Things with Wings!

Hello Everyone

Today I am a Guest Designer over at A Vintage Journey and I can't begin to tell you how thrilled and honoured I am to have been given this wonderful opportunity. I keep wondering if this really is 'for real'   and not a dream- I mean, me as a Guest Designer on such a prestigious Challenge blog- I would have never thought it possible! 
Its Anne's Challenge theme this month and Anne can be found not only at AVJ but also here and if you haven't already be sure to pay her a visit as Anne is incredibly talented and you will be sure to marvel at her creations . 
Annes' theme is 'Things with Wings' and here's what she has to say :

 "Tim has designed the most wonderful butterfly, dragonfly and bird stamps, dies and papers.  We would like to see you create a project using one (or more if you wish) butterfly, dragonfly or bird."
What a fabulous theme with so many options given the plethora of products that Tim has designed that would fit the theme perfectly. I knew I was going to be spoilt for choice .
Sure enough my mind raced with ideas but I decided in the end to go with my first thoughts which were of Tim Holtz's beautiful butterfly stamp in the 'Perspective' stamp set . It has to be one of my all time favourite stamps and one I definitely wouldn't be without.

I have created an altered canvas with the 'Perspective' butterfly as the focal image .  

I began by applying colour to my background panel using the wrinkle free distress technique and Tim Holtz Distress Inks (Broken China, Tumbled Glass, Chipped Sapphire, Stormy Sky and Hickory smoke). 

I love this technique as it allows for a gradual build up of colour and creates some really interesting and unique results .  

I added more detail to the background panel by first stamping in both Cobalt and Jet Black Archival ink using text, crackle, speckle and ink blot stamps (mainly Tim Holtz). I then added some stenciling using Tim Holtz Dot Fade and Schoolroom layering stencils and Distress Inks (Hickory Smoke, and Chipped Sapphire).  I also created some random circles using a bottle top dipped in acrylic paint and then lightly spritzed the background with perfect pearls before double mounting it onto white (edges distressed with hickory smoke )and black card stock.  

For the focal image -the beautiful butterfly and its ‘base’ I stamped and embossed the butterfly twice and then cut both out by hand. I used Distress Inks ( Broken China, Tumbled Glass) to add colour to the wings and also added some white highlights and a touch of silver gilding wax . After shaping both butterflies,one more than the other to give dimension, I adhered them together by their bodies.

I  twisted a length of silver wire by hand to form a few circles and then twisted the wire around the circles to fasten tight. After cutting a length of chicken wire I inked it up using Pitch Black alcohol ink.

I covered the canvas in Menagerie Tissue Wrap and applied some pale grey and white acrylic paint to the wrap with my fingers to lighten the print. I scuffed the edges with Black Archival ink again using my fingers and adhered a length of Tim Holtz tissue tape to the left hand side and bottom edge of the canvas . I then mounted the canvas onto a panel of black card stock cut to size to echo the black mount I'd used on the background panel.  

Now with all my elements prepared all that was left to do was assemble and embellish. 
Positioning and adhering the twisted wire, chicken wire and butterfly proved tricky but a little patience n perseverance won in the end. Once the butterfly and its base were securely in place I embellished the body of the butterfly with a deep blue gem ( isn't it lush) and an ideology pen nib. I added some hex nuts, metal letter beads spelling the word ‘Fly’ and a few remnant rubs to the background panel and a thoughtfully chosen small talk sticker to the canvas.

'With Brave Wings She Flies '

 
I hope you like !! 

If this months challenge 'Things with Wings' appeals to you then there's still plenty of time to enter - just head over to A Vintage Journey's  blog , checkout the rules and then go get those fingers inky . 

Thank you so much to all the lovely ladies (Creative Guides ) at A Vintage journey for inviting me along today to share some of my creativity - I truly am honoured .

I would also like to enter this canvas in the following challenges :

 Mixed Media Monthly Challenge  

(I've used a text stamp, remnant rub and chit chat stickers text and metal letter beads)

Country View Crafts- Summertime

(Butterflies and blue skies are two things that make me think of summer.)

That just leaves me to say thank you all for popping by today . I know how busy days can be so I really do appreciate you taking time out of yours to visit my creative space. 

Hope you all have a great week and see you again soon 

take care and  keep on the happy side 

Amanda