Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Mixed Media Card Challenge #10


Yes, yes, yes. Spring has sprung and the flowers in my yard are springing too! Yippie. And "Flowers" is the theme of April's challenge at The Mixed Media Card Challenge.

I got stuck on the "S" at the end of the theme word. This is what I've created. May look like one giant bloom up top, but take a closer look at the BG.


It might be easiest to explain what I did by showing you what I did.


Why didn't I think to photograph my starting point? You must use your imagination to remove a layer of gesso and then a layer of Dylusions red ink sprayed through Craft Emotions Folklore Flower stencil to get to it. I started with a piece of paper (from the creation of this card) which I had used to clean off my ARTplorations Bold Florals stencil that was covered with red and orange acrylic paints. I spritzed it with water, flipped it over and pressed it onto the paper creating a monoprint. (TIP: I keep a pad of paper handy just for this.)

If you look closely at the arrows in the photo, you can see the bits I tore off once I'd glued the piece of paper to my card front and ripped off the excess. I retrieved them from the bin for ya, cuz they show the original intensity of the monoprint. Since I'd used the stencil as a stamp, the blooms were white. There was a bit of ombre effect orange to red from top to bottom for the BG. Get the idea?

So on top of this monoprint I spritzed red ink through the Folklore Flower stencil. Was very dark and not detailled enough for my liking, so I slopped on a layer of gesso. You can see the smaller red blooms under the gesso in this photo, I think. And the bloom up top was die cut the Tim Holtz Tattered Florals from the paper I used to clean off the stencil after I'd spritzed the red ink ;)


I must admit, after inking and gessoing the original paper (read: photo with the arrows), I thought it was headed for the bin. But I decided to let it dry and see what happened. I kinda liked how sometimes your eye noticed the red Folklore Flowers (photo above) and other times you noticed the white Bold Florals (photo below).


So. What did I do to salvage this baby?  First the bloom. Die cut it from the white paper like I mentioned above, and also from the baby wipe I'd used to clean up the red spray ink (as well as the gold spray ink I lightly misted the bloom with)! Layered the die cuts, rounded some edges and added a flower brad center.

Then I sliced a Memory Box die cut (thanks Shirley B!) to use the "danke" to mimic a stem. And, well, stems have leaves, right? Considered stencilling or doodling one. But then applied some white glue and some of this stuff I picked up at the dollar store (TEDI, for German readers). Had no clue what would happen, but it appears to be a poor man's gold leaf! When it was dry I rubbed away the excess and had a leaf. That looks kinda like a bird. Oh well.


OK. I'm done. Tedious post, I know. Next time? More photos, less words. I promise. Thanks for coming by. I posted another mixed media project today if you're interested. Less words. More photos ;)

I'm pretty certain you'll be creating some cards with blooms on them this month. Why not give mixed media a try and join us at the MMCC? I've still so much to learn about mixed media! I'd love to see your creations.

Cuz I've used Dylusions ink, I'm joining A Sprinkle of Imagination's Anything Goes challenge!



And Artistic Inspirations #128 is Anything Goes with a twist of Flowers. I'm in! As well as at Creative Card Crew where #84 is Handmade Flowers. Yep! 

Have a great day!



16 comments:

Donna Ellis said...

Hi, Maria! What a beautiful card design - and such fantastic techniques! Thank you so much for showing how you made your wonderful background! Love all the projects on your blog. I am your newest google follower! hugs, de {Creative Smiles}

Deepti said...

I love the muted look of colors and such a neat idea to use sentiment for the stem of the flowers :)

Tenia Nelson said...

This ROCKS!!

Julia Aston said...

A visual delight Maria! thanks for sharing your creative process - so much gets covered up with Mixed Media!

SonjaK said...

Great card! I especially love the clean look of the danke "stem" against the busy mixed media background.

sannalippert said...

this is such a fabulous card! I really like it alot! and that poor man´s gold leaf looks interesting :)

Anonymous said...

What a fabulous card!! And I will have to try this sometime!!! TFS

Loll said...

Awesome design Maria. I see mostly the large white blooms for the background. Love how you've made it subtle, yet full of colour! And love the look of the beautiful main bloom. Loll xx

Anita in France said...

Striking and texture-y and artsy, Maria ... cool using the sentiment as a stem! Anita :)

Far North said...

Fabulous soft card! Thanks for sharing your process!

Kim Heggins said...

Gorgeous card Maria!

Betty Wright said...

Beautifully done!

My Paper Epiphany said...

Guess what word came to mind when I saw your card? Luscious!!! I love all that slopping of gesso - really makes it!

KraftyKoolKat said...

Fantastic colours and texture. Thank you so much for sharing your lovely creation with us at Creative Card Crew.
Hugs
Cathy DT Member
xxxxx

Tracey McNeely said...

Maria really all I can say is awesome and that I don't know how you do it! This is super cool!

shirley-bee said...

Only you could make a stem out of a danke die! It looks fabulous! The whole card, not just the die ;)

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