12 x 16 Mixed Media Canvas

Today I am going to share with you a Finnibair inspired mixed media canvas.  This canvas is loaded with a lot of goodies.  I created a very unique background which I had been planning on doing for some time.  First the canvas.

For the background.  Some of you may remember a product from Tim Holtz called "grunge" board.  This is a very pliable chipboard product that I have had for several years.  I don't know if it is still available.  This particular grunge board had a texture on it which looks like a wood design and one that had a diamond pattern on it.  I came up with a plan to create a unique background.  I first took sheets of the "grunge" board and cut it into various sizes of rectangles.  I laid them down onto the canvas, without adhering, and created a pattern, almost like a puzzle making sure that they were all evenly spaced.  I kept cutting and placing beside and below each other until I had the complete canvas covered.  I also had a package that had pre-cut squares, circles and rectangles that I also fit in here and there.  As I was particularly obsessed with spacing, at the end I cut and added some very tiny pieces to fill in some gaps.  When I was happy with the placement, I adhered them all down, one at a time, with a hot glue gun.  It was time consuming.   I added some texture paste with a spatula on several of the pieces, just randomly to give more texture.  Before the texture paste dried I added some micro beads and pressed them into the paste.

I then painted the complete surface with a coat of white gesso.

Now the fun begins.  I pulled from my stash a selection of wood pieces, metal shapes: flowers, gears, crowns, buttons, leaves etc., small paper flowers, resin shapes, chipboard and anything else that I could get my hands on.  Colour doesn't matter as the entire surface will be painted with black gesso.

I started with the centre section first which is a chipboard frame.  I adhered this to the centre by raising it up with several chipboard pieces to give it a 3D look.  I added another wood frame and other wood pieces which I layered on top of each other.  Below is a picture of the centre.

From there I started at the section above the frame.  I kept laying things down, moving things, layering items until I was happy with the result.  I then adhered the items down using "heavy matt gel" from Prima (Finnibair).  This product is amazing.  Nothing will fall off when you use this product.  I did the bottom section next below the centre frame.  Then onto the sides making sure that everything was balanced.  I also added more micro beads in and around the centre frame.

When done and everything was permanently glued down, I painted the whole surface with black gesso covering it completely.

I next mixed some of my "teal mica powder" with water and using a brush I applied it to several of the grunge pieces on the background.  What a beautiful colour.  I will list some of the Finnibair products and colours I used along with the Prima Color Bloom sprays that I used.

Then I started spraying with my sprays starting with the Tea Stain going over all the embellishments as well.  I came back with the other colours and kept layering the colours until I was satisfied.  You can always go back when you are done to add more colours.  I also used other colours of mica powders, mainly around and on the centre frame.  Then lastly I highlighted some of the items with Finnibair acrylic paints along with the micro beads that I added in.   I did end up spraying some more of the turquoise coloured spray along with the purple spray.  Such yummny stuff.  I kept going until I was happy with everything.
Products:  Finnibair mica powder - teal, blue opal magic, lilac opal magic
Finnibair acrylic paints - vintage rose, pink-blue, rich turquoise
Prima Color Bloom Sprays - tea stain, summer sky, glistening waves, iris and bit of peony

It is something that you just go for it, don't think too much about what you are doing and use your imagination as far as products that you use.

Until next time,

this is Donna hoping you will give it a try and use up some of that stash that I know we all have.

Oh yes, if you don't have "grunge" board, use thick pieces of chipboard - maybe even throw in some corrugated paper.  The sky is the limit.

"Happy Scrapping and Creating"

"The art of life is to know how to enjoy little and endure much."  Hazlet

Handmade Lace and Silk Ribbon Flowers

Hello everyone!!!!

Sometime ago when I first starting posting blogs, I posted a short tutorial on how to make silk ribbon flowers.  It has been a very popular post.  So I decided to give you another tutorial on 

how to make these flowers.

First off you will need the following items:  silk ribbon and lace if you choose, a needle and thread, and a punched circle from cardstock that matches your ribbon colour.  Determine your size first.

Cut a strip of 1/2" wide ribbon about 36" long.  To start with, you want to stitch a long running stitch across one edge of the ribbon from end to end.  Do not tie off the thread when you get to the end.  Loosely for now, create gathers by pulling on the thread.

A glue gun works best for the next step which is to glue the ribbon to the punched circle.  My circle is about 2" for a very fluffy flower.  Starting at the outside edge, adhere the ribbon down by pulling the thread a small section at a time.  Place the glue in small sections and then move along until you have the outside edge covered with the ribbon.

Now you will move the ribbon down towards the centre, still gathering if necessary. The stitch edge of the second layer should meet with the stitched edge of the first layer.

Keep gathering the ribbon as you go.

Then you will move it again towards the centre, gluing in small sections.  Keep going until you have the entire circle covered.  When done you can add a brad, button, small flower, anything that you want to the centre to finish it off.  And there you have it.  If you make a larger one, your circle should be larger and cut a longer strip of ribbon.  The more gathers, the fluffier the flower.

Here is one I made using 1/2" antique lace.

I put together a heritage layout to show you the lace flower and how it looks.  I added the same lace at the outside edges of the layout.

Here is a closeup.

And there you have it.  I hope you will try this.  You can use wider ribbon if you wish for a larger flower.  Have fun and until next time, this is Donna wishing you a prosperous week.

"HAPPY CRAFTING"

I don't know if you do but

"I cook with wine.  Sometimes I even put it in the food."