Thursday, April 7, 2016

Trash to Treasure


The new challenge starts today at Stamps and Stencils.  Autumn is hosting this one and she is calling it Trash to Treasure.  She describes it this way:

"Don't we all love a good upcycled project? This month we'd love to see how you take something that you'd normally discard and give it new life in your art. Whether it's glamorized boxes, Styrofoam turned into a stamp, packaging that's been die cut, or another altered idea you have. Bring on your best mixed media repurposing! We can't wait to see what you come up! Don't forget to use stamps or stencils in your project."


I decided to make a wall hanging that could hang in someone's sewing room.  First I had my husband cut me a piece of masonite on his fancy laser cutting machine.  The next step was to add my recycled items - the squares.  OK, not square exactly but definitely recycled since computers these days will not take these old floppy disks.  My husband had piles of them and offered them to me.  I accepted them but at the time had no idea what I was going to do with them.



Once they were adhered to the masonite, I coated everything with Liquitex Gesso and then coated the floppies with Liquitex Super Heavy Gesso. As you can see the heavy Gesso didn't smooth everything out so I decided to add some texture paste.  I used Golden Crackle Paste on the floppies themselves and Golden Light Molding Paste with a TCW Mini Geometric Art Layers stencil and a TCW Tiny Circles stencil on the backing board.  To get the stenciling in between the floppies since they were already glued down, I enlisted the aid of my handy dandy husband who drew some tiny circles in a graphics program and then cut a very narrow strip stencil on the laser cutting machine.  Love that machine - him too!!!!!




Next I added all the little bits and pieces - Tiny wooden clothespins and metals from The Funkie Junkie Boutique, Flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts, Lace from Fancy Gap, Wooden Text created by my husband and sewing supplies from my stash.  I have discovered that Liquitex Matte Super Heavy Gel makes a great adhesive for most of the items and Glossy Accents is perfect for the beads and other tiny things.  Once adhered I covered everything with another coat of Gesso to unify the colour.

Next I painted everything with a coat of DecoArt Buttermilk Acrylic Paint and then a watered down coat of DecoArt Melon Acrylic Paint.   Ink sprays came next - Lindy's Starburst in Wild Honeysuckle Coral and a touch of Saxifrage Olive Coral, which had more green in it than I wanted (Olive - dah) so I used a natural sea sponge and dabbed on some Bronze Metallic Acrylic Paint from Craftsmart and some Folk Art Champagne Metallic Acrylic Paint.

Finally I added the sentiment which was stamped from a TPC Studio set and some seed beads that I picked up in the discount section at Michaels.

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

Everybody Art Challenge - Pastel Colors
Altered Eclectics - Anything Goes - Altered Art, Mixed Media (no cards or ATCs)
Crafter's Cafe - Use Some Lace
Rhedd's Creative Spirit - Altered Art, Mixed Media (no cards or ATCs)
Take a Word  - Sewing
We Love 2 Create - Anything Creative Mixed Media Goes
Fussy and Fancy - Pastels

29 comments:

  1. Wow, Cec, what a genius idea to use those floppy discs in your project! Awesome alteration with so many wonderful elements so beautifuly arranged! I love every single inch of this stunner! Bravo! Big hugs! Branka xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love this cec ...it is amazing. All i can say is wow! Brilliant x

    ReplyDelete
  3. what a great gift. awesome piece of recycled materials. i would so love to have it as a hanging even though i do not sew at all! thank you for sharing it with us at FFFC and good luck, Theresa DT xx.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow, Cec! You used those discs to their fullest upcycled potential! Just a wonderful recycling project, and I love looking at all your bits so artfully arranged! Well done! Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
  5. They may be floppy discs but this project is FAR from a flop - that's for sure Cec. Dear me... this is INCREDIBLE! All my in-laws were intense seamstresses and they would have been OVER THE MOON impressed to see this SPLENDID project. You thought of everything. Every little detail is sheer PERFECTION. Truly a WONDROUSLY FUN and FABULOUS tribute to the souls that sew! Xj.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love all this texture and the soft color is beautiful. Pretty handy hubby you have there! Hugs, Linda

    ReplyDelete
  7. Such a creative idea! Great use of the disks and what a wonderful husband you've got there! Gorgeous project, lots of detail, texture and the unified colours are fabulous. Thank you for the inspiration x

    ReplyDelete
  8. What an AMAZING transformation, Cec! We've been having network problems and I accidentally told another girl to save to a floppy disk, meaning thumb drive, and she looked at me all weird. I was showing my age! LOL! Anyway, I am so amazed at how well they accepted the crackle treatment, GORGEOUS! Your colors are divine as well. Hugs, Autumn

    ReplyDelete
  9. this has really made me smile Cec! floppy discs !! who'd have thought they could be turned into something so beautiful! fantastic re-purposing I love it Toni xx

    ReplyDelete
  10. Fabulous recycling Cec, your project looks gorgeous, love the texture and details.
    Yvonne xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. Fantastic project Cec ! What a great way to use up the old floppy discs ! Sue C x

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wow! What a awesome make. Would never know what was under there in a million years. Hugs Mrs A.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Fabulous! What a work of art Cec! You really transformed those pieces into a beautiful piece! Love the color palette and all the texture!

    ReplyDelete
  14. This is a seriously delectable upcycle Cec. So much so that I am very tempted to try your fantastic idea too!I love the softness of your colours, the textures too, in fact all of it.Thank you for joining in at Rhedd's Creative Spirit this month.

    ReplyDelete
  15. What a stunning project...I love it...love looking at all the little things you have used for embellishing...great colour choice too.
    Thank you for joining in with our April challenge over at Rhedd's Creative Spirit...x

    http://rheddscreativespirit.blogspot.co.uk/
    http://somewheretobeme.blogspot.co.uk/
    http://alteredeclectics.blogspot.co.uk/

    ReplyDelete
  16. Golly Cec, this must have been an absolute ball to put together! What a clever way to use those old floppies - and what a clever hubby to make those thin stencils for you too. I love all the little bits and bobs you added to the textured base and the colours are wonderful. This would indeed look wonderful in someone's sewing room! Hugs, Anne xx

    ReplyDelete
  17. I knew if I hung onto them long enough I would find a use for that box of floppy disks!!!
    Wonderful creation, the disks look much better now!

    ReplyDelete
  18. How absolutely clever of you!
    Not only is this piece beautiful- but Green as well!!
    hugs,Jackie ")

    ReplyDelete
  19. I will never look at floppies the same way! Genius Upcycle and your DH is amazingly sweet to help you out. Wonderful layers and bits and bobs in this gem of a design. Wowzers! Hugz to you muffin! ~Niki

    ReplyDelete
  20. Pretty canvas and great use of recycling . Thank you for joining us at Altered Eclectics this month. Hope to see you back here again soon. Judy DT

    ReplyDelete
  21. I just found a box of these and laughed but now I am so excited! I knew not to throw them out LOL Your canvas is stunning and thanks for showing the steps! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Rhedd's Creative Spirit this month! Nanette, DT

    ReplyDelete
  22. Oh you lucky gal having that handy dandy hubbie!!! A fantastic make Cec, it really looks fabulous! Sorry to say I cleared out floppies yonks ago. Nicola x

    ReplyDelete
  23. Just love these altered floppy discs - such a cool base for your embellishments and lovely feminine colour scheme.
    Alison x

    ReplyDelete
  24. Oh wow this is stunning! Fabulous recycling and I love all the texture you've created. Thanks so much for joining us at We Love 2 Create this time
    Claire xx

    ReplyDelete
  25. Wowww!!! What a great idea and fantastic work!!! Love, love, love!!! Thank you for joining us at Altered Eclectics this month.
    Arlette DT

    ReplyDelete
  26. Better late than never....fabulous recycling project Cec, gorgeous textures and soft colours...FABULOUS!! Ruth xx

    ReplyDelete

I love to hear what you think about my work, so please leave me a comment.

Thanks!
Cec