Mixed Media Cosmos Card

Mixed media projects are wonderful ways to explore and to express your inner creative bug. The effect is usually slightly unpredictable, but the end result is very pleasing. Create a card that will be fitting for an artistic friend with the Mixed Media Cosmos Card tutorial. Due to the bold colors, this card could easily be adjusted for a male recipient. Simply use a different stamp! Mixed media ideas like this one are great gifts in themselves. Explore your creativity with a mixed media art project.

A. Creating the Card’s First Background

Materials:

• 130 gsm White Watercolor Paper from a Spiral Watercolor Pad
• Staedtler 12-color Watercolor Set
• A 10/32” Paint Brush
• Small Plastic Bowl with Water

Instructions:

1. Give the paper a wash, mixing the dark blue, dark pink, brown, purple and yellow ochre colors from the watercolor set.  



2.  Allow the paper to dry for at least one hour before continuing with the next step.

3. Carefully crumple the paper and unfold again. The creases in the paper will add texture to the background.

4. Use black watercolor paint and a "dry brush" effect to highlight the creases added to the paper. Use a slightly wet brush and add a lot of black watercolor paint to the brush. Lightly paint over the paper.



5.  Allow to dry thoroughly.

6. Cut a piece sized 5.6” x 3.4” from this background.

B. Creating the Card’s Second Background

Materials:

• 6” x 6” Cut from any Newspaper Article
• A Spoonful of Damp Soil

Instructions:

1. Use your finger to rub the soil over the piece cut from the newspaper.

2. Rub the tissue over the piece of paper to remove any remaining dirt.

3. Cut a piece sized 4.3” x 3.7” from the second background.

C. Now to Create the Card

Materials:

• 10” x 7” Vanilla Cardstock
• The Pieces Cut from the First and Second Background
• 3.4” Wide Cream Colored Lace
• 1.4” Wide Copper Colored Satin Ribbon
• 0.3” Wide Copper Colored Satin Ribbon
• Jablo’s Cosmos Stamp, PF 007 (see www.jabtex.co.za for international stockists)
• Black Pigment Ink Stamp Pad
• Copper Pigment Ink Stamp Pad
• A Sponge (use one that was inside a medicine bottle)
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Quick-drying Craft Glue

Instructions:

1. Score the vanilla cardstock in half to create a card sized 5” x 7”.

2. With the fold at the left, glue the lace in place on the left side of the card and cut off any protruding edges.

3. Glue the piece of newspaper to the card.



4. Glue the 0.3” satin ribbon on the left of the card, and the 1.4” satin ribbon at the bottom. Cut off any protruding edges.

5. Glue the piece cut from the first background on the right-hand side of the card.



6. Use the stamp pad to apply an even layer of the black ink onto the Jablo cosmos flower. Press the image onto the bottom of the first background and then carefully lift the stamp so as not to smudge the stamped flower. Do the same with the second flower.

7. Allow to dry thoroughly before proceeding with the next step.

8. Use the sponge and black ink to give the left side of the first background a wash.



9. Allow to dry, and finish it off by applying a copper wash on top of the black wash.