Saturday Step X Step - Build a Mixed Media Cluster

Hiya, Georgie here, and for this Saturday Step x Step I'm sharing one way of doing a mixed media cluster on a card.

I know a lot of people starting out in mixed media feel a little nervous or unsure about how to proceed, or what order to do things in (there are many), so I thought I'd share one way in which I create a mixed media piece!

Take a sheet of either 6x6 or 8x8 paper (this is from Graphic 45's Gilded Lily collection) and stick to some board. This allows you to add mediums without risk of too much buckling.

Tear up some strips from the corresponding papers in the pack - I went with a pink theme.

Start to add a bit of interest with some stamps and embossing powder to build up a background.

See how this 'ties' the pieces together?  :)

Add your elements you want to use, just arrange them in a layout which is appealing to you, but I find asymmetry is always good for mixed media. So your main cluster in one place, then something a little smaller in an opposite corner. 

Paint over everything with a couple of coats of white gesso. This knocks everything back to give a blank canvas again, ready for some colour, although you could skip the colour,  just lead with this, as it looks pretty on its own and add flowers.

I know people say start with light colours first and go darker but in this case when working with permanent paints I find it easier to work with darker and go lighter as this keeps the knocking back process going. Here I've used a darker red (Aged Mahogany Distress Paint) to shadow some areas.

Next using a lighter pink add it over some of the red and and to other higher areas. When it comes to these paints, I like to work from the lid, especially if I don't need much - saves wastage or avoids adding too much to your paint brush.

Here I went in with a soft blue to add a different colour.

Close up of finished 'paint job' :)

Next add further embellies, I went with flowers and some jute.

Create Super Easy Mini Flowers....

Mini Step by Step: 

Using the new punch from Tim Holtz, think this was the medium flower, punch out three per flower, mist with water. Scrunch. Dry with heat gun. Sit them one in the other and voila, you have these... :) The same as what I do with the big tattered florals but on a smaller scale and perfect size for clusters or filling out a big cluster. Plus I made these three in less than ten mins!!

The leaves were cut using his medium Leaf Punch, quick and easy!!

You could leave as it was above, looks perfect shabby but I wanted something more, so some light and heavy stamping was added. I love this stamp set from G45, Gilded Lily.

Lasly I added the little charm, adding some jute through the top and inked the edges lightly in black too. Once you're happy it just needs to be mounted on to a card and some pearls for a bit extra something-something! :) 

So that's it from me today, hope you all have a lovely sparkly weekend. 

Georgie xx

Graphic 45 - Gilded Lily 6x6 Patterns & Solids - 4501134	Ranger Inkssentials Mini Collage Glue Stick	Graphic 45 - Gilded Lily Cling Stamp 2 IC0339S	Lindy′s Stamp Gang - Under the Boardwalk Embossing Powders	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Embossing Ink Pad
Ranger Heat It Craft Tool	Ranger Inkssentials Non-Stick Craft Sheet	Dina Wakley Media Mediums - White Gesso	2 Piece Ivory Resin Heart Set	Message Charm Pendant - Antique Bronze "live laugh love′ - set of 4
KAISERCRAFT Flourishes - Ornate Center	Bronze Arrow Charms - Set of 6	Venise Lace Trim - 1 Inch	PRE-ORDER Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Aged Mahogany	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Tattered Rose
Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Tumbled Glass	Ranger Archival Ink - Jet Black	Ranger Inkssentials Mini Ink Blending Tool - With 4 Blending Foams	Ranger Inkssentials Mini Ink Blending Tool Replacement Foam	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Sprayer
KAISERCRAFT Pearls - Self Adhesive - Blush	Sizzix® Paper Punch - Spiky Floral, Medium by Tim Holtz®	Sizzix® Paper Punch - Leaf, Medium by Tim Holtz®	Ivory/White Jute Twine