envelopes are done using techniques for mixed media art journaling. I had some time last week, so thought I would have a go. All the instructions are posted HERE. For the big cover, I decided I would use a file folder turned into an envelope so that I could include stitch. Started by covering the folder and first envelope together with masking tape and a layer of gesso, then I made the large cover envelope first.

First layers of paint and stamping.

The white is paint on various circular objects and a stamp. The black is staz-on ink. Then added tapes and gold paint through a stencil

The butterfly is my own hand-carved stamp and this gold stamp pad works brilliantly ;-)

Some more white details added with my awesome white sharpie pen - highly recommended

Photo and found words heading added - folder ready for stitching

click on any photo to  see it larger

Machine stitched details added - some subtle in purple, some bolder in black

Folder stitched up the sides to become envelope - back view

Envelope front complete

Then it was onto making the first envelope. Here's the message being tucked inside before I seal it and start decorating

I blended the leftover paint from the file folder cover with some blue, and added the white circles straight away as well because I liked them on the cover

Then I got my instructions round the wrong way and I did modeling paste before spray - turns out that worked well for me. I mixed some of the purple paint from the cover into the modeling paste and added some glitter. Instead of carving into it, I pressed a stamp into the wet paste mix to leave a lovely impression

Then I stamped onto the back of the envelope with the wet paste that had transferred to the stamp. There wasn't enough glitter showing on either, so I added an extra sprinkle to the top of the paste patterns before they dried

Once dry they were quite dark, so I was happy to then add some starburst spray (in the instructions this step came before the modeling paste) - this spray adds a gorgeous shimmer to the work.

The instructions suggested addding an ink pad to the edges and raised surface of your work, but I wanted to add metallic rub-ons. I have 2 sets 

You just apply them with your finger, and look at the effect

To finish, I stamped my words onto inky newsprint, tore and glued down. This is the back finished.

For the front, I decided to add another photograph of me. Once printed onto photographic paper, I distressed it with some sandpaper, followed by rubbing some copper metallic rub-on into the marks. Love the grungy look of that. I had also printed the quote onto photo paper. When I stuck it down I was worried they were a bit white, but thought I could live with it. Happily, I decided to add some gel medium over the top, and that picked up some of the colour from the spray which is water-soluble. So my words blend more with the background now and I love the finished result. 

So that's my cover and envelope #1 finished.

This project is fun. An absolute beginner gets full guidance from the videos, but I enjoyed adding my own touches - the colours, swirls, stitching, butterflies, and old book text are all things that you'll find recurring in my art. Looking forward to envelope #2.
PS I added a label below to search for this as a Handmade book - you could use these techniques on an envelope book like this tutorial or this one