:: mix it up monday ::

It's Mix It Up Monday!  Orange Gearle here with the January challenge!  This month we want you to use gesso and acrylic paint.  It's such a great combination for mixed media and we have several pieces of inspiration to get your creative juices flowing.  I'll start with this layout I created about my new grandson!  This photo was taken when he was just about an hour old.

For my take on the challenge I made a square of white gesso and tinted it with blue acrylic paint. Then I added watered down some of the same paint and used it to splatter about the page. This became my first layer behind the photo. I used a bunch of blue and grey papers and bits and bobs from Cocoa Vanilla Studio's last few collections to finish it all off. Easy as pie! 

Amanda created this lovely layout using both black and white gesso, acrylic paint and watercolors. Don't you love that bird?  It's a perfect fit for all that Snow & Cocoa collection!

Kat also used Snow & Cocoa but has a very different look!  I absolutely love the pink acrylic paint with gesso over it. I see a scrap lift in my future, I love the design here!

Similar to Kat, Ali started with acrylic paint and used a stencil and gesso to create a layer on top of the pant. Next, Ali used that paper to cut out her title and used the scraps as a layer behind her photo. What a great idea!

I love the background that Cat Martin created with her take on the gesso + acrylic paint combo. This layout is SERIOUSLY cute. That. Ribbon.

This photo cracks me up!  Ann joined in this month with a little gesso to fade out that lovely polka dot paper, then added paint over the top! Love!

Stacie used a cut file to created this awesome ribbon tree.  She also used gesso and paint over the cut file. I love all the green! Check out Stacie's blog to see who inspired her!

Just look at this fun background that Pol Prince created!  She mixed gesso with green paint and made this masterpiece! 

And last, but never least, Renee created this beauty!  She gessoed right over those alphas! How many of you have random alphas that you'll never use?  What a great way to use them. I love it!

Now it's your turn!  Grab some gesso and acrylic pain, create something beautiful and link up to our challenge album in the Paper Issues Friends & Fans Facebook Group! I can't wait to see what you make!