A Sort of Serenity ........


Not just another year, but another set of wonderful challenges! And in this post I'll be giving you two for one!  

First off at Anything But A Card this month this wonderful picture is our inspiration.  I have decided to use the colours and a strong vertical theme for my project, trying to retain the feeling of serenity which the picture portrays.

And at Our Creative Corner Claudia has challenged us to use a former shopping sin!  How great is that!  So here is my confession:

Every time I travel through Aberdeen, I always seem to end up in Hobbycraft as it is just over the road from the ferry. I never feel it has much in the way of inky things I need but I do get carried away with buying things to alter ....... and I never get around to using them as they need PAINT which I don't really do. 

But as you all know by now (!) I recently bought some Paper Artsy Fresco Finish Chalk Paint having been so inspired by the fabulous projects created by  Alison at Words and Pictures(aka Butterfly). 

So having practised on tags here is my first major attempt at using the paints and using a paper mache hanging from my bulging basket.



I stuck some various elements on the bare board - some Crafty Individual stems and punched butterflies and leaves and gave everything a coat of gesso.  I then applied Sky Fresco Paint with a piece of foam and combined a little Snowflake and Mocha Mousse here and there.  

I did little more dry brushing with the Snowflake and then stamped a bit of texture with a Tim Holtz Mixed Media stamp (one of my Christmas pressies) but this time I used Beach Hut which is transparent.

I didn't dare use stamps direct so I stamped some text and my sentiment on tissue paper and used Claudine Hellmuth Mixed Medium to layer them over everything.(I just love the way you can poke bits in here and there around the leaves.)

And that was it really! apart from a bit of sanding here and there and around the edges of the hanging.  I did add some Vintage Photo Distress Ink to the edges just to give it a more aged look.

I then decorated with the usual suspects!




I do love the way the paints give such a lovely texture when they dry - in fact they looked far better when dry. However, despite using Snowflake they are a bit darker than I planned hence the "sort of" serenity.

I am certainly very taken with Fresco Paints and now need to look for some more interesting colours. Thank you Alison for the wonderful inspiration and all those fabulous how to's you give us.



I do hope you will join us at Anything But A Card for our challenge this month.  Click the link HERE to see last week's wonderful inspirational pieces from some of the DT.

And do pop over to Our Creative Corner to have a look at the wonderful pieces the DT have made with their shopping sins.  They did make me smile! And it made me feel soooo much better.






Thank you for visiting and I hope you are having a great weekend x 


Comments

Anonymous said…
So pretty! Love all the great dimension!
Hi Jennie. Love your hanging. The colours came up a treat. Tissue paper is fabulous for stamping on, isn't it and I love the way it can be used to enhance bottom layers... fabulous 3D effect. Your inspiration piece for ABAC is gorgeous. Beautiful colours that are so restful to look at. Cheers, Di
Redanne said…
Your box of 'sins' really did make me smile..... I am so glad that I am not on my own! Your hanging is gorgeous, love the beautiful background and and your flower embellishments are so lovely. Thanks so much for joining us at Our Creative Corner this month and for sharing your shopping sins. Hugs, Anne x
Rita said…
Well Jennie, it seems like you are a natural. This hanging is so stunning and bright. Wonderful work. Like you I'm always thinking what I can alter, yet never seem to get round to doing it. No excuse for me because I attended the Tim Holtz class in Coventry and Finnabair one in Glasgow. Need to try harder I think. Hugs Rita xxx
Claudia N. said…
You must have practiced quite a lot, Jennie,
as your altered paper mache hanging looks just perfectly brilliant to me! Wow - such a beauty!

Thank you for sharing it with us at OurCreativeCorner!

Hugs,
Claudia x
Astrid Maclean said…
Fantastic hanging Jennie, you certainly have worked magic with your paints! The background is amazing and the wonderful textures and embellishments you have added look fabulous!! Thanks so much for joining us over at Our Creative Corner.
Brenda Brown said…
Beautiful Jennie. I too have bits for altering all over the place and I love what you have done to create your hanging. Have a great week.
hugs {brenda} x0x
Diane said…
Wonderful wall hanging Jennie, the textures really pop.

Hugs Diane
Stunningly beautiful, Jennie. If I helped nudge you into Frescos then I'm delighted (thank you for your lovely words!)... because all of us get to see the amazing results! The colours are perfect (in my book); I love the texture you created with the elements underneath the paint and the little crackled butterflies are wonderful. And the flower too, of course...

Do you get that I like it?! Thank you so much for playing along with us at Our Creative Corner with this beauty.
Alison xx
Julie Lee said…
I am a complete Frescos addict! They are just gorgeous and this project is lovely. I adore your flowers, which I first discovered earlier today via Trace. I do hope you will explore using Frescos more because they really do go so well with your beautiful work. Julie Ann xx
Julie Lee said…
I am a complete Frescos addict. I think this project is superb. I love how you used the Fresco finish paint and those flowers are just gorgeous! I have already come to admire them, thanks to Trace recommending your tutorial. Gorgeous project. Julie Ann xx
Jenny Marples said…
So you've clearly got to grips with those paints and have produced an absolute cracker of a piece here Jennie. Can't wait to see what you do with the other items in your hoard now! Thanks so much for joining us at Our Creative Corner. Jenny x
Just beautiful! I love Fresco paints and like you have a hoard of things to alter ......one day! Well done for making a start with such a gorgeous piece! Chris
Julia S-W said…
So absolutely beautiful Jennie! Sorry I'm late catching up with you (as usual!). Looks like you've become an overnight master of the Fresco paints - I love what you've done with them. I do have some but always seem to pick up my other paints first. You may just have nudged me to get those paints out and play!
Juliaxx
Thanks for joining us at Our Creative Corner too!