DIY: collage how-to

 during my portland jaunt, i came across this amazing store called collage. while browsing, i heard a familiar canadian voice and squealed, "helen!" indeed, it was dear helen from january's art retreat in mexico. we had a lovely reunion filled with hugs and catching up in the middle of this sweet store. funny thing, we both mentioned how we'd seen items in the store that made us think of each other. and, poof, there we both were! small world. 

the next day i returned and saw this basic collage class offered that evening. meant to be! below are snapshots of my process with teacher suki allen of birdseyeviewstudio.

i began gluing down a chosen 12x12 sheet of scrap booking paper onto a hardboard panel. not surprisingly, i liked the french handwriting and damask of this sheet.

after gluing it down, i turned it over and used an exacto knife to trim the edges.

next i added some pink polka dot paper to the right side. love me some pink polka dot!

ohhh, then i found these gorg roses and carefully trimmed them with straight scissors.

next, i found the perfect quote for the damask header "what dreams are made of . . ." and played with additional images i found and loved: elizabeth gilbert with a map in her hand titled "find your way," a torn book edge, a musical raincoat, and a making notes sheet with a pin through it. 

finally, i settled on simplicity and glued these pieces down. i plan to add a doily to the lower left or upper right corner and some inspiring typewritten or stamped words.

to finish, i'll add four layers of varnish to seal it in. suki recommends golden polymer varnish and this great resource for collage artists. so fun, eh? 

bisous. x