Thursday, May 4, 2017

A Vintage Journey-Use a Quote

Hello friends and visitors! It's time for our newest challenge at A Vintage Journey which is 'Use a Quote' chosen by the talented Jenny. Laura, owner of That's Crafty generously provided That's Crafty Surfaces to all of the Creative Guides to work on for this challenge, and our ever-patient Nikki (Addicted to Art) coordinated everything to be sure we all received our surfaces. Thank you to Laura and Nikki! I was so excited to be able to be able to create on this fabulously sturdy MDF Upright Arch.


Here's what Jenny has to say about her challenge: Take a quote! Any quote! Whether it be on a stamp, a sticker, handwritten or sourced from the internet and make it the focal point of your vintage; shabby; mixed media; art journaling, industrial, timeworn or steampunk project.

My timeworn project was predicated on this quote from a Tim Holtz stamp set I won on his 12 Tags challenge at one time. I felt a little bad never giving this quote any air time, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity. The inspiration for my choice of quote and eventually this garden scene came from an old broken Frozen Charlotte china doll gifted to me by a friend from her parent's estate. Originally I was going to use the doll on this, but I got a bad case of commitment phobia, and will keep hoarding her.



I started by giving my arch and base a coat of gesso, followed by Pumice Stone Distress paint. I determined where my quote should go, and embossed it with Watering Can embossing powder and ink.

I made a stencil using Tim's old Brick Wall strip die. Masking my quote I applied Ranger Grit paste through my stencil. In some areas, where I wanted it to look as if stucco had been added over the exposed brick, I knifed on additional grit and Prima Stone Effect pastes and set the panel aside to dry.

In the meantime, I got out my Prima molds and paper clay and started the process of making stepping stones, a concrete fountain and some concrete moldings. I purposefully "broke" some of them by using a craft knife to cut pieces off, which hopefully you can see are scattered at the base. When they were dry, I smeared grit paste on the stones and stone effect paste on the concrete pieces randomly, and again allowed to dry. When they were completely dry, I  colored them with a variety of Distress Oxides,  DecoArt fluid and chalky paints and my waterbrush until I was happy with the coloring.


I painted the bricks using a combination of Oxides, paints and inks and the waterbrush for the most part adding washes of color and then highlighting with unthinned color. (I have a complete product list below.) I mixed up some Faux Grass (??What? It looks like Faux Moss to me!) with Forest Moss Distress stain and allowed it to dry. I applied that using gel medium for mossy growth. I added highlights of  DecoArt   chalk paint to the bricks and concrete pieces. I love how all these products work so well together.


I used a Prima crack stencil and black texture paste to make the crack, which at first was a little too bold. I went back in with a white watercolor pencil to soften it up a bit and used a black watercolor pencil to extend the cracks and add a few more on the brick wall and the fountain.




In the shots below, you can see I washed Walnut Stain Dox over the sentiment to give it a look of old plaster (At least that's what I was aiming for.)



Here's a few closeups of the mossy walkway where some of the broken pieces lie. The 'bricks' are also made from paper clay, and the ferns made from just the tip of the die cut. The paper I cut them from was colored with DOX.  I was quite pleased how, coincidentally,  the stones closely resemble the real ones in my courtyard in color.




 That's it for me today. Please stop by A Vintage Journey  to see all the amazing inspiration from the other Creative Guides--I think you'll get close to the full gamut of Guides using their choice of That's Crafty Surfaces. Then it's over to you! You don't have to use a That's Crafty Surface, just be sure it's a vintage, shabby, steampunk, industrial, mixed media, art journaling or timeworn project using a quote as the focal point. That's Crafty is our sponsor this month, and one lucky winner will be awarded  a generous gift voucher to their well supplied online store.


I'm entering the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday-Simon Says: A Hint Of Pink-Sad to say, my bricks have a hint of pink.
Simon Says Stamp Monday-Simon Says: The Great Outdoors
Allsorts-Week 413 - Embossing I embossed my quote.
CreataliciousChallenge #114 ANYTHING GOES with optional for the girls / Mother's Day I did not do the optional twist this time.
Happy Little Stampers-HLS May Watercolour Challenge I waterecolored just about everything on this. I included the red option.


Products used: (Most can be purchased at That's Crafty.)   Gesso; River rock mold; paper clay; black texture paste; Prima IOD molds 3, 5 and 6;  Prima Stone Effect paste-concrete: Ranger Distress Grit Paste, Prima Crackle stencil; Tim Holtz Ponderings stamps, Tim Holtz Brick Wall and Frantic Stamper Fern dies, Distress Oxides: Fired Brick (of course), Iced Spruce,  Peeled Paint, Walnut Stain; Distress ink: Fired Brick, Mowed Lawn, Forest Moss;  Distress paints: Mowed Lawn and Ground Espresso;  Distress stain: Forest Moss;   DecoArt Media Fluid acrylics: Paynes Grey, Carbon Black, Prussian Blue, and DecoARt  Everlasting Chalk paint; Prismacolor watercolor pencils.


Thank you for your visit today and for all your inspiring comments!
Hugs and Blessings!
Sara Emily


48 comments:

  1. WOOOOOOOOOOOW! Here you go again with a jaw dropping creation! This is one stunning work of art my dear! LOVE IT!!!!
    Hugs
    Samra
    Paper Talk with Samra

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  2. Oh my wow!! I don't have words!! This is spectacular, Sara Emily!! The texture is phenomenal!! The details are perfect!! It truly is a work of art!! I love, love every single detail!! And what a quote, too!! I just absolutely adore this, my sweet friend!! I'm in total awe!! Have a great evening!! Big hugs :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  3. Oh my goodness Sara, this is beyond amazing!!! The effects you have achieved with the different pastes and the paperclay molds are just incredible and how clever to make that brick stencil like that! All I can say is WOW!!! It truly looks like and ancient garden relic, and I just love how you have finished with those mosses and things. 10/10 from me!! Oh and what a lovely quote, never seen that one before...

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  4. Lovely sentiment, fabulous project.
    Thank you for sharing over at Allsorts;-))m

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  5. Sara I loved reading this post peppered with your thoughts, ideas and instructions. It's brilliant as is the most amazing finished arch standing beautifully proud in all its timeworn glory. You have given me so many ideas and am inspired to go and create - just wish I could lol xxx

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  6. A perfectly constructed and designed garden wall !! The brickwork looks so effective and real along with the crack! Just stunned that you could create such wonderful garden beauty on this MDF board. Could you come and do the same in my garden please !!! Just love it x

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  7. Really - really! Are you sure this was MDF - I swear it looks like real old stone, blinkin' amazing work Sara Emily!!!! Techniques 10/10 - but the synthesis of design / quote / concept is even better. Awesome my friend xxx

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  8. Sara Sara Sara Sara! I could just move in permanently to this fabulous garden! WOW! You have achieved such incredible texture and color variation on the bricks here. Truly a feat! I love how pale the bricks are and how wonderfully aged they all look, especially the piles at the bottom. I got so tickled at your statement, "I got a bad case of commitment phobia, and will keep hoarding her." because my dear I say that ever so frequently!!! :) LOLOLOLOLOL! I have to say that the texture you added to the molds really resembles concrete and rocks my boat! I just wish I could hold and inspect this more, but appreciate the detailed photos. Biggest hugs, Autumn

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  9. Loving all the texture!
    ♥ Monica
    Be sure to check out the link up party with lots of prizes!
    My personal Blog - Taylormadecards4u

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  10. Love everything about this - the finishes and colors are so timeworn and beautiful. Hugs, Sandy

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  11. Oh my god, this is amazing Sara!!! It looks so real! Your bricks are just perfect - the grit paste and your colouring worked so well! Oh and your moulds and all the details!!! Chapeau!!! xx

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  12. I have been so looking forward to seeing the details and they did not disappoint Sara! The brickwork is fab-u-lous, so detailed and such a true variation of colour! The molds you added to the top have such a lovely concrete feeling about them and adding the grit paste adds such lovely tecture, giving such a 'aged' feeling . This really is brilliant!!! Hugs, Anne xx

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  13. WOW!!! what a fantastic alteration Sara x The brick details are amazing and you have made them look so old...like some of them are worn away !!! You have really aged the arch perfectly and the greenery, stones, concrete are awesome!!! What a perfect quote too !!!

    Can you tell I love it !!!!

    Sending my best wishes
    Have a great weekend
    Annie xx

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  14. A message from the grave! I love old grave yards and this looks like a very old tomb stone - how wonderful! Only you could give it this really really look!!!!!
    Sandy xx

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  15. Incredible Sara, this is so wonderful. All the design pieces for this month's challenge have been unbelievably inspiring. Detail after detail gets me. Thank you. Lucy

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  16. what a wonderful aged garden piece Sara Emily! The bricks, the molded pieces so beautifully aged and broken - and what a marvelous quote! You always get so down and dirty with your creative projects! Love this! Julia xx

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  17. Wow Sara this absolutely brilliant, I love it!!!! Kerstin xx

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  18. LOVE this one soooo much, amazing use of the That's Crafty! substrates .....I have to say this one is my absolute favourite ;)
    Hugs
    Donna xx

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  19. Just amazing! How you managed to give this aged look to this piece... and all details in the construction, the greenery... fantastic!

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  20. Gorgeous project! I absolutely love this! Those bricks look real!! Very clever and awesome art!! 😍❤️❤️❤️❤️

    thanks for joining us on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

    Luv
    Lols x x x

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  21. Wow Sara, that is incredible! Amazing texture (to say the least!) and all of your cast pieces are fabulous. Perfect images and textures to pair with that wonderful quote (and I totally understand your wish to 'save' your Frozen Charlotte, what a wonderful gift!). Thanks so much for sharing this with us, truly amazing. Deb xo

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  22. WOAW!!! This looks so real!! Fantastic altering of the Upright Arch. You've done an incredibly good job here, I'm stunned!!!
    xx

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  23. Wow, this is fantastic! It looks like is a real piece that has been standing outdoors for many many years. Absolutely gorgeous weathered look. Thank you so much for sharing with us at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog!

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  24. Whats left to say that hasn't already been said? Sara Emily you have created an absolute timeworn masterpiece. I'm sat here in awe at your creativity and can't tell you how many times I 'Wowed' out loud whilst reading your post . Concept, design , execution and attention to detail - all outstanding. A truly amazing work of art.
    hugs x

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  25. Hi Sara! Thanks for visiting my blog and for your sweet comments!
    I love this piece of art you made!...all the layering and textures! Has a lovely antiquey/outdoorsy feel about it. And I love that quote too!

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  26. Wow oh Wow!!! This is absolutely amazing! Look at all the a awesome textures and dimension! I love the brick wall~the colors are spectacular! The pastes and molds you used make this looks so real! You have such an eye for detail which are amazing on this!! Truly a masterpiece Sara Emily!
    Have a great evening!
    Sherrie K

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  27. So amazingly creative. Thanks for all the detail photos. You inspire me to try more things.

    Diana
    Playingwithoutlimits.wordpress.com

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  28. Quite simply awesome Sara! The brickwork, the plasterwork, the garden flora are all perfection that you've made look at those it's been there for ever! Gorgeous xx

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  29. What a work of art! Thanks so much for playing Simon Says Stamp Wednesday “A Hint of Pink” Challenge! Beautiful colors and design. Well done!

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  30. Oh wow, Sara Emily, this is truly amazing! I love your brickwork and the mossy grass, and the broken pieces at the bottom - everything is so realistic! Your statue is awesome! The sentiment is just perfect for this piece. Would love to see this in person! Hugs :-)

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  31. WOW! This is fabulous! I love everything about it.

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  32. This is absolutely amazing! A FEAST of texture and beauty! I'd love to see it in real life!
    Thank you for playing with us at Mix It Up!!

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  33. Sara Emily, This piece is just Fabulous!! It look so old ,ancient actually,like a place long forgotten that would be magical to stumble upon! Your choice of quote- Perfect!!I too would love to see this in real life- truly outstanding my friend!
    Jackie xo

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  34. Simply wonderful, Sara Emily - your mossy garden wall is an absolute triumph. The perfect quote to go with it. I'm captivated by this.
    Alison x

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  35. Back to say thank you so much for joining us at Frilly and Funkie xx

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  36. Wow Sara, what an absolute showstopper, your bricks are amazing, your moss effect .....I just adore everything truly fantastic.
    Julie x

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  37. WOW - AWESOME love, love, love your project xxx Have a lovely week xx

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  38. Amazing project and Fabulous Quote! Thank you for sharing at Mixed Media World's 24 Challenge and good luck!
    Hugs
    Irena

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  39. If this wasn't on your blog and someone asked me to guess who created it I would have said you! The amazing texture and skill in which you have put this together is wonderful! Big Hugs, Chrisx

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  40. this is amazing Sara - it looks like its been in the garden forever - in the nicest possible way - I absolutely adore the effects you've achieved - brilliant! Hugs rachel x

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  41. This is fabulous!!!!!! It really looks like an old brick wall. Wonderful, wonderful job with it!!!

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  42. This is such an amazing piece of work! The brick looks so real. The details are exquisite. I'm in love!

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  43. What an absolutely amazing piece. I thought it was earl when I first saw it. The quote is beautiful. You're very talented. Thanks for sharing with us at HLS watercolor challenge ! Jenny x

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  44. Oh WOW, that is so gorgeous, truly a work of art!
    Hugs, Sherry x
    Loose Stitches and Unraveled Threads

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  45. A wonderful project!
    Thank you soo much for taking part in our "anything goes with optional for the girls / Mother's Day” challenge over at Creatalicious & good luck in the draw.
    Hope to see you again in our new challenge as well…

    Hugs,
    Melanie
    (DT-Coordinator Creatalicious Challenges)

    (DT Crafty Friends)

    (DT The Sketchy Challenges)


    PS: Sorry for the late comment, life had been very busy the past couple of weeks…

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  46. Hi, Sara Emily! Sorry to be late to the party here, but I just want to go on record as saying this is one of the COOLEST most amazing projects I have ever seen!!!!! I wish I could've been with you when you made this one. I impulse shopped through every step of your description-lol-not that I could ever replicate such a wondrous creation, but I can't wait to try out this technique! I am on inspiration overload!!
    Hugs,
    Nancy

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