2nd Reveal Scraps of Darkness "Lauras Wish" April Kit

Hello Friends!

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 Today I have another layout to share 

featuring our gorgeous April Kit "Lauras Wish" here at Scraps of Darkness! 

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I thought today I would share a few things with you about my mixed media journey and current process. When mixed media style first made it's way onto the scrapbook world I didn't understand it. I LOVED paper and patterns as they stood - why cover them up with mixed media - I didn't get it. I also found my very controlled and need for structure style very difficult to adapt to mixed media. I also couldn't figure out the techniques when I looked at other peoples projects and just didn't want to spend hours watching videos on youtube. MIXED MEDIA was messy, and unorganized and random and S.C.A.R.Y!!!!

Then as time went on I started playing here and there adding this and adding that. I still had a very controlled style. You can check out my scrapbook.com gallery located under galleries at the top of my page. I used to be very shabby and very predictable. I think. :)

I also found it very difficult to find myself artistically. I would mimic other scrappers who's style I admired and tried to make it my own but was never really satisfied. Then little by little by watching videos, studying other layouts of artists whose style I admired I began to be more comfortable with messy and random and unorganized. I also started to find myself. What techniques I like, what I like to work with and I began to develop a style. I think. :)

I used to be the queen of layering (with paper) and now I find myself layering with techniques. I don't always get it right the first and this is the blessing that goes with being on a design team. We get more than one sheet of paper so if we mess up or need to experiment on the paper we have another to work with.

I tried this layout first with mists in the background using the same technique I used for my last layout but didn't like the results at all. I needed to sleep on it and visualize different looks in my mind for awhile.

I decided to make my impact with just the stacked clocks, stamping and random "rub ons." The rub ons were included in the kit and you know we all run screaming from rub ons as they usually don't "rub on" as we would like. However these did and since I did them in a random way I didn't have to worry anyway!

I had this frame and photo of my daughter in mind and knew how I wanted to set it up. I layered the clocks and then started with the stamping. I try to choose different shapes that compliment each other. If my layout has a lot of circular elements I add other patterns to offset it.

Mixed media is about layering and layering techniques so when you look at something you can't really tell what's what. That is what makes it interesting. Yet it does require thought and it does require organization to achieve good results. You can see here I layered many paper elements, stamps, splatters and chipboard.

The chipboard is Blue Fern and I used both Distress Paint and Distress Embossing Powder to achieve this effect on the chipboard.

Paper tearing is my new thing and I kept it to the sides of the page this time around. I layered over it with stamps and some small elements. I also felt the white gesso splattered on the background was all the paint I needed.

A few metal elements tucked in. I really love the way the butterfly stamp looks. This is one from a past SOD kit.

Needless to say I am quite hooked on the mixed media style. I love creating with stamps and texture and not seeing paper as a whole sheet anymore but seeing it as another element to create whatever vision I may have.

I hope you enjoy my page and thanks so much for visiting!!!