Positiv’ Journal and Matching Canvas Tote Bag

• 12×12 Cardstock Paper – Kraft 80#
• 12x12Cardstock Paper – Ivory 80#
• 12×12 Natural Burlap
• Glimmer Mist – Merlot Gold
• Glimmer Mist – Gold
• Glimmer Mist – Icicle Blue
• 7gypsies B & W Tags: Maritime
• Canvas Bag – Canvas Drawstring Sac 8×8
• Burlap Flower – Ivory
• Modeling Paste
• Stazon/stamps
• Stencils
• Gesso
• Styling Mousse – yes hair mouse – any white foam style will do
• Sepia Accents

Extras:  plate, paper cutter, hole punch, palette knife

Angélique also created a video set where she walks you through the following steps.  

Be Positiv’ Journal Video Part I

Be Positiv’ Journal Video Part II

Let’s create the bag first:

Lay your canvas bag or blank down flat onto your workspace.  Choose your favorite stencil(s).

 With your spatula run the modeling paste through the stencil and onto the canvas.  You can use multiple stencils to add different patterns to your canvas.  You can do this same technique on burlap or other fabrics.  Set aside to dry.

Once dry, apply our the color with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists.  You can use one or more mist colors, using tone on tone or choose your palette.  If you choose colors from the red, yellow and blue family when you mist them you will create secondary colors when the blend.

Shake side to side to blend the mica into the dye and mist by compressing the misting all the way down, we like to call that “committing to the mist” If you have not worked with a mist paint before try it a few times and you will get the hang of it quickly.  You can do other misting techniques to get different looks you just have to play with it and see what you like best.

To apply like a brush you can twist off the top of the mist and use the tube inside to add more detail color like the yellow mist on the TIME lettering.

You can also “flick” the wand to create droplets and speckles on your fabric and the molding past area.  Both will accept the paint just a little differently adding more color and dimension.

Let’s move to the flower now where I have put gesso onto parts of the front of the flower, randomly and set aside to dry.

Choose a stamp or two and with permanent or fabric ink stamp onto the canvas and molding past areas.

You can come off the canvas a bit, just as you would do with a paper mixed media project, just forget it is canvas and try some of your favorite techniques.

Mist the gessoed burlap flower with the same mist to colors to coordinate.  You can highlight one color or blend them all.  The gessoed area picks up the mist a bit differently for a nice touch.

Add a piece of cheese cloth, netting or other loose weave fabric to start the base for your flower.

Place your burlap flower, shells, wooden die cuts, small flowers and leaves around the flower to accent it and glue everything into place with hot glue or a mixed media glue.

Cut or stamp an icon that fits into a bottle top and slip it in.  Fill with Sepia Accents and allow to dry.

Add to the center of the flower and glue into place.

Let’s create the book, My Positiv’

Cut papers to the size of your choice.  These are approximately 5″x7″, the bag is 8″x8″ so you can decide what size bag and what size book you want to use.

It is not often that you have to grab a hair product from the bathroom and take it to your craft room, but this is one of those times.  Angelique shows us how to blend to two to make amazing backgrounds papers for your book.

Fill a glass or plastic plate with hair mouse, test pile it up just like the photo shows.

Mist the 3 mist colors on top of the mouse, it will add color, but not change the consistency of the mouse at all.

Now simply move your cards over the colored mouse and apply the mouse and color to your paper.

The color disperses and creates a terrific background design where the paint colors blend and wash the card in a terrific random pattern.

No two will be alike and you can add more color to get the variety.  They may curl up a bit, apply a heavy object as they dry and they will dry flat.

Add more color by misting the backgrounds and the mist will react to the background in fun ways, just beautiful.  These cards can be used for ATC’s, handmade cards, mixed media backgrounds or a beautiful painted journal page.

Follow the same steps onto the background pages that you did on the bag with layers of medium, mists and stamped images.

Use the same background stamps and you can then use more detailed backgrounds for the book, which makes them a perfect match to the bag.

Back them on slightly larger kraft paper mattes, punch a hole in the top left corner and tie together with cord, chain or ribbon.

Add words or sayings by typing them and printing them out or find a favorite saying from your favorite paper, book, magazine or other inspiration.

Add something unique to each page and not it is time to create a cover for your book.

To create the book cover you will choose one of the “moused” papers as your base.  Add a strip of burlap in the center.   Decorate with accent pieces.  If you do not have pieces that match your color scheme, simply gesso them and mist or paint them with coordinating paint colors.  This is a great way to use items from your stash, just make them match.

Add stickers or die cut letters to add the title of your Journal – My Positiv’ Journal.

Slip your book in the book into your matching tote and you have a carrying case for your personal journal or an amazing give to give to a friend, sister or someone that needs a little positive thought in their life.

The canvas and paper are amazing to work with side by side with the same products, same colors and the results are spectacular.

Mixed Media is hard to define, but it is really a great excuse to use anything you want for your crafts and see what happens.

To see more ofAngélique’s work stop by her blog Boule de Scrap.  You can also follow her on Instagram

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