Friday 21 August 2015

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


15 comments:

  1. Beautiful,work Amanda. Thanks for joining us at a AVJ as a our guest this month. X

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  2. I cannot really express in words how beautiful I think your creation is Amanda, it is absolutely stunning! I love the blues in the background, the butterfly is 'to die for' with it's beautiful embellishments. I love the chicken wire and the wrapped wire, they are such wonderful additions to this very striking piece. I love it!!

    Thank you so much for your very kind shout out but most of all, thank you for sharing your fabulous art with us at A Vintage Journey today! Big hugs, Anne xxx

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  3. Hi Amanda - I have just seen your GD post on AVJ and just had to pop over here to see more, and now I'm here I am lost for words - where do you begin to describe something so stunning and so beautiful.
    I absolutely LOVE it! Thank you for sharing.
    Sylvia x

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  4. this is oh so beautiful amanda. stunning work. thatbutterfly looks so real. love it. hugs rachel x

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  5. A stunning altered canvas Amanda!! I love the depth of colour you achieved on the blue panel and oh that butterfly looks so beautiful! Love how you embellished it too. A fantastic project! Thanks so much for sharing it with us on A Vintage Journey!

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  6. Gorgeous Amandq, love the blues and the gorgeous layered backdrop. The butterfly is very striking and I love he added gem stone . Lovely piece and congratulations x x x

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  7. A fabulous canvas, love the wire circle and the chicken wire and the butterfly is so beautiful

    Joan

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  8. Pink!!!you never cease to amaze!!! Fantastic work and your butterfly is absolutely stunning 💓💓💓

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  9. Another stunning creation Ms Pink! Loving everything about this. Wishing you a mendy weekend with gentle hugs from Poppy and me xxx

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  10. Absolutely stunning Amanda and your butterfly with the added wire is fantastic. Love your project.
    Julie x

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  11. Hi Amanda........this piece really has the wow factor with that wonderful background and those amazing butterflies...............its lovely to have you here at AVJ as Guest Designer and I hope to see you here again xx

    Sending you my best wishes
    Annie xx

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  12. Such a gorgeous project. I love the blue background and the textures. Thanks for playing at The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge.

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  13. Utterly stunning work, Amanda - the inky background, the layered butterfly, the beautiful layering of stamps and paper - just wonderful. Lovely to have you guesting with us this month!
    Alison xx

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  14. this is really a beautiful piece! Thank you so much for playing with the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge!

    -Rachel
    rwkrafts.com

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Thank you so much for taking the time to visit and for leaving comments . Both are very much appreciated .