Don’t get me wrong. I like winter. I really do -- at least for the first few months. Then, when pristine whiteness gives way to grayish-brown sludge, I get sick of it. I’m tired of the cold weather, bored with the indoor activities, and even my crafting becomes ho-hum. I guess you could say that what I’m really suffering from is a bad case of the winter doldrums.
When it comes to infusing a little early-spring energy into my household, I know nothing that works quicker than a fresh coat of paint. So I thought, why not apply that same principal to my pages? I gathered up my idea books and painting supplies and set to work.
In "Artiste," a few simple swipes of acrylic paint on the backside of a sheet of acetate are all that is needed to liven up this layout and support its artistic theme.
The heritage photo in the layout "Margaret Filossie" called for a less contemporary treatment. Layers of acrylic paint and crackle medium were painted on heavy cardstock. Once dry, decorative squares were cut and double matted. One square was sliced in half to make faux photo corners. The end result is an "aged" look that melds with the layout’s mood and feel.
The funky, edgy-looking textured techniques in the layout "Fresh Start" are enhanced by using Lumiere acrylic and metallic acrylic paints. The metallic paints have an "interference" quality that makes the colors seem to dance and shift with each turn of the page. The dots were created by painting the "puffy" side of a scrap of bubble wrap and laying it down on the paper. The grids were similarly made, but using a segment of plastic canvas. 
For the layout "Song of the Sea," gears were switched along with the medium. In keeping with the frothy, splashy feel of the focal picture, a light watercolor wash was applied to watercolor paper. Working quickly, while the paints were still wet, coarse salts were tossed atop in certain areas. When dried and dusted off, the resulting effect is one of water droplets that seem to emanate from the picture itself.
To add texture to "Him...Her...Them," cardboard slide mounts were given a double coat of textural acrylic paint. While the paints are touted as "stone-like" (and they certainly are), this particular color matches the exact graininess of the sand in the black and white photos of the beach.
Kicking the texture up a notch in the layout "Goddard Mansion Ruins," artist’s cement was used to recreate the rough feel of the dilapidated site. Plastic canvas and a dinner fork were pressed and dragged in the wet cement to add to the texture. When dry, watercolors in browns and grays were applied to further add realism to the piece.
These few paint techniques certainly did their job. I finally felt as if my creative juices were running afresh. So try one, two, or all of the paint treatments for yourself as you not-so-patiently await spring. Happy painting!
For further information, see:
The Sophisticated Scrapbook: Designing With Texture
by Autumn Leaves
The Decorated Page
by Gwen Diehn
