Chinese Bride

I had a lot of fun playing in the ITAC'17 first challenge called Europe so I thought I would give the second challenge a try.

This one is called Asia and along with a list of criteria to choose from, there is also a mood board.  After I read the list, I looked at the mood board again and it kind of threw me because right in the centre was an iconic photo of the colourful turrets on Russian roofs.  I have managed to use every item on the list so am happy about that.

I thought I would make another canvas and go to China for inspiration.  I have made a Chinese bride with her fancy headpiece.  My daughter was a competitive synchronized swimmer and I made lots of headpieces and even made the one she wore at her wedding so this was right up my alley.  My bride doesn't look very Chinese but there is nothing to say she can't have a Chinese theme for her wedding.

I started by stamping the Jane image (IndigoBlu) on some white card stock with Jet Black Archival Ink (Ranger).  Then I coloured her face and lips with pencil crayons (Prismacolor) blended with OMS (Gottrick).

I found some clipart of an orchid branch online and printed multiple copies on card stock and then coloured the largest blooms with a combination of pencil crayons (Prismacolor) and alcohol markers (Copic).  Once coloured I fussy cut the coloured blooms.

Next I worked on the canvas.  I printed a photo of a Chinese newspaper that I found online and used Mod Podge to adhere torn strips of it to an 8" x 8" flat canvas (Artist's Loft for Michaels).

I used Molding Paste (Golden) and a geometric stencil (Heidi Swapp) to add some texture and then I dry brushed some White Gesso (Liquitex) over the canvas trying to leave some of the text visible.

The canvas was painted with some watered down Lemonade Acrylic Paint (Folk Art).

Next I sprayed on some more colour using watery Zesty Zing Fresco Finish (Paper Artsy), Aged Mahogany, Mustard Seed and Tarnished Brass Distress Spray Stain (Tim Holtz for Ranger).  Now my hard work at gluing down the Chinese newspaper print was completely covered up - dah!

I sponged on some Candied Apple Distress Ink (Tim Holtz for Ranger) and then took a fluffy brush and added some Gold Luscious pigment powder (IndigoBlu).

I needed some sort of hand lettering or calligraphy but I don't do well at drawing and didn't want to run the risk of making a Chinese character that turned out to be an inappropriate word so I remembered text I saw on the sign at a modern Asian restaurant once and thought I could draw the letters, which make one think Asian even though they are hardly traditional.  I cut small squares and drew the letters with a pencil and then filled them in using some black pens (Micron Pigma).  It only took me three tries before I was satisfied - lol.

I inked the edges of the  text squares with Candied Apple Distress Ink (Tim Holtz for Ranger) and then decided they needed more colour so I re-inked them with Mustard See and Candied Apple DI before I mounted them on squares of white canvas that had the edges inked with Mustard Seed Distress Ink.

A filigree medallion was painted with some Bright Gold Metal Paint (DecoArt) pint and then rubbed with Classic Gold wax paste (Treasure Gold) before some red gems (Dollarama) were added.  More flowers were made with a punch (EK Success), rubbed with gold wax paste and gems were added for centres.

To assemble the canvas, I glued the image and the text down first.  Next I added some beads (My Stash) to gold chain (Bead Landing) and glued them beside her head. before I added the flowers and medallion.

I am off to enter my canvas in the tournament and then that is it for my trip to Asia.  Wouldn't it be fun to win a lottery and do this around the world trip for real

Together Forever

It is time for the new challenge at Frilly and Funkie.  Autumn is the hostess and is calling it A Little Rusty.  Here is what she has to say about it:

With the end of summer nearing, some of us have gotten a little rusty with our creating due to holidays and lazy days. For this challenge let's break out a rusty color palette in preparation for fall. Whether you take the challenge literally and use rusted metal a faux rust technique, or just the color in your vintage or shabby chic project - the choice is up to you! We can't wait to see your creativity in full swing!

My 42nd wedding anniversary is coming up in three weeks so I thought I would make a card for my husband and a rusty palette sounded fine for a man.

I started by adding Distress Oxides to a piece of watercolour card that was coated with Clear Gesso and then took a damp natural sea sponge and patted over the Oxides before I heat dried it.  I continued to add layers of colour in the same manner using using a variety of colours of Distress Oxides.

The next step was to add some texture using Crackled Texture Paste through a stencil.  As it dries and cracks it will pick up some of the Oxide colour.

Next I altered the colour of a filigree corner using Alcohol Ink together with some blending solution.

The flower was created by die cutting petals from paper, inking the edges with Distress Ink, shaping and layering them.  A carved button  with a burlap string bow was added for a centre.

To assemble the card, I adhered the background texture panel to a kraft card blank.  Next I added some Distress Ink to a panel of white corrugated cardboard and adhered it and then topped it with the corner and some paper dolls.

Next I die cut some greenery from Kraft Core cardstock and plain kraft cardstock and layered it on top of the cardboard.  A loopy tuxedo bow was made from some frayed linen ribbon and topped with the flower.  A real man can handle bows and flowers - lol.

Finally I added some Chitchat Stickers that were inked with DI and added to some scrap kraft cardstock.  I also added a bit of Copper Metallic ink to the belt of the lady and the berries on the kraft greenery.

The following products used to create this card came from The Funkie Junkie Boutique:

Flower Page

I saw that the August challenge over at A Vintage Journey was called Watercolour and thought that I might enter it and try my hand at some watercolouring since it isn't something I have ever done.  I came up with this page for my art journal.

I am currently using a Canson Mixed Media journal and don't find that the pages stand up well to lots of wet media so I glued two pages together with Mod Podge.  I put the glue on using an old rewards card, joined the pages, spritzed the back and front with a fine mist of water and then put them between two pieces of waxed paper under a heavy book to dry and that kept the page fairly flat.

Once it was dry I added some texture with a stencil (Teresa Collins) and some Molding Paste (Golden).  Once the paste was dry I covered the page with a coat of White Gesso (Liquitex).

I painted the page with a coat of Blush Fresco Finish (Paper Artsy) followed by a coat of Candy Floss Resco Finish that I wiped back in spots with a baby wipe.

I added some stamping with Jet Black Archival Ink (Ranger) and a script stamp called Haunted (Recollections).  Then I added stenciling with a Harlequin Stencil (Tim Holtz) and Watering Can Archival Ink (Wendy Vecchi for Ranger).

Next came some spray colour.  I used Twisted Citron and Worn Lipstick Distress Spray Stain (Tim Holtz) and some watered down Zesty Zing Fresco Finish (Paper Artsy).

I added a few circles and lines using White Gesso (Liquitex) and a cap from a spray bottle and an old rewards card.

I stamped one of the flowers and stem with leaves from a set called Flower Garden (Tim Holtz) using Jet Black Archival Ink (Ranger).  The stamping was done on Watercolour Card (Canson).

I coloured the image using watercolour pencils (Artist's Loft since that was all I had.  It was fun so a trip to the art supply store is in the works so I can buy something better and get practicing.

I tore around the image and inked the edges with Spun Sugar Distress Ink (Tim Holtz).  The sentiment was a freebie from Create with TLC and was computer generated.  The edges were torn and inked in the same manner as the flower image.

My Granddaughter taught me a bit more about using watercolours today.  These were techniques she learned at one of her art camps this summer.  I am impressed with her abilities and her love of art - she is just 11 (going on 20 but that is another story - lol).

Edith

There is a great challenge going on for the next six weeks at AALL and Create called the International Tournament of Art and Craft.  I thought it might be fun to try and participate so this is my offering for the first challenge, which is called Europe.

I have made a collage around a photo of Edith Piaf, who was a French cabaret singer who died in 1963 at the age of 47.  I love old music (and jazz) and remember seeing her on TV.  The song she sang was called La Vie En Rose, which translates to Life in Pink, which is why I added the pop of colour in the form of a rose.

There are a list of criteria for the challenge and while you are only required to use at least one element in your creation I thought I would go for as many as possible.  Here is the list and in red is what I have used.

• A face - Photo of Edith Piaf
• Papers (newspaper, printed paper, rice paper…etc.) - Music paper that I printed
• Letters, numbers - The words of one of her songs
• Blue for the colour of the European Union, Union Jack... - The background pint colour
• Ribbon, twine, string or lace… - Lace and thread
• Textures – take inspiration from history from ancient civilizations to the fall of the Berlin Wall - Background stenciling 
• Something both vintage and modern - Black and silver button is vintage and Washi Tape is modern

Here are the steps I used to make my collage along with a few process photos.

1. Use some texture paste and add stenciling to a flat canvas
2. Cover canvas with white gesso

3. Paint canvas with blue acrylic paint
4. Sponge some metallic blue acrylic paint over the base paint
5. Glue thread randomly over paint
6. Water down white gesso and spatter over canvas
7. Dry brush a thin coat of white gesso over canvas and blot off while still wet

8. Print music paper and roll around a piece of dowel

9. Talk your husband into designing an Eiffel Tower for you and then cutting it from chipboard on his laser cutter :)
10. Coat the Eiffel Tower with heavy black gesso leaving it bumpy

11. Rub pewter wax paste over the raised areas of the Eiffel Tower and some metal pieces

12. Stamp feather on a scrap of card stock and emboss with black embossing powder
13. Fussy cut the feather

To finish the canvas:

14. Coat some chipboard honeycomb texture pieces with white gesso
15. Print text on the computer, distress and ink the edges
16. Dye a paper rose in some watered down distress ink
17. Adhere all the pieces to the canvas and add a few gems

This was fun to make and now I am on to challenge #2, which was launched today.  I sure hope I can keep up.

Supplies List:

• Flat Canvas (Artist's Loft for Michaels)
• Geometric Stencil (Teresa Collins)
• Molding Paste (Golden)
• White Gesso (Liquitex)
• Heavy Black Gesso (Prima Art Basics)
• Chipboard Honeycomb & Eiffel Tower (My Husband)
• Pewter Wax Paste (Treasure Pewter)
• Metal Bits (The Funkie Junkie)
• Lace & Button (My Stash)
• Washi Tape & Gems (Dollarama)
• Butterfly (Prima)
• Music Paper & Text (Computer Generated)
• Rose (Excelsior Warehouse)
• Feather Stamp (Inkadinkado)
• Watermark Stamp Pad (Versamark)
• Ebony Embossing Powder (Recollections for Michaels)
• Black Thread (My sewing cupboard)
• Mod Podge
• Super Thick Slap it On (IndigoBlu)
• Worn Lipstick Distress Ink (Tim Holtz for Ranger)

Vintage With Die Cuts

It is time for the new challenge at Frilly and Funkie.  This time Suzz is our hostess and calls it On the Cutting Edge.  This is what she has to say about it:

Having recently acquired some beautiful new dies I thought it might be time to bring them out and show them off. This challenge is all about using your dies, punches or other cutting tools to create a masterpiece featuring at least one die cut / punched image. Make sure your art is in the vintage or shabby chic style and incorporates a die cut or punch.

I decided to make a shabby card with a vintage vibe and started with some Recollections card stock for the card blank.  Then added a couple panels of paper from the the Graphic 45 A Ladies Diary collection.  I also cut one of the images from the paper.  The image and papers were distressed and the edges were inked with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  I dyed some crochet ribbon with Antique Linen Distress Ink and placed it over the spot where the two papers join.

I die cut a doily from a Prima die and inked the edges with Vintage Photo DI before I laid it on top of the papers.  The image was mounted on some black card stock and added to the card next.

Next I die cut some flowers.  I used some paper from Graphic 45 Precious memories to cut the flowers from the Tim Holtz Tattered Florals Die and some card stock to cut the flowers from Tammy Tuttrow's Shabby Posies Die.  In the end I changed my mind and only used the cream flowers shown in the second photo since I realized that three big flowers would never fit on the card.

The flowers were all shaped, the edges were inked with Vintage Photo DI and the petals layered.  For the cream flower, I just added a large pearl to the centre but added a black flower punched with an EK Success punch first for the peach flower .

The leaves were hand cut, shaped and inked.  Before I added the flowers and leaves to the card, I dyed a bit of cheesecloth with Antique Linen DI and tucked it underneath.  Finally, I scattered a few black sequins on the card.

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

Deep Ocean Challenge - Shabby Chic/Vintage
Ooh la la Creations - Flowers
Avenue 613 Create - Anything Goes (Optional Twist - Shabby Chic)
Simply Create Too - Use Flowers
Through the Purple Haze - Vintage

Colouring with Crayons

It is time for the new challenge at Stamps and Stencils and Autumn, our hostess this month is calling it Technique School.

Here is what she has to say about it:

This month we want you to play teacher and share a favorite process or new experiment. Document your findings with at least one process photo. We can't wait to see your technique tutorials and new ideas! Remember to use stamps or stencils or both!

I decided to try something new to me but not a new technique by any means.  I chose to colour a stamped image with crayons - but not in the usual way. Let me show you how I did it.

I started by stamping an image from this Inkadinkadoo stamp onto a scrap of card stock with Jet Black Archival Ink (Ranger).

I shaved some crayons over the stamped image putting each colour in random areas.

The next step was to melt the crayon shavings, which is actually quite easy because all I did was put a sheet of parchment paper on my ironing board and put the image with the shavings on top.  Then I covered it with another sheet of parchment paper.  Make sure the parchment paper is quite a bit larger than your image.  

Then I took a fairly hot, dry iron and gently ironed the parchment paper covering the image and watched the wax melt.  I moved the iron back and forth until I could see that all the card stock was covered and then removed the top layer of parchment paper.  I wish I could have taken a photo of this step but I was concentrating on the melting and protecting my ironing board because I do still iron and did not want wax all over it.

There was still some melted wax on the parchment paper so I grabbed a background from my stash and ironed the wax onto it, moving the parchment paper around so that it was fairly well dispersed.  I will use this on a future project.

I gave a dollar store thin canvas a coat of white Gesso (Liquitex) and then I painted it with Pumpkin Soup Fresco Finish (Paper Artsy).  I dry brushed some Zesty Zing Fresco Finish on next making sure to leave some of the first coat visible.

The next step was to use some Crackle Paste (Golden) through a clock stencil (TCW) to add some texture to the canvas.

Then I used a bunch of spray inks to add more colour - Crushed Grape (Dylusions) and Twisted Citron, Tumbled Glass, Peeled Paint, Carved Pumpkin, Worn Lipstick, Mustard Seed, Abandoned Coral and Mowed Lawn Distress Spray Stain (Tim Holtz).

Using Jet Black Archival Ink (Ranger), a stamp called French Script (IndigoBlu) and a butterfly from an Inkadinkadoo set, I added some random stamping to the canvas.

I found some yellow natural paper in my stash that I had bought eons ago at the dollar store and thought it would make a great background for the image.  I tore the edges and then inked them with Tumbled Glass, Abandoned Coral and Mowed Lawn Distress Ink (Tim Holtz).

To finish the project, I tore some black card stock (Recollections), mounted the image on it and then added it to the natural paper.  This panel was adhered to the canvas with dimensional foam tape.

I love this bright canvas and the very colourful image.  I have been searching around the internet and have discovered other ways to use crayons in my creations.  My Grandchildren have moved past crayons for colouring but I haven't. :)

Jazzed Up Notebook

Today is the start of a new challenge at Frilly and Funkie.  Sara is our hostess and has titled it Read Any Good Books Lately?  Here is what she has to say about it:

Reading a good book on the beach or on the porch is a simple summer pleasure. For this challenge, please create a vintage or shabby chic project that depicts a favorite book or use book pages on your project, alter a book or even make a journal or journal page! Just be sure it's in the vintage or shabby chic style that we are looking for!

I was at the dollar store and saw this notebook with a textured vinyl cover and an elastic closure.  It was actually $3.00 - so much for being the dollar store.  I thought it might be fun to alter the cover so despite the price, I picked it up and brought it home.

I changed my mind and decided not to try to pull it apart since the cover was quite nice but whatever I did would have to tie in the chocolate brown colour so I settled on adding an assemblage panel that would have some brown on it.

I took a piece of chipboard from Linda's shop and cut it to size and then gave it a coat of clear Gesso before gluing on all sorts of bits and pieces.  There are pieces from The Funkie Junkie Boutique, my husband's workshop and my stash - lace, flowers, buttons, charms, pop caps, screws washers, etc.

To unify the colour I gave everything a coat of white Gesso.

Then I added the colour starting with a coat of Khaki Acrylic Paint (Craftsmart) followed by a dry brushed coat of Poodleskirt Pink Acrylic Paint (DecoArt).  I sponged on some Espresso (Craftsmart and some Rich Espresso Metallic (DecoArt).  Then I sprayed on some Worn Lipstick and Gathered Twigs Distress Spray Stain.

To finish the cover off, I distressed the edges and added some tiny chocolate brown seed beads in random clusters before I glued it to the notebook cover.  Once it was dry I discovered that my distressing had left enough lift on the edges for the elastic closure to slide underneath - bonus because it doesn't hide any of my bits and pieces like I expected.

I hope you will join us for this challenge.  The Design Team will choose their top pick who will have a Guest Designer opportunity with us and also their next top three who will receive a badge to display on their blog.  A random winner will also be chosen to receive a $25 shopping spree in The Funkie Junkie Boutique.