Sweet Vintage Art Journal Cover by Emilia Tapiola

 Hello friends, 

Creating journals feels like creating new worlds. And what comes to the cover… It’s the precious, whispering invitation to step into those worlds. I created an invitation to a sweet, gentle, world, filled with soft wisdom, whispering of broken beauty and hidden strength. 

Here’s what I did…

The cover, a plain thick cardboard piece, was approx. 11 cm., and I chose a pile of inspiring material for it: vintage papers and vintage jewellery pieces, 7 Dot Studio paper, lace, and fabric.

First, I covered the cardboard with Moda Tissue paper, using Soft Matte Gel, and primed it twice with white Heavy Gesso. Then, I painted it with acrylic Impasto Snow White paint, and after drying, mixed Impastos Pitch Black and Chocolate Brown for vintage look and painted the edges.

Next step was to layer vintage papers, scrapbook paper, and lace onto the cover. I primed the pieces I chose, with Clear Gesso and then added the brown and black acrylic paint mix onto the edges, to give them more worn-out look. Then I glued everything in place. The heavier pieces like a cardboard frame, I secured in place with Heavy Body Gel.

The final touch was to add the actual, tiny little composition of a swan feather, a silk flower, and a vintage earring, which I glued with Heavy Body Gel. The cover needed something darker for contrast, so I added a (half of a) Rusty Paper Clip.

Link to the video of the process here: 

Wishing you all things gentle and beautiful,

Emilia

Products I have used - all the images linked to Mixed Media Place online store:

Altered Spring Birdhouse by Aleksandra Mihelic

 Hi dear sweet Finnabair friends and fans,

I hope you are doing ok. I had a bit of a rough months, a lot was happening, I had some health issues and I sadly haven’t been creating much. After some time, it always happens to me that it is so hard to come back. I want to create, my heart and soul can’t wait to pick up the brushes and paints and just have some fun, but my brains... oh boy! They don’t work! No inspirations hit me. Does it ever happen to you?

In such cases nature is my biggest friend and inspiration. So, although it is quite cold and rainy these days here in Slovenia, we did have some beautiful sunny spring days and I wanted to created something inspired by it. So, I decided to alter this beautiful birdhouse as a tribute to spring. I love spring, when everything is blossoming and nature is awakening. Which time of the year is your favourite?

Anyway, I do hope my project will bring some happiness to your heart and maybe inspire you to create something beautiful too.

I also hope you will enjoy the video I prepared for you, where I show you my step-by-step process for making this spring filled project. You can of course find it on Finnabair team youtube channel.

Have a nice day, enjoy your life and take care of yourself and your dear ones.

Hugs, Aleksandra

Products I have used - all the images linked to Mixed Media Place online store:

Winter 2021 New Products - inspiration part 3

Hello friends,

We have shown some beautiful projects with new products, but there are still more of them waiting to be shown :) So today we are here to show you another batch of inspiring projects with Finnabair Winter 2021 products.

Gear

Hello,

new products from Finnabair Winter Release 2021 are surprising as always! Wonderful moulds from which we can create so much;) I immediately decided to use large cogs and pipes that stole my heart. In addition, the offer includes amazing chipboard. 

I glued all these new products onto the gear-shaped base with Heavy Body Gel. I painted the whole project with black gesso and used liquid acrylic paints. Then I used new waxes. 

Have you seen them? They have great colors and as always they are amazing to work with. What do you like the most, do you already have your favorites?

Have a nice day,

Kasia Salmanowicz

New Products (soon available in stores):

Imaginarium Moulds: Rusty Pipes, Machine Parts, Grungy Frames

Decorative Chipboard: Mechanical Flourishes

Matte Wax: Sage Leaves, Faded Denim

List of supplies with active links to Mixed Media Place store:

Guardian of Stars

I fell in love with the new Vintage Portraits mould the moment I saw it, and knew I’d be using it a lot. It has such beautiful potential for almost any kind of romantic themes. This Guardian of Stars happened almost by accident; I was testing the new Jewel Pastes and the larger mechanical moulds for a teeny tiny midnight blue Madonna, and while arranging the composition, put aside all the elements I didn’t use -  those elements that now are in this one!

The composition is made on a cardboard piece, cut out from a cardboard box, and it’s 20cm in size. First, I crumbled some tissue paper to create an uneven, more interesting surface than just a flat cardboard piece, and attached it with Soft Gloss Gel. Then I primed the base with Heavy Gesso.

I attached all the clay motives with Heavy Body Gel and primed them with Heavy Gesso. 

Next, I painted my composition using my absolute favourite medium, Liquid Acrylics. I played with Prussian Blue, Titanium White, Ink Black, and Burnt Sienna, and Umber to create a night sky. Then I added just a hint of a metallic Sparks Night Shadow to give the composition some depth.  And that was it. A quick, happy project!

Emilia

New Products (soon available in stores):

Imaginarium Moulds: Vintage Portrait, Machine Parts, Large Gears, Nocturnal Elements

List of supplies with active links to Mixed Media Place store:

Oriental Gears' Bag

You can create on any surface you want. I had a bag with oriental feeling, so I painted  clear gesso and and clear crackle and then ready to go with gears and vintage frames from moulds. For my focal points I have one beautiful mould from the set of Queen.  Added Jewel paste, Crushed Amber and also Metallic Flakes for extra metal touches.

New Products (soon available in stores):

Art Extravagance Jewel Texture Paste: Crushed Amber

Imaginarium Moulds: Rusty Pipes, Large Gears, Grungy Frames, Queen od Steam, Machine Parts

Art Ingredients Metallic flakes: Steampunk

Art Extravagance Gilding glue 

Art Daily: Rusty Paper Clips
Mechanicals: Desert Flowers

List of supplies with active links to Mixed Media Place store:

Tender but still steampunk

Hello everyone!

I wanted to create something softer  than steampunk. Tender, but still steampunk. I wanted the best of both styles. 

So I cut a base from thin chipboard, tracing the biggest piece from Large Gears mould. Than I used a piece of Machine Floral Decors and a gear from Machanical Thistle set. Flower power came in the form of paper flower by Prima adorned with new Metallic Flakes in Silver and two of the new metal flowers – Grungy Succulents and Metal Blooms. 

My background was created with three of the new Jewel Pastes. I used Sparkling Onyx, Blue Opals and Diamond rings. 

I hope you like the soft flowery  heart in this metal, gear card, the gritty glittery base and the smooth shine of the Metallic Flakes.

New Products (soon available in stores):

Art Extravagance Jewel Texture Paste: Diamond Rings, Blue Opals, Sparkling Onyx

Imaginarium Moulds: Large Gears, Machine Parts

Art Ingredients Metallic flakes: Silver

Decorative Chipboard: Mechanical Thistle, Machine Floral Decors

Mechanicals: Metal Blooms, Grungy Succulents

List of supplies with active links to Mixed Media Place store:

Stay tuned because more inspiration will be published during upcoming days :)