Maturing Love

Good morning!  It looks like I have time for one more Valentine project for you! I hope I can recall all the steps I took to make this, as I have a difficult time talking about my work without holding it in my hand.  This heart has already been sent off to it's intended recipient.

 I made this mixed media heart with maturing love in mind.  The 2 sides of my 3 dimensional paper mache' heart reflect different phases of romantic love.  On one side, love is new, exuberant, and full of promise for the future.  I symbolized this with the obvious word "promise", the bubbles, and the shimmery word "love". I intentionally left this side uncluttered to also reflect the blank slate of new love. Well, sometimes we bring baggage, but not with this first love!

The reverse side portrays a more mature love, one that has seen both good and bad times, but weathered the storm, nonetheless.  The hearts may be slowly drifting apart, but still not far from one another. The lives becomes cluttered with the ups and downs that life throws at them, but it's a comfortable clutter that surrounds them and makes the pair the couple they are. There is still that sparkle, although the bloom starts to fade and the rust of time dulls it somewhat. The symbolism of this mature love is in the obvious drift between the hearts and the rust on the flower, the bead and the hearts.  The clutter of life is symbolized by the, uh....clutter--I mean micro beads and  beads that surround the two hearts.!  I've tied knots in the cord and held them with glue to symbolize my lovers are still bound together, no matter what. I've made a sparkly heart in the background to show there is still a spark between these two lovers, and shimmer on the flower to show that although the rose is fading, there is still some life.

Photos taken in natural morning light to try and capture the sparkle and shimmer.  Not quite successful for that, but I did catch a lot of shadows!

The rusty key at the bottom tells us that love has been around a long time, and whether we are young or old, have fresh or faded love, love is the key that opens our heart!

Now onto the technicals:

Background:  Paper mache' heart, gesso, Distress paints, Crackle texture paste through stencils, and smeared on like butter on toast, Picket Fence DP and Krylon paint marker splatters as in my  previous post, stamped images, random rubbings of Distress ink into cracks, and finally given a coat of Faber Castell Glaze.  (I gave this a real thick coat in areas and allowed it to drip down.)

Embellishments:

Brown vintage seam binding stained with Distress stains, balled up and left to dry overnight for fabulous crinkles. Swiped with texture paste and holographic glitter sprinkled on while it was still wet.  Silver cord wrapped up with it in a bow.

Two silver beads from my stash--one left as is, the other altered with Rock Candy Distress Glitter and partially "rusted" with alcohol inks and Distress powder.   Nestled in with the bow.

Die cuts:  hearts from Sizzix, cut from silver metallic card stock, embossed with small gears Tim Texture Fade, covered with Black Soot Distress Paint and wiped to leave only in the cracks.

"Promise" embossed with Tim's Valentine Texture Fade from silver scrap, cut out, and treated to the same paint job as above.

Silver Micro beads, black small beads adhered with Multi Matte Medium.  Rusted slightly along with the rust at the bottom of the hearts, using the same technique as the larger silver bead.

Flower:  off a child's charm bracelet purchased at a yard sale.  Altered with Holographic glitter (although impossible to snap up with the camera!), alcohol inks and Distress powder.

Shimmer from the holographic glitter just barely showing up here on the flower.

Silver cord and beads hanging from cord:  cord is knotted and a glob of Multi Matte Medium applied, sprinkled with holographic glitter while wet.  Absolutely shimmery in real life, but I'm afraid you will just have to use your imagination.

The glitter on the knots on the cord just would not show up at all;  but it is very shimmery in person.

Holographic glitter applied to textured heart above the smaller silver heart and to the stamped "love" on the reverse side.

And a tiny bit of shimmer shows up for the camera on "love".

And on the stenciled heart above the silver hearts here.

Bubbles:  my new purchase from local craft store.  Aren't they the bee's knees?  I couldn't wait to use them!

and FINALLY the key:  another charm from that same charm bracelet, given the rust treatment as above, and hung with an eye pin.

I had an absolute blast making this heart--no plans, just making it up as I went.  I hope you like it.  I know I LOVE  when you visit and leave one of your lovely comments!  I read and appreciate each one, and eventually I reply to every one! Hugs and Blessings!

Sara Emily

I would like to enter this into the following inspiring challenges:

A Vintage Journey Challenge 24 "Love is in the Air" My Tim Holtz influence is in his techniques, his products, his use of rust and vintage ephemera in his work.

Mixed Media Monthly Challenge #9 "Think Pink"

The Artistic Stamper February's Creative Challenge "Love"

Our Creative Corner "Tic Tac Toe--Let's Have Some Fun!" Hey!  I have a FULL card this time!  Metal, stamps, paste/ glaze, die cuts, embossing powder, paints, stencils, ribbon/cord,  and embossing folders!

Country View Challenges "Drips and Drops"  Drips and Drops symbolized by the bubbles, the Splattering of Picket Fence paint and spritzed Krylon silver paint marker, the "dribbling" of the micro beads, and the drips of glaze.

Finnabair "Sparkle and Shine Blog Hop and Challenge" You've got to see the great sparkly project they have there!

Paper Artsy Topic 2 "Shiny Stuff" That aged metal heart has really inspired me again!