Spring toadstool fairy exploding canvas

Hi Everyone,
I'm up on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Blog today.
The weather has been so nice here.  Flowers are blooming and pretty soon we will start seeing the baby ducks in our little neighborhood lake.  It's also the time of year when I start to make fairies.  Ah, who am I kidding I love to make fairies all year round!

A couple years back I made an exploding canvas and I totally loved the process.  I decided it was time to make a new one and this time I gave it a little twist.  I knew I wanted a tiny fairy so my canvas had to be small  too.
I started by covering a 5x5 canvas with Tim Holtz Collage paper.  I used collage medium to adhere it to the canvas and coated the top too.  I dried it with a heat gun.  Once the collage paper was dry I used texture paste and a flower stencil to add detail to the top and bottom corners.

I sprayed the canvas using Distress Oxide Spray in Peeled Paint, Vintage Photo, and Iced Spruce.

 I added paint splatter in black(Distress Black Soot) and gold(Dina Wakley Ancient).   I used Distress Crayon in Lucky Clover to enhance the texture paste flowers. At the end I decided to add a bit of Worn lipstick and Picked Raspberry Crayon to the flowers too. 

Once the paint was dry I flipped the canvas over and used a different collage paper to line the inside of the canvas.  I blasted it with the heat gun and then cut the canvas up.  You can see the cut lines.  This is the scariest part of the whole process, but the outcome is fabulous.  

Before I started prepping my canvas I took the Mini Shadowbox set and put together a couple of the boxes I thought might fit into the frame.  Once I had one that fit right I started working on the canvas.  I didn't want to get this far into the thing just to discover that what I thought it would look like in my head would not work out at all. 

After the canvas was cut I glued the pieces to the front of the canvas creating an opening.  

For the hollow, I wound up using the smallest of the shadowboxes.  The fun thing about the box this size is that it doesn't take much paper to cover it.  I spritzed a manila tag with Worn Lipstick Oxide Spray and let it air dry.  The air drying seems to make it oxidize a bit better(it also could be my imagination).I gave it a quick mist of water on either side and ran it through my 3d Kaleidoscope  embossing folder.  This one tag covered the entire outside of my box with some to spare! I sanded the tag a bit and added some Distress Crayon in Gathered Twigs to highlight the raised areas.  

For an added detail I ran metal plumbing tape through my impresslit folder.I colored it using gold, latte, and caramel alcohol inks.   

I cut the manila tag to cover the outside of the shadowbox I used the faux dresden to cover the edges.  The edge of the dresden is the perfect size to cover the edge of the chipboard. 

The inside of the box was lined with paper and washi tape.  I really just wanted the little flowers to peep through in the back there.  I added some spun cotton toadstools, moss, and a teeny paperdoll.  The new Tim Holtz  wings work perfectly on this guy.  

To finish the canvas I colored seam binding using the Worn Lipstick Oxide spray and a bit of Tea Dye Distress Spray.  I made a fluffy bow and added a word band. In the top corner, opposite from the bow, I added a flower cluster with some additional moss.    

Happy Spring! 

Jess

Quiet, but not blind

Hi Everyone,

I have a great technique filled card for you today.  Let's jump right in!

Using Distress Heavy stock blend together several shades of Distress Ink (Scattered Straw, Squeezed Lemonade, Fossilized Amber, and Wild Honey).  Spritz with water and dry completely.  Take a tiny bit of Distress Micro Glaze cover most of the background.  Stamp the Floral Lace stamp using Vintage Photo Distress Oxide Ink and spritz with water.  Using the micro glaze on most of the background keeps the top layer of ink from blending into the background.  It also keeps some of the intricate stamp pattern, but not all of it.  The look is wonderfully aged and tattered.

Take clear texture paste and the Latticework stencil to the background.  Don't worry about it looking perfect.  Imperfect looks better! Once the paste is dry use the Forest Moss Distress crayon to scribble over the paste.  Smudge the crayon using your finger and the pattern pops up adding another layer to your background.

Stamp the Large Bird Man on Watercolor cardstock.  Color him in using a waterbrush and Distress Markers.  Once he is dry fussy cut the image.

To finish the background stamp your two sentiments( Oh darling  and I was quiet, but I was not blind) using archival ink.  Back them with black cardstock and play with placement on your background.  Once you're happy with placement you can glue them down.

Run plain black cardstock through your die cutting machine using the Botanical 3d embossing folder.  Take a Distress Crayon in Tarnished Brass and highlight the raised areas.  The slight gilded effect is so gorgeous.  Adhere this piece right under the focal background piece you created.

All that's left to do is layer up your background.  On this card the black is attached to a distressed piece of gold cardstock.  The gold is mounted to a sage green card.  A bit of burgundy ribbon was the finishing touch.

Happy Crafting,

Jess

The Sound of Music

Hi Everyone,
I am so excited to be sharing this project with you today.  I am the guest designer over at Frilly and Funkie today.  I was so happy to hear that the challenge theme is the Sound of Music. I am a huge music fan. When I am home there is almost always music on.  My taste is pretty varied too.  You never know what song might pop on the iPod next!

My first concert was Madonna back in the 80's. I was ten.  It was out in Foxboro Massachusetts, where the Patriots play.  We had nose bleed seats.  She looked like an ant.  I still know all of the words to her songs.  Ok, enough about me, let's get to the project.

I started by covering my canvas with Collage Medium and Melange Tissue Wrap.  I like bumps and wrinkles, so I squashed it around a bit.  I added a layer of Collage Medium to the top and some bits got Crazing added.

Once the canvas was dry I added texture paste through my mini stencil from set 25. Then I layered on my color using Broken China and Faded Jeans Oxides inks on the base.   I went Distress Crayon crazy using every shade of blue.  Once all of the blues were on I added some walnut stain to random edges.

I took some old sheet music and added it to the back if the canvas using Collage Medium and Crazing Medium.

 While the sheet music dried I worked on my interior piece.  I cut a piece of matboard, added a piece of paper from the 8x8 Etcetera pad, and inked the edges in Pumice Stone.

I cut heavy chipboard using the Crescent Moon and Stars die.  The moon was covered with Antique Linen Distress Glitter.

The various stars are covered with different things, some are covered with Pumice Stone Distress Glitter, some with Emerald Creek Hammered Metal Embossing Powder, and some with Emerald Creek Charred Gold Embossing Powder.  The moon and the stars covered with Distress Glitter were grunged up a bit using Distress Ink in Pumice Stone, Ground Espresso, and Vintage Photo.

My little paper doll is colored using Worn Lipstick Distress Marker on her dress. I used the same color for her bow, but I used my Oxide ink to color it.  I love how it is a bit darker.  

When the back was dry I colored it using Hickory Smoke, Walnut Stain, and Vintage Photo Distress Crayons.  I sliced it up like a very uneven pizza and colored the edges again.
I have to admit when I turned my canvas around and saw this I was pretty nervous.  I used my glue gun and glued the curls to the edge of the canvas.

I added in my moon and stars.  I used foam tape to adhere them to the background.  I then added my little girl and her clipping sentiment(there's that Madonna reference).

I stepped back to look at the canvas and something just wasn't right.  It didn't look finished.  I took out my girl and added a mask to the moon.  I splattered in Black Soot, Picket Fence, and Tarnished Brass  Distress Paints.  I added Dina Wakley Sterling for some heavier splats.  I popped my girl back in and added her wand.

I cut the Quote Chip using my Tonic scissors and added Tarnished Brass Paint to the edges.

The finishing touch was using metallic gel pens and my black Fude ball to add scribbles all over.
Here are a few more detail shots.

I hope you like here and thank you so much for stopping by!

Jess

A Vintage Journey- Use a Quote Challenge

Allsorts Music Challenge

Mix It Up Challenge Blog- Embossing( some of my stars are embossed)

Love to Create Challenge- Anything Goes Mixed Media

Tim tag for May

Here is my submission for the Tim tag for May.

 I still love the tiny tattered floral die.  It might be my favorite.  

Jess

Fabric Element Canvas Banner

A few weeks ago I was at Joann fabric and picked up a bunch of Fabric Elements.  I bought canvas tags, and couple different size banners and pennants.
The first banner I made is 9x12.

This was a kit that included the canvas, tissue paper, and an iron adhesive to attach the tissue to the canvas.

I used several Distress Stains for the background.  I added them to the tissue and then wet my fingers.  I used my slightly damp hand to blend the colors together.  Acrylic paint is splattered, smeared, and smudged all around.  

The stencil was added using texture paste and then its colored with Distress Paints in metallic colors. I used a Fude ball pen around the letters to add depth.   

This pretty lady is printed on cardstock and her embellishments are a mixture of new and vintage.  I used my Fude ball and Hickory Smoke Distress crayon to add shadows and highlights around her.  

Distress Crayon in Black Soot was blended around the edges.  A few more metal bits and the banner is complete.  

I have another banner to show you in a few days, so check back in!

Frilly and Funkie Opposites Attract Challenge

Anything but Cute-Celebrate Your Style

Try it on Tuesday Spots, Dots, and Splashes

Jess

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!

Jess

Distress Crayon Collage Tutorial

I've been having a lot of fun using paper napkins.  I have never used them for crafting, but a group I trade with opened my eyes to this awesome medium.  I have been asked to put together a tutorial, so here it goes. I am making bookmarks here, so they will look smaller than the image above, but I did everything exactly the same.

For the first layer you will need your Distress Collage Medium, one of the underlayers of the printed napkins, and cardstock(I am just using the cheap stuff from the craft store).  Spread a thin layer of the Collage Medium all over your paper and cover it with the napkin.  I squish it on there so I get wrinkles and bumps.  Add a second layer of Collage Medium on top of the napkin.  You can let it air dry or use your heat tool to dry it.  

Scribble on several colors of Distress Crayon and blend with your fingers.  The crayon moves so smoothly over the collage medium. 

You can see I didn't worry about getting it all the way to the edges.  I am going to keep layering, so I am not worried about patches of blank space. 

Use a stencil to add on texture paste.  You can let it air dry or dry it with your heat tool.  Don't forget to clean your stencil right away.  

The texture paste on the left has been scribble on with Distress Crayons.  The image on the right has a paper napkin burnished onto the texture paste using my finger ans a bit of collage medium.  So there are two ways you can do this step.

I added my image and then stamped around it using Jet Black Archival and Hydrangea.  

I added a Small Talk sentiment and used the Black Soot Crayon around the edges. 

To complete the bookmark I used a black and white pen in a random fashion all over the piece.

Here's the one with the napkin.  Same techniques, but it has a totally different esthetic.

Here are some of the others pieces I have made using this technique.

I am entering these into a few challenges:

Try it On Tuesdays- Vintage Photo

Frilly and Funkie- It isn't Easy Being Green(paper napkin layers)

A Vintage Journey- Spring is in the Air

Anything But Cute-Earth Day(recycled napkins and used earthy tones)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Anything Goes Challenge

I hope you enjoyed the tutorial and try it for yourself!

Jess