Mixed Media Scrapbook

I have never done a mixed media scrapbook before. I have seen it done. I never thought it would be something I would do. I absolutely love them though. As most of you know I do work one day a week at a physicians office. My coworker (also the bosses wife) asked me if I could make a scrapbook for his 65th birthday. I told her I could but the cost is not cheap. I have seen those Frank Garcia books and the subscription alone for 3 months is 79 dollars a month. That is the minimum you can sign up. She told me that she did not care what the cost was. So I went to work in my mind I had an idea but with talking to her I was not sure my idea would work. After some more searching and talking to my crafty friends. I finally found an idea that would stick. I was not sure how it would come out but I plunged into it, heart and soul.

I watched some videos on distressing from Frank Garcia and Tim Holtz. I decided I could do this. So off I went. Here is the first picture of what I did. I purchased this book.

and added gesso and white paint to the outsides and about an inch around the inside pages.

Chipboard book with Gesso around the outside and about an inch on the inside pages

After I gessoed and let it sit for a bit to dry then added embossing paste with a stencil from Stampin’ up! of bricks. Then I allowed it to dry again and I added clear crackle paint. I let that dry. I started with Tim Holtz inks Distress Ink Walnut Stain, and Distressed Oxide Vintage Photos. I used the rounded sponge that Ranger Tim Holtz mini ink blending tool. Once that dried you could start to see the crackle come out on the spine of the book. Just to add some dimension and more color I added Distressed Fossil Amber and a bit of MIxed Media Art Spray in a rich blue that I got from our local Moe’s are supply I believe the color is Gentian. This was just spritzed randomly. I coated the whole book with a clear coat after.

The outside of the book before embellishments

My theme balloons. Stampin’ Up! had a Designer Series Paper and bundle that retired last year called Birthday Memories. I was not crazy about the set but for a few things. I really learned to love that paper for this project. Dr. Sheen loves cake so I just had to use the cake that was with this set as well as the multitude of balloons. Here is the final outside of the book after embellishments of Balloons, Happy Birthday wording and a wooden frame.

For the inside, I used random pieces of paper from the Birthday Memories DSP. The embellishments were either cut from the diecuts for the set or with my Cricut Maker. Here are the some of the photos of the book that I took before I gave it to her.