Decorating my Datebook - Mixed Media - Flora's Art Adventures

Flora's been helping me with my 2014 Daily Planner - Mixed Media Techniques - ©CindyRippe2014

For the last few years I've been using a planner that has a full page for each day. (more room to write the lists that I love to make)  The DayMinder that I bought this year doesn't have monthly calendar pages or dividers.  I decided to get creative and make it fun. Flora inspired me to paint flowers, but then again, that's the first thing I think of when designing a new project anyway.

Before and after - Mixed Media Daily Planner for 2014 - ©CindyRippe

I cut page dividers and tip-outs (pages that fold out) from watercolor paper. If I do this project again I would use bristol board, the watercolor is a little thicker than I like but it worked.

After drawing a blank calendar template on the monthly pages I taped the edges with washi tape (butterflies by Tim Holtz) and then taped the divider directly onto the first page of each month with matte transparent tape.  While sketching a flower for each month I laid a piece of tracing paper on the top of the template.  My original intention was to only paint/sketch over the blank squares but as you can see I got carried away. I just reinforced the inked dates and lines after I finished painting.  Freehand sketching gave me the freedom to make the plant grow in any direction that I like.

Each page has a different color scheme that I carried out to the border with a wash of acrylic paint.  I painted right over the transparent and washi tapes.  I chose one butterfly on the washi tape to paint and detail (SEE ARROW above)  To add more color to overall look of the planner the tip-out pages and loose "TODAY" divider are decoupaged with scrapbook papers. (not shown here)  I used matte medium for that.

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