Sunday 23 June 2013

Get Messy With Anything But A Card Challenge # 22

For the next fortnight at Anything But A Card, we're asking you to Get Messy! Woohoo! I don't need any excuse to get the messy stuff out and have a good play. This time, strangely, I decided just to use paint and crackle medium which are probably my favourite two things at the moment. Only two ingredients but what a great mess I was still able to make.

My team mates are also showing you some inspiration today so please go and leave them a little comment or two. The second team will be up a week from now so it would be great if you could show them some support too.

As long as you stick to the theme of getting messy, you can make anything you like except a card. So, come on, you know you want to get even messier than usual! Let's see paints, modelling paste, crackle medium/paste, inks, pastels, crayons, gelli plates, stencils, masks, mica sprays and powders and all the other things I haven't mentioned!

I used lots of DecoArt Traditions paints and one of their crackle mediums to make my wall plaque for this challenge, along with a few Andy Skinner Timeworn Techniques of course!

I photographed the final piece against all kinds of backgrounds but nothing seemed to look right! I settled for this one on the lawn in the end even though it's not perfect. Why is it that close up shots are no trouble but taking a shot of something more than two feet away causes all kinds of problems? Think I need to check out the other button on the camera which I haven't tried yet!
The wonderful driftwood was found when we walked along Aldeburgh beach in Suffolk - no need to do anything to it because it's beautiful just as it is. The wonderful key is one of a bag full given to me by my sister Sandie which she rescued and I am so grateful to her for such a wonderful gift. I didn't even have to rust it myself either - how cool is that?!! The rusty wire wrapped around the key was bought ready rusted   and I just love it.
The heart was die cut then given an Andy Skinner treatment and ended up looking like weathered paint. All the layers of paint used on the heart were shades from the DecoArt Traditions range. Some archival ink was added to the edge of the heart to frame it.
The wings were die cut then embossed before being 'rusted' with a Timeworn technique and DecoArt Traditions paints.
Coiled rusty wire was placed either side of the heart too.
The 'crest' at the top of my plaque started life as a die cut and was then embossed and finally rusted in the same way as the wings. The little flowers were punched from card which was first coloured with water soluble crayons then crackled. The centres of all the flowers were made by painting clear gems with raw umber Americana paint (by DecoArt).

I think these punched flowers look like cracked china when viewed in close up. Problem is, I want to make them all the time . . . . . . . . 
For the base of the plaque, a piece of thick card was given a Timeworn treatment and made to look like aged ivory (I hope!!) followed by yet more crackle. Both were achieved using DecoArt Traditions paints and crackle medium as before.
Once dry, an oval was cut from the centre, a stamped and inked layer was placed under the aperture and the oval shape was raised from the background using foam pads.
I'm really pleased with how the embossed areas turned out. Before applying the crackle medium, they were dry brushed with warm white Traditions paint leaving the flat areas darker and more aged. 
You can see here how the oval with the heart stands proud from the background.
I would like to investigate the possibilities of using other colours for the peeled paint effect but these blue shades go so well with the colours used in the piece - it's hard to break the habit!

Thank you for visiting me - it really makes a difference that you do. Off you go now and get messy - it would be lovely to see lots of you enter a piece for this challenge at Anything But A Card!!

35 comments:

  1. You are the Queen of crackle! A stunning piece Julia and all the individual elements are fabulous, but I love those little china like flowers! Enjoy the rest of the weekend x

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  2. Morning Julia, this is just beautiful. I love all the crackled elements but especially those little blue flowers. The whole hanging has such great dimension, love Claire x

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  3. Lovely work, the colours are great! Valerie

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  4. oh my... wonderful used of the crackle and rust techniques!!

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  5. Wow Julia, I love all the aging and colour on this piece, you have used the materials and techniques to perfection.
    Have a happy Sunday.
    hugs {brenda} x0x

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  6. Wow, beautiful work and design. Love all the crackling paint, texture and embellishments. Happy Sunday, Shirleyx

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  7. Julia , you have done it again!!! Absolutely gorgeous in every way...those crackled flowers are divine! And the wings well, you rocked those too...this just is full of gorgeous textures, colours and skill! Hugs trace x I love it!! Xx

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  8. A great rusty and shabby chic look Julia...you're so good in these details!

    Kind regards, Alie :-)

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  9. Looks fantastic!! Love the heart and all the grungy details!!

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  10. I could look at this for an age as there is so much amazing detail and texture.
    WOW
    Wishes
    Lynne

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  11. Hi Julia, I could just sit and admire this for ages, it is so beautiful. Love the timeworn techniques you used so effectively. The key and the wings are amazing. The photography looks wonderful to me. Hugs, Anne x

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  12. Love this Julia. Gorgeous textures and fab colour palette. Love what you've done with tose flowers too. x

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  13. Stunning crackle, rust, paint, composition, driftwood, wire, ivory... shall I go on?! Another complete showstopper here, Julia... what beautiful close-ups too. My favourite is the second photo with all those materials layered together. Just wonderful!
    Alison x

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  14. Julia this is gorgeous, I love the colours, composition and array of techniques you have thrown at it. Boy that's some amazing crackle too - superb work sweetie.
    Huge huggles x x x x

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  15. I LOVE this brilliant make, Julia!

    Brilliant details and textures wherever I look! So beautiful!!! And the special materials you incorporated in your project are absolutely lovely. Crafted poetry at its best!

    Hugs,
    Claudia x

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  16. Fantastic crackle!!!

    Sam xxx

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  17. Wowzers! This is fabulous Julia! A truly inspiring piece! xx

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  18. Wonderful heart and finishing !!! Coco x

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  19. No body rusts like you do Julia! I am always delighted at the way you pull the disparate elements of your art together so well. Your piece this week is wonderful and you have reminded me that crackle has been a bit neglected here!
    I hope all is well in your world!

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  20. Cracklin' rusted gorgeousness! Love every beautiful bit! The key on the wood is perfection! Love the blue and the background is marvelous!

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  21. Fantastic ideas on this and love the colour choice

    Chrissie x

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  22. Love the textures and detail on the plaque, fabulous.

    Sylv xx

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  23. Hi Julia, sorry I've taken so long to catch up. This piece is amazing - love the crackle and all the techniques you've incorporated here, oh and the rusting - WOW! just looks like metal.
    Hope you're well.
    Avril xx

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  24. OOWW love all the rustiness and crackling, it'a a cracken fabulous wall plaque thanks for sharing and have a wonderful day...

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  25. Amazing, stunning and so beautiful!! WOW what a card Julia!!
    xo,Dorthe

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  26. Fantastic project, great details.

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  27. Wowwwww this is great Julia.
    Love every detail very much.
    You'r so good in this.
    Greetings Janny

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  28. Oh, I love this! Great colors, Julia... And your mentioning of Aldeburgh beach in Suffolk just made me long for another trip to UK! :)
    Have a nice day!

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  29. Hi Julia, this is stunning! I love all the textures and details you've created, especially the wings and that gorgeous flower! I just left a message on Tag Tuesday to say thank you for following my blog and your lovely comment..am now a follower here, so much gorgeousness(!), will definitely be back! Carole Z X

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  30. Love all those great effects and those little flowers are SO cool - I want to make some too! I'm going to check out the links you have put on your post to explore these technieques further! Oh! and thankyou for leaving me such a lovely comment on my blog - means so much. xx

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  31. Oooooh, so many different textures.... LOVE it! And how the wood was the perfect fit for the key, too!

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  32. Beyond gorgeous...I love this...so creative and texturey and all the different technques...just fabulous!

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  33. Oh Julia, I love this, The crackle is perfect and the colours compliment each other so well, as do all the elements x Love it x

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  34. I can see why you want to make those pretty flowers all the time! They are gorgeous!! Your tag looks wonderful with all of the natural and rusty elements!

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  35. Just playing catch up and saw this - to say the least it stopped me in my tracks. You must be Andy Skinner's No. 1 student as you take his techniques and positively transform projects to a completely new level of excellence. Superb Julia. Love everything about this, the crackle, the rust, and the wood. Love it all. Hugs, Jenny x

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Juliax