Debbie Ward, from Lucky Girls Paper Arts, has identified herself as a frugal artist. She recently realised that continually buying new scrapbooking papers and ephemera doesn’t always make her more creative. By going through the supplies she already has accumulated and purchased over the many years Debbie have been crafting, it provides an opportunity to “make do” and create lovely cards.

Whether its paper you have stashed away, rubber art stamps you haven’t used in a while or a pile of cardboard, turing your hand to craft recycling can help to focus your attention. It also goes a long way to creating real value by using what you already have. It also makes is much easier to use materials you already have, rather than trying to find a new home for it!

Come and read more to determine is you are becoming a Frugal Artist

The very clever Francesca Albini spends many hours doodling; while watching television, talking on the phone or writing notes. If there is a pen or marker lying around, doodles are being created.

But she hates throwing them out.

She has figured out ways to transformed those hours of doodling into mixed media collages and art journal layouts. There are the usual methods to be used in mixed media with cutting and gluing. Then Francesca has explored ways to scan her doodles into her computer and use them digitally as well.

Come and read more about What to do with Doodles

Laura Thykeson from The Altered Book Nook  takes us into her wonderful world of altered books and found poetry with her “Reading between the Lines” article

The found poetry, or altered text, is made by finding words on a page of an altered book that can be connected to tell a story. Laura connects her words with dark highlighting, then paints out all of the other words, allowing her altered text story to show through. Then many other mixed media art techniques can be used to decorate the pages and embellish your story.

Using jewellery elements in mixed media art opens up a range of exciting opportunities to add shiny findings and lovely coloured beads.

To start with, you will need some pliers and wire cutters, a hole punch and eyelet setter. While you are getting started, buy gold or silver findings that will cover a range of projects.

Using these findings require a new set of skills that need practising. Jump rings are round metal findings that  connect all sorts of elements together in your projects. They come in many colours and sizes. The key to using jump rings is how to open them; the skills for using a jump ring are easily learnt and make your life much easier when adding jewellery elements to your work.

Once you have mastered these basics, you will be ready to start this Mixed media Wall hanging with jewellery elements.

If in doubt as where to start with any  mixed media collage, painting or canvas; start with a layer of gesso.

Over at Mixed Media Art we will look at  a some of the mixed media art techniques you can use to create layers in your artwork.

The best place to start is to use Gesso to create a textured and visually interesting background.

The start of a New Year is a great time to reflect in the year just past and set some goals for the year ahead. The art / crafting area of your life is no different; it is needed to balance your life and needs as much attention as your health, job/career and family.

Over at Mixed Media Art we will look at  a few tips to review last year and get ready for the creative year ahead.

So if you are ready to start decluttering for the New Year let’s get started!

Over at Mixed Media Art we have Debbie Ward along to tell us about her “spending diet” and the wonderful cards she still managed to make with things she already owned! She found that become a frugal artist stirred her creativity!

You can ready all about her adventures over at Mixed Media Art.

Happy creating,

Michelle