Mixed Media Canvas/layout

It's been a while since I've been online due to having to deal with some urgent personal issues but I've really missed crafting and interacting with all the fab crafty ladies online so I've made a commitment to get back into the swing of things as soon as possible. I thought I'd get the ball rolling by posting a LO I did a while back but never got around to posting.

It's one of my favourites for several reasons. Firstly, it was one of my first attempts of combining mixed media canvas work techniques with scrapbooking and secondly, I absolutely adore this picture of my DD and teal/turquoise are some of my favourite colours.

To start I first covered the entire canvas with some gesso beceause at that point I wasn't quite sure which direction I was headed so I wanted a good foundation to work on no matter what. I then misted some Pink Paislee mistable pp's with some of the divine Lindy's Stamp Gang starburst sprays. I placed the misted pp in the centre of the canvas so that it could be used as a solid background for my photograph. I then really got my hands dirty and had a blast adding some textured molding paste to the canvas forming a border around the misted pp. I used my finger to create some swirls in the paste along the right border and then used a palett knife to tap the paste to create that really fantastic looking textured finish at the bottom of the canvas. I wanted to try something completely new and unique so I dug out some glass chips I had used for a one of my kids school projects and did a glass mosaic type  finish along the left and top of the canvas. I did this by first adding a thick layer of molding paste to the canvas which I then embedded the glass chips into. I didn't want the traditional smoothed out finish you would normally do with mosaics so I left areas unfilled between the glass chips for a more distresed finish.

Once the paste had dried I coloured between the glass chips using several colours of LSG mists, starburst mixed with gel medium to create a paint and just went to town....!!!! This really was one of the most fun projects I've worked on.

After my background and canvas base was completely coloured and had dried I added my pic and some embellishments. I used the same LSG mists and paints to alter the iamroses flowers as well as this mini tag I made by adding wrinkled tissue paper to a normal mail tag with some gel medium. I then embellished the tag with some gems. I also coloured the lace and white photo corners with the LSG paint. I finished my project off by adding some gorgeous Prima flourishes.

I intend on trying a few more of these type projects in the near future because they're great fun to work on and it's a perfect opportunity to try new things you can't always get away with on paper bases.

Thanks for stopping by.........

   

Rendezvous of Randomness First Challenge up and OPEN!!

This picture of my youngest DS was just perfect for the launch of yet another STTG monthly challenge called Rendezvous of Randomness being hosted by my fellow STTG DT member, Adrienne Ford. Adrienne is an incredibly talented artist and is well renown for her brilliant background creations. Her colour blending skills are true perfection and I personally look forward to seeing every new masterpiece she creates.  

The Rendezvous of Randomness challenge is just that.......Random! Adrienne will select a different challenge every month which will be posted on the 21st and run until the 20th of the following month. Like all the other STTG Challenges there will be  a $20 STTG STORE VOUCHER up for grabs in a random draw.

Her first challenge is this beautiful "Spring is in the air" colour challenge with a few extra twists.

• Use the five color palette and matching photo as inspiration to create your project. Try to get the colors as close as you can to the palette. However, please don't stress- the point is to just have fun!

And because we all like a good twist here are some added things you can do to stand out in the gallery!

• Twist #1- Because Spring IS in the air, add a nature element to your layout- this could be a bird, butterfly, or whatever "nature" is to you. Please specify in your description what element you chose. 
• Twist #2- Add a wet medium to your background. This could be paint, gesso, inks, dyes, mists, etc. 

For my DT challenge contribution LO "Cool Beach Boy" I used both twists. I used my Dusty Attic Chicken Wire piece with some gesso to stamp on the white cs which I then misted over with some homemade mist to create my bg. I also added the large yellow butterfly as the second twist.

All the chippies on this were altered with some gesso which I layered on quite thick and then tapped with a finger to create extra texture and dimension.

Items used from the STTG store

Dusty Attic Chicken Wire panel

Dusty Attic Picket Fence

Zva Creative roses

I hope you'll come and join in the fun!!

STTG - First 3D Sketch Challenge

One of my fellow DT members at STTG, Doris Widder,  is hosting a monthly sketch challenge called 3D Sketches starting today. The challenge runs from the 14th to the 14th of every month.
It's a sketch challenge with a twist....3 twists to be specific. Doris will provide a sketch as well as a choice of 3 additional twists to use on your project. You are only required to use 1 of the three twists to qualify for the challenge.

This is the sketch provided for April

The three twists we were given to choose from are chipboard, embossing and distressing.

I decided to use all three twists because they all seem to go together so easily. I heat embossed all the Dusty Attic chipboard pieces and used water distressing along with gesso for some extra punch.

So.....if you enjoy sketch challenges then please drop in and join the 3D Sketches Group. Not only will you have the oportunity to become part of a great group of ladies but you'll also stand a chance to win a $20 store gift voucher. There are so many wonderful items available in the store, many of which i used on my LO above, namely;

Glitz Pretty in Pink collection

Petaloo Large Wild Roses

Petaloo mini Canterbury collection

Zva Creative roses

Crinkled ribbon

Silk Ribbon

Viva Pearl Pen

DA Sweat Pea Frame set

DA Scroll Border #1

DA words - Enjoy the Moments 

STTG #2 - Level 3 DT Project

This is my DT layout for the STTG #2 challenge which close 31st March 2012. I did this for level 3 using all four colours. I selected lace, pearls and flowers as my embellishments and the Pink Paislee resistable paper has a damask print on.

For the homemade flower I used my own No Sewing Fabric Bloom tutorial. I used some cream crushed satin fabric and made 8 cones for a lovely full bloom. I altered all the flowers and chipboard pieces using some creative inspiration paints mixed with a white pearl acrylic paint. For the chipboard pieces I added a think layer of paint which I then dabbed with the paint brush to create the uneven textured finish.

To give the photo a more distressed looking finish I dabbed some of the ice blue paint around the photo edges.

Items available in the STTG Store

Cream crinckled ribbon

Petaloo Mini Canterbury collection

DA Scroll border #1

You have until March 31st to post your entries for the challenge. Remember that there are 3 different levels so this challenge is open to paper crafters of all skill levels. Hope you'll come join in the fun.

TFL

Tutorial - Grunging up Darjeeling

 The Petaloo Darjeeling collection is made up of some amazing warm colours and unique styles definitely makes them one of my all-time favourite collections. The flower style and colours already lend themselves to a soft grungy look and with just a little extra help you can transform them into something really grungy, perfect for a masculine project. The technique I'm sharing with you will also help put those box loads of eyelets I'm sure every paper crafter has hidden in the bottom of their stash somewhere to good use.

Supplies
Darjeeling Flower
Eyelets
Eyelet tool
Metal flower centre

Step One: Select your flower. Ideally you want a flower that has wide petals so that you have a good surface to work on and can add several eyelets to a single petal.

Step Two: Using your eyelet tool punch your holes for your eyelets. You want to punch the holes far enough away from the petal edges that the petals don't tear. Make sure that your holes are spaced wide enough apart so that the eyelets won't overlap when you add them.

Step Three: Now add the eyelets to the petals and close them off at the back. Work carefully when doing this so that you don't tear your petals. You can now ink the petals with some walnut stain distress ink to add a little more definition if you like. I also chose to remove the clay flower centre and replace it with a metal and pearl one.

This is the Layout I used my newly altered grungy flower on.

I chose to use eyelets in the same shade as my flower but these look just as good if you add some brass or copper eyelets. You could also spice it up a bit by colouring your eyelets with some alcohol ink first. Whatever your taste, once you try this I'm confident that eyelets will go right back onto your shopping list.

Here is another layout I did using the Darjeeling collection on to create a Grungy Feminine layout. I did not use the eyelet technique on these but instead coated them with some gel medium which gives the flowers a leathery appearance once it dries. The gel medium also stiffens the petals which makes it easier to manipulate them to create a fuller looking flower.

On this layout, using the Darjeeling collection once again, I added the gel medium to the blue flowers and removed the flower centre it came with and replaced them with some vintage brads. I also used some of the Petaloo Color me crazy flowers on this which I inked brown with some distress ink.

These truly are some of my favourite flowers and I just love that you can add them to regular shabby chic styled layout or you can be a little adventurous and grunge them up a little and then use them against a corrugated board background as I have done with my three layouts for a completely different look.  
TFL

LO - True Love (Rework of an old LO)

Hi there, I thought I'd share a small project I worked on this week. While visiting my in-laws I happened to walk past a framed LO I had given them 2 years ago around the time of their 50th wedding anniversary. It looked so "not me" if I think of the way my style has changed these last 2 years so I decided I needed to update the LO for them.

The picture is one of my favourites from their wedding album and in my original LO I had it scanned and printed in sepia. This time I decided to use a black and white picture instead which I knew would work well with the Bo Bunny Enchanted collection I planned on using.

I wanted to stay true to the original LO by keeping some of the design elements like the circle and floral cluster so I used a sketch by Beggahuna as inspiration for the updated LO. I love using a lot of distressing and all sorts of paints and pastes but decided to simply things and not go all out for this LO because my in-laws are elderly and my current grungy style may not appeal to their tastes. I did however distress the paper edges with my Zutter Diistrezz-It-All (I just LOVE that machine!!!)

My mother-in-law's favourite colour is blue so I used pops of a dusty shade of  blue as a contrast against all the B&W.It's difficult to see in the picture but I added some glitter to the black circle which complimented the glittery finish of the Bo Bunny pp's. I also painted my white Gardenia with some Creative Inspiration paints which gave it a beautiful shimmer. The lace trim below the photo is actually silver and not grey as it appears in the photo. The pretty B&W butterflies are from Angelics's etsy shop.

Here's a quick peek at the original LO

Now I only hope that my in-laws will like the updated LO too.

TFL!!!

Hugs

Wendy

CSI #4 - Sweet Slumber

This is my entry for the CSI #4 Challenge. I'm delighted that I finally managed to get a LO done in time before the dreaded deadline, even if it was at 11:30pm my time the day of the deadline...LOL!. It's a great new ning site and I must say that Debbie and her team have put together some interesting challenges.

Above is a summary of what this weeks challenge was. You have to use at least two items from the "Evidence" list. I used a frame and my wet mediums were mists and gesso. I also added several metal pieces as my reflective surface item. "Testimony" is the guideline provided for your page journaling. This alone is a challenge for me because I usually don't add journaling to my LO's. My journaling is a childhood prayer I used to say every night at bedtime.

I am a huge fan of Finnabair's and have been dying to try her misting technique. Unfortunately I have not had the privledge of ever attending one of her classes but I have studied her work and tried to pick up bits and pieces along the way. I have no idea how she puts her LO's together but based on what I THINK she does, I did my own version of her misting technique.

To start I first masked some brick wall detail onto my Prima Mistable canvas base using gesso which I knew would act as a resist when I added the mist later.

I then glued down my photo...what a crazy feeling to glue your photo down first before altering your embellies. I then added some strips of lace here and there which I used as a base for my floral clusters

The great part about this technique is you don't have to colour co-ordinate your flowers because you're going to mist them anyway. It's a perfect opportunity to use up the last of some floral collections gathering dust in your stash. I also added some metal pieces to my clusters. To finish off I placed various sized pearls around each floral cluster.

I wrote my journaling on some cs and framed it with a small metal frame. I then also added some lace and made a mini floral cluster alongside the frame. A helpful tip is to use a hot glue gun when creating clusters so that your items stick instantly and don't move around when adding to it.

Once everything was stuck down I covered my picture and journaling frame with some plastic wrap to protect them from the mist. I then used mists the colours of the colour pallett provided for the challenge and had an ink party for one!!!!! This was so much fun and even though my LO isn't even close to the brilliance of finnabair, I'm delighted with the results for my first attempt and will defintely use this technique again.

Jan Swirlyhues Challenge entry - Confident

This is my entry for the January Swirlyhues Challenge. You can find all the details for the challenge on their blog. Lisa Valentine is this months host and I must just say that I absolutely love the colour palett she selected and the sketch provided is absolutely gorgeous!! Remember that this challenge is open to everyone and not just Swirlydoos kit club members.
Firstly, I turned the sketch design around for my layout but then kept most of the other elements of the sketch in my design.

One of the requirements for the challenge is to use one or more of the Swirlydoos tutorials provided by their incredibly talented DT. One of the tutorials I selected was Lisa Gregory's Corner Punch Deco Circle . This is one of my all time favourite scrapbook tricks I've learnt. I even did my own version of the tutorial while on staff at SNR magazine. The paper fan frame was inspired by the brilliant Natasha Naranjo Aguirre (thanks Natasha!)

Another Swirly's tutorial I used was Camilla's Chipboard with Crackle Accents but I used Ranger Rock Candy Crackle paint instead of the crackle accents. I first painted my DA chippie with some Denim Creative Inspirations paint and then randomly dabbed on some snow cap paint. Once that dried I painted over it with the crackle paint which I inked over with some Vintage Photo disress ink once it had completely dried to highlight the cracks.
The third swirly's tutorial I used was Lidia's Deep Distressing. This is an amazing technique which I absolutely love. My version is not quite as stunning as Lidia's but I really enjoyed trying the technique.

This incredible corner bouquet is from my very dear friend Katie's Etsy shop. She makes the most amazing embellishments and I'm a huge fan of her bouquets.

Another one of my favourite products is Lindy's Stamp Gang embossing powders which I used to alter this TPC mirror chipboard sticker. I removed the "mirror" part and replaced it with a piece of cs which i inked and added some Kaiser tiny alpha letters.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my post, I hope you enjoyed it and learnt a little somthing along the way.

~ Play Time ~

This is a pic of my youngest DS Matt just before we cut all his baby curls off. I used a combination of three of my favourite product brands on this layout, Dusty Attic, Bo Bunny and Lindy's Stamp Gang..........a match made in heaven.

Bo Bunny's Timepiece collection is one of my all time favourites. I adore all the neutral tones and that die is simply gorgeous. I used a lot of my white blooms from I am Roses, one of my favourite online stores which I  then misted with some Lindy's Stamp Gang moon shadow and starburst sprays. I also misted the piece of lace.

I altered the scroll DA chipboard pieces with some of the amazing LSG embossing powders. These EP's are simply incredible. Not only do they deliver a gorgeous metallic finish but they are 2 toned which makes them all the more delicious and they're perfect for fine detailed chipboard pieces. I also added a few pearls for an extra vintage finish.

I altered the title DA pieces by misting them with some Tawny Turquoise Moon Shadow Mist from LSG. How gorgeous is that shimmer!!!!! Again I added some pearls to finish off.

As always I added a lot of paper distressing to my layout and was rather delighted with the finished product. Thanks so much for taking the time to look.

August SNR publications

These are the LO's published in the August edition of SNR magazine. The LO above was sone for the "Just the two of us" call. I decided to use this pic of Erin with Matt when he was only a few weeks old. I just LOVE this pic. I used it together with more of my Bella Vollo Swirlydoos kit. I altered my Dusty Attic frame with some molding paste which I then coloured with some alcohol ink for a really gringy finish.

This is my oldest son at his Hip Hop dancing show. As is the norm with most kids, he no longer does hip hop but it was really fun while it lasted. I create the bg myself using stamps and platinum UTEE on some red cardstock.

Last but not least, is a LO I did with my DD and she really is quite the charmer, especially when it comes to dad...LOL!! I kept this one quite simple with some lacing to finish it off. I altered the Dusty Attic chipboard with some Creative Inspiration paints and made my own pearl flourishes sing liquid pearls.

Thanks for taking the time to check in.

July SNR publications

Wow, time seems to have run away with me. I can't believe we're in mid September already. I have been crazy busy with all my projects for the fabulous events being held over at SNR that I completely forgot to post on my blog. To save time I'm going to post all the LO's published in the July issue of SNR on this single post. The above LO was done for the Color of te Month call which was obviously orange for July. If you enjoy colour challenges then pop over and make a submission for the Oct/Nov issue which will be purple/lavender

This LO was done as a finished project for my corner punch circle border tutorial I did. I'll be posting the tutorial shortly but I must just give a shout out to my dear friend Lisa Gregory who was kind enough to allow me to use her idea.......You're the best Lisa and THANKS!!

This is one of my favourite pics of my youngest two and they really are little rascals...LOL!. I used my gorgeous vine which I bough a while ago from KatiesKreations4U.com. She doesn't make the individual vines anymore but still has some geat kits. I altered the number (previous tutorial posted) with some alcohol inks and ribbon.

This is a LO I did for the Back to School call. I tried doing a multi-pic LO but I'm really no good at them...LOL! These are just pics of my some from Grade R, Grade 4 and this year Grade 7. Boy, does time fly!!

I used one of my fellow SNR staffer Lucy Chesna's sketch for this LO together with the Bella Vollo Swirlydoos kit. I absolutely adore the colours of this kit and the Gabrielle Bo Bunny papers.....YUMMY!!

This was another LO done as a finished project for a tutorial on using lefyt over chipboard to create borders. I'll be posting the full tutorial shortly.

Thanks for stopping by and keep a look out for some of my tutorials which will be posted at regular intervals over the next couple of weeks.

Tutorial - Toning Down Busy Patterned Papers with Gesso

Sometimes I look through my paper stash and wonder what I was thinking when I bought some of them. Not so long ago I would've just thrown these particular papers away or donated them. But since I've been introduced to the mixed media world and products like gesso, I've discovered a way to save some of these paper horrors. The sample I've used for my tutorial is certainly not the worst in my stash but I did however feel that the pattern was a little bright and busy for what I had in mind.


Supplies
Patterned paper
Gesso
Mask
Reinkers
Sponge

Step One: Gather your supplies. Cut your patterned paper down to size.

Step Two: Add some stencil glue to your mask, leave to dry and then place your masks on you patterned paper. It is advisable to have your page design planned before you start so you know where to place your masks to best compliment your design.

Step Three: Paint a layer of gesso over your mask pieces. You may also want to paint other areas of your patterned paper, depending on your page design. You can add random strokes in alternating directions for extra texture.

Step Four: Using a sponge, paint some reinker diluted with water onto the areas of the paper covered in gesso.

Step Five: You may want to add a second, third or even more shades of reinker. I used spiced marmalade, aged mahogany and vintage photo. Try and paint around the masks carefully.

Step Six: Once the gesso has completely dried, carefully remove the masks. You could go back and apply some inks with a small sponge to the outline of the mask. I went back and added more of the spiced marmalde reinker where I felt I had too much aged mahogany.

Go ahead and have a another look through your paper stash, I'm sure you'll find a few candidates perfect for this technique.

I also want to give you a quick close-up of this adorabloe fabric flower I made using some orange tafata. Simply cut a strip if fabric, fold it in half, sew the edges together using a running stitch and then form a spiral starting from the centre outwards.
TFL