Here comes Astrid...

Astrid was our DTMSM (Design Team Member’s Special Mention) in June and we think you will see why when you see this stunning project she is featuring for us this month as one of our Guest Designers.

"When I was invited to be guest designer at the Country View Crafts Challenge site I was delighted, especially when I found out that the theme was Quotes and Sayings, as I love adding these to my projects. I decided to make a little 5” x 7” mixed media canvas; - making these is another firm favourite.

I started by adding some texture through a couple of masks and when dry added some strips of Tim Holtz Tissue Wrap and tiny scraps of leftover Scrapbook paper to the canvas with gel medium.

Next I added some Antique Linen and Weathered Wood Distress Paint using a brush rather than the applicator and spritzed with water to blend the two colours. I then added some Golden Fluid Acrylic paint in Paine’s Grey. I find the Golden Fluid Acrylics mix perfectly with the Distress paints as they are of a similar fluid consistency. I also added the eye stamp from the Tim Holtz Classic Favourites set, stamped on tissue paper with Jet Black Archival ink.

It needed something to frame it a bit so I inked around the edges with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink. I then decided it was all a bit too dark and yellow, so out came the Dylusions White Linen Spray to tone it all down a bit. As I did not want the eye to disappear I covered that with a damp baby wipe first.

When I was happy with my background, the fun of embellishing it could begin. I added some flowers, chipboard and a scrap of cheesecloth, adhering it with more gel medium. When dry, (keeping the eye carefully covered) I used various sprays and mists over my embellishment cluster and finally added some highlights with Treasure Gold in White Fire, both on the embellishment cluster and around the edges of the canvas.

Finally I stamped the Tim Holtz sentiment from his Way with Words set on to a scrap of one of his paper stashes that I had first toned down with some watered down Gesso. I stamped it in Black Archival and then embossed it with clear embossing powder to make it stand out a bit more. I cut and tore the lines into strips, added them to the canvas and then shaded around the edges with charcoal pencil for a bit more depth and that was it.

I would like to thank Country View Crafts for allowing me this guest design spot and hope you liked my project."

www.astridsartisticefforts.blogspot.co.uk

Thank you Astrid, your project is beautiful and such an inspirational make too!

If you haven’t entered yet we hope this will get your mojo into gear because we’d love to see what quotation or saying you like and what it conjures up in your crafting.

Another make soon. xxx