Monday, January 25, 2016

Oh, Baby, It's COLD Outside!!

Hello everyone! I just crawled out of my hole and discovered there's a Winter Wonderland challenge  going on over at DecoArt Mixed Media Blog. Well now, that's right up my alley! I hope those of you who have snow are enjoying it's beauty!  You may have read we had a recent dump of all 100 snowflake flurries here in the coastal south! You had to squint real hard to actually see the flakes.  So here I am, again, walking in my own hand made winter wonderland!




I'm afraid I took no in process photos, nor did I take notes on what I did.  I often take notes, so I'll know how to reproduce a look.   I'll share what I can remember, and hopefully I'm accurate. I did pile up my products as I used them, so I know that's right, anyway.  You can skip through the how-to, if you wish.  It's basically there for my knowledge and for anyone else that cares.

I actually started off with the top metallic panel, as an experiment.  (I think you are supposed to take notes when you experiment, so you remember what the heck you did!) I applied my new metal repair tape to a panel of manila file folder and embossed with a Tim Holtz Texture Fade. I applied a coat of DecoArt Media gesso in black and let that dry. I only have a few fluid acrylics, so I used what I had to get a stormy sky type of look--my colors will be listed below.  I mixed my colors with Matte Medium and painted them on. Before the wash was completely dry, I took a paper towel and laid it over the panel, pressed it onto the surface, and then pulled it off quickly and then wiped with a damp baby wipe.



I added little dots of Liquid Glass to some of the berries and let dry. I sponged on Titanium White to highlight the raised areas.  When dry, I gave another coat of Matte Medium and a light dusting of Glamour Dust. Love that frosty glimmer, but you may just have to imagine how shimmery it is.  No matter how I try, I can't photograph the shimmery beauty with my phone camera. And you can see by the number of photos, I tried a lot both in my "studio" light and in natural sunlight!




The back panel was made from cardstock embossed with another Tim Holtz Texture Fade.  Again, I covered with black gesso and let dry. Next I applied white gesso to the edge of a piece of scrap cereal box, and scraped it over the raised areas. I put a dot of  each of my fluid acrylics on my craft mat, and one by one, I layered on the color using my palette knife, sometimes scraping, sometimes patting and other times applying with the side edge of the knife.





I gave it several spritzes of white Shimmer Mister and then spritzed lightly with water.  I dried with a heat tool. I applied some of the mister at  the bottom using the inside tube of the spritzer mechanism, spritzed with water to let it drip down, and once again dried. I spritzed the reverse side one more time with water and ran it through the Big Kick with the Texture Fade again to get some real crisp embossing. By the way, I embossed once at the top of the card, and then again at the bottom to cover the entire 5 x 9 ish piece of card. I layered on some more of the blues, grey, and white paints using a make up sponge ever so lightly tapping to high light the raised snowflakes. While wet, I gave a dusting of Glamour Dust.  A final flick with some watered down Titanium white for blizzard like conditions. The simple quote is from Tim Holtz Small Talk, and I edged it with a mixture of Fluid acrylics in Titan Buff and Titanium White. I used Matte medium to adhere, and added a little extra at the top edge and sprinkled with Glamour Dust.






I felt like my artwork was a little busy with the two panels, so I decided to give the eye a little snowy place to rest.  I slathered some Crackle Paste on the edges and around the sides of a piece of foam core and while wet, I sprinkled on more Glamour Dust.  I'm telling you this baby shimmers like freshly fallen snow in sunlight! When it dried I swiped a little Medium Grey Antiquing Cream to the peaks (drifts!) I layered my metallic panel with foam tape to the snowy panel.  I cut a piece of chip board to the size of my bottom panel and adhered it and the snowy panel.





There you have it...my own Winter Wonderland, and I don't have to shovel! But then, I can't build a snowman or make snow angels with it either!

DecoArt Media Products: Fluid Acrylics-Titanium White, Titan Buff, Cobalt Teal Hue, Prussian Blue Hue, Medium Grey Value 6; Gesso-white and black., Matte Medium, Liquid Glass, Crackle Paste, Medium Grey Antiquing Cream, White Shimmer Mister  Other DecoArt Products: Glamour Dust Other: chip board, card stock, manila file folder,  3M Metal Repair tape, foam core, Tim Holtz Texture Fades Snowflurries and Winter Berries, Small Talk Occasions stickers.






I would like to enter my project into the following inspiring challenges:
Emerald Creek Dares Valentine's Is Not In the Air Heart's Undone My heart was broken when the temperature rose as soon as we started to get snow, and all we got is a few flurries and LOTS of cold rain. This led me to make this wall hanging. (I know, it's a stretch, but the absolute truth!)
Double "D" Challenges "Brrrr" Winter Time Theme I was inspired by the snow and the branches.
papersweeties-inspiration#39
Mixed Media Place Creative Gym # 16 "New Beginnings" For me, my new beginning is entering into this challenge.  I've been watching the Creative Gym exercises for about a year, and now finally joining in as I think my Mixed Media skills have improved enough. ALSO: Fresh fallen snow reminds me of "new", like some people think of green grass in the spring.  ALSO: using my new DecoArt Fluid Acrylics.
Dutch Card Lovers challenge #246 Let It Snow  I checked the rules and didn't see that a project had to be a CARD, although your title suggests it...I'm taking my chances!

Thank you for stopping by today and for all your wonderful comments!  I read and appreciate each and every one!
Hugs and Blessings!
Sara Emily
UPDATE: thank you for choosing my artwork!

29 comments:

  1. All that texture is GLORIOUS! I LOVE the wintry feel of this artwork! Gorgeous! Thank you SO MUCH for joining us at Paper Sweeties! HUGS! :) Mynn xx

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  2. Oh wow, Sara, this is absolutely stunning!! The texture is ah-may-zing!! I love the colors and details!! It is truly a winter wonderland work of art!! Love, love it my friend!! Have a great day!! Big hugs :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  3. OH WOW! This is so cool! Thanks so much for joining in the fun at Double D Challenges! We hope you’ll come back often.

    Darlene
    DOUBLE D
    DAR’S CRAFTY CREATIONS

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  4. Live the stormy colours and all that texture x

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  5. Live the stormy colours and all that texture x

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  6. Oh how wonderful Sara, so sorry that you did not get the real snow but this beauty is just full of wintry goodness and I bet the shimmer is stunning in real life! Stunning work! Hugs, Anne xx

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  7. absolutely stunning - I adore this - brilliant xx

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  8. Ha, ha - loved this post, Sara Emily! Looks a lot more fun than all the way-more-than-100-flakes we got, lol! Seriously, I love your experimentation here, which has produced such wonderful effects with the foil tape, paints and embossing folders....really gorgeous!! xxx Lynn

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  9. Very creative and pretty!!! Thank you for joining our Double D "Brrrr' challenge!
    Diane DD DT

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  10. awesome card!
    Love the metallic texture you got going here :D

    Thank you for sharing with us at Card & Scrap!
    Hugs DT Trine-Lise

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  11. This art is pretty awesome! It made me think of Massachusetts, I moved to Texas two months ago and it is NOT cold here and it is there!! Beautiful art work!! How nice to have one for each season?
    Thanks for sharing with us in Word Art Wednesdays 218th challenge! Ginny M DT WAW

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  12. Holy jumpins Sara, this is freaking incredible!! I love all the dark tones and metallic effects, and that fluffy layer of glittery snow in the middle just soothes the soul!! Wow, this must just glimmer and gleam in real life. Although I think you did manage to capture some of the sparkle in your shots, I am sure it's nothing compared to what it looks like in real life. This is such a brilliant use of DecoArt products, I love the winter evening feel that I get from this. Amazing textures, I just love the patterns you chose! Not sure I can say enough about this one, love me some wintery goodness, Sara style!! big hugs my crafty friend :)

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  13. WOW, Sara! The colors and texture on this work of art are amazing! You are on a roll with your beautiful mixed media winter inspired projects this month -- thanks so much for sharing your lovely work with us at Paper Sweeties :)

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  14. Ahhh metallic shimmer glitz at it's best..... this is INCREDIBLY Brrrrrrrrrrrrrreautiful Sara. Such a neat array of DecoArt products used so perfectly. I am sure hoping YOU have a winner here. It's FABULOUS. j.

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  15. Fabulous depth of colors and textures...reminds so much of a wintery evening....and baby it is cold outside, lol. Thanks for creating for the DecoArt Winter Wonderland Challenge.

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  16. OMG, Sara, this is absolutely fantastic work of art! What a perfect use of DecoArt products, what a brilliant texture, amazing metallic effects and wonderful dark tones! Simply breathtaking, my friend! Huge hugs and lots of love to you! Branka xxx

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  17. I definitely read the details, love to vicariously create through your experimentation. ha ha ha. This is a stunner, Sara Emily! I mean it is truly one of my favorite snowy pieces you've done. The deep mood of it is breath taking. I love the mat you created. It really makes the pieces pop and provides contrast. I am super inspired to play more with my embossing folders from this and your Tim tag. WOW! Thanks so much for taking the time to detail this. Hugs, Autumn

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  18. Sara doll, you know I love your designs but this is now my new fave! The dark and stark reality of the border adds such clarity to the main image and your use of the glimmer dust is awesome sauce! I think you were able to capture some of the glimmer with your pics but I bet it is even more spectacular in real life. When we meet up in Hawaii, you should bring this! Hahahaha! Wonderous use of the EF and the textures. Loves this! Hugz to you busy muffin! ~Punkin

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  19. Such beautiful use of the embossing folder - those branches and berries really do look amazing with the metal treatment. Joyous!
    Alison xx

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  20. Oh, my! The texture and colors and shimmer are simply glorious! What a delight to see this in our Brrr Challenge at Double D. Thank you so much for sharing with us!

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  21. wawwww så super flot ♥

    10000 tak for at du deltager på Card and scraps udfordring.

    knuzzzz ♥

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  22. Oh my! The texture is amazing and as for the colours that have blended together -WOW!! Hugs, Chrisx

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  23. beautiful Sarah! And I love that snow frame!!! xoxo

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  24. Only just seen your 'Winter Wonderland on the DecoArt blog Sara and had to stop by to take a closer look . Absolutely stunning - it was so worth the visit . Thank you so much for sharing your creative talent x

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  25. oh my soul!!! this is an amazing detailed piece!!! thanks for sharing it with us over at Emerald Creek Dares!

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  26. This is beautiful! I love all the details you have on your page, fantastic background work too! Thank you for joining the Mixed Media Place challenge!

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  27. Really cool! This is a piece of art! Thank you for joining the Mixed Media Place challenge!

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