Book of Expressions!

We have a fantastic Mixed Media Mayhem challenge with Eileen Hull's Art with Heart Challenge. I decided to create a second piece this month as I am having so much fun combining Eileen's dies and the DecoArt Media Range.

I decided to decorate Eileen Hull's Passport Book, which I die cut from mountboard and decorated using DecoArt Media range.

I began by die cutting the covers and pages of the Passport Book from mountboard and I then randomly applied DecoArt Texture Sand Paste to each of the pages and covers along with random touches of DecoArt Crackle Paint.

I would normally put a base coat under crackle but as I was going to rust everything I did not bother this time around as that was not the look I was going for. I added a Prima Archival Cast piece by Sandra Evertson, a heart one as the first layer and then the faces adding more DecoArt Texture Sand Paste for added texture. I also added nails for added interest.

Once everything was completely dry I then painted all the pages and the covers with DecoArt Media Acrylic Cobalt Teal Hue and allowed to dry naturally.

I then set about adding layers of paint to create the rust using Quinacridone Gold (which is just like rust in a bottle). I used a flat brush but kind of stippled the colour over my piece and made sure it was worked into the cracks to really add to that aged feel.

The DecoArt Texture Sand Paste is fast becoming one of my favourite products to use for adding texture to a design, the transformation when it is painted is amazing.

I also applied the same treatment to the spine of the Passport Book attaching the pages with twine which has also been coloured lighly with Quinacridone Gold paint. I also added some metal leaves from an old necklace to add further interest.

Nails have also been added to the spine of the book along with Rust Glass Beads from Finnabair's range from Prima.

I did not want to cover up all of the texture I had created so left the back cover without any further decoration, I just love how tactile this piece is.

When I was happy with the rusty effect I had achieved, something else was not quite right, the Cobalt Teal Hue was a little too bright for a rusty piece so I applied a Dirty Wash (technique from Andy Skinner) which is approx 70% Quinacridone Gold, 30% Paynes Grey and Matt Varnish, I was not very exact to be honest but the result I loved. I simply brushed over all of my pages and covers with the wash and I was happy with the result.

This book is all about expression, not only the lack of expression on the faces but also me expressing myself artistically and just going with the flow and seeing where inspiration took me. I added more of the leaves to the cover for added texture to the design.

For further interest I also added a few Remnant Rubs here and there.

The Texture Sand Paste when painted really does add to that rusty feel of the piece and I adore the crackle.

Every page is just packed with texture, I love it.

As my book is all about expression and faces I did add further imagery to the inside using Tim Holtz stamps.

I also added further Rub On's to the insde and added further touches of Quinacridone Gold paint to blend the imagery into the background.

Hope you have enjoyed looking at this piece as much as I have creating it.

There is still plenty of time to enter the Eileen Hull Art with Heart Challenge and so many possiblities.

I would also like to enter this into the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge which this week is an alphabetical challenge, XYZ. I used yarn for Y, X in expression and Zero's in my Rub On's for Z, a great challenge this week.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x x