Thursday 7 January 2016

Oh So Blue ~ Stamps and Stencils ~ New Challenge ~ January

Happy New Year everybody! I'm just wondering where the last year went. Still it's onwards and upwards and what better way to start the new year with, than a new challenge from Stamps and Stencils. Cec is our talented host this month and she has chosen the title 'Oh So Blue'. You can see her gorgeous journal page here. There's nothing like a bit of crafting to chase those January blues away!   My project consists of this mixed media canvas,using several different blue media. Unfortunately my camera was out of action during the making of this piece ( no panic just a very flat battery!) so, I'll zoom in and just outline the different processes I've used.
The canvas substrate was firstly painted with dark blue acrylic paint, once dry I added a coat of crackle paint medium and then added a top coat of Paperartsy Fresco Finish Paint, in Mermaid. Once all the lovely cracks had appeared, I decided to give it a deeper blue colour by brushing on a thinned coat of Luminarte Silks Acrylic Glaze. This also had the advantage of adding a nice pearly sheen.
The next layer is a piece of manila card which has been coloured with Ultramarine  Brushos. I embossed the card using one of my favourite Tim Holtz embossing folders, I then used Treasure gold to highlight the textured surface, and added a bit of vintaging around the edges with Distress Ink
 The heart was hand cut from corrugated card, and heat embossed, using the Wonderful Wendy Vecchi's  faux granite ware technique. Follow this link to learn from the master. After heat embossing it, I stamped over the surface using Black Archival Ink and a stamp from  Andy Skinner's 'Industrial' set. I really like this stamp as you can achieve an aged cracked effect in an instant.
I tucked a little piece of muslin behind the heart before securing it to the background. The butterfly, is a die cut from Tim's Butterfly Duo. This is a Bigz Die with a corresponding embossing folder. I initially heat embossed the butterfly, with copper embossing powder but felt I was moving too far away from Cec's 'blue' theme. I also wanted to give it a bit more oomph! I got out my Indigo Blu Flitter Glue and Winter Dawn Mega Flakes, and pulled out a few flakes that had some beautiful shades of blue and copper, I love the effect this has created. I used a rust finished pointer for the body and adhered the little gem for some added blueness!

 My final embellishment is the word 'Remember'. I used one of Tim's Framed Alpha Parts and gave it a rust finish. I chose this word as I have some happy memories of 2015. One in particular was the Wendy Vecchi workshop my bestest crafting buddy and I, attended in the summer. we had a a great weekend in London topped off with a super event where I was able to meet some of my UK crafting heroes. Our Sue being one of them ! So come on folks shake off those blues with a bit of total immersion. Hop over to the Stamps and Stencils blog where you'll find some fantastic inspiration by the team as well as all the challenge guidelines. I'm looking forward to seeing your creations ! x

15 comments:

  1. Oh so gorgeous! Toni this is an absolute stunner! I love the blues and rich golds (a favourite combo) and the flaked butterfly is truly beautiful. Happy New Year! Jenny x

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  2. Toni this is absolutely beautiful, I love everything about it. Mo x

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  3. A beautiful make Toni.wonderful details and stunning layers.

    Happy New Year
    Annie xx

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  4. Soooo lovely and so full of great texture Toni! SUPER inspiration - thank you. Happy New Year. j.

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  5. Toni, I really love your amazing layering process of paints, mediums, and metallics. The variation in color on the butterfly really adds dept, as all blue would have been too much here - wise eye! I'm so inspired by your beautiful creation and thankful to have such a clever gal as my new teamie. Hugs, Autumn

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  6. Absolutely stunning Toni, adore the rusty butterfly with the spinner for a body, inspired! Just gorgeous!! Ruth x

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  7. Gorgeous Toni ! Love the shimmer and the embossing. The colours are beautiful together too. Sue C x

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  8. This is beautiful Toni, I especially love your butterfly and all the amazing tones on it.
    Happy New Year to you.
    Hugs, Julie x

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  9. stunning work Toni - I absolutely adore it - brilliant. Hugs rachel xx

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  10. Oh, Toni, it's my absolutely favourite combination - blue tones with rust! I adore your project! Stunning layers and fabulous texture! That butterfly with a game spinner is wonderful! Hugs! Branka xxx

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  11. Toni this is gorgeous! The layers of colour and texture work beautifully together. A 'technique junky's delight! Julia xx

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  12. Wow, is this ever fantastic with all the texture and the addition of the metallics with the blue. I am glad you showed the close-ups because I almost missed the frayed muslin behind the heart. And then there is the butterfly - stunning.
    Hugs!
    Cec

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  13. Toni! This is just stunning! What a beautiful piece to ring in the new year!! I just love the butterfly-with the time piece!
    hugs,Jackie

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  14. This is glorious, Toni - rust and blue, yum! And then all that gorgeous gilding in to the bargain. Love the embossed panel - fabulous altogether!
    Alison xx

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