Monday 7 May 2012

Three Days in a Secret Garden

I've spent three days getting over my airplane cold by playing in my studio. I have so much new stash from Paris, Ally Pally and Florida, I thought it would be nice to try and use some of it. I had this idea about making a canvas and creating a Secret Garden.....one of those pieces that you keep looking at and spotting things that you didn't see the first time around........one of those pieces that is all about the layers.


I started by tearing up five different types of patterned papers into squares and rectangles....all different sizes and glued them to my giant canvas with Claudine Hellmuth's Matt Medium. All the pieces overlapped lightly so you couldn't actually see any of the canvas. Next I used some Snowflake Fresco Finish paint which I watered down quite a bit and painted over the whole thing. When this was dry, I started adding layers by sponging paint and inks through some Crafters Workshop stencils and when this was dry, I decided it was time to test drive my new Donna Downey giant size Poppy stamp. This is a foam stamp so I applied more Snowflake paint, not watered down this time though, straight to the stamps with some Cut'n'Dry foam and stamped this image two or three times across my background.......I loved the effect in the white, thinking that it would look a bit like a resist....at least that was what I was hoping for. When dry, I watered down some Fresco Finish Beach Hut and Hey Pest paints and started adding layers of paint randomly over everything. Suddenly it felt like it was an underwater scene and no longer a secret garden.....hmmmm, what to do??? I know, this calls for Pumpkin Soup and Brown Shed I thinks to myself.....actually, I think I was really talking to myself out loud  and I may have even replied that it was a good idea so I figured let's give it a try. Suddenly it felt like a sunnier place so I kept going with lots of layers of these colours, drying between each layer otherwise you just get mud!

So then I made the main feature of the canvas which is one of those frame thingies from Tando Creative (an Ally Pally purchase from Coleman's Craft Warehouse). I cut a piece of Papererartsy's smoothy paper to fit the frame, coloured the background with Shabby Shutters and Broken China Distress Inks  and filled it up with some of Paperartsy's beautiful floral images. These were coloured with Prismacolor pencils. The frame was painted Black first and then a layer of Hey Pesto which gave me a lovely, deep shade of green....right up my street! That butterfly at the top is also a Tando thingy and this was given the Paperartsy Crackle Glaze treatment before layering other colours of Fresc paint on top.....really like how this turned out, a little bit of script always works well as a finishing touch.


The rest of the canvas was filled with all sorts of other things that I love, Paperartsy's Grunge Flower Die cut flowers, Prima flowers, I've got brass charms, metal that has been die cut and embossed, an acetate die cut and stamped birdcage, an Ice Resin embellie that I made some time ago. It's a good way to use up all those odds and ends.


There is some of my new stuff too....a new flower die, a flourish die, some of Tim's new Ideaology, some Vintage blanks....all sorts.....I had a lovely time making this and actually forgot that I wasn't feeling very well for a while!




So I do hope your Bank Holiday weekend has been a good one. Am off to find something for dinner.
Lin


25 comments:

Helen said...

I can well believe this took 3 days, but it is well worth the time taken - it is absolutely gorgeous!! There is so much to look at.

Gillian .... said...

It was sooo worth the wait, the layering is so soft/delicate, love the contrast of the Pumpkin Soup & Brown Shed. What a fantastic project Lin. xx

Kathyk said...

Sorry to hear about your cold - picked up en route home from sunny Florida. I caught one on the way from California TO Florida!!

Don't suppose you got to Lakeland to the mighty Violettes whilst you were here did you?

Hope you are feeling better now, fab project too

Kathyk

Kathy Eddy said...

This is just stunning.

Jean said...

I love this, there are s many lovely things to see in it. I especially like the tall flower die cuts. Jean x

Miranda said...

wow this is just stunning, love the colours and details on your canvas, awesome
hugs
Miranda

Jo said...

Yum, yum, yum, love this, as you so many layers and little vignettes of nice things. Lovely to do it all slowly and spend time creating. Jo xx

shamraiz said...

Hi!:) I'm so happy that I found your blog, and I get so inspired by all the beautiful tags, and other lovely projects you've made.
Regards,
>>>>>>>>>>SAM<<<<<<<<

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Trish said...

Stunning! You certainly get the effect you want, I keep looking at it and seeing more things in different layers. Beautiful.
Hope you feel better soon xxx

TAM said...

WOW an absolutely stunning piece of artwork.
Glad to hear you are on the mend and making good use of all your new stash.

Rebecca said...

Beautiful piece, hope it made you feel better it's put a smile in my face :)
Happy craftin
Rebecca

Anonymous said...

LOTS OF GORGEOUS DETAILS.

Shannon said...

This is stunning!! And it has given me a wonderful idea, thank you so much for the inspiration. Such a beautiful piece ou made and so much to look at.

shamraiz said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Inkypinkycraft said...

This is tuning, so many beautiful things to see! A true masterpiece! Hugs trace x

Aquarius said...

This is amazing with so many beautiful details and elements to catch the eye. Hope you are feeling better

Daniele said...

such a wonderful piece Lin, hope you feel better real soon
Is there a class schedule yet?, looking forward to see what inspirational pieces you have to tempt us
hugs

jill said...

Stunning piece of work Lin, I just wish i could create something like that.

Jacqui Chimes said...

This is just so lovely!

Minxy said...

A delightful blend of spring time elements, shame the weather hasn't looked as good lately! x

Kirsten Alicia said...

Oooh, this is SO beautiful!!
I'm glad you had a wonderful time in Florida, hope you're feeling better.

Anonymous said...

Hi Lin!
What a gorgeous piece of art!!! I just love it, and am drooling! There are loads of things on it I would like to have for me (not to mention the finished product, itself!), but don't know where to start. Will have to discuss one day . . .
Can you imagine that a month from now I'll be back home -- totally worn out, deflated, broke . . . and happy!!!
Hope you are back in fine form by now. Thinking of you --
Love - Sally xoxo

Neet said...

Lin, whenever you do anything it is extra special. You always add those little elements in unexpected places. This is absolutely beautiful. Thank you for sharing and sharing the details so well.
Hugs, Neet xx

Unknown said...

love all the shaded you used..they fit the subject soo well

Linda M. Cain said...

This is so wonderful on so many fronts! Love it!

~Linda