SIZZIX TRIPLE PLAY BLOG HOP WEEK 3: MY VINTAGE GARDEN

Welcome back! We are now on Week 3 of Sizzix Triple Play Blog Hop. I had so much fun this week playing with the featured die...which was designed by Brenda Pinnick. So go grab a cup of java and settle in...I have lots of pictures this week!

Let's start with a list of supplies:

• Sizzix Original Die #655455 - Flower, Beauty Bloom by Brenda Pinnick
• Big Shot cutting machine
• Felt from National Non Woven
• Fabric - Couluer Vie by Brenda Pinnick for Henry Glass & Co.
• Off White cardstock

Other Supplies:

• 12x24 stretched cotton canvas
• Sizzix Sizzlets Die Set # 656539 3PK - Flower Layers #3
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink: antique linen, tea dye, vintage photo, walnut stain
• Stipple brushes
• Make-up sponges
• Small brads: pale yellow, bright yellow, antique brown
• Mod Podge: paper and fabric
• Paper piercing tool
• Folk Art High Definition Visual Texture by Plaid: sunflower, yellow ochre, forest moss, hauser green medium, thicket
• Textured stamp
• Vellum
• Bazzill papers

I started with a blank canvas. It matters not what size you choose. I selected 12 x 24 because I wanted to have a lot of surface on which to add texture. I did not treat the canvas with Gesso or anything else. I left a completely bare surface.

Then using Tim Holtz's Distress Ink in my fav colors, some makeup sponges and stipple brushes I start to distress the surface of the canvas. I stippled and I sponged...and I even went direct to canvas with my pad. If you are not familiar with the process, you simply rub the surface of the ink pad directly onto the surface where you want the color. **IMPORTANT NOTE: Canvas is a textured surface...so be aware that the stamp pad surface can get a little bit chewed up. I have doubles of all my pads, so I have a set just for this purpose.**

When I distress anything I start with the lightest color and work to my darkest. I also start at the edges and work my way in towards the middle. I use my darkest colors towards the edges.

Brenda was very generous with the amount of blooms she supplied and so I took one of the paper bloom and used it as a stencil. I placed the bloom onto the canvas surface and then stippled some tea dye and vintage photo around the edges of the bloom. It created this effect:

Next, I printed out a poem that I really liked onto vellum. Now I realize the poem refers to daffodils...but I am taking artistic license here! I tore the edges and then I stippled on the BACK side of the vellum one of my lighter color inks, again working from the outside to inside. If you can see in the photo below...I didn't stipple the color over the entire piece of vellum. When you do this technique, the color should be darkest at the edge and gradually lightens as you work towards the middle. Then, I flipped the vellum back to the front and with the next shade darker ink...I stippled just the very edge of the vellum.

Using a very thin coat of Fabric Mod Podge, I adhered the vellum to the canvas. Now don't worry if the vellum resists sticking. What I did is put a book under the canvas, then I placed a piece of wax paper over the vellum and put a couple of heavy books on top of that. I left it for a a while. Once that adhesive is dry, it's on there! **NOTE: always put wax paper or butcher paper between layers that are still wet from glue so that they don't bleed on each other or stick together!

I really love using vellum. Because it is translucent, you can still see the stenciled blooms behind it.

Next, I began to layer the pieces of the blooms together. Brenda sent such a variety that no bloom looks the same! I did stipple some ink onto the paper pieces and some onto the fabrics and felt to mute down the color to go with my vintage theme. Isn't that beautiful!

I cut a few extra blooms with another Sizzix die I had so that I could cover more of my surface and compliment the Brenda's big flower blooms. I altered some of the blooms with the ink and a textured stamp. I assembled the flower layers and pierced the centers with a paper piercer so that I easily slide in the brads.

I used Mod Podge for fabric and for paper to adhere the blooms to the canvas...then I let it dry completely.

Once everything was dry, I started to add some details by doodling some vines and leaves onto the canvas with the Visual Texture by Plaid. I just love that stuff! It adds a lot of dimension. I also added some extra details right onto the flowers!

I was really pleased with how my project came out this week. It is very me! I can't wait to see what everyone else has done...I am sure you feel the same. So, go ahead.....hop forward!

Artfully yours,

Theresa

Introducing...

Welcome to my new space! This is Altered Canvas Studios. My new home base, haven, sanctuary. All I know is I FEEL amazing here...not that my anxiety doesn't sometimes reach the outer rings of Saturn, mind you. Let me show you around so that you know what my new surroundings look like.

The best thing EVER about my physical space is the WINDOWS! I have two of them. All of you artists out there know there is nothing better than natural light. Not that I won't be breaking out my OTT Lite from time and again, but at least while I am there during the day I can open my windows, get some fresh air, and SEE all the colors in their natural glory.

The second best thing? I have TWO, yes, really, TWO rooms! So now I don't have all my office things crammed in amongst the art supplies (which are extensive, lemme tell ya). This kind of allows me to pay attention to whichever aspect of my business I need to concentrate on. OK, I'll cop to it...the "business" side was suffering. Can you really blame me? With all those art supplies looming and calling my name who wants to update Quickbooks??

So here we are....

I have two rooms as I mentioned. Suites 5 and 8 respectively. For my mailing address I use 8...because it's my birthday! Well, that and it is the door with the mail slot. Sometimes I make decisions that uses a bit of sense.

When you walk in the door, you enter the studio side:

See? There is one of the windows I was talking about. Then if you look to the right....

You should get a sense as to what kind of business resides here. Either that, or you are a little slow. I have had a few visitors to the studio...mostly other tenants. This section of my studio generates a lot of questions. I'm happy to answer too...because I have physical stuff to back me up!

Now, if you look left....

Holy batman! Did I mention I have TWO rooms now? We haven't even gotten to the office yet. I have to tell you a secret. Not to sound like I am bragging or anything, but I am not only gifted artistically and vocally, but I also am amazing (toot toot) with spacial things. Like fitting the most amount of stuff into a small space. AND...a sometimes useful talent...I can find the center of anything usually within less than 1/16 of an inch. Who needs a tape measure to hang things? Puh-lease! I think I just got busted...I AM BRAGGING! Sometimes I amaze even myself. Can you believe that I managed to fit two rooms full of stuff into 100 square feet of space in my house?

Oh boy....serves me right. Apparently I am not all that gifted with Blogger yet as I see I have downloaded the same picture twice and cannot figure out how to delete it without restarting this whole blog. Now I could have been sneaky and said...."wow...I just had to get another shot of that paper rack in", but I will own up. :)

Now here is my office...

You can see the open doorway between here and the studio. Very convenient. While I am paying bills and sorting though email, Facebook and Twitter I can still clearly hear my paints, stamps, paper and other ephemera clearly calling me, but yet I can act like I don't because it is time for the left side of my brain to get some action. Clever, right?

There are only three things that are in my current space that are new. The two storage cabinets are new. I needed somewhere to store things that were in the closet in my home studio. I'm very pleased with how they are working so far.

The third thing is the desk...

...and there is that second window! Gotta love the light. My internet is all set up and I like that desk a lot. A friend of mine has the same exact one and now we have cute matching desks! Plus, if a screw falls out or something and I can't find it, I can always conveniently snatch a replacement off of theirs! Shhh...don't tell. The mind is always going over here...

Finally, you can see I have a couple of little things that still need to find a home. I'll figure it out. Me and making a space work are tight! The final things I need are a mini fridge and a coffee maker. All in good time...I'm in no rush.

I hope you enjoyed a sneak peak. I really wanted to make sure you all got to see it now as it will most likely be the last time that it is uncluttered! LOL I don't clean while I work. Nothing more satisfying than an artful mess.

So, what do you think? I'm both excited and nervous. I keep thinking that I need to treat my business more like a business, so..."if you build it, they will come". Wish me luck. Hope to hear from you.

Artfully yours....

Theresa