Love Begins

I've just started my mixed media journey and I've wanted to begin the year creating more mixed media pieces. To help with this goal I want to get my creativity moving by entering more challenges. I've enjoyed all the inspiration from the The Mixed Media Place Creative Gym and so I decided to jump in and take the challenge. At this time of year, new beginnings brought to mind new love and valentines. This is also perfect for Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Love is in the Air + Red.

Lots of diecuts, stencilling and a distressed strip form the background texture for the card. The heart is the result of months of work! Most of it trying to find the special type of clay I wanted- super light, air drying and a little flexible. It was very quick to make the actual embellishment (cutting and stamping) and it dried overnight. Now for even more fun with lots of spraying.

Next I added embossing powder, gold and rust mica powder, crackle accents, stamping, spray droplets and a heart cut from the packaging I saved from some flowers someone special gave me.

Finally I felt ready to add my special heart embellishment plus some microbeads, Stickles and distress glitter.

Challenges:

Mixed Media Place Creative Gym Exercise #16: New Beginnings...

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Love is in the Air + Use Red

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes

 

Supplies

Stamps: Prima Finnabair Honey Comb, Vintage Vanity Harlequin, Clearly Besotted Brushed Poppies 
Dies & Stencils etc: Prima Finnabair Bubbles, Stars, Simon Says Stamp Falling Snow stencil, My Favorite Things Equalizer Stencil, Stitched Fancy Flourish, Lawn Fawn Stitched Hearts, Hearts Lawn Cuts

Ink: Stazon Jet Black, Ranger Archival Ink Potting Soil

Paper: White Linen Card from stash

Highlights: stickles, translucent embossing paste, glitter, micro beads, white gesso, gems, crackle accent, glossy accent, fibre wrapping sheet, Artista clay.  

Colouring: Dylusions Postbox Red, Lemon Zest, White Linen, LuminArte Ginger Peach, Heidi Swapp Gold, Finnabair mica powder gold, rust

Hope you're enjoying my creative paper learning curve.

Blended OLC Poppy Birthday

 

I love the way in which Distress inks blend. However, my flowers blended a little too well, as I stamped the second colour while the first was still very wet, resulting in very little definition between them. I restamped the darker colour and used a watercolour brush to aid the process. The stems underwent the same procedure minus the restamping and the background square was doodled with a watercolour brush.

I added some Wink of Stella to the flower sentiments and stamped the sentiment in Memento Luxe Tuxedo Black.

This is a special birthday card for my Auntie Pauline. I've posted it a little early, but as she doesn't have an internet connection, I'm pretty certain it will remain a surprise until the postman delivers it! Hopefully this will bring a little brightness and beauty to the still dull February days!

A quick shout out for Craft for the Craic who turn one this month: Lá breithe sona duit, go maire tú an céad!

Challenges:
CAS-ual Fridays CFC136: Must Love Watercolor
Craft for the Craic February Challenge: Birthdays or Anniversary
One-Layer Simplicity Challenge OLS13: You Blend!
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: All Things Bright & Beautiful

Supplies

Stamps: Clearly Besotted Stamps Brushed Poppies, Sentiment
Dies & Stencils etc: Lawn Fawn Large Stitched Rectangles

Ink: Memento Luxe Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Inks Spiced Marmalade, Wild Honey, Crushed Olive, Peeled Paint, Pumice Stone

Paper: Watercolour card from stash

Highlights: wink of stella

Hope you enjoyed your visit & see you again soon!