Start a New Chapter by Judi Kauffman for The Queen’s Ink

Mixed media is often messy and there’s almost always a lot of layering. Gesso and paints, stencils, stamps, pens, a mix of tools – they’re not exactly the most portable of projects. So, what if you want to get that look, that visual complexity, without as much work? (You know my mantra: Easy Isn’t Cheating!) And what if you want to do at least part of the project with supplies you can tuck into a purse? (I don’t like to work with wet media unless I’m home and near a sink.)

That was my challenge! Here’s what I did:

1. Before heading out, stamp cardstock with Magic Stamp blocks or do some gel printing. Use a mix of colors that are in the light to medium value range. If time is short, start with smooth finish, purchased patterned cardstock with a random all-over design, making sure that the surface accepts both ink and colored pencil.

2. Using permanent black ink, stamp an intricate image and a sentiment on top of the pattern. I chose ‘Mantilla’ by Sandra Evertson and ‘Start a new chapter’ by Kae Pea, both from RubberMoon Art Stamps.

3. Also stamp ‘Introspective’ (the face) onto pale pink or tan cardstock.

4. Now, pack up the stamped cardstock, colored pencils, small scissors, and a sandwich baggie for trash. Head off on your jaunt to the doctor’s office, the soccer field, or to the living room…

5. Color and shade the Mantilla image, allowing the design within the stamp and the pattern beneath to guide your color choices. Take advantage of the opacity that colored pencils produce with a lot of blending and hand pressure. Don’t worry about being precise, it’s okay to color over and outside of the lines. (Remember, the goal is to create the look of mixed media.) 

6. For the card without a face, cut the sentiment into 3 pieces as shown in the photos above and below, adding color to the edges of each of the pieces. For the card with a face, keep the words in one long strip as shown on the card at the start of the tutorial.

7. Shade the face; cut it out.

8. Go home, get out coordinating cardstock, adhesives, folded cards in A2 and A7 size. It’s time to finish the cards.

Card with face –

Trim around the Mantilla image, leaving a border to highlight the background pattern. Cut out the center for cards with the face in the middle. TIP: Stamp some black cardstock with white ink and add it behind the opening before gluing down the face since the face is not a precise fit. Use the Mantilla stamp or ‘Flores’ (also by Sandra Evertson) to continue the theme of flowers and create the feel of a lace collar! This is a tiny detail that adds a great deal. Add a double mat. Adhere to an A7 side-fold card base. Adhere the sentiment, centered, under the matted rectangle.

Card without face –

Trim around the Mantilla image, leaving a border to highlight the background pattern. Use a craft knife to cut the right edge of the inner frame. Tuck and adhere the three sections of the sentiment at angles, the end of each piece under the frame. Add a double mat. Adhere to an A2 side-fold card base.

9. Keep going. Use this strategy with other stamps and papers. Experiment; see what else happens when you layer intricate designs over random patterns.

SUPPLIES:

• RubberMoon Mantilla - SE6010 K
• RubberMoon Introspective - SE6012 E
• RubberMoon Flores - SE6007 F
• Start a new chapter (not yet in the web shop, call the store to see if it's in stock)

Other supplies:

• Permanent black ink
• Colored pencils
• Cardstock in white and assorted colors