This is a unique challenge blog where we are inspired by and focus on the Vintage; shabby; mixed-media; art journaling; industrial, timeworn and steampunk genres and encompass the talent, flair, expertise and ideas of many artists that we are inspired by. We welcome all types of projects - cards, journaling, assemblage, layouts, albums, atcs, altered art in fact whatever you want to share (as long as it is in good taste).

Monday 18 April 2016

Destination Inspiration - Arriving at terminal 3

Hello all and welcome to this third leg of our journey This is Astrid inviting you along for the ride to see what I have done with the content of this month's travel bag.
If this is your first time here in April, - or if you need a little reminder, these are the fun things we are unpacking for you this month:
Product: Gesso
Technique: Crackle
Colour: Spring Green
Substrate: Kraft
I decided to have fun and experiment particularly with different types of crackle mediums and altered a frame as an integrated part of a vintage mixed media piece.
I started with a simple chipboard frame purchased a while back at a craft fair and gave it 2 coats of dark brown acrylic paint.
Next I added a fairly thick coat of Decoart Americana Weathered Wood crackle medium and when it was touch dry added some light blue acrylic paint. After the crackle had done its magic it looked like this, - all I did still was add some Walnut Staid Distress crayon around the edges.
Now for the inside of the frame: I cut a piece of kraft card slightly larger than the aperture of the frame and covered it with Tim Holtz Tissue wrap.
You can just see the brown tones of the kraft through the tissue wrap. Next came another crackle experiment. I added some Finnabair translucent Crackle paste through the Tim Holtz  Crackle layering stencil  to double the crackle effect. But as I wanted it to blend in with the blue tones of the frame I added some Salty Ocean and Blue Sapphire Distress Crayons over it, blending the colours carefully with a damp baby wipe to let them seep into the cracks and then adding some more to retain the blue tones.
I also dabbed a little watered down Salty Ocean Distress paint with my finger to intensify the colour further still.
Alright, now for the decoration of the frame, and oops I had not yet used any gesso....
So here goes: I die cut the Tim Holtz Thinlets Globe die from Kraft card and covered it with Gesso and when that had dried added some Distress Crazing medium for some much more subtle crackles.
Next I used Peeled Paint and Twisted Citron Distress Crayons to achieve my Spring green, plus some Vintage Photo around the edges. I also added tiny bits of gold foil which are very hard to pick out on the photo. The crackle was very subtle, but it is there...... :o)
The arrow shows where you can hopefully just make out the crazing crackle, it looks so much better i.r.l....
Time for the finishing touches you'll be glad to hear:
I gathered a collection of die cuts and ephemera pieces, making sure to include some Spring green and Kraft card.
A larger piece created with the help of a La Blanche stamp and some heavy distressing using Vintage Photo and Ground Espresso Distress Inks.
A little bunch of die cut Spring Flowers, using Tim's wild flower dies, for this occasion I decided to give them a more realistic wild flower look with the help of Distress Markers. a tiny bit of gesso and Inktense pencils.
And finally my last crackle experiment, using Deco Art Media Crackle glaze (not very successfully, it was rather old and sticky and kept falling off, - beware this easily happens with any crackle glaze when it gets old).... To preserve the little crackle I had,  I gave both the frame and the letters a good coat of Decoart Traditions multipurpose sealer, very important if you want to keep crackled layers in place!

Some stencilling was added to the frame still and then it was all put together. I arranged most pieces around the frame and then used the bunch of flowers to kind of tie it all together:

 And finally voila the finished piece.....

There is of course a whole story behind this project, - of an Edwardian gentleman travelling the globe for some very special wild flower specimens for his loved one, - but as I have kept you long enough already, I won't bore you with that....

If you haven't done so already, make sure to visit the projects my fellow guide created with these same ingredients, you can find them here and here. I am always amazed to see, how different people can come up with such different things, using the same ingredients. Our current challenge with the theme of Spring is in the Air can be found here

Thanks so much for you visit today and don't forget to come back next week!!

24 comments:

  1. So many wonderful crackle experiments on your project Astrid! I absolutely LOVE the colors and crackle on your globe die - what a lovely framed scene you created using the materials in your travel bag! Julia xx

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  2. hat a beautiful mixed media project, I relly love it, great colours ,great image, great details!!!

    Have fun!!
    Maria

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  3. Fabulous experiments with the crackle products Astrid, a wonderful project. Mo x

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  4. Absolutely fabulous! Astrid You really have made fantastic use of the goodies in the travel bag . All the various crackles work so wonderfully together, yet individually showcase the product used so well. Gorgeous colours , texture , detail, imagery and elements.
    Really LOVE this !
    You have offered inspiration in abundance of how to use the contents of the travel bag .- thank you .
    hugs x

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  5. What a fantastic project, Astrid! I love how the globe turned out.

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  6. Oh Astrid, you take my breath away with this stunning piece! And I sure would have loved to have heard more about your roving botanist... xx

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  7. Beautiful as always!! Great instructions!

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  8. So lovely - the globe looks fantastic, and I just love the little bunch of flowers, brought to life so exquisitely. Wonderful crackle throughout too!
    Alison x

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  9. Really cool project with such great layers and textures!

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  10. Every detail is beautiful on this amazing project Astrid! Fantastic!

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  11. Wonderful Astrid - just love all the crackle - the distress crayons over the texture crackles work fabulously and the globe is a stunner. Nikki x

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  12. Just fabulous Astrid, love the multitude of crackle techniques that you used and the wonderful story behind your mixed media frame! I can just imagine your Edwardian botanist traveling that beautiful globe to find exotic bouquets to give to his loved one, thanks so much for sharing it! Deb xo

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  13. this is beautiful Astrid - I really adore it - must get that globe die - love it! Hugs rachel x

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  14. Oh wow Astrid, this is just stunning!!! I love every single little detail, the colours, the design and I can really believe that he is the Edwardian Botanist. This is one of those projects I wish I could reach out and touch - you really have made such wonderful use of the items in the travel bag.... Hugs, Anne xx

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  15. What a fabulous journey you have taken us on with this fabulous DI x amazing crackle and fabulous details so perfectly pieced together

    Tfs and best wishes
    Annie x

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  16. Wow, Astrid, so very beautiful and a wonderful design!

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  17. Brilliant artwork Astrid! Each and every element is beautifully done and they all look wonderful together. Nicola x

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  18. Love every bit of this wonderful piece! Thanks for sharing with us. S@ndy xx

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  19. Astrid, it is a gorgeous piece,- so amazing with your frame, and the crackle background on the paper. The globus is also wonderful in it`s green coat !!
    Dorthe, Xx

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  20. Astrid, can I just say this is AMAZING!!!! I love all the texture and the beautiful colors, especially on that frame! And the globe is nothing short of breathtaking!

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  21. Astrid, can I just say this is AMAZING!!!! I love all the texture and the beautiful colors, especially on that frame! And the globe is nothing short of breathtaking!

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  22. Love to see this amazingly beautiful creation, Astrid! Thanks for sharing in detail... I enjoyed a lot!!

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