Pocket Page Challenge and Mixed Media Life Crafted with Patricia

Hello Friends.  Patricia back again to share a Pocket Page Challenge and one more Life Crafted spread I shared on Instagram.  Both of these projects include mixed media.  The Pocket Page Challenge uses leftovers from the Life Crafted project.  I like to keep those pieces of mixed media prints I create, because I can always find a way to use them!  

Which leads me to the Pocket Page Challenge for you today:

• Use any leftover mixed media or even just stamped background pieces
• Add stamping onto the leftover pieces and pattern paper
• Add black machine stitching or pen lines for your typed or handwritten journaling

Using my leftovers first, I picked pieces that I liked the color variations and trimmed them to fit my 2x2 pockets.  Another challenge if the format would work for your album would be to use all 2x2 pockets!  I have never tried this and love it.  I use a 6x8 album, so the Citrus Twist Kits 2x2 Life Crafted Page Protector worked with my format!  After trimming my leftover pieces, I selected cards from the July Wild at Heart kit, and smooth white cardstock trimmed to fit as well.  With my cards and photos all in place, I start adding the details.  First, I combine the Bailey Alphabet Stamp Set and the alpha stickers from the kit to create a title for this spread and date it, adding enamel dots to finish it.  The second card, I want to start adding my typed journaling.  After my journaling is typed, I machine stitch with black thread across, and then add the Life Crafted kit stamp, Wild At Heart, and the larger 4x6 Wild at Heart stamp to add more layers.

I used the kit Wild at Heart stamp set to stamp onto the trimmed card next to the first photo in black ink.  The next pocket is another leftover mixed media piece.  I added the 4x6 Wild at Heart stamp with journaling and a chipboard to it.  For the last leftover mixed media piece, I added more typed journaling, machine stitching, stamping and enamel dots.

The reason I love using the leftover mixed media pieces is because of the variations in them.  They take time to create, so having them on hand can really make your project look like it took awhile and give it such a beautiful watercolored look.  I continue adding stamping or journaling to the cards.  Most of the pockets with photos, I leave as is since I have so much texture.  I also challenged myself, since I'm using all 2x2 pockets, is to pick photos to highlight the entire month of April.

For the smooth white cardstock cards, I punched a circle to use as a mask, then stamped the horizontal leaf image from the 4x6 Wild at Heart stamp set using orange and pink ink.  For the solid white masked area, I used the July Traveler's Notebook to stamp in the center.  The other card, I add the same leaf image stamped in just the pink at the top, typed and stitched journaling, then added the chipboard.

The 4x6 Wild at Heart stamp set, like all of the stamps from CTK, I find are so great at documenting.  I used one of the images to stamp the single line grid, then the phrase, followed by my typed journaling, stitching, and enamel dots for more color.  Those last two pockets, I trimmed a Life Crafted Kit card so that the circles would face in towards my photo, and used the stickers and trimmed the chipboard sticker to fit across it.

And here is the original Life Crafted project using a full piece of one of the mixed media pieces I created.

Here is how I created the mixed media cardstock pieces (prints).  

If you do not have a gel press, you could use a nonporous surface such as the non-stick mat like I am using under the gel press or leftover wrap from packages, even Saran Wrap.  But you may not get the same effects.  The beauty of the gel press is being able to reactive what you create on it with water or adding more ink, watercolors, or paint.  The gel press is about 1/2" thick and squishy.  The idea is to get as many 'prints' from it as you can rather than a single print.

For this Life Crafted project, I chose the last print I created.  Before I created the three prints, I created one with just the leaves.  I used that one and the second print from above steps in the Pocket Page. 

I use smooth cardstock and not heavy watercolor paper.  I wanted to use this piece right away after it dried.  So to stop the page from curling from the water, I used double sided tape along the edges of the back and adhered to another thin piece of white cardstock to lie flat.  Then added my journaling and more stamping, along with more embellishments from the Life Crafted kit.

For the right side, I trimmed pattern paper to fit for the top and a card to fit at the bottom.  Then finished with the kit die cuts, puffy alphabets, and Bailey Alphabet stamp set.

Hope this inspires you to use what mixed media product you have on hand to experiment with the Citrus Twist Kits stamps, and save those pieces.  You will be surprised how well they work with your projects.  I love the combination of the messy and neat look it gives when you combine it with the cards and pattern paper!  The added stamping, journaling, and machine stitching add great layers and texture!  Happy creating!!