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 20 March 2017

Destination Inspiration - Terminal 3

Hello everyone.  Alison here, arriving at Terminal 3 of Destination Inspiration.  Just to remind you, here are the contents of the travel bag for this month:
Substrate - canvas
Colour - teals/turquoises
Product - acrylic paint
Technique - layering stencils

And here's the 7 x 5 inch canvas board which I produced using those contents...


Generally, the projects which the Creative Guides come up with are all really different - amazingly so, given we're all working with the same basic contents - but this time there is some surprising overlap with one of my team-mates.


I was surprised and amused when I saw Julia's beautiful project last week.  In essence it's not anything like my project, but not only did we pick the same main stencil to work with (what are the chances, with so many to choose from?)...


... but there are also those three points of visual stimulation - small circles in dark brown.  Hers are buttons and mine are screw heads, but still!


I guess somewhere we were sharing a wavelength!  But back to the matter in hand.  I used some of Seth Apter's Wood Chips for this piece - the long, elegant frame and panel, layered to create dimension.


As you can see, the basic layout was simple, but then I went through a number of versions of the stencilled background before I was happy to continue.  Thankfully, there's still plenty of canvas texture even though I painted over it all multiple times!


I ended up liking the scumbled look on the right, to which I added some Broken China DI through Tim Holtz's Nordic stencil.  I clear embossed it in places for a touch of light-reflectivity.


Over that I layered Tando's mini clock stencil...


... and added some detail stamping with one of Andy Skinner's industrial stamps as well as some splatter, and finally I had a background I was happy to go ahead with!


After that it was all lots of fun.  I layered up plenty of paint on Seth's Wood Chips, some in his own Fresco paint colours, some not.


And I added some stamping too - more of Andy's stamps, some stamped in Aquamarine Archival and some in Snowflake Fresco paint.


There's some Rose Quartz Treasure Gold in there somewhere too, just adding a little glint to those fantastic rugged edges.


The frame and panel support the photo of the boy and his dog - for some reason it's often little boys who trigger the "Lost and Found" words for me... it's why I tried so hard to get that particular stencil into the mix originally, I think.  There's clearly some sort of connection in my brain.


But in the absence of the stencil, I found a great substitute in the form of the Idea-ology Quote Chips.  I've inked them and added just a touch of the Rose Quartz around the edges.


I really love this new way of adding words to projects - they have great presence and solidity, which gives the words weight and power within whatever you are making.


I added some extra stamping to the background with the same industrial stamp, but this time in Aquamarine Archival ink to echo the stamping on the Wood Chips.


I used some of the new Idea-ology Design Tapes to add background detail.


And the rusty wire around the Photobooth photo gives a grungy dimensional finale to the framing structures.


Then it was about final touches...  I added some turquoise glass crystals at various points around the frames.


They're from a certain Swedish furniture store, and I think they're actually intended to go in vases with dried flowers or something.  They catch the light beautifully.


The trio of screw heads (Calico Craft Parts lightly altered with some ink and Treasure Gold for a slightly metallic look) allow the eye to travel around the canvas spotting extra details.


So from a slightly sticky start, I ended up really enjoying myself with this, and shopping my stash too (those glass crystals have been awaiting an appearance for at least three years!).


Thanks so much for pausing with me at Destination Inspiration.  Another of the Creative Guides will be along next Monday so come and see what they create with their travel bag contents.

I hope you're inspired to come and play along in our birthday challenge this month.  Brenda's inviting us "All Aboard!" for an anything goes theme, and we'd love you to come and join us on the journey.  Happy crafting all!

Alison x 

35 comments:

  1. Your canvas is beautiful, I love all the textural touches.

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  2. Utterly brilliant Alison, it's lovely to read through and see your thinking processes as you progressed and understand the decisions you made to finish with this magnificent project. Love it xxx

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  3. Absolutely WONDERFUL!!! You make all with so much LOVE Alison! Gorgeous!

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  4. Fabulous! Love the background you chose in the end, the whole panel/canvas has such a clever design and I love the touches of the screwheads, wire and wow, those little glass crystals!

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  5. Absolutely gorgeous Alison, I love those layers of stencilling, they add such wonderful depth to your canvas. The Seth wood chips look so beautiful in the blue and I love the background stamping. I always love reading how you put your pieces together too! Anne xx

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  6. This is fabulous Alison.
    Hugs
    Linda xxx

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  7. Fabulous composition, effortless execution = an absolutely stunning canvas Alison. Love everything about it !! You , without doubt, made light work of the travel bag ingredients. x

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  8. This really is special Alison and a great guide through the processes! Hugs, Chrisx

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  9. Totally Fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great tutorial and project!!!!

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  10. Everything you have done just enhances the photo. I love it!

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  11. Absolutely wonderful use of the Travel Bag ingredients Alison xx love the background details and the alteration of Seths Wood Chips and the photo and wire frame are perfect

    Tfs Annie xxxx

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  12. You are one in a million Alison - I love the way you layer and you really are talented with your background. When I try something like this I usually make a big mess. I will keep trying. This make is absolutely gorgeous! Love it.
    We have been in Spain and Portugal for the last two weeks so I am really out of the loop!
    Again, I love this - splendid!!
    Sandy xx

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  13. Stunning use of the contents of this month's bag Alison. Love your use and alternation of Seth's Wood Chips. Just a fabulous canvas! LoVE it! Jennie x

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  14. Another beautiful piece Alison. You rocked it again. Thanks for sharing your steps to this fabulous piece too. :) Have a great week!

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  15. Oh Alison, another most beautiful creation. So many wonderful details, with stamping, tape, embossing and "rusting" I love it all .
    I enjoyed all the fantastic photos of your creation ! Dorthe xoxo

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  16. Alison...your color palette is right up my alley. I ALWAYS love everything you do and I think the colors have something to do with that! :) This piece is amazing! I SO LOVE your background. The white space is so striking with the colors and patterns you've added. LOVE LOVE the blueish tones of the collaged rectangles. Love the photograph and the wire around it. This is just beautiful!

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  17. Wonderful! Love seeing your background experiments and then the final version - such wonderful layering and details as always x

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  18. First of all, loving the glass crystals...not come across those! Love your composition, and happy that you are enjoying the wooden shapes by Seth. They add so much to a composition. Great piece. Great choices! Xx

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  19. This is absolutely stunning Alison and it's lovely to see all those detail pics too and to see how it all came together. Think I need some of those woodchips too.
    Fliss xx

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  20. Fabulous canvas - great design!!! You have chosen the perfect one from your stencilled canvases!!! I bet your crystals look great in real life when the sun shines on them! xx

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  21. another fabulous work of art Alison. Love every bit of it. S@ndy xx

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  22. Oooooh another work of pure wonder, beautifully assembled as usual of course too Alison ;)
    Hugs
    Donna xx

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  23. Fabulous, and I love the background. So many details and I loved seeing how you put this together.
    Avril x

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  24. What a wonderful composition Alison - love seeing your creative fits and starts and so honored to have you mention my project in your post! Lovely texture and layering on this beautiful canvas using the supplies in our travel bags this month! Julia xx

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  25. Alison, I so enjoyed reading your thoughts along this journey. What a brilliant result! You really used those chippies well and brought this image to life. Love love this! Hugs, Autumn

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  26. Awesome layers, Alison. ..beautiful make!!

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  27. Absolutely Fabulous canvas Alison!!
    I just love how you created each layer to work with the next. The depth and design- perfect!
    Inspiring and gorgeous! xo

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  28. Breathtaking Alison! Your work is always topnotch! Take care, Yvonne

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  29. So wonderful Alison, adore your colour palette and those new Seth Apter Wood Ships are fab, love the way you finished them and layered them on your canvas. That picture is one of my favourites of Tim's and your words and embellishments showcase it perfectly. An amazing use of your travel bag contents, thanks so much for sharing it with us! Deb xo

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  30. I love your version Alison (must confess that I haven't seen Julia's one, though.. Missing time to see and follow everyone and all blogs of interest, sadly). Fabulous work and layering of so many elements here: paints, stencilling, chips, the lovely little boy image, extra stamping and embellishments.. Loving all your final touches as usual.
    At the end, everything works so fine! Up to a piece of art. Thank you for being you :) xx

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  31. As always, I love reading your words that go so well with the pictures! Love your back ground and those funky wood chippies. The stamping is perfect and adding those crystals is the icing on the cake! So beautiful! Hugs!

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  32. Oh so many delicious elements to this Alison! I love the chippies and those pieces of turquoise tumbling around the little boy and his dog. And a perfect choice of words - no surprise there! Love how this has come together xx

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