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!