Tuesday, August 12, 2008

OUT of my comfort zone again!


Well between visiting grandchildren and attention to gardening, I haven't done a single challenge all summer long! Today, it's raining, so it's a perfect time to start working on challenges again. This week's Arty Girls challenge is to create anything without using patterned paper. This project comes from a need to try something "different."

This is a dollar store wooden piece I've been playing with all morning. I was hoping to achieve a sort of "hammered metal" finish, and this is the result. To get here, I first painted the box with Gesso, then Lumiere gold paint. Then I tore up and crumpled up hundreds of little bits of tissue paper, and stuck them all over the box with Aleene's Original Tacky Glue. I also glued on pieces of lace to the top and bottom. After I heat-dried this layer, I finger-painted a layer of gel medium all over, and heat set that. Then I added several layers of silver, gold, and platinum embossing powders, heating to melt after each addition. When you heat after using the gel medium and PVA glue, you get some really neat "bubbling" effects added to your texture. Then I used several different colours of Lumiere paints, rubbing them all over the textured base with my fingers. I stamped and black-embossed the Quietfire Design sentiment stamp on a piece of Lumiere-painted chipboard, added Swarovski crystals around the edges, and rolled the edges in platinum UTEE, heat embossing again. Finally, I stamped these new Quietfire Design dragonflies in a couple of colours of Fantasy Film, and glued them to the box,
along with a couple of larger Swarovski crystals for their heads.

I'll submit this piece as my Quietfire Design Team project for this month as well.
It'll eventually end up in my son's apartment; he enjoys having some of my quirkier pieces around. ;)

Thanks for visting today!

14 comments:

Sandy said...

Oh wow this is unbelievable.
Really unique. Love them.

Curt in Indy said...

This is a stunning project! Just beautiful! I found your blog over at Julie Koerber's blog, and I'm glad I did! Best, Curt

Julie Allain said...

Oh Deborah this is wonderful and I'm so glad that you're back joining in with Arty Girlz challenges YAY I always love to see what you've made

Julie xx

Dawn said...

Amazing and such great texture - so beautiful, I have been ages looking through your blog - Your creations are perfectly crafted - you have a great blog.Loved your posts too!
I was sorry to read about your friend Deborah she sounded like a wonderful lady.
I will definitely be back to visit!

Thanks for your lovely comments on my blog

Dawn

Anonymous said...

Deborah, it's wonderful. I love all the texture you managed to add.

Louise (KardKrazy) said...

Lovely piece, Deborah. Aren't you lucky to have a son who appreciates your art:)
(I do, too!)

Tami Bayer said...

Thanks so much for sharing the whole journey of this amazing piece. Love all of the texture and depth. It's so amazing.

scotspanda said...

WOW Deborah this is a stunning piece, I love it!!

Kath Stewart said...

Wow great creation for the challenge and you have definitely achieved that hammered finish - love it.
Kath
xxxxx

mueppi said...

wow.... wonderful work!

Art By Wanda said...

Gorgeous box, Deborah!!

Anonymous said...

WOWWWWWWWWWWW
BRAVOOOO
md

LOUISE said...

Wow, your box is great, very different! Love it! Louise x

Crissi Harvey said...

Wow this is stunning Deborah it one of them thing i want to touch LOL, im glad to see you joining in with our challenge again hope to see you again very soon.

crissi