"FREE TUTORIAL - Embossed Metal Tape: Edited"

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

I was surfing my own blog and found a short tutorial I totally forgot that I wrote on my technique for embossed metal tape. Thought you might enjoy this post from June of 2010.
 LuLu's Embossed Metal Tape Tute!

'Swirly Girly Challenge'

Have you ever used TH grungeboard? Have you ever used embossed metal tape? Have you played with my tutorials?

Would love for you to comment - and become a Follower too. Thanks for stopping by. Please come back soon!

Peace,
LuLu

'EXTREME Close Ups: Steampunk Smash Book / Art Journal / Scrapbook!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes


Howdy and Welcome,

You asked for it!

These are Extreme Close Ups of the book I posted yesterday. I'm making this book for Daddy for this Sunday Father's day!

Back Cover ECU

Front Cover ECU 1

Front Cover ECU 2

Front Cover ECU 3

Have you ever used hardware in your art work? What about chains? Have you ever tried to make a charm out of a wooden game piece?

Thanks for stopping by - and please leave a comment. Come back soon.

Peace,
LuLu

'WOYWW - 06/13/2012 - TUTORIAL: Steampunk Art Journal / Smash Book / Scrapbook!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes


Howdy and Welcome,

For WOYWW this week, thought I'd show you the book I'm presenting to Daddy on Sunday Father's Day. This week is also his 80th birthday! Daddy goes scrapbooking with me once a month at Aunt Alma's house. She's 95 years old!

This is sold as a BRAG BOOK (by Fancy Pants) that I found at Archivers during their long weekend crop last week. It's designed like a combo Smash book and scrapbook - with clear plastic page protectors for photos, lined pages for journaling and 15 sections divded by thick cardstock pockets. It looked very sturdy - now I want to buy more! Update: It is sturday. I made the book SO FAST! I bought another BRAG BOOK for more vintage heritge ephemera I recently was given. I hope to have the 2nd book completed in time for our annual August 2012 family reunion. Ha! Ha!

I decided to use it as a scrapbook / art journal including photos of Daddy through the years with captions for the photos as my journaling. This book makes it super, duper fast to do scrapbooking - and I'm always on the lookout to scrapbook faster! Aren't we all?

Here are the steps I used. You're welcome to use my steps as a pseudo -  tutorial.

SUPPLIES

·        Acrylic  paint - gold

      ·        Brag book or Smash book
      ·        Bubble wrap
      ·        chain
      ·        dimensional items – your choice
      ·        fishing lure holders
      ·        Gold paints to ‘gild’ cover edges (test and experiment first)
      ·        Heat tool
      ·        Heavy gel medium
      ·        jump rings
      ·        Old hotel keycard or putty/spackle knife – 2”
      ·        Paint brush -  ¼” round
      ·        Pattern scrapbook paper/cardstock
      ·        pliers - chain nose, round nose
      ·        ribbons (7"-8")
      ·        Spray ink
      ·        Table cloth or craft mat
      ·        Tape runner (permanent)
      ·        Tim Holtz distress charms
      ·        Tim Holtz Tonic Scissors
      ·        Vinyl gloves (opt)
      ·        Water container



PSEUDO TUTORIAL

First, I removed some of the lined pages (as usual), because it was already FAT when I bought it. So I knew that adding more would make it gi-normous!

Next, while still at the weekend crop, I started adhering pattern scrapbook paper to each lined page, the inside covers, and the pocket pages. Easy peasy! Then I added ribbons to the wire binding. Also added, tabs I made to the edges of each section divider pocket.

When I returned home, I started playing with the covers. Adhered torn pattern scrapbook cardstock, gilded the edges with various gold paints, spray painted the covers with blue and green spray ink found at Archivers. Very messy, but good thing I used my 'spray box'. Great investment.

Then, for the front cover, I adhered foam letters and spray painted them with spray ink. I randomly stamped both covers with gold acrylic paint using bubble wrap  that I'd wrapped around my hand. Then I gathered a bunch of dimensional items and glued them on using generous amounts of 'heavy gel medium' (Golden). I did a layout on freezer paper to test the composition first.

Some items I adhered were washers, springs, foreign and domestic coins, dice, watch parts, vintage CTA tokens, Monopoly game tokens, bingo tokens, flattened bottle caps, keys and calculator parts.

Compostion test

After I was satisfied with the test, I started gluing down the various items. I glued items over a few days - letting the cover dry overnight. I've been adding some photos in the page protectors.

Added chains, fishing lure holders, keyring, skeleton key and Tim Holtz distress charms to the wire binding.

Also, I found Daddy's 1932 christening dress and slip with Granny's handwritten notes, which I added in an archival ziplock bag. I punched holes in the bag first using my Bind It All (BIA).Then cut a slit in each hole with Tim Holtz Tonic scissors. Luckily, the placement of the BIA holes matched the wire binding!

Front Cover

 Back Cover

The book got fat again, and I'm not even half finsihed!

 Front fan

Top fan

What do you think of the front cover? Have you ever used dimensional objects in your art work? If so, what is your favorite glue for heavy objects?

Thanks for stopping by -  and don't forget to comment. Please come back soon.

More artist studios for WOYWW are here.

Peace,
LuLu

'FREEBIES! Art Journal Page Backgrounds / Textures - celebrating 100 Followers in 2012!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

 

Howdy and welcome,

 

As part of the celebration for attaining 100 Followers of my blog , I'm offering this mixed-media collection of  backgrounds - FREE! FREE! FREE!

 

These FREE backgrounds are from my art journal (a giveaway prize) that I created using custom designer tape, custom labels, custom stamps, patterned scrapbook papers, die cuts frames, tissue  papers, painted wax paper, deli papers, custom embossed metal tape, copyright free images, Rollagraph stamps, Stampin' around stamps, printed tissue paper, Tim Holtz tissue paper, ink, acrylic paints, custom glazes and gessos (clear, black, white, custom tinted) using a wide variety of mixed-media techniques.

 

Yep! You read it right - these backgrounds are FREE for you to use in your artwork!

 

So...
how will you use these FREEBIES?

 

• Will you create textures by printing a page for your art journals, altered books, visual journals and assemblages?
• Or will you make image transfers by inkjet printing onto deli paper, copy paper or transparencies - and adhering with soft gel medium?
• Or how about dishing up some digital layers by using these FREEBIES in Adobe Photoshop or in Microsoft Digital Image Editor?!

 

All I ask is that you:

1. please give credit to  'www.lulu-too-beaucoup.blogspot.com' when you use these in your art work.
2. please send me a link to your blog post of any work you create using these  FREE FREE FREE backgrounds. I'd love to see what specatacular stuff you come up with!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Small journal from Staples Office supply store - lined paper.
• Pages glue laminated together for strength.
• Pages 'under journaled' (a Pam Carriker term) with pencil resists (graphite and colored pencils).

 

Thanks for visiting - please leave a comment while you're here - and come back soon....My GIVEAWAY for 100 Followers Giveaway will start this summer 2012 - with fun and artsy prizes for one lucky Follower's creating pleasure!

Peace,
LuLu