Nature Encroaches, a mixed media canvas...

 It's been ages since I've produced anything on a canvas, so when Leslie (of www.alphastamps.com) asked me to make a sample using the new Dragon Sconce, I thought it would be the perfect time to dust off my easel.

 I had loads of fun producing this piece. I used lots of different techniques and some new products, and I tried really hard to document my progress so I could share it with you :)

 I started with a 10" x 10" canvas bought at Hobby Lobby. To the canvas I added layers of sewing pattern tissue and cheese cloth adhering it with Golden Regular Gel Medium. I glued the Dragon Sconce together and adhered it to my canvas with gel medium. Then I painted some random areas with Golden Garnet Gel (Coarse).

 After that dried, I used a cobblestone stencil (made by Clearsnap) and Golden Hard Molding Paste to add more texture to the center of my canvas.

 While the molding paste was still wet I sprinkled on some coarse glass glitter that I had in my stash. I knew I would paint over the glitter so it didn't matter what color it was.

 I let that dry overnight then I used gel medium to adhere a Faux Plaster Ceiling Molding Strip down the side of the canvas where it looked a bit bare. I added a bit of Golden Coarse Pumice Gel around the edges of the strip to make it look like it is embedded in the canvas.

 When completely dry I covered the whole thing with a nice thick coat of white gesso.

After letting the gesso dry, I added a layer of Golden Fluid Acrylics in Quinacridone / Nickel Azo Gold (one of my favorite colors!). To add interest and depth I layered Carbon Black over some of the textured areas and over the Dragon Sconce.

 While that was drying I used a Silicone Mold - Architectural Flourishes and some Creative Paperclay and made a nice scrolly bit. (When cured) I adhered it to the canvas with gel medium and painted over it and the sconce with Golden Fluid Acrylics in Micaceous Iron Oxide. Then I added some green and brown down the center of my canvas to prepare for my next step.

 I Googled "mossy stone wall" and found a photograph I liked so I could refer to it as I painted my cobblestones...

 This is what I came up with after several hours and many colors of acrylic paint. I don't think I could duplicate it if I tried but I love how it looks :)

 I was hoarding a Finnabair Art Extravagance Rust Paste Set and was dying for the perfect project to use it on and this was it. So off I went to google "rusty metal"... and I found the perfect photograph of rust to refer to so I could dive right in!

 The first color I used was this nice chocolatey brown...

 the paste has chunky bits in it to help make it look really organic and just like natural rust. I didn't cover every bit of the sconce and scrolly bit as you can see below.

Next I opened the lovely ripe pumpkin color and started painting it right over some of the still wet brown areas.

Here's what it looked like...

While that was drying a bit, I opened up the rich mustardy yellow. The yellow is the only one without the chunky bits in it.

I dabbed it on here and there until I liked the look I was achieving...

Then I referred to my sample rust photo and realized I needed to add a bit more of the chocolatey brown. I fussed around with it until I thought it looked pretty realistic.

 Here's a side view of my finished sconce.

Once the rust completely dried I added some Flower Soft around the cobblestones and on the edges of the canvas.

Of course this led me to want to add moss, twigs, and mushrooms!

Thanks for reading all the way to  the end! I know that was a lot to absorb but I hope it will inspire you to make a canvas of your own or to at least try the wonderful rust paste kit. I think I want to put rust paste on everything now!

For a list of products I used go here. Golden Gel Mediums and Fluid Acrylics can be purchased through Blick.

the Naturalist's Curiosity Cabinet...

I created my curiosity cabinet in the new and adorable Millinery Cabinet 1:12 Scale because I really loved the cabinet, but I'm not really into making hats ;)

I think it worked out nicely using the Cabinet of Curiosities collage sheet I designed just for this project...

 The collage sheet has Riker Mount drawers to put together so that you can fill in the cubbies with drawers if you want (although you will need two collage sheets to make enough drawers to fill all 16 of the cubbies). I used Small Antique Brass Suitcase Handles on the drawers, for handles, and it was pretty easy to do. I took photos as I added the handles so I could show you just how I did it...

 I cut out and scored my drawers, but didn't fold or glue them. I then cut a long thin strip of cardstock to reinforce the area where the handle would be mounted.

 I glued a small piece of the strip to the back of each drawer.

 It took 8 sets of the Small Antique Brass Suitcase Handles to cover all 16 drawers. I used a pair of flat nose jewelry pliers to carefully bend the loop part, on the ends of the handles, so they were less curved. They should look like the bottom handle in the above photo.

 Then I measured a drawer to find the center...

laid a handle in position...

then poked holes with a pointy tool.

 Next I laid a handle over the holes and inserted a headpin through each hole. The headpins I used were just some cheep bronze ones I had in my stash with large enough heads.

 Using my pliers I bent the wires on the back of the drawer as close as I could to the drawer without creasing the paper.

 I twisted the two wires together to keep them in place. You could glue or tape them down, with masking tape, if you didn't want to twist them together.

 Here's what the handle should look like when you finish.

After you fold and glue your drawer together, you may need to use a marker to cover the score marks on the edges of your drawers. The Distress Marker - Hickory Smoke is a perfect match.

Here's a bird's eye view of my cabinet so you can see some of the curiosities I used. The bones in the Mini Red Shadowbox are from a real mouse skeleton! I love the tiny mushrooms growing in a mossy pot under a glass dome.You could make your own curiosity cabinet as creepy or as scientific as you'd like, as it's all just a matter of what you like to collect.

Here's a view with my hand to show scale... 

Yes, that is a giraffe skull on the bottom left side. It's from an educational toy set made by Safari Ltd, I aged it with a bit of acrylic paint. I've also used tiny seashells, a miniature handmade bird nest and that wonderful owl statue made by Reutter Porzellan. If you'd like to know more about the other things I've used to create my cabinet you can view my supply list here.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope I have inspired you to go make you own miniature curiosity cabinet!

caged Alice...

Today, May 4th, is Alice Liddell's birthday. If you are an Alice in Wonderland fan, then you know who Alice L is... for those of you who don't know, she is the little girl who inspired Lewis Carroll to write Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Alice L would have been 164 today if she had not died in 1934 at the ripe old age of 82. Anyway... in honor of Alice L's birthday I have created a silly version of the Queen's croquet ground... complete with hedgehog balls and flamingo mallets.

I used a wonderful shabby chic birdcage as the base of my croquet ground...

 then added a bit of moss...

some fussy cut collage images...

 some paper flowers and a wonderful resin-faced flower I painted with artist pastels...

then I topped it all off with a cute little hedgehog that's trying to escape the game ;)
If you'd like to create your own version of Caged Alice, you can find my supply list here.
Thanks for dropping in!

the forgotten garden...

For the last three months I have been working on a miniature garden scene. It started out as a simple garden shed, an idea triggered by the arrival of the Wooden Market Stall Kit, but it soon grew to included two Cottage Bases, an arbor, a platform base, stairs, the skeleton of the gardener, a huge wisteria vine, shutters, window boxes, and lots of garden accouterments...

As I was photographing the garden for this blog post I decided I really need to add one more Cottage Base in between the two existing bases so I can add a water feature... Yes, I may have become a bit dotty from inhaling too many glue fumes...

Let me show you some of the things I like best about my overgrown garden...

 The back of the shed has lots of "ivy" growing up it. I cut apart a plastic vine I got at a craft store to make the ivy...

 Inside the shed is a wonderful potting table stocked full of garden supplies. I used "soil" made for miniature railroad enthusiasts to fill my potting soil bag and make a dirt pile on the potting table. I find lots of useful stuff in the miniature railroad department of the craft store!

 I made this heather plant out of Flower Soft, Lycopodium, and floral wire.

 The wisteria vine was made from a plastic flower bush (from a craft store) I cut apart and combined with lots of Fern Garland to make it look overgrown.

 If you look closely you can see a cat peeking through the arbor at that nest tucked into the wisteria...

 A drippy faucet is easy to achieve with a bit of Making Waves Resin Water...

 Take a peek through the window and you will see a little rat watching the cat napping...

You can find my supply list here for all of the great products from Alpha Stamps. Speaking of great products... let me show you how easy it is to put together that potting table...

 I paint my pieces before I glue them together.

 All you need is a bit of white glue.

 Before I glued my table top on I decided to change the color...

 When the glue on my potting table was dry I touched up any spots I missed while painting...

 After the glue dried on the table top I gave the whole table a good sanding to make it appear used...

 

Then I applied a bit of darker brown paint here and there to age it even more...

Such a fun and easy little table to make! It could be used in a garage or workshop too :)

I hope I haven't put you to sleep with this loooong post! Thanks for stopping by and have a great and artful day!