Anything Goes ~ Stamps and Stencils ~ New Challenge.

Hi everybody! we have a new challenge for September, over on the Stamps and Stencils blog. Sue is our lovely host and she has chosen an 'Anything Goes' ...... That is as long as it  includes some stamping, stencilling or even both. I took the opportunity to give a first inking to some lovely PaperArtsy,  mushroom stamps which I bought last year. I'm afraid I have too many lovely stamps that have so far, never been inked ! It was, therefore, a joy to get these out of the packet.
I started with a little MDF Stand Up Plaque......

......and the first thing to do was to add some texture. I used some Prima Art Stones and Mini Art Stones, which I adhered to the surface, with a liberal helping of Heavy Body Gel Medium. I also stencilled part of the surface with with modelling paste and coated it with gesso.....

Whilst the plaque was drying, I coloured several small pieces of card, with Distress Inks, in a variety of 'autumnal' colours. Once dry, I Stamped over the surface with a fine crackle design stamp.......

I used the card to diecut a variety of small leaves. I highlighted the leaves with Distress Ink and folded and curled them.......

I also stamped and coloured the two mushrooms and little snail. Once I'd coloured and cut them out, I heat embossed them using Seth Apter's Vintage Beeswax embossing powder. Unfortunately I didn't take any photos of the process, so here's a close up instead. The embossing powder added a lot of depth to the colours as well as a really nice sheen......

I must say I really like the way they turned out.  My next job was to add some colour to the plaque. I used Dylusions Sprays in the colours ,Ground Coffee and Dirty Martini. I let the sprays drip and run over the surface.......

Once the plaque was dry, I assembled all of the elements using dimensional tape and glue where needed. 

I also added some dyed sisal fibres to the base of the plaque, and a paper covered wire branch at the top. I ummed and ahhhed, about whether or not to add a title or sentiment, but decided that there was probably more than enough going on.So that was it, my 'Anything goes', Autumn forest floor project was finished! If you have a mixed media project on the go, that has some stamping or stenciling or both on it, we'd love you to share it with us over at Stamps and Stencils. You'll find a feast of inspiration from Sue and the rest of the design team over on the blog. just click on this link . I look forward to seeing you there. x

I am also going to share this project with the 'Forever Autumn' Challenge over on the That's Crafty blog