Buried Treasure

Good morning!  I'm super excited to be participating in a blog hop put together by mixed media artist Seth Apter!  If you go to his blog today he'll have a list of all the bloggers/crafters that are participating and you will, I'm sure, find wonderful treasures and loads of inspiration!! I can't wait to hop around and get ideas!  A lot of the eclectic Paperie design team is participating and if you leave a comment any of the eTeam blogs that are participating (there will be a list on Kim's blog) you will be entered into a prize drawing for some mixed media goodies!!

Here is my repost, enjoy (this was one of my first real attempts at a mixed media canvas so be gentle - I've learned a few things since!) :)

Hello!  It's time for a very special treat - the eclectic Paperie Make Art Blog Hop with the amazing Wendy Vecchi!  It's going to be such a fun hop make sure that you visit everyone's blogs - you don't want to miss the amazing works of art the eTeam has created!  Please visit the eP blog, there you will find information about the hop  Now here's my story . . . it's worth the read (I hope!).


I have to say I was a bit scared of this "assignment".  Again, you know I'm not a technique-y or grunge-y person so I thought that I would just take my super cute Art Parts Bird and use it in my normal classic style.  I decided to make something for a friend of mine who is currently battling a deadly disease. She up in the same church as I did and even though she is several years younger than I am, I knew her family well and enjoyed their friendship. I moved, her family moved, she went to college, moved again and I haven't seen her for at least 10+ years but through the magic of Facebook (don't you love it for this!) we are connected and I can keep up with her life. A few months ago I was saddened to read that she was diagnosed with lymphoma!  Our family has been faithfully praying for her as she goes through a round of chemotherapy - which appears to be doing it's job, praise God!  (ETA:  She has just completed a bone marrow transplant and we are praying that this will be just what she needs to kick this disease!)  I hope that this project will remind her that we love her and are praying for her battle!

So, I thought some more . . .then I started looking and seeing that the wings were really pretty alone, wouldn't they make beautiful angel wings?!!  Now the idea was forming! I don't get out in "mixed media land" very often but I have seen these amazing "She Girls" a few times and have been fascinated and amazed!  Could I do that?  I did a few Google searches and came across a few videos by Christy Tomlinson - major talent!!  The videos were just enough to get me really excited to try my own.  This is my Hope Angel.

I started with an 8x8 canvas art board, covering it with different papers, book print and map pieces using Mod Podge (which is great because it dries quickly - especially when using a heat gun!).  I then started looking all over my studio for different ways to add paint and ink.  I used buttons, the bottom of a spool of thread a piece of burlap and even some bubble wrap as stamps, using mostly Ranger Distress Inks for color.  I used the Mini Flower stencil from Crafter's Workshop to add some pattern - first using a Ranger Paint Dabber and then using a Distress Stain - the looks were totally different!  I sponged and rubbed, used some Distress Stickles and paint.

The quote is from Christopher Reeve, it fit exactly what I was feeling.

I used a paper doily as a stencil on the wings and then covered them entirely with Picket Fence Distress Stickles, edged with Shabby Shutters.

I pulled out some vintage lace, old rub-ons, rhinestones and my faithful Sharpie pen to add some detail.

Well there she is!  For my first try I'm pretty happy with the outcome. Go forth and create! :)

Studio 490 Art Parts - Bird With Wings	Mini Flower Piercing Stencil	Lively (Authentique)
Bluebelle 6x6 MME	Inkssentials Foam Blending Tool	Distress Ink: Frayed Burlap
Picked Raspbery Distress Ink	Old Paper Distress Ink	Tumbled Glass Distress Ink
Broken China Distress Ink	Crushed Olive Distress Ink	Snow Cap Paint Dabber
Lemonade Paint Dabber	Crushed Olive Distress Stain	Aqua Rhinestones
Orange Peel Stickles	Shabby Shutters Distress Stickles

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