Mixed Media for Unstampabelles Challenge #36

Now, that wonderful place of instant knowledge, Wikipedia, defines Mixed Media as:

"an artwork in the making of which more than one medium has been employed.
Mixed media ... refer(s) to a work of visual art that combines various traditionally distinct visual art media. For example, a work on canvas that combines paint, ink, and collage could properly be called a "mixed media" work. When creating a painted or photographed work using mixed media it is important to choose the layers carefully and allow enough drying time between the layers to ensure the final work will have structural integrity. If many different media are used it is equally important to choose a sturdy foundation upon which the different layers are imposed. A phrase sometimes used in relationship to mixed media is, "Fat over lean." Many effects can be achieved by using mixed media. Found objects can be used in conjunction with traditional artist media, such as paints and graphite, to express a meaning in the everyday life. In this manner, many different elements of art become more flexible than with traditional artist media."

The challenge has been sponsored this month by Bizzy Bec, from Western Australia. 

and she is offering as a PRIZE this amazing Marianne Butterfly Die 

I was reading a new magazine I purchased from a news agency, called Creative Cardmaking (UK - Issue 65) and got this idea from them. I went to a local $2 shop ad got a mini easel on a small wooden stand.  I don't know what I am going to use the stand for now, but it has gone into the "might be useful one day' pile. In addition to this purchase I also went to the local tip shop, and got me several wooden frames - you will see what I did with those in due time!

I started by making sure the canvas was sized enough by painting it with thinned (with H2O) white Gesso paint and letting it dry. I then attached across the top a stencil from Memory Box, and gently sponged on some TH ink - Scattered Straw. This left a white pattern across the canvas, and I thought it was already looking great! I also  - while I was there  - sponged some TH - Wild Honey around the edges of the canvas - better yet! Forgot to take photo's in the excitement of the creation. 

There were circles in the pattern so I gently coloured them with three different coloured Copic pens - an orange, green and yellow. I also stencilled on the word 'love' and then decided to add colour to that as well, and again used the green Copic pen. I think I got a bit carried away then and I began to add flowers, and the pearl string and some ribbon. Then I measured where it would fit on the folded piece of SU Kraft card I was using as my card blank. 

Can you see my card here is sitting on a stand?  My hubby insisted on making this for me - one side is black and the reverse is white - to stand my cards etc on when I am photographing them outside (or inside I guess). He is a good man. 

I used rub-ons (Kaiser) on the card on diagonal corners and doodled with a pen for the sides. I glued with TomBow glue and it held nicely but my measuring is slightly out of placement or something......

Taken on an angle so you can see the side of the canvas standing up. 

I added two rub-ons onto the sides of card and then decided to add the 'Love' one to the canvas - 20 minutes later........that's as good as it got! It adds to the slightly grunge look......I decided that I needed to tie

the words more to the canvas so grabbed a pencil and added some yellow to the words and to the corner flourishes - at night, under the lamp it seemed only a small amount of colour but in daylight - boy did that pop! The bottom of the canvas looked a bit cut off so I added two more flowers, and the scrap piece of green pearls.......

So, is that mixed-media enough?  Paint, ink, alcohol-ink, rub-ons, pencils, then flowers and pearls and canvas and card.......oh, and ribbon! And yes, the 'fat' was put over the 'lean' - the embellies went over the paint, stenciling and ink.

I will enter this in the following challenges:

Altered Eclectics: I altered a canvas to fit on a card - closes 30 June

Southern Girls: I have pearls in there! - closes soon?

Rhedds Creative Spirit: Altered art - ends 30th June

The Craft Garden: orange,lemon and lime - yep,those are my colours! Closes 30th June

Unstampabelles Challenge#33 - Geometric Shapes

Hello Peeps!
Welcome to my blog and an especial welcome to all the new followers I have picked up lately. Today I am sharing the card I have made for Unstampabelles Challenge #33 - Geometric Shapes. 

This challenge is being sponsored by Andrea at Annabelle Stamps. 

The TWIST for this month for this challenge is to use at least three shapes on your paper project - not a very hard twist but you need to tell us what they are!  Remember, with this challenge blog you cannot use stamps of any kind. So what did I do?

Firstly I put some drops of TH Distress ink refills onto my silicon cooking craft sheet, sprayed them with some water from a mister bottle and proceded to swipe through some scrap pieces of SU Whisper White card.  

I then used the top of a bottle of Zest and some TH Black Soot ink to create a few circles on one of the pieces; it doesn't really show in today's project but you will see it again! 

I then used the top of my TH ink pad to create some squares. 

I cut two of these out.

I diecut out the Dienamics MFT Framed Love Birds from some sparkly black card.  This die comes with leaves and birds separately if you want them, so I die cut some leaves from a scrap of green and the birds from a scrap of red. I forgot to put the cards concerned onto a sticky background first, so had to hand glue them all on!

I used another die I have from TCW saying 'Today' to die cut this from the black card. Same deal - forgot again - duh! I put a piece of the swiped card behind the die chosing a clear bit for the sky and a muddier bit for the bottom part.  I cut this piece unevenly across the top to represent hills it the background.

After mounting all this on the red card _ SU Real Red - I placed my two squares on an angle behind the rectangle I had created and onto black folded card.  This also gave me four triangles! I added some red circle by adding lots of Annabelle's lovely sprinkles!

The bottom of the card has a piece of SU Real Red die cut with a screen from Memory Box called Piestra Tile.  This has circles and crosses and different shapes! So, there you have it - my attempt at being Geometric!!

I will enter this in the following challenges:

Challenges 4 Everyone: Anything Goes

Fashionable Stamping Challenges: Anything Goes - cannot enter this as it needs stamping apparently!

Pile It On: Bold and Bright! Spring comes when the bird chorus is heard again and the bare trees begin to grow leaves. 

That Craft Place: Anything Goes