Thursday, April 3, 2014

eclectic Paperie ePlay Challenge - To Use Wood

Hey everyone - I am just bursting with excitement to announce that I was asked to join the eclectic Paperie Design Team and today is my very first post as I participate in the April ePlay Challenge!
Welcome to the April ePlay Challenge. Our challenges are about encouraging you to explore your creative journey and inspiring you to step outside of your comfort zone - when you submit your artwork, share a unique card, scrapbook or journal page, a canvas, home décor project, or anything that you’re excited to share!  We’re looking forward to crafting with you! One project will be chosen at the end of this month-long challenge and will be awarded a $25 shop voucher for the eclectic Paperie store. It just might be you!
This month the challenge is to use wood -
I am new to the Mixed Media world - and I am mostly a clean and simple card stamper -  so you will see a lot more wild and wonderful from many of the ladies on the design team and not so much from me  - at least for a while until I acclimate!  Perhaps you are like me and feel more comfortable with a quieter approach to Mixed Media??  And that's ok too right?!!  It's still Mixed Media!

So first I made a tag - with the wood being the Art Parts stem - which is a composite that feels and looks like wood - (but it's not really) so then I thought I didn't want to cheat on my very first project  -  so I looked through my plethora of craft supplies and found an itty bitty wooden clothespin I could add to make it legal!
I used stamps, a stencil, ink, paint, sequins, a metal chain and a wooden clothespin on this project.
 
When I found the itty bitty clothespin in a drawer - there were also larger clothespins in there - and that made me think of another project to make -  pretty flowers made from Clearly For Art Whiteout Modeling Film (that you can shape when you heat it!) die cut with a Tim Holtz Tattered Floral die, inked with Alcohol Inks and attached to wooden clothespins with a magnet on the back to use to hang pictures or papers on the fridge or a metal cabinet! (boy, was that a run-on sentence!?!)

For this bloom - I used Stonewashed and Butterscotch Alcohol inks and Alcohol Blending solution.  The center is a button from Blossom Bucket. I only used 2 of the layers of petals for this flower.
 For this pretty flower I used Stonewashed and Wild Plum Alcohol Inks and Alcohol Blending Solution.  I adhered 6 Dew Drops to the center of this one. I used 3 of the layers of petals for this flower. 
Here are some pictures of the coloring process.  It starts out flat and white!  You can see how I curved the petals on the smaller pieces at the top of the picture.
Add a couple of drops of each color to the blending tool with applicator felt on it and dab it onto the flower.
Adding Alcohol Blending solution makes it pattern with spots -  the drops can blend away - so I hit it with my heat gun to stop the process -   you can just keep playing with it adding ink and blending solution until you are happy.  Then to curl it - I heated each petal with my heat gun and quickly formed it on my finger to the shape I wanted -  once again - if you don't like how it's shaped - just place it on your craft mat and heat it and it goes flat - and start the shaping process over!
I painted the clothes pins with Distress paints - Weathered Wood and Seedless Preserves.  Then I sponged them a bit with Ranger Distress Gathered Twigs just to tone down the 'clean-ness' of them!?!
I added strong round magnets to the back and the flowers to the front using Glossy Accents.  I had to double up on the magnets so they were strong enough to hold on the fridge.
 Here's one of my clips holding my tag on the fridge!
Here they are 'hanging' on a little metal box -  aren't they glorious?!

So what will you make that includes wood??   We can't wait to see your project!!   Please check out the rest of the Design Team's projects - and link up your own -  over on the eclectic Paperie Blog!  Be brave, like me, and jump into Mixed Media!

Tag:
Stamps: Ornate Dots Background, sentiment from Sentimental Art Set - Studio 490
Paper: kraft tag - Ranger, Sticky Back Canvas - Claudine Helmuth/Ranger
Ink: Archival Leaf Green and Fern Green, Ranger Distress Iced Spruce
Accessories: Ranger Distress Paint Bundled Sage, Glue N Seal - Ranger, honey Dew Twine - The Twinery, Leaf frond - Leaves Art Parts Studio 490, key chain - Tandy Leather, Dots and Stripes Stencil - Studio 490 

Flower Clothespin Magnets 
Ink:  Ranger Distress Gathered Twigs, Stonewashed, Butterscotch and Wild Plum Alcohol Inks - Adirondack, Alcohol Blending Solution - Adirondack.
Accessories:  Clearly for Art Whiteout Modeling Film - Studio 490, Blossom Bucket Antique Button, Blending tool and Applicator Felt - Ranger, heat gun, Glossy Accents, Tattered Floral Die - Tim Holtz Alterations, wooden clothespin, Ranger Distress Paints Weathered Wood and Seedless Preserves, dew drops.

14 comments:

Unknown said...

Julia!! Welcome to the team!! And I just love your beautiful flower clips!! I have never used the modeling film, but you have given me inspiration to try it!!

~amy~ said...

Congrats!
What gorgeous intro projects Julia!

Anonymous said...

What a fantastic idea Julia!!

Tracey McNeely said...

Such gorgeous projects Julia!

Sue Lelli said...

Julia, you made such fabulous flowers for your first mixed-media project at eP! Just stunning! Love the colors and how you added the flowers to the clothes pins! Also love the magnet idea and your last photo holding the tag with one of them! Welcome to the team! You are a marvelous addition!

Mona Pendleton said...

Yahooo! Congratulations! So well deserved! Gorgeous projects Julia! Love the fancy blossoms! Thanks for sharing your creative process!

Deepti said...

Woohoo!!! Congratulations :) u are such am inspiration, u said u r new to mixed media.... No way!! Ur work is no less than a master :) , inspired!!

Annette Allen said...

awesome.. Congratulations..
WOW those flowers are GORGEOUS.. you are amazing..

Kelly Griglione said...

Wow Julia! You totally rocked your first post for your new DT! Those flowers are amazing!! And I really appreciate how you took the time to take pictures along the way and explain your process. The blending solution really makes a difference. Wonderful work!

Andiepants said...

Those flowers are GORGEOUS!!! Fantastic altered pins. So happy to have u on the team!! {{hugs}}

Shirley said...

Wow! What a great tutorial and what gorgeous flowers!! I hope you are happy!!! I just ordered the film and some dies to boot!! LOLOL You are a bad influence, Ms Julia!!

Kay Miller said...

Oh goodness those are quite stunning and look like so much fun to do! Absolutely beautiful work!

Micki said...

WOW, love how stunning those flowers look, and the effect of the alcohol inks! Awesome!!!! I love your tag, and with the magnet flower, it's just fantastic. LOVE it.

Tracy said...

Playing catch up here Julia, wow your flower and itty bitty clothes pins are truly beautiful!!!
xoxoxo