Making a zine art journal with Josefine Fouarge

Hello everyone, and welcome back to the VLVS! blog. I just recently saw a post on social media about someone creating a zine art journal and I remembered how much fun they are to make. So, I decided that now is the best time to make another one ;)

If you are wondering what a zine art journal is, let me explain that briefly. It's a small journal made out of one sheet of paper. I found the pattern in a book on how to make books (I know ;) ) and have loved this pattern ever since. Super simple, you just need a pair of scissors.

I started this one from a sheet of copy paper that had printer settings printed on one side and some clean up stamp marks on the other (funny enough, those stamps are all from VLVS).

Once folded and cut, I picked a few Distress Oxide inks and smeared them on my glass mat. Then, I spritzed the ink with water and dragged my paper through the color. I repeated that a couple of times.

Not just with the Distress Oxide inks though. I also used some of Seth's new ink sprays. Same way - I spritzed the inks onto the surface and dragged my paper through it.

Then I used a few background stamps and added even more texture to the entire piece. That star you can see in the picture below was one of the clean up images.

By the way, that Mesh Texture stamp might be my new favorite background stamp...

Once I finished with the backgrounds, I focused on the front and back cover. I folded the paper in a way that the star appears on the front. Then I added a bunch of the flower stamps from Tina Walker to the front and back.

And then added a few marks with my chalk markers (also a new favorite of mine). 

I finished off with a sentiment and a few more doodles.

Here is the front.

And the back.

A few close ups.

Here are the three inner pages. All still empty, but I'll fill them for my next post. Stay tuned :)

Stamps used:

- Plate 1455

- Stitching

- Mesh Texture

- Writing Circles Background

- Plate 1512

- Ethos what are you

- Ethos Tulip

- Ethos Plant

- Ethos Flowers

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you got inspired by this super fun little journal and want to try it yourself!

Life Simplified

Hello Again!

Today, I'm here with more vintage inspired goodness using a super cute stamp!

Stamp Used:

Upset Boy With Pet Pig

Above you can see all my base layers:

(1 A2 cardm a second layer of distressed black card 1/8 in smaller than base. Tim Holtz sticky back burlap (from his Textured surfaces pack) cut 1/8 in smaller than the black distressed layer.

A piece of corrugated cardboard I had laying around, ripped to add interest and cut to card width.

Stamped image colored and stitched onto black kraftstock 1/8 in larger than the 2.5 x 3.5 in image. 

I used various distress inks to watercolor this image. 

Antique linen, vintage photo, and frayed burlap were used for the general distressing.

Here is a close up of the finished piece with some Tim Holtz hardware heads, metal stars, and a  snipit sticker.

I hope this card sparks your creativity and makes you want to get grungy and inky!

Hippo Racing

Hello Again Crafty Friends!

Tera here again, and today I'm going back to my vintage and grungy roots!

(Also Hippo Racing, Why not!?!)

Stamps Used: 

Wake Me Up When I'm Famous

Hippo Racer

Start with an A2 card base.

 Cut black kraft stock to- 5 3/8in x 4 1/8 inches, a piece in 2in x 4 1/8 in, and  3 7/8in x 2 5/8in. 

The scrapbook paper layers measure- 5 1/8in x 3 7/8in, and 4 1/8 x 1 3/4in

The stamped image layer is 2.5 in x 3.5 in. 

I distressed Everything with frayed burlap and antique linen distress ink. 

When my stamped image was colored (using Zig clean color markers), I stitched around the edges. (I meant to stitch the top and bottom of the skinny piece but glued it down too soon, so I hand drew faux stitching on it. )

Finally when everything was glued down, I stamped my quote using my stamping tool. 

(Tim Holtz stamp press)

 To finish everything off, I used various rub-ons from Tim Holtz and 7 gypsies for added details. 

What do you think? 

Do you want to try hippo racing?

Your Jealousy is Showing | Sue Plumb

Hi everyone!

It's Sue Plumb here today to share my latest design team project with you. Today I am sharing a mixed media scrapbook layout that I created whilst I was away at a craft retreat last weekend. It was actually created for a challenge that was on offer, which was to be inspired by a canvas created by my fellow Aussie VLVS teammate (and friend) Fiona Paltridge. I decided to design a scrapbook layout so I could document these fun photos of my brother and I as we shared a giant margarita.

To create my page, I began with a sheet of Bazzill Marshmallow cardstock. This is my preferred cardstock to use when I create mixed media pages, as with its heavy weight (240gsm) it takes a variety of media well with minimal warping. 

I started by applying some Micador watercolour paints randomly to my background, drawing on the colours from Fiona's piece for inspiration. Once the watercolours had dried, I then added some contrast colours using Dina Wakley acrylic paints which I applied with my fingertips.

To add texture to my page, I also added some torn strips of old book and music paper, and some pieces of tissue paper before adding yet more acrylic paint to help blend the papers in a bit.

Once the colour and texture was down on the page, it was time to add some stamping to help give the page some structure. (Unfortunately, as I had flown to retreat and was weight restricted for my luggage, I only had a small selection of my favourite stamps with me.)

The first stamp I reached for was the Typeset Scallop, which I stamped twice horizontally over the paint on my background using black StazOn ink. This gave my page a horizontal line that I could then anchor my photos to.

Next, I wanted to add some vertical structure to my page, so I used the Rows of Numbers stamp and stamped it near the top and bottom of my painted section. I also added a few scribbles with my Stabilo All pencil to further enhance the horizontal and vertical lines I had created.

Once I had the structural stamping in place it was time to add some layers of texture. I used a variety of materials for my layers - striped tissue paper; punchinella; paper doily and frayed gauze before adding my photos on top.

Once the photos were in place I also added some pieces of twisted coloured wire and some staples; as well as some small snarky phrase stickers.

At this point I thought the background needed some extra black detail, so I used the Waybill/Invoice Background stamp to add a little random text and lines around the edges of the focal area.

To finish off my page, I used the Cross Marks Background stamp to add three small patches of crosses to form a "visual triangle" around my photos. I further enhanced the crosses by using some yellow embroidery thread to hand stitch over a few of them. 

Then it was a few tiny watercolour splatters and I was done!

That's all from me today, I hope I have inspired you to pull out some of your favourite stamps and get inky too!

Stamps used:

- Typeset Scallop

- Rows of Numbers

- Waybill/Invoice Background

- Cross Marks Background

Other materials:

- Bazzill Marshmallow cardstock

- Micador watercolour paints

- Dina Wakley acrylic paints

- Tsukineko StazOn ink

- Book, music and tissue paper

- Paper doily, punchinella, gauze

- Small phrase stickers

- Coloured wire, staples

- Embroidery thread

- Stabilo All pencil

"Failure to give a shit" art journal spread | Sue Plumb

Hi everyone!

Sue Plumb here today to share a spread I created in my altered book art journal recently. I use this journal not only as a creative outlet, but also as a way of expressing my thoughts and feelings. This spread was created on one of "those days" - you know, the ones when you are just over worrying about all the insignificant things in life? 

I felt like working with acrylic paints for this project, so I pulled out my Flutterby Designs Flutter Colour paints. I used a medium sized brush and randomly spread some paint across the pages.

Once I had the colour down and dry; I decided to tone down the remaining print a bit, so I used some Colour Blast white heavy gesso over the text, which I applied simply with a brush.

After I was happy with the colour, it was time to add some depth and structure to my background with stamps. 

I used Staz On ink and the following stamps:

- Stitching Lines

- Stitching

- Measuring Tape Section

- Coffee Ring Stain

I then used some purple acrylic paint (applied with my finger) to add some colour to the centre of my coffee ring stains.

For my focal image I used the Fed Up Vintage Lady stamp. I smeared some ink acrylic pant onto some cardstock and then stamped the image over the top before cutting it out. (Confession time: after stamping and cutting the image I decided I wanted less colour, so I re-did it.)
I also stamped out a few copies of the quote I was using with the What We Have Here stamp; which I cut into small strips.

I decided my page need some more contrast, so I added a few areas of contrast using Colour Blast black heavy gesso; and a few smears of the pink paint where my quotes were going to be placed. I also added a little bit of light stamping with my favourite Doodle Dots stamp.
I then stuck down my quotes and feature image.

To finish my spread, I added a few highlights using a Flutterby Designs stencil; white paint pens (Posca and Sharpie); and also a black Sharpie.

Here's a closer look at the finished details...

Thanks for stopping by so I could share this with you. I hope I have inspired you to get inky too!

Stamps used:
- Stitching Lines
- Stitching
- Measuring Tape Section
- Coffee Ring Stain
- Fed Up Vintage Lady
- What We Have Here
- Doodle Dots

Other materials:
- Miracle Tape
- Flutterby Designs Flutter Colour paints
- Color Blast white and black heavy gesso
- Staz On ink
- Flutterby Designs 'Bubble O'Fun' stencil
- Sharpie pens
- Posca pen