(Feels Like) Armageddon

 

The wildfires in Canada have been unusually severe this year; the smoke has been traveling hundreds of miles south into the United States and east into Europe. A few weeks ago, the air in large parts of the Northeast turned orange and the atmosphere was deemed extremely hazardous. This is a view of New York City the afternoon of June 6.

In the meantime, I had received my June kit from Tres Jolie, containing a lot of ingredients for masculine projects and a Mood Board Challenge with a Steampunk theme. I decided that this would be a perfect chance to scrap this event.

This was an easy page to put together. The patterns of the 3 Quarters Designs Vintage Men collection are so filled with images and textures that little needs to be done as far as embellishments go.

After selecting my base, I cut up another sheet to form layers. I tore some of the edges using a tear guide, then inked them all around. The photo and the layers were each backed with USPS packaging to give them some depth, then glued down.

My basic embellishment was the pair of chipboard gears from Tres Jolie that came in the kit; I also used one of the gears and two of the wings from the Finnabair packages. I finished it off with a few clay pieces from my stash that were coated with black gesso and then with metallic wax.

A few closeups:

***The wildfires are still ongoing, especially in the Quebec province. I’ve been keeping our Canadian neighbors and all of those who are working to control and put them out in my prayers. ***  

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 *****Supplies*****

 ***Paper***

    3 Quarters Design – Vintage Men Collection

***Embellishments***

    Prima Marketing – Finnabair – Mechanicals – Metal Embellishments – Winged #962432

Prima Marketing – Finnabair – Mechanicals – Metal Embellishments – Steampunk Gears #963453

        Tres Jolie Kits – Chipboard – Steampunk Border – Black

***Mediums***

Prima – Finnabair – Art Basics – Heavy Gesso – Black #961459

Prima - Finnabair – Art Alchemy – Metallique Wax – Aged Brass #963965

Ranger Ink – Tim Holtz – Distress Archival Ink #AMPK77947

***Tools***

Prima – Finnabair Collection – Moulds – Rusty Pipeline #968601

Prima - Finnabair Collection - Moulds – Vintage Light Bulbs #969578

We R Makers – Basic Tools – Tear Guide #660082

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As always, I want to thank you for peeking into my blog; your visits mean a lot to me.

 

A Spoonful of Love

 

I’ve been wanting to get back to mixed media for a while, and Dawna’s Mixed Media Challenge over at Scrapbook.com has been the perfect opportunity. I’ve raided my stash for all the materials and mediums to create a vintage-type canvas with lots of mechanical elements for the Valentine’s Day season.

 I started by adhering the tissue paper to a 9” x 12” canvas, using matte gel medium to glue it down and then on top to seal it. I ran an archival ink pad around the edges to give it some definition.

When it was absolutely dry, I added some texture by running paper texture paste through a stencil.

While this was setting, I made a few heart and mechanical embellishments using a Finnabair mold and cast resin. I selected a few metal embellishments and a bit of lace to add to my piece.

I started with the lace, cutting a few pieces, and adhering them to the center and arranging them to create the basic flow of the design. Next, I glued down the spoon and then I began to add resin and metal pieces here and there until I was satisfied with the results. I filled in some gaps and added a bit of interest with art stone. (I used matte gel medium as my adhesive; it works with any and all surfaces.) I covered all the components with white gesso. This does double duty, sealing all porous surfaces and adding “teeth” to the smooth ones.

Time to add a little color! I started with the Butterfly Spells acrylic, painting it here and there and spraying it so that it would lightly run down the canvas, using my heat tool to set it. I repeated this step, using the French Lavender shade, then going over and over my piece, alternating the paints, until everything was covered. Next, I watered down some Burnt Sienna paint until it had a consistency of a thick ink and lightly spread it over my assemblage to tone down the colors and give it a shabby look.

I finished my canvas by adding a little bit more of water to the paint and, with the aid of a fan brush, applied splatters over the entire surface.

 

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*****Supplies*****

 

***Paper***

Prima – Finnabair – Decorative Paper – Romantic #968090

***Embellishments***

Prima – Finnabair – Embellishments – Mechanicals – Metal Blooms #968496

Prima – Finnabair – Embellishments – Mechanicals – Grungy Gears #968519

Prima – Finnabair – Embellishments – Mechanicals – Tin Hearts #963361

Prima – Finnabair – Embellishments – Mechanicals – Machine Parts #967109

Prima – Trims – Magnolia #583019

Reneabouquets – Drop Leaf Lace - White

***Mediums***

Ranger – Distress – Archival Ink – Ground Espresso #AMPK77947

Prima – Finnabair – Art Basics – 3D Matte Gel #961398

Prima – Finnabair – Art Basics – Heavy Gesso – White #961442

Prima – Finnabair – Art Extravagance – Paper Texture Paste #965259

Prima – Finnabair – Art Ingredients – Art Stones – White #963705

Prima – Finnabair – Art Alchemy – Acrylic Paint – Sparks – Butterfly Spells #964122

Prima – Finnabair – Art Alchemy – Acrylic Paint – Metallique – French Lavender #967796

Prima – Finnabair – Art Alchemy – Liquid Acrylic – Burnt Sienna #967222

***Tools***

Prima – Finnabair – Stencil – Victorian Tiles #968946

Prima – Finnabair – Imaginarium – Steampunk Hearts #969448

***Other***

9” x 12” Canvas

Alumilite – Amazing Casting Resin - White

 

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As always, I want to thank you for peeking into my blog; your visits mean a lot to me.

 

Dream Big: A Mixed Media Project from Tres Jolie Kit Club

I decided to blend the June Cards, Tags and More and the Mixed Media Kits from Tres Jolie to create my next project and here’s what I came up with…

And here’s a  how it all came together…

Begin by covering the wood piece with black gesso. Not only will this keep the surface from absorbing the Squirts inks, but it will make the mica ingredients pop. Once the gesso is dry, begin to brush the Squirts onto the surface. I used the Bacon Blush and Bronze in the center, then alternated the Emerald and Purple on the gears and the Black in the center.

Using gel medium, adhere the four arc pieces to the center. You’ll have gaps on the top and bottom, but that’s okay. Adhere the large arc to the top and put your gear aside.

Paint one of the resin clocks with the Bronze Squirts, allowing the ink to pool.

Dry with your heat tool and put aside.

Find the winged guy image in the Sir Vagabond paper pad cut it out and ink the edges. Place this face down on a piece of chipboard and trace it with an ink pen. (Be sure to place this piece face down; this will prevent any “oops” on the actual image.)

Cut the chipboard inside the ink lines. Repeat this step to create two layers. 

Using gel medium, glue the resin piece to the center of the gear. Assemble the image and chipboard layers and adhere to the gear as shown. Cut out a saying from the paper pad, ink the edges and back with two layers of chipboard. Place it above the center.

Lightly mist one of the flowers with water. Paint with the Bacon Blush Squirts; use a bit of the Bronze on the stamens. Dry with your heat tool. Select two more flowers and repeat these steps, using the Emerald Squirts.

Adhere the flowers to the gear, covering the bottom of the winged image.

To finish, glue the largest metal butterfly to the center flower.

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 *****Supplies*****

***Très Jolie Mediums Kit***

Tres Jolie – Large Wooden Gear – 12”

MitForm – Metal Castings – Graduations Arc 1 Large

MitForm – Metal Casting – Graduation Arc 2 – 6 Pcs

Prima – Finnabair – Art Basics – Heavy Gesso – Black – 2 Oz #962968

Lindy’s Stamp Gang – Starburst Squirts – Northern Lights Set:

Canadian Bacon Blush

Maple Syrup Bronze

Emerald Eh?!

Polite People Purple

Hockey Puck Black

 ***Très Jolie Cards, Tags and More Kit***

Stamperia – Sir Vagabond – 8 x 8 Paper Pad #SBBS25

Prima – Flower Embellishments – Paige #594879

Prima Marketing – Resin Collection – Resin Icons in a Box – Clock #573300 – 3 Pcs

Solid Oak – Jewelry Parts – Steampunk – Butterflies #STEAM011

 ***Mediums***

Gel Medium

***Tools***

Paint Brushes

Water Mister

Heat Tool

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As always, I want to thank you for peeking into my blog; your visits mean a lot to me.

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