Impressive

It is the start of a new challenge at Frilly and Funkie.  This one is called Impress Us and is hosted by the lovely Sara Emily who describes it this way:

Who doesn't want to make a great first impression? For this challenge, we would like you to use your embossing folders or any other way you can make an impression on your vintage or shabby chic project. Go ahead and 'Impress Us' with your creativity!

I decided to make my frilly project with a lot of mixed media this time and here is how it came together:

• Coat a 6"x6" stretched canvas with White Gesso
• Cover with Melted Chocolate Acrylic Paint
• Use an old gift or credit card and randomly scrape some texture paste over the paint layer 
• Knock back the white with some Vintage Photo Distress Ink

Note:  I originally wanted to knock back the white with some diluted Melted Chocolate paint but discovered that it turns pink when you add water or white paint to it - baby food meat was not the look I was after.

• Create a leaf texture plate by cutting various leaf shapes with chipboard and the Fall Foliage die and then glue them to another piece of chipboard
• Run the custom texture plate and some card stock through a die cutting machine using a variety of plates and shims to create an embossed panel
• Ink the panel with Vintage Photo Distress Ink to bring up the highlights (I could have used a heavier hand so the camera could see what the eye sees in real life)

• Cut a rectangle out of chipboard and use Versamark with Copper Embossing Powder to cover
• Repeat this process four more times
• While the last layer is still hot, ink a leaf stamp from Nature's Wonder with Jet Black Archival Ink and press into the embossing and leave it there until the embossing gets cold before you pull off the stamp

Note:  If the stamp impression looks too dark in spots because of the design, you can rub some copper wax on it to lighten it up as I did.

• Cut a narrow strip of brown card stock and emboss with a border folder from the set called Love

Note:  This is an old texture fade set but there are other Tim Holtz texture fades at The Funkie Junkie Boutique that would work.

• Use the smallest flower from the Tattered Florals die and some scraps of patterned paper to cut six petals (I used some Memoranda paper)
• Shape the petals and ink the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink
• Layer the petals in pairs to create 3 flowers and add adhesive pearls for centres
• Cut some branches from brown card stock using the Garden Greens die

To assemble:

• Add a strip of burlap to the canvas and top with the embossed border
• Ink a little strip of venise lace with some Antique Linen Distress Ink and add to the right side of the embossed border
• Adhere the embossed leaf panel and then add the leaf impression mounting it on foam dimensionals
• Add the flowers and branches and then tuck a loopy bow made from burlap string under the top flower

Here is a close-up to show you some of the embossing that is difficult to see on the main photo, especially the leaf panel at the top.

I hope you will join us for this challenge.  It runs until 11:55 pm Eastern time on Tuesday, November 6th so you have lots of time to create. 

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

DYLUSIONS PAINTS, MELTED CHOCOLATE DYP46011	Sizzix Alterations Tim Holtz Tattered Florals Bigz Die- 656640	Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 14PK - Fall Foliage by Tim Holtz 660955	Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 9PK - Garden Greens by Tim Holtz 661206	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Nature′s Wonder	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Vintage Photo TIM19527
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Antique Linen TIM19497	Ranger Archival Ink Pad - Jet Black AIP31468	VersaMark Watermark Ink Stamp Pad	Natural Jute Mesh (Burlap)	Burlap String - 12 Colors	Venise Lace
KAISERCRAFT Pearls - Self Adhesive - Chocolate	Dina Wakley Media Mediums - White Gesso MDM41689	Ranger Texture Paste Opaque Matte INK44444	Prima Art Alchemy by Finnabair - Metallique Wax- Rich Copper	Ranger Embossing Powder - Copper EPJ37378	Scor-Pal Scor-Tape 3/8" x 27 Yards
Scor-Pal Scor-Tape 1/8" x 27 Yards	Scor-Pal Scor-Tape 1/4" x 27 Yards