Monkey Mug

Yesterday I worked on the current challenge from The Studio ...
1. Focus your layout on something from your daily routine. This can be a whole day, or just one item you use or someone you see every day.
2. You can journal as much or as little as you like, but you should answer the following questions within it: “who or what?”; “when?”; “where?”; and “why?”.
3. You can use no “bought” patterned paper – you must make your own patterned paper! Paint it, stamp it, or do something else creative! I'm not gonna lie ... I was skeered. I use all kinds of patterned paper. Rarely use cardstock. What was a gal to do? Play! And play I did.
I started out with some thin, white, glossy cardboard that came as packaging in something or other. Using 3 different colours of alcohol ink (Ginger, Latte & Caramel) and blending solution, I covered the entire surface of the cardboard. I then dropped blending solution here and there to make what looked like water rings (which even showed through the layers of paint that came after).
I have a woodgraining tool (by Debbie Travis) that is meant for home decor, but used just plain black Making Memories acrylic paint and the tool to come up with this effect. By this point, I decided that I wanted the surface to look like an old table that someone had decided to paint black, then strip the paint off, see how much work it was to strip and shove it in the basement part-way through to use a craft table. I spritzed on some watered down acrylic paint and then when it was partially dry, wiped it off. The larger bubbles took off the black paint that was underneath ... which I thought was so cool. Finally, I sprayed the whole works with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Pearl to give it a bit of an uneven finish.
To decorate the top of my Prima packaging card, I made a simple blossom from trim and a K&Co. brad (I love their covered brads!)
A few Creative Cafe gems finish this corner.
My journaling spot was a little drab so I punched a scalloped circle from photo paper covered with the tri-colour alcohol ink treatment and edged with charcoal chalk ink.

I also wanted to include the Hambly monkey rub-on but didn't want to do it on paper. I used a thick layer of black acrylic paint on a piece of Scenic Route chipboard and then used the heat gun on it before it was dry. It bubbled up to create this rough, textured finish. I had been wishing I had some black crackle paint, but I think I like this finish even more.

Finally, I have a few antique egg crates hanging around here and the label on one had falled off (or had been ripped off my small fingers) not long ago. I stuck it in with my scrappy supplies to save for I wasn't sure what. I love how it provides the base for the grouping.

All in all, I had such a great time experimenting. I came up with a few techniques that I'll use again (the heated paint is a definate fave). This is one of my favorite layouts in a long time.

Which is why I love challenge blogs so much. I may never have tried some of these techniques if I hadn't had to make my own patterned paper.
Sorry if that was a lot of information that you just weren't interested in, but I always love finding out how people came up with certain techniques and I don't think this one would have been too easy to figure out :)