Altered Journal Cover for Finnabair Creative Team Blog

It's my turn again on the Finnabair Blog for the Creative Team!

I LOVE doing these posts so I can share the cool products Finn has come up with, and show you a snippet of how I used them.

This is my Altered Journal Cover.

It started out like this. I've had it for several years, and it's just been on a shelf BEGGING to be changed and altered into something different.

I started by painting the entire cover and spine with Heavy Black Gesso. 

Then I took out a few elements I wanted to add and base coated them with Heavy White Gesso.

I mixed up some Soft Gloss Gel with Purple Mica Powder and painted the pieces with it twice. While it was still wet, I pushed the pieces into a pile of Copper Micro Beads. Wherever they stuck was just fine with me. I added a couple more beads in places that needed more.

When the Journal Cover was dry, I sprayed it with Perfect Pearl Mists and let them drip. I used Turquoise, Copper and Perfect Pearl.

I LOVE how this turned out!!!

Then I started to lay things out on the cover. I found some plastic mesh from my stash and cut a piece for the edge near the spine. This is a closeup of how the gorgeous colors come together.

The Flowers and Vintage Centers are layered onto the book with Gel. I found another metal label in my stash and saw that 3 Bolts and Nuts fit in it perfectly.

I used Mini Flowers and Roman Numerals to fill in some of the spots. And, yes, the Leaves are really, really Purple. They are iridescence and turn a blue and purple color depending on the light. Gorgeous color!

I used 3D Gloss Gel to glue everything into place. The Facet has a Vintage Photo of a girl glued and trimmed to the back. 

After I had it all glued together I added some Inka Gold and Copper to the edges and high points of the elements.

The 2 layers of trim along the edge holds down the black mesh. And the Joy Bath Knob says it all about how I felt when it was all done.  The last thing I did was add drops of black Archival Ink in areas to just add a little more contrast.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Don't forget to click on the links below for products in the Mixed Media Place and elsewhere.

And always remember to check on 

Finnabair's blog 

for Wednesday's Art Recipes and the super talented Creative Team's Projects throughout the week.

Your Friend in ART,

Linda 

Prima Art Basics - Heavy Black Gesso and Heavy White Gesso

Prima Art Basics - 3D Gloss Gel

Prima Art Basics - Soft Gloss Gel

Prima Art Ingredients Mica Powder - Purple

Prima Art Ingredients Micro Beads - Copper

Prima Mechanicals - Leaves 2

Prima Mechanicals - Flowers x10

Prima Mechanical - Vintage Centers

Prima Mechanicals - Clockface Large

Prima Mechanicals - Roman Numerals

Prima Junkyard Findings - Bolts and Nuts

Prima Junkyard Findings - Keyholes

Prima Junkyard Findings - Vintage Bath Tub Knobs

Prima Junkyard Findings - Switches and Outlets

Prima Mini Mulberry Paper Roses - Winter

Prima Mechanicals - Medium and Mini Flowers

Inka Gold - Gold and Copper

Archival Ink Reinker - Jet Black

Perfect Pearls Mists

Metal Label

Tim Holtz - Locket Key, Mini Chain Tassels, Ring Fasteners, and Facets

Vintage Photo

Trims