Saturday, September 5, 2015

Anything But Cute Mixed Media Challenge # 5-Mixed Media Makeover

Hello crafty friends!

It's time for our 5th challenge at Anything But Cute. The always awesome (sauce), fun-loving and incredibly talented Niki is our hostess this time for her fantastically fun  Mixed Media Makeover theme.

Before I give you the details about the challenge, I would like to share the card I made mostly from  my Closet castoffs. I love to experiment with my products, and often I end up with pieces that aren't fitting for the current project. I used a few of these saved pieces on  my "remodel" card.



Now for Niki's instructions for this month's challenge:

MIXED MEDIA MAKEOVER

Pull out an old card, tag, project, masterboard or embellishment that you weren't completely happy with or never completely finished. I want you to recycle it. We all make "mistakes" with our art right? Now's your chance to fix it. Redo it, hide the mistake, make it bigger, make it better, make it more beautiful or rip it apart and use the pieces! Give it a mixed media makeover! For this challenge you will need to include a before picture so we can see what you started with.

Here is my recycle bin, filled with projects just waiting to be put together. Do you have one of these? That little pile in the front is for an upcoming anniversary card for my husband!


Here are some photos I took  of the pieces I thought I could use before I started.  I ended up not using the butterflies and the bottom right panel.



My background panel was inspired by the paper towel shown above. (I didn't used the green panel.) The towel is a mop up after using Dylusions and Perfect Pearls mists on another project, I believe.  I thought it looked pretty, and might come in handy sometime, so into the recycle box it went. Today is it's lucky day!


 For this card I applied the towel to a piece of waste packaging (yes there's a bin for that, too!), wrinkling it up and gluing it with gel medium. It was too dark for my liking, and those horrible yellow splotches had to go, so I dry brushed it with gesso.  I added some Decoart Metallic  White Pearl paint, Multi-Matt Medium, pieces of wax paper die cuts (you know the stuff you put between your intricate dies and cardstock so the card pops out easily--I save these just for this purpose), pieces of doily left from another project  and clear micro beads. I love the way the color comes through the beads! I used a TCW Mini Chickenwire stencil and crackle texture paste, but that didn't turn out so well on the already textured surface.  The dots are from the holes in my tags! One fell on the panel, and it gave a little rest for the eyes, so I glued three on.To finish, I splattered with Black Soot Distress paint. Here are some close ups and the finished background panel. Most of it would be covered up, so I wanted to take a shot so I could remember all that mixed media work. The area in the center is where I tested all my products. If anyone were to ever take one of my makes apart, they would get a surprise--what was she thinking????









Choosing these two watercolor pieces, I cut three tags using Tim Holtz Tiny Tabs and Tags and Tag and Bookplate dies.  I swiped the smallest tag with Picket Fence Distress paint to tone it down, spritzed on my home made Brushed Pewter spray, and when dry, splashed on Black Soot Distress paint.




For the middle tag layer I simply heat embossed stamped images from 7 Gypsies and Stampers Anonymous and used the chicken wire stencil and crackle texture paste to give some texture. Finally, I splashed with Black Soot paint.


For the foreground tag, I tore the bottom and heat embossed images from Tim Holtz Bird Feather and Boundless Flight sets. I splashed on Picket Fence and Black Soot Distress paints. The top tag and small tag were distressed, layered with black card and distressed again. I forgot to do the middle tag! Oops! (Embrace imperfection!)




I carefully pulled my ugly flower apart, then gave it a spritz of Dylusions Vibrant Turquise which turned out looking even worse.  I forgot to take a photo, but I remembered that gesso fixes everything.  I gave it a dry brushing of gesso and a dab or three of Picket Fence paint, and all better.  I added the gumdrop and once adhered, I noticed some of the silver backing came off when I removed it from it's backing sheet.  I thought it looked interesting so I left it on.Even the wisp of cheesecloth is leftover from another project.  The two white flowers are store bought (probably yard sale bought, actually) from my stash.  I added rhinestone centers. The clock face (Tim Holtz In Dreams) is heat embossed on metallic card and fussy cut.




I decided to use different butterflies than the ones originally chosen from my recycle bin for obvious reasons.  These are from Kaisercraft and inked with Jet Black Archival ink on an overspray sheet from my spray box, then fussy cut. No further coloring necessary.  I forgot to take a shot of the "before" paper again.  Here's a little tip from Sara...I always put a sheet of cheapo sketch or drawing paper in my spray box before spraying. I keep most of these, and they make wonderful backgrounds or paper to stamp over for little die cuts or fussy cut things like this. I believe I would be considered a hoarder if I didn't actually use these things!


The sentiment is an unnamed stamp inked inked and cut up, then edged in Evergreen Bough Distress ink.  I popped them up using foam tape.

 Here's one last shot of my Mixed Media Makeover. I have to say it looks much better in real life! All that sparkle and shimmer is lost in my photography. I hope you will be inspired to create something out of those "rejects" or unfinished projects and link up to Niki's Mixed Media Makeover  at Anything But Cute this month. You have a whole month to play along! And don't forget to check back at  Anything But Cute on the 12th to see if your Making Magic project is a winner! It's going to be a really tough decision because there were so many wonderful Magical projects!


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

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Make it Colorful It may be one color group, but it's bold!
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Trio of Colors I have a trio of blue shades (probably a lot more if you were to count), similar to Anna-Karin's inspiration card.

Thank you for stopping by and for all your sweet comments! I read and appreciate each and every one of them! (And thank you for putting up with the lengthy post!)
Hugs and Blessings!

Sara Emily

23 comments:

  1. Oh, dear, I can finally see how you have created this amazingly beautiful card! I really enjoyed reading your post! All the layers are just stunning and I LOVE them all! You really know how to incorporate so many elements into such a remarkable piece! It's just phenomenal, my friend! Have a wonderful day!
    Huge hugs to you! Branka xxx

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  2. I really enjoyed reading this and seeing you turn these pieces into something amazing. I love the deep layers on your cards! These blues are so pretty all piled up! Great project!

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  3. Oh my god Sara doll! You had me cracking up and I actually spit out my morning coffee! Lmao! I am going to steal a few ideas from you dearie! Genius way to store your rejects (stealing that idea!) and also for the overspray (thanks Samra and you!). Where should I even start? Your use of all the items and bits and pieces is amazeballs! You have combined so many layers and elements from the reject pile to make me rethink what I throw away. This is so beyond what I was hoping to see and your process-I need to see this in person! Wowzers, wowzers, wowzers! Thank you so much for embracing this challenge. You rocked it to the ninth degree! Hugz to you muffin! PS-My blogger had problems this morning but now is all fixed. Lol

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    1. Back again-I am over the moon about SSS and have you to thank for it. I saw you had entered it and so I did as well. Lucky lucky. I recieve my goodies today. :)

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  4. Gorgeous gorgeousness!!! What's not to love Sara, the colours you've used are exquisite and now I'm thinking that I may need to start hanging onto my mucky baby wipes (from cleaning up the ink, paint and mediums). I need to get a unit like that for storing my experiments as I have a couple of wallets full right now. As soon as I saw your and Niki's projects I was over awed by their beauty and your re-purposing skills. I will try to join in as I have at least one project I would like to re-do or try again Karen x

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  5. How can such a wonder come from a bin? Created by your hands of course! Gorgeous blue!

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  6. What an amazing make Sara, brilliant and to think it was made from scraps and leftovers, wow! A brilliant challenge theme by the way!

    Sorry for my lack of visits, but I had an almost 2 month break from blogging, and though I meant to visit, life just kept getting back in the way... Things should get back to normal now...

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  7. What a gorgeous make and definitely out of the box creation :) I love the color you chose for your project and gorgeous design!
    Hugs :)
    Samra
    Paper Talk with Samra

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  8. Wow beautiful project, gorgeous colours and so many lovely details! Thanks so much for joining us at We Love to Create for our 'Anything Mixed Media/Creative Goes' Challenge
    Claire xx

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  9. This is brilliant Sara and to think it was all made from previous rejection papers. So glad you kept them to make this stunning creation.
    Julie x

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  10. A stunning piece of artwork, love the shades of blue and aqua and lovely texture you have achieved, many thanks for joining in at FlonzCraft Vintage Stamping Challenges.

    B x

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  11. This is so cool! Love the beautiful blues! Thank you so much for joining us at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. Hugs, Sandra

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  12. Gorgeous Sara, you have done your castoffs proud! Amazing layers and wonderful textures and love your colour palette, very calm and soothing. Thanks for sharing it, Deb xo

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  13. What a fab piece Sara! Great tutorial too. I always keep the baby wipes I have used for wiping up and usually end up stamping onto them, but this is a great idea. Love it! Thanks for sharing with us and joining in the fun of this months things with wings challenge at The Artistic Stamper. Debs

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  14. Are you kidding me?!! First off, I can't believe you would have any cast offs- at least none of yours, that I would cast off! ") And secondly, look at this totally beautiful,absolutely deishous (sic) layered piece of yumminess!! I love your art and this is just beautiful,my friend! Thank you for sharing,Jodi! heehee( I can't believe you don't know her- you must be a baby!! ") xxoo

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  15. Fabulous card made from all your bits and pieces. Love the texture, all the layers and the colour palette. Also thanks for the tips too.
    Hugs!
    Cec

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  16. Wow! What a fabulous card! Such an amazing design! So pretty!!

    Thank you very much for joining us this week at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog!

    hugs...
    Melissa

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  17. This is gorgeous and it was a real pleasure to see how you constructed it. Thanks for sharing this with us at That Craft Place and good luck with the challenge, Angela x

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  18. I love this blog and the inspiration it gives me...thanks :D

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  19. Brilliant - I just love the dimensional layers, and beautiful blues to dive into - gorgeous!
    Alison xx

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  20. This is gorgeous,Thanks for sharing with us at Country View Crafts.xxx

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  21. As always, you totally blow me away sweet Sara. I have actually read this three times now and your step by step process just amazing. To me - it's a masterpiece. The way you think and imagine and create is just beyond me. All the layers on the first piece - I didn't want you to cover it up - it was a work of art all on it's own. But of course, in the end - the entire piece is just breathtaking. You have my usual admiration! j.

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