I have been asked what basic mix media supplies do I need to purchase to get started? Here is the answer and then it leaves room to grow. I started out with art journaling as a way to express creativity from my normal 9-5. I have always been a creative person but gave up a career in Advertising because I thought being creative with deadlines made me loose my creativity. So I kept it as my hobby. Art journaling gives me the ability to play with art supplies still. I love experimenting and getting different results. Like most, trial and error takes place. But after some time you learn the best way to play. Here are your basic supplies needed. First you want to start out with some white gesso. Gesso is primer for the your page for any media work you do next. White gesso will mute your patterned colorful background paper. Clear gesso is also available. For added texture to a page modeling paste is key. There are different version, some with a light whipped consistency and others with a heavier thicker paste form. Both work well for my scrapbook layouts and journals. I use modeling paste mostly with my stencils to add texture to the background. I have used old gift cards to apply the paste through stencils and to add thin layers of gesso to prime. Palette knives do the same thing with more control to the application. Gel medium is another staple in art journaling. Its acts like our glue to adhere paper on paper, tissue on paper etc. Apply gel medium first to the page, then to the paper you are adding and again over top to seal the surface from buckle and warping of the page. To get the smoothest application I love the gel medium by Dina Wakley. To add color to my pages I usually reach for my inexpensive 36 pan watercolor set, craft acrylic paints, gelatos or my vast array of mists. I love the Heidi Swapp color shine, Dylusion Ink Sprays, Ranger Distress Sprays Stains and Lindy Stamp gang. I have invested in my collection of mists for my scrapbook layouts and love the look they give. I can use them with my stencils, to add washes, to add color to my modeling paste and to add splatter as well. Stencils are need to add dimension and layers to the background along with stamps. My collection of both have grown through the months and years. I love stencils especially florals and geometric patterns. Background stamps like text, shapes and designs can a beautiful addition. A few last items to get started with would be a heat tool if you are impatient like me, in order to speed up the drying time. A non stick craft mat to protect your desk from spray and paint run off. Just remember there are no rules when if comes to art journaling. Its whatever you want to make of it. Your creative expression. As long as you are having fun and doing something creative it will bring you joy. I love how my scrapbook pages have evolved to include mix media in addition to my love of patterned pages. Once you use more than one art supply on a page, its considered mixed media. So have some fun and mix it up. I have provided my talk through video as well.
Are you thinking of getting into scrapbooking? I have some basic questions to ask yourself before you get started and a few basic supplies. First, what kind of scrapbooking do you want to do? There are two choices, pocket pages or classic scrapbooking. Pocket pages aka Project Life, is scrapbooking with formated page protectors. The pages are made with 3x4 and 4x6 card designs. They are meant to enclose your photos as well has decorative cards or patterned paper. It is a simple way to scrapbook. Classic scrapbooking is done on patterned paper in open page protector. This usually leads to the second question, what size do you want to work on? There are multiple of different sizes to work on with both options. Ring binders range from 4x4, 8x8, 6x8, 9x12 and 12x12 or post bound albums are available in 6x6, 8x8 and 12x12. Once you have decided on the size, purchasing corresponding page protectors is the next item you will need to get you started. There are wonderful subscription kits available these days to get you started in either format. I have been recommending kits a lot these days because of the array of supplies you get a sampling of to try out. A kit for scrapbooking will usually have 5-10 12x12 patterned papers, a set of alphas, ephemera, stickers, wood veneers and more. The Project Life kits with some with the same elements but instead of 12x12 paper its usually 6x6 paper pads. A few that I've tried include Hip Kit Club, Clique Kits and Studio Calico. Others that are available include Citrus Twist, Scraptastic, Cocoa Daisy, Gossamer Blue, Felicity Jane and many more. All are the same but some offer different exclusive supplies. They usually will be priced at about $30 not including shipping. I think they are a great way to get started so you do not have to walk into a large craft store and buy everything individually. If you do not want to get a subscription kit all you are going to need is some basic white card stock, some patterned paper either 12x2 open stock or a pad and/or a 6x6 pad too. That is all I started out with. You can find these items at the art supply store easily. Some supplies include a paper trimmer, long blade scissors, short blade scissors, liquid adhesive, a tape runner adhesive. I have purchased the Fiskars paper trimmer once and have had it for years. Replacement blades are all that you need to continue usage. I also love the Fiskars scissors for large paper cutting and the Cutter Bee for fussy cutting needs. Don't forget to print pictures. There are applications available for send photos for print to CVS, Walgreens and Target. Purchase a home photo printer when its a hobby you are committed too and want to do the investment. All of my journaling on layouts, cards or on photos is done with the Sharpie Pen or Ultra fine markers. I have repurchased these many times. I would also recommend starting out with a few punches, circles in particular. I have used my 2.5 inch, 2 inch and 1.5 inch circle punches the most and they are great for creating ephemera. These are your basic supplies needed to get started in this wonderful hobby of scrapbooking. I hope I have given you a few suggestions. I have provided my talk through video below for your viewing pleasure.
Hello there crafty friends. I thought it would be fun to start adding different topics to my blog and YT channel for more interest. I dabble in all sort of crafty things and since my channel and blog focus on my scrapbook layouts, I thought I would share other things, I've been doing lately. Recently, I've jumped into the fountain pen community and have been pleasantly delighted with my purchases. I am not a fountain pen expert, so I started out with one that is low budget and had great reviews to wet your feet in these pens. I choose the Pilot Metropolitan as my first fountain pen, and have loved it so much I've already purchased a second one. I have the black and a gold one. I have both in a medium nib simply because I enjoy a thicker bolder line when writing. The fun part about fountain pens is the ability to change ink colors. I won't go into my favorite inks just yet, just know changing ink colors is what make having fountain pens great. In order to make a fountain pen look its best, it does require different paper. Because my nib is wider, it tends to bleed or feather on cheaper paper which then does not look so lovely. The paper has a lot to do with it I've learned from watching Goulet Pen Companies videos on YT. They are really educational video to let you understand properties of paper and pens and their vast array of inks. I purchased my Leuchtturm1917 journal from their website. The paper is what makes this journal standout. The fountain pens glide on the surface and the ink is not absorbed at all. I've enjoyed mine without lines and have used it as my journal and memory keeping scrapbook style for the past few months. I am able to take it with me on the go and decorate it with mostly washi tape and write in different colored inks whenever I can. Its really been enjoyable and just another way to stay crafty when I'm not home. Here are a few pages of my journal. My Smash Book is always being used to save the bigger ephemera I may not be able to fit into scrapbook layouts or into my pocket pages. I used it to save wedding invites, thank you cards, large ticket stubs, notes and other memories. I layered them up on each page. This book is on going until I run out of pages to use. But once again another pleasant way to keep your memories without a lot of photo printing. They are available in many color bindings. If you have been interested in this style of memory keeping I would highly recommend it. I have been absolutely in love with adult coloring books. I cannot get enough of this creative outlet. My collection is growing no doubt but I would encourage anyone to pick one up and just color. I do my coloring before bed for some reason and find it relaxing before bed. My three favorites at the moment are Secret Garden, Secret New York, and Animal Kingdom. I either use the Crayola 50ct Super tip markers, my 48 count Prismacolor colored pencils or a cheap 36 count set I picked up at Michael's by Artist Loft. The activity is becoming very popular and have been enjoying it myself. My Carpe Diem Planner from Simple Stories as quickly become an obsession. And yes, I have jumped into the Pretty Planning community too. I see it as functional as well has another creative outlet for me and my mind. I love the color, the size, the inserts which are a week on 2 pages and I have made a few customized inserts to keep track of my channel, blog and social media accounts. Cant say enough good things about it. And last but certainly not least are two books I am loving. First is by Jane Davenport titled Beautiful Faces, which has wonderful illustration by the artist. The book is formatted like a workshop and goes into details about art supplies to use and step by step instructions to achieve art inspired by her. The book is an easy read and I've loved taking the lessons on how to draw faces in a whimsical manner. The color photos are excellent and large and if anyone likes artist written books, I would recommend this one. The other book I am reading is Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. She is the writer to Eat, Pray Love written a few years ago. This is an excellent motivational book for anyone who has been toying with the idea to start something more creative in your life. Its inspirational way to look at your life and start something you have been dying to try or incorporate into your day to day living in order to live a happier more complete life. I am reading this book again because I loved it so much. If I read this book a year or two earlier I may have started my blog and YouTube Channel sooner. I was scared and intimidated to start one, thinking i was no good enough. But decided I have nothing to loose and just wanted to make a creative contribution to the creative world. I am so thankful and glad that I did. This book is completely uplifting, inspiring and an easy read. That will wrap up my current favorites and would love to know a few of yours. Please leave a comment down below of yours. I did a talk through video of my favorites as well and have linked it below for you. Thank you for stopping by.
Welcome to my corner of the internet. I am a new mom, a dog mom, a coffee addict, a scrapbooker, a sweets addict and an art journaler. I love memory keeping and sharing it with you.
