If you think I'm stringing you along...

...you could be right!

One of those household staples that can be used to good effect in your mixed media work is the lowly ball of string.

Here I've assembled some string, a soft foam paint roller and a support that's already well layered with various techniques ( palette paper transfer, alcohol inks, script transfer, etc.).

I run the string-encircled roller (ends tucked neatly under the layers of string) in some antique copper metallic paint,

and then lightly over the support.

Note the lovely pattern on the palette paper when I'm done - won't this make a great palette paper transfer?

There's more than one way to skin a string, though!  Here I've  randomly placed some string on a support, and then over-painted it all with a soft brayer rolled in paint.

On this support, I taped the string outside the edges of the mat board.  I rolled a soft foam roller in paint and then over the matboard.  Once dried, and string removed, it makes a lively background.

Oh, and save those painted bits of string to incorporate them into your mixed media works as well - everything is fodder for this style of painting!