Happy Spring, everyone! Let’s celebrate the season with some free downloads and a spring art project. We have a fantastic collection of images for you from the archives that are perfect for all your mixed-media artwork, and you can start using them today. But wait, there’s more! Today’s blog also includes a fun tutorial for creating a pocket that you can use in your art journal, add to a gift, or hang on a wall.
First, let’s see the downloads! Included in the assortment is an antique photograph, some hand-written French text, and two vintage illustrations:
(You can click on the images below to open each hi-res image, or click here to download a folder containing all the images!)
All can be sized and altered with photo-editing software; change the colors and the saturation, or add a filter. Print them on paper, cardstock, fabric, turn them into image transfers, and use them in any spring art project, and beyond.
I chose a text page, the photo, and one of the illustrations for an embellished pocket. I started by creating a template for the pocket, taking into consideration the size of the text page at 100% (the template is also included in the downloads). The finished pocket measures 5″ wide by 6 ¼” high. Not sure what color background would work, I printed the text on a few different neutral and pastel-colored cardstock to see what looked best.
Since the photo and the fruit illustration were both very saturated, I decided to use the text on white cardstock for some contrast. I cut the template out and traced around it, then scored and folded the piece on the dotted lines. I also punched a small tab in the front with a circle punch, placing it halfway onto the edge.
The photo was sized and printed on Jacquard Inkjet Fabric Sheets, cut out, and positioned on the front of the pocket.
I tacked the piece in place with glue stick, then stitched around the perimeter with Tim Holtz Eclectic Elements by Coats Cotton thread.
To close the pocket, I glued the back pieces first, then the bottom tab. To give the edges a little color I rubbed on some Distress Ink in Vintage Photo with a Ranger Mini Ink Blending Tool.
The fruit image was sized, printed on white cardstock, and fussy cut; the image isn’t that detailed, so cutting around the edges was easy. That was adhered with glue stick to the back of the pocket. I stamped a label onto ledger paper (Red Lead Paperworks Vintage Labels stamps) and adhered it to the front of the pocket.
I thought this spring art project still needed a little something, so I went into my stash and found some vintage quilt blocks, cut them apart, and created a ruffle by sewing a basting stitch at the top and gathering the fabric.
That was glued to the bottom back of the pocket with white glue. Here is the finished piece; I’m going to give this away to a friend, but first I have to fill it with a card…and some chocolate.
One more bonus idea: Alter the colors of the text, print it out on a sticker sheet, and punch some fun shapes to use later in your artwork.
I hope you enjoy these images, and have fun making art!
We have even more free downloads for you—Rae Missigman created beautiful art elements that can be incorporated in so many different ways.
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