Hello Bella Crafters! Anita Houston, The Artful Maven, here to bring you an Art Journal spread. Music has always moved me, and helps ignite my creative juices, so I thought I would start a new art journal filled with my favorite tunes. On the recent billboards, the song Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars, has skyrocketed in popularity, and has also become my new favorite tune! When I watched the video, I was struck by the ladies and their garb, as well as the clothing colors the singers were wearing. I knew instantly I wanted to do an art journal spread using this song and the video as my theme. And yes, I played the song over and over while creating it! It was a fun time.

Materials:

• Manila Paper Art Journal
• Tim Holtz Collection Layering Stencil: Chevron
• Ranger Wendy Vecchi Archival Ink: Watering Can
• Ranger Water Mister
• Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Paint: Picket Fence, Scattered Straw
• Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Stain: Shaded Lilac
• Ranger Dyan Reaveley Dylusions Ink Spray: Funky Fuchsia, Lemon Zest
• Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink: Dusty Concord, Brushed Corduroy, Black Soot
• Ranger Surfaces #5 Manila Tags – 3
• Ranger Wendy Vecchi Embossing Powder: Watering Can
• Ranger Detailed Water Brush
• Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Markers: Pumice Stone, Black Soot
• Ranger Archival Ink: Jet Black
• Stamper’s Anonymous Tim Holtz Stamp Set: Runway, Carved Instruments
• Stamper’s Anonymous Tim Holtz Acrylic Stamps: City Central
• Idea-ology: Distress Marker Spritzer, Chiseled Industrious Stickers
• Sharpie Marker: Gold Metallic
• Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stain: Tarnished Brass
• Ranger Collage Glue Stick
• Sakura Gelly Roll Pen: White
• Sewing Machine Threaded with Black Thread
• Heat Tool

Instructions:

1. Using Watering Can Archival Ink, stencil in the Chevron design on the whole lower portion of the journal, staggering the heights as you go to mimic buildings in a city. (Note: I tore out the left page and flipped it upside down so that the Chevron buildings would all be along the bottom. A girl can change her mind…right?!!)

2. Mist the two pages lightly with water, and then apply Picket Fence and Scattered Straw Distress Paints randomly over the page, leaving lots of blank spots. Remember to always shake the Distress Paint until the mixing ball can be heard. Add Shaded Lilac Distress Stain in random areas, and then mist Funky Fuchsia Dylusions onto any blank spots. Lightly mist with water again to achieve blending of all the colors. Let this dry or use a heat tool.

3. Randomly stamp the Carved Instruments onto the top portion of the pages with Jet Black Archival.

4. Stamp three images of the ladies from the Runway set using Jet Black, and pour Watering Can Embossing Powder on the images immediately. Heat emboss these with the heat tool.

5. Using a Detailed Water Brush, color in the images with Lemon Zest and Funky Fuchsia Dylusions. (Note: I have water brushes always filled with Dylusions.) Apply Pumice Stone Distress Marker to a craft sheet, and pick it up with a water brush, and then add shading around the ladies and the borders of the tags.

6. Stamp the city scape from the City Central set in Jet Black below each lady. Use a scrap piece of paper to cover up the legs so you don’t stamp on them. Stitch up and down the sides of each tag with black thread. Ink the tag edges with Black Soot Distress Ink. Use a Gold Metallic Sharpie to added specks with a Distress Marker Spritzer. Adhere the tags to the pages with a Collage Glue Stick. Use a white pen to add doodles to the borders of the pages, and to outline the Chevron city scape.

 7. Place the letters to spell out the sentiments onto a craft sheet. Paint them with Picket Fence Distress Paint. Let them dry, and then add them to the pages. Trace around them with a Black Soot Distress Marker to make them pop.

Next time you are stumped for an art journal entry, think about music lyrics to favorite songs to help you out. It really makes the art more fun as you listen to the music and create at the same time! If you would like to see more photos of this art journal spread, please visit my blog. AND…Before I go, I would like to thank Bella Crafts Publishing for adding me to their Creative Team!!! Until next time…happy crafting!

What song would inspire you to art journal?  Tell us in the comments. ~ Anita Houston