Quiet Moments - Art Journal Cover for Finnabair

Hello darlings,

 

I want to share my Quiet Moments with you. It’s a journal I have recently started, to capture those precious, still, quiet, little moments in life that may not at first seem much, but when you actually stop and see, are actually everything.

 

In other words, my Quiet Moments journal is one that I pour my soul into, using whatever inspires me right there and then. It’s a nature journal of a sort, as I love using dried and pressed plants I have collected from our own garden. So, I thought the cover needs to reflect the concept of the journal and wanted it to look as natural as it can be, something lost and found in the forest.

 

 

The journal itself is a Finnabair Art Daily Square Journal, 5.5 inches, 14cm in size. I had no clear vision in mind when I started decorating the cover, as I wanted it to be just like the inside; made with love and care, listening what my heart wants to say. So, I just picked some inspiring elements and started. You can see the entire process in my video, from start to finish, how I started layering and picking colours and so on, intuitively and slowly building the look I was after. One thing I knew from the start was that I wanted the cover reflecting life with its full beauty: the light, the rough darkness in one harmonious balance.

 

 

 

So, I started with attaching some jute cord ribbon with Soft Matte Gel into the background to give it roughness to start with, and then primed the cover with Heavy Gesso.

 

Then, I started to arrange the composition. I wanted to include some familiar elements I love and am always using, like ripped old cardboard pieces, lace I have dyed myself, using plants and flowers from our own garden, but I also wanted to use the inspiring, new Finnabair Winter 2021 Release products.

 

 

I layered some lace and cardboard to make the background and added a broken clay frame piece from the new Grungy Frames mould that I had managed to drop to the floor and break. I thought it’d make a beautiful detail and underlines the thought of my journal; everything has beauty in it. For me, broken pieces are usually the most beautiful and meaningful, so I wanted the broken frame to have a prime spot.

 

I attached everything with Heavy Body Gel and as I wanted some roughness in there to resemble moss, I added some White Sand Texture Paste and Mini Art Stones to the cover, too. Then, I primed everything with Heavy Gesso.

 

I wanted the cover to look mossy and tattered, like it has been left into the forest for ages, so I tried to imitate that with my paints. I mixed Impastos Snow White, Pitch Black, Burlap, Linen, and Dark Chocolate and used brush and baby wipes to blend the paints to the cover.

 

Next, I added some shadowing in form of Liquid Acrylics Burnt Sienna, Ink Black, Umber, Ochre, and Avocado Green.

 

 

 

I also thought that where there is darkness, there is also light, so I used the new Gold Metallic Flakes to give some warm glow to the composition. Using Gilding Glue, I attached just a hint of gold flakes here and there. Then I gently added some new Sage Leaves Matte Wax on top of the gilding, as it is just the perfect shade to make the gilding gold look more aged and worn.

 

And my Quiet Moments cover was finished. You can follow the whole creative process from start to finish in my long video, where I explain in detail what I am doing and how and why and guide you through the whole intuitive crafting process, sharing my thoughts about quiet moments and life along the way.

 

Link to the video: https://youtu.be/YMedX5foXfE

 

 

 

Wishing you glimmering light and peaceful, quiet moments, 

Emilia

 

 

 

NEW FINNABAIR WINTER RELEASE MATERIALS USED:

DESERT FLOWER MECHANICAL SET

SCRAPYARD DRAGONFLIES MECHANICAL SET

RUSTY PAPER CLIP

DECORATIVE CHIPBOARD MECHANICAL FLOURISHES

GRUNGY GEARS

FINNABAIR GRUNGY FRAMES MOULD

MATTE WAX SAGE LEAVES

GILDING GLUE

METALLIC FLAKES GOLD

 

OTHER MATERIALS USED:

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-daily-chipboard-journal-5-5-x-5-5

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-basics-soft-matte-gel

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-basics-heavy-gesso-white

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-basics-heavy-body-gel

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-extravagance-texture-paste-white-sand-tube

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-ingredients-art-stones-mini

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-liquid-acrylic-ink-black

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-liquid-acrylic-burnt-sienna

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-liquid-acrylic-titanium-white

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-liquid-acrylic-umber

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-liquid-acrylic-avocado-green

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-liquid-acrylic-ochre

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-impasto-paint-dark-chocolate

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-impasto-paint-linen

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-impasto-paint-burlap

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-impasto-paint-pitch-black

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-impasto-paint-snow-white

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-finnabair-mechanicals-rusty-labels

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-finnabair-mechanicals-woodland-ferns

 

Finnabair Creative Team - Summer Vintage Tags

 

Somehow, we have made it to the summer, again. Celebrating life seems like a proper theme. I seriously think we all need a trophy or two, getting through all kinds of unexpected things life has thrown at us lately, don’t you think? Even if the trophy would be a tiny one, in form of a tag, we definitely deserve one!

Summer is this mysterious time capsule where between spring and autumn, time flies, whirling and whistling, and it seems that in one single breath, it’s gone. For me, summer is marveling the blooming peonies, collecting falling rose petals, pressing lavenders, devouring Scandinavian strawberry and whipped cream sponge cake with kids under the huge maple tree in our garden, listening to birdsong while reading on our glass veranda… Time both stops and vanishes and although crafting is always there, somehow there isn’t time to do all the crafting I’d love to. And I thought this might be the case for a lot of craft lovers; there simply isn’t time for it all. 

 

 

Hence, I want to share with you this simple and easy, quick, and light happy tag project. You don’t need much time, energy, or materials for it – and basically, if you want to be in super lazy summer crafter mode, you can skip all the (two) mixed media steps, in which case the tag would take about 1,5 minutes to make, instead of five. 

 

 

Here’s the how.

I cut a 6x6” scrapbook paper and cut it into half and into a tag shape. (Actually, I made two tags and used two different papers, but you know. Then I ripped a vintage book page into a suitable sized piece and using Soft Matte Gel, glued it to the tag. I covered the whole tag with a layer of Soft Matte Gel, too, as I wanted to be sure the papers won’t absorb paints unevenly.

Then, I added a nice dimensional layer, using Modeling paste and a Passiflora stencil. As I am such a vintage girl, I wanted to do my usual routine and painted the whole tag with a mix of Impasto paints Pitch Black and Dark Chocolate and wiped most off with a baby wipe. 

 

Next step was to choose images for my two tags. For one, I used a print I had scanned from a vintage photo, and for another I used an image sticker from the Finnabair Words You Need Sticker Book. I glued the images in place and applied a coat of Soft Matte Gel on top, to protect the surface.

 

The basic tag was now ready, but a bit of decorating was still needed, so I took a piece of tea dyed cheese cloth and glued it underneath the image and stapled a paper flower (also tea dyed) and a very messy bunch of linen cord on top. Then I glued a heavy paper piece I had printed, with text (also tea dyed), underneath the image, too, and with a palette knife applied just a hint of Golden Dragon Effect Paste around the tag, to give it a sunshine effect. As the final touch, I dotted a couple of Diamond Art Pebbles here and there.  

 

And that was it. It took longer for you read this than it would actually take to create a tag, so have a nice, cool glass of your favourite summer drink (mine is homemade strawberry and rhubarb juice), wear your comfiest summer dress, and have a relaxing creative moment, celebrating life, summer, and all things magical.

 

Here’s a link to my tutorial video:  https://youtu.be/xVkT7bugiXY

Thank you so much for popping by! 

Emilia

 

MATERIALS USED:

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-basics-soft-matte-gel

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-finnabair-stencil-passiflora

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-basics-modeling-paste

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-impasto-paint-dark-chocolate

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-impasto-paint-pitch-black

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-extravagance-golden-dragon-effect-paste

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-daily-words-you-need

Art Pebbles, Diamonds

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finnabair Art Recipe June 2021 - Canvas

I had started this canvas months and months ago, when I had wanted to give my subconscious a voice to be heard. I mean, sometimes it is quite nice to start a project without having a single thought in your head. Just let your hands pick up materials and have a go. This canvas was the result of those mindful, quiet moments of creativity.

 

I had an empty 30x30cm canvas I picked as the base and started to glue wrinkled cardboard (from a cardboard package) and Moda Tissue Paper randomly on it, using Soft Matte Gel, primed the whole thing with white Heavy Gesso, and added some ornamental dimension in form of Iris Tapestry stencil and Icing Paste White Gold, with a slab of White Sand Texture Paste here and there. And on a whim, added a layer of Impasto Snow White on top of everything, to get a simple background where a hint of golden glimmer shined through.

 

Only then I started to think what to do with the canvas, and simply dived into my endless supply source of driftwood and seashells; our family has (or had, it’s covid time with no travelling right now) a habit to drag at least one luggage full of seashells, sea glass, and driftwood from our travels, so there is way, way more of those than I could ever use, which means, I always use them as part of my embellishments. 

 

 

So, I attached the ones appealing to me right there and then, with Heavy Body Gel, one by one, together with a happy mixture of a broken gear (I had used the large Gear mould with air dry clay, and dropped and broke the largest gear, but it fitted in perfectly here), vintage clock hands, and Finnabair mechanical embellishments with some Melange Art Pebbles.

 

 

Then I painted most over with Heavy Gesso and added a mixture of gesso with Mini and Mega Art Stones here and there, to add more dimension. I still had no idea for the colouring but thought I’d start with Liquid Acrylics, my all-time favourites, thinking about a misty morning in an otherwise empty beach with no sound but those of gentle waves and of seagulls calling, and our family leaving foorprints in the low tide sand, breathing fresh air and memories on the making. With a mist sprayer in one and a brush in the other hand, I started applying colour into the canvas. Only a little, painting a distant echo of that misty morning of my dreams. I used Titanium White, Burnt Sienna, Ink Black, and Prussian Blue. At that point I wasn’t satisfied with the look, and thought I’d continue later.

 

And later it was, by some months, as I simply forgot the whole canvas… I digged it up for this Art Recipe, immediately realizing what was missing: some Gold Metallic Flakes and Light Patina Metallique acrylic paint. And indeed, it did not need anything else, but a softest touch of gold flakes resembling rising sun, and Light Patina blue – which I added only a little here and there, spraying a lot of water to make it blending into the canvas like morning mist gently rolling in the horizon. And the canvas will always remind me of that magical morning in a faraway beach, of the echo of seagulls, of five pair of footsteps in sand and of a happy, contented heart.

Emilia

 

 

 

MATERIALS USED:

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-basics-heavy-gesso-white

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-basics-heavy-body-gel

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-basics-soft-matte-gel

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-finnabair-tissue-paper-moda

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-extravagance-icing-paste-white-gold

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-finnabair-stencil-iris-tapestry

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-ingredients-art-stones-mini

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-ingredients-mega-art-stones

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-finnabair-mould-large-gears

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-extravagance-texture-paste-white-sand-tube

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-extravagance-jewel-effect-paste-golden-dust

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-extravagance-gilding-glue

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-ingredients-metallic-flakes-gold

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-impasto-paint-snow-white

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-liquid-acrylic-ink-black

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-liquid-acrylic-prussian-blue

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-liquid-acrylic-burnt-sienna

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-liquid-acrylic-titanium-white

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-metallique-light-patina

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-metallique-ancient-coin

                                   

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-mechanicals-metal-blooms

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-finnabair-mechanicals-woodland-ferns

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-ingredients-melange-art-pebbles

Rustic Knobs 967130

 

Rustic Gears 963439

 

 

Mystic Pencil Silver Mask - Finnabair Creative Team Art

 

I knew I was in trouble, when my teenager asked me to alter a plastic mask for his Dj purposes. I knew I could say no, as he’s the one who has composed the most beautifully soft music for my videos; now it was payback time. But how could I do it, create something masculine, when everything I do has a habit of turning into some kind of shabby chic softness?

 

Well, I had no choice, had I? So, I gessoed the plastic mask, painted it over with Snow White Impasto paint (and chuckled while doing so, as Snow White and masculine aren’t the usual terms connected), and started to wonder what I should do next. I can assure you; it was a trial-and-error process for me… 

 

 

I noticed that the layers started to slowly slip from the plastic surface, so I added another layer and sealed it with Soft Matte Gel. It helped for a while, but I wasn’t happy with the uneven surface and added a layer of Old White matte wax to cover it all. Then I painted strong shadows using Impastos Pitch Black, Dark Chocolate, and Snow White, to get more dimension and some structure into the mask and added another white Impasto layer on top with a very soft sponge.

 

Again, I didn’t like the outcome, way too creepily skull style for my liking, so I decided to add some waxes on top. I mixed Charcoal Black, Graphite, and Brushed Iron with some Rusty Brown to give it warmth and applied the wax to the mask. It was looking really good, but the layers started to move again under my brush and revealed white areas. What can a girl do but do some serious patching? So, I took my Silver Metallic Flakes and Gilding Glue and started my mixed media patching work, adding silver flakes everywhere there was white spots. And I could see in the instant the first flake softly landed onto the mask that now we had a winner and as perfect a match as perfect match can go.

 

 

 

I waited until I was absolutely certain that the waxes and the gilding glue were completely dry, and took a blending brush and brushed the flakes as hard as I could (keeping in mind the “moving”, thin plastic surface) until all the silver flakes kind of blended into the background. Then I took Charcoal Black, Old Silver, and Graphite waxes and very, very gently spread some onto the flakes, to make sure they really looked old and worn like an old statue and added black mica powder to highlight and shadow the nose and lip lines. Just to be on the safe side, I added a layer of Soft Matte Gel on top, to protect all the layers.

 

And… I did it! I managed to create something if not grungy masculine, then at least not-creepy-masculine-ish and it turned out to be one of my favourite projects of all because of its challenging difference!

 

 

P.S. Yes, my son loved his mask!

 

 

 

Materials Used:

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-ingredients-metallic-flakes-silver

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-extravagance-gilding-glue

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-basics-heavy-gesso-white

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-basics-soft-matte-gel

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-impasto-paint-dark-chocolate

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-impasto-paint-pitch-black

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-impasto-paint-snow-white

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-metallique-wax-vintage-gold

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-metallique-wax-old-silver

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-matte-wax-charcoal-black

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-metallique-wax-graphite

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-matte-wax-rusty-brown

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-metallique-wax-brushed-iron

 

https://mixedmediaplace.com/prima-art-alchemy-matte-wax-old-white