More Than Words February 2017 Mini Challenge

Hi everyone, Melissa here with a card for the Mini Challenge at More Than Words! You could make a card, ATC (artist trading card), or tag. Since February is the month of love, you had to put the word "LOVE" on it.  I am very mushy on the inside, so using this theme wasn't much of a stretch!

I made this card by layering watercolor paper, and then I handstitched a border with embroidery thread.  I applied home made texture paste with a Prima  Stencil, Royal Menagerie Collection, Decor 1,and a credit card.  I painted the whole thing with Winsor and Newton Watercolors, in sap green and burnt umber.  I sponged Prima Heavy Gesso on to create negative space around the embellishments.

To create more visual interest I added tulle, microbeads, seed beads,bling, metal, and moss. The cherubs are from Authentique Paper.

The "Love" is part of a wood chipboard piece. I used Bark Derwent Inktense watercolor pencil on the edges of it by holding the pencil sideways and drawing it along the edges. Some of the pink paint on the edges of the card is Lindy Stamp Gang's Rambling Rose. 

You can see a little gold mica powder I brushed on the card.The flower is by Prima, the leaves are sizzix die cuts that I watercolored.  

Thank you so much for looking, and have a great week!

Once A Upon a Time

Hi everyone, Melissa here with my entry for the 7 Dots Challenge for January 2017, the Monochromatic Project.  I have used paper and stickers from the Writer's Block collection from 7 Dots.  The photo is of my husband's grandparents, who immigrated from Sweden to the US in the 1920's.


January Challenge – Monochromatic Project

I put gesso on the page with a credit card.  

I cut a chipboard frame into four pieces, prepped it with gesso, painted it with Lindy's Stamp Gang Peony Scarlet Red, and dried it. I'm not sure what brand the chipboard is. I poured on a thick coat of Clear Rock Candy Crackle and let it dry overnight.  I took a Prima - Royal Menagerie Collection- Stencil Mask - 6 x 6 -Decor 1 stencil,and applied some homemade texture paste as kind of a frame around the central area.

The flowers are Garden Fable by Prima.  I put gauze on the page and brushed it with gesso. After I dried it,I took a Derwent Inktense Watercolor pencil in Bark, held it sideways, and put pencil all over the gauze.  I then brushed on water to soften the lines.

I sponged on white gesso over some of the black areas. I painted the edges of the flowers with gesso,drew on them with a little Bark pencil, softened the lines with water.  I applied glossy accents, and sprinkled on clear glass glitter.

To add more visual interest I put on some small things,tiny die cut Sizzix butterflies, rhinestones, sequins, shells,and pearls, 

I painted underneath the frame with Windsor and Newton watercolor in black.

Thank you so much for looking, and have a great day!

Together, My Family & I

Hi everyone, Melissa here with a canvas I made for the More Than Words February challenge, 2017! 

The photo is one of my family together, and I used an AMPERSAND as part of  the title.

This was taken at Fort Davis, near Big Bend National Park in West Texas. Three other families went also, it was one of the best vacations I ever had. Big Bend is an amazing place, we rented a cabin and with our friends, explored  different areas of the park, hiking, and taking a lot of photos.

To make this canvas I prepped it with gesso, put some gauze on with gesso, applied home made texture paste with different stencils, and painted with a variety of products. Among them were Lindy's Stamp Gang, Windsor and Newton Watercolors,Vintaj Patina Paint,and Derwent Inktense Watercolor Pencils. All the gold you see is mica powder applied with a brush or rubbed on with my finger. I layered paint with layers of Prima Heavy Gesso. There is some Prima Art Alchemy paint too.

To create more visual interest I added a variety of materials, Mica flakes, glass glitter,seed beads, micro beads, Vintaj metal, Tim Holtz metal, Prima flowers, Sizzix butterflies,metal chain, and more.

I splattered on Lindy's in teal.

The words are from Tim Holtz.  The AMPERSAND is from a craft store.

The little gold tags are from Art C.

The stamp I used is by Prima.

 The little owl is by Vintaj, the compass metal is Tim Holtz

I put a thick layer of Ranger Clear Crackle on the AMPERSAND,and let it dry overnight.

You can see some druzy quartz at the lower right corner.

The big key I got at Kirkland, a store that sells things to decorate your house with.

I'm putting this on a wall in my craft room. It has a lot of the embellishments and paint that are a part of scrapbooking and mixed media work that I love,and the photo is so evocative for me, of a time and place that I love.

Thanks so much for looking, and have a great week!

I Love and Adore You

Hi everyone, Melissa here with a mixed media card on watercolor paper.  

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To make this card I put Prima Heavy White Gesso on top of gauze, the added layers of Rambling Rose Lindy's Stamp Gang and Winsor and Newton watercolors.  I stenciled on homemade modeling paste through a 6" x 6" stencil called "Birds of a Feather." 

     

To add visual interest I added microbeads, vintage glass glitter, seed beads, shells, Ranger Rock Candy Clear Crackle, and small pieces of lace. The flowers are Prima, the cherub is Authentique. The words are Tim Holtz.  The heart is Tim Holtz chipboard with gesso and Lindy's rose, a thick layer of crackle paint on top, and more of the rose over that.  

The little key on the bottom right is by Vintaj.

I dabbed gesso on top with a sponge.

I also dry brushed some Art Alchemy Opal Magic paint on top in Aqua Rose , and Violet Green. You can see some areas where I've used Derwent Inktense pencil, I used bark and forest green.

  

I brushed and rubbed on gold and pearl mica powder.

You can tell I like a lot of detail and texture, right?

Thank you so much for looking, and have a great day!