Being Inspired

I have been sharing this project today over at Calico Craft Parts and a tutorial on my blog here for the Primroses. However the mixed media background was inspired by my lovely friend Brenda Brown (Bumblebees and Butterflies).


I always adore the grungy mixed media backgrounds created by Brenda as they always look so beautifully shabby chic and are always the perfect foil for the wonderful embellishments she layers on top. In a recent blog post creating with mini printer trays she created a most stunning background using a combination of tissue tape, stamping, gesso and paints. I really just had to give it a go and she has kindly allowed me to share my take on her background.


This project is just so fabulous. You can access all the details on Brenda's post HERE.

I have used slightly different products but tried to get the same effect.


I started with some randomly placed Tim Holtz tissue tape on my birch banner. (It had a light coat of gesso to give it a bit of tooth.)


Next a bit of rust - I have used Prima Rust Effect Paste which goes on quite thick but you can spritz it with water to get a more uneven covering.


Then some stamping with black archival ink - again quite random. I was a bit worried that the large numbers would be too heavy but I needn't have worried!


And here's the magic bit! Scrape white gesso randomly over the whole project with a palette knife leaving some areas free of any gesso and others with just a light covering.



For the final layer I added some DecoArt Quinacridone Gold around the edges and when that had dried blended Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain Distress Oxides around the outside edges and slightly into the middle. 


Spritzing the Distress Oxides and then mopping them up a bit before blasting with the heat gun has added some lovely rusty colouring.


A slightly different effect to Brenda's but I love the different random layers I managed to achieve. Next time I will let more of the stamping show through and perhaps be a bit braver in the size of stamps!  Also a different surface rather than using wood might allow the products to sink into the background more and create a different effect.

A very enjoyable process and one that dried quickly enough to enjoy it in a single sitting! Thank you so much Brenda for always providing so much inspiration and all your detailed steps which allow us to give them a try.

I hope you will hop on over to Brenda's blog to see some of her other wonderfully creative projects and tutorials. You will be soooo inspired!



As always thank you for joining me today!

Jennie x

Comments

Annie said…
Wow !!! Love this Jennie x Wonderful details you have created following Brenda's step y step. I totally agree that Brenda does make the most fabulous projects/backgrounds xxx Your flowers are stunning !!
TFS and huge hugs
Annie xx
Loved this plaque over at Calico - and it's great to see the details of your take on Brenda's brilliant mixed media backgrounds.
Alison x
Brenda Brown said…
Thank you so much Jennie for sharing both your own gorgeous background and mine too. I love how you took the steps and created something so beautiful and very Jennie like. It doesn’t matter how many times you recreate the same steps you can always achieve something different. The numbers were definitely not too heavy and the gesso layer worked perfectly, a gorgeous backdrop for your stunning flowers xxx
Raquel Burillo said…
Amazing result! What a nice project you've created! Looking forward to try the technique! Heading to see Brenda's now! 😘😘
Redanne said…
Brenda's work is always incredibly impressive and your version of her project is absolutely stunning Jennie, I just love every single little detail! Hugs, Anne xx
Astrid Maclean said…
You have done Brenda proud Jennie, different products but a similarly absolutely fantastic end result!! Absolutely LOVE the effects you achieved and great to see all the different steps! The stamps were actually perfect I think and of course your beautiful flowers finished it off perfectly! Wonderful work all round!!