Hi again just uploading a set of canvases I finished on Christmas eve . I started out with three blank canvases which I painted with black gesso. I used Monte Mart to see how it went compared to the 

Dina Wakley  and Golden one I had been using . I found on the canvas and over texture paste the coverage was good ,but when I started to paint over metal the coverage wasn't as good .

To get a good coverage I had to do two coats over the metal charms, which take a bit extra time and you can feel there isn't the TOOTH in the gesso as the others have .

As you can see I left a few charms unpainted . The white circle is a mirror . and there is a small clock at the top and a prima zipper which has a word on it and I was worried I would loose the word if I coated it in gesso .

I used mica powder and gel medium to colour the back ground . I used little blue , aquamarine, and maroon .  I found that when painting the mica on because the gesso doesn't have the same kind of thick coat feel to it I used more mica to get the colour effect and coverage I wanted, but not a significant amount .

I used a variety of colours on the charms to have them stand out from the back ground .Once I had finished painting the mica on I glued on a mixture of seed beads, micro beads and glass flakes around the charms . The glass flakes look a bit like snow .

Here are all three canvases finished, awaiting photos . This photo has quite a green look to the black gesso no matter what light i moved it in to I couldn't get it to change . I didn't have this problem with the other project when using other bands of gesso. I do believe it is  from the type of pigment base that is used to make the black gesso. In RL these canvases are a real blue colour .I am not an expert photographer so it may be my skills .Please bare in mind this is only my reality as I perceive it .

I  can see and feel the difference with the products that I have used . So I would advise anyone to try it your self . Monte Mart is really inexpensive product that we can get here in Australia easily  compared to some of the other brands out there that are more expensive and only available in craft shops. I have found a few issues with Monte Mart  to bare in mind when using it. When your just playing these  can be worked around, but if you want a piece that you want  to show case and highlight and will photograph well and show true colours in those photos use a better quality product. I used about a half of a jar of Monte Mart on these canvases where as I would have used at least two of the other brand . So price comparison is $6 for Monte Mart compared to $20 of the Dina Wakley Gesso or Golden gesso  . It would say I spent a couple of dollars more on the mica and gel medium as well when using Monte mart .
 I hope that some of you find this helpful . please let me know what you think , until next time stay safe and keep crafting its cheaper than therapy ....... Sharon

Hi I have been busy all weekend making an album that a friend asked me to make for his sons upcoming wedding . The colours for  the wedding are orange black and white with a Gatsby theme . This was really hard . So this is what  I came up with hope everyone is happy with it .

I have put in about 26 hours of work on this one .  

 Firstly the assembly of the pages it has 12 pages of the inner album all have pockets .

  Next was the cover of the album from chipboard

 Next I had to cut all the tags for the album . there are 44 tags all together . Well it is a wedding album there  will be heaps of pics to fill it . The idea was to have a page for a pic and the other side of tag is for journaling  so each tag has paper one side and white cardstock on the other . They are having deposable cameras on each table lots of pics will be taken .

 Covering the cover and doing the inside of cover as there is pockets on front and back and three little boxes to put memorabilia in .

 Another shot of the many tags I had to cover .

The Album cover. I cut a heart shaped hole in the front cover as a picture frame to put the couples photo in . This was an after thought and I will never do it again when the whole album is pieced together . It was hard , but think it turned out ok . You can clearly see the hole in the next shot .

Inside the front cover , this is where the photo of the couple goes .

                                                     
                                                          Some of the pages with trims

A close up of the album cover ,faux leather binding . I love how this technique  turns out .
Firstly you emboss it ,then spray it with some mists, dry it off, then coat it in PVA glue and let it dry . It becomes very durable and has a leather look to it .

                                   
                                          More pages seemed like they went on for every ' LOL

           
                                                                      More pages ..

 Some of the tags I made them as double flaps . I used 50 sheets of cardstock on this project

It was a big job and I only had a few days to do it in . Well its finished and now to clean up . LOL  the best part .
                                                  Till next time stay safe and keep scrapping .