I'm In Love with Japanese Paper

Layout: "Growing Up So Fast"

This is another layout from the "Botanic" class I designed and I absolutely love how the tree turned out - thanks to a new favourite - Japanese paper. (not sure what the real name is...)

Happy Accidents & New Discoveries:

1. When you tear 'Japanese paper' it gets these really nice fuzzy edges and looks great overlapping each other (see the foliage of the tree?)

2. Using the "Elmer's Glue crackle" method is a fun way to create wood grain (see tree trunk). I actually learned this technique from reading Claudine Hellmuth's book "Collage Discovery Workshop - Beyond the Unexpected". Basically goes like this:

- paint base colour with acrylic paint - leave to dry

- rub Elmer's Glue All over the base colour - leave to dry till 'tacky'

- paint other colour over glue (don't brush too much) - then cracks will appear when dry

3. Colour coding all your scraps and then chopping them all up into smaller pieces makes for a good textured background (see the cream coloured background)

Best thing I like about this layout? The 'baby heads' in the tree....haha.