Trying to Fit In With Seth Apter Rusted Mixed Media

Welcome friends! It's time for a new challenge at A Vintage Journey, and our talented and lovely Julia chose the theme Melt It. Oh, that's music to my ears!

Julia says, "This month we're asking everyone to MELT IT! Get out the UTEE (ultra thick embossing enamel), beeswax, encaustic wax, embossing powders or good old wax crayons and a heat tool and get melting to create something in a vintage; shabby; mixed media; art journaling; industrial, timeworn or steampunk style."

 I don't have much in the way of process photos, so I hope my description and close ups will help. Not sure at all what I would create,  I started with a piece of cardboard box which I cut to fit my 6 x 6 Lemon Craft papers I purchased in my friend Lisa's Etsy shop. The sweet polka dot pattern is all but lost beneath my layers of paint.

After adhering the paper, I brayered on Deco Art Media Fluid paints thinned with Tinting Base. The colors I used are  Titan buff, English Red Oxide and Raw Sienna. When dry, I added texture with a Prima stencil and Gold Crackle paste and sprinkled with two embossing powders. One is an old powder called Cloisonne' Granules and the other Aged Ochre Frantage. When the paste dried, I heated to melt the powders. I love how I can see some of the gold crackle peeking out here and there.

I added second generation stamping with Potting Soil archival ink and a Tim Holtz Ledger Script stamp. So far so good.

 Not sure where I was going with this, I wanted to see how my nearly dried up Crazing medium worked with the embossing powders when heated.  Ehhh! Not too good! I think the Crazing medium is beyond hope, even as a grungy paste like I used HERE. Unfortunately, it stuck pretty well, so I needed to proceed. Since gel medium is almost the same, I mixed up a batch of gelmediumdecoartpaintminiartstones, smeared it on the edges of the panel and blasted with a heat tool to melt. While it was still hot, I sprinkled with more of the embossing powders and melted them. Still not satisfied, I rubbed Walnut Stain Distress crayon over the lumpy mess, heated that and called it rust. The DecoArt Media paints used are Quinacridone Gold and Burnt Umber.

I spritzed the background with water and sprinkled on my two previous powders and some chunky copper powder. When I applied heat, it leaves behind a nice random splatter of metallic texture.

So, it looks as if my frame was determining what would go over my pretty stenciling. I went through my box of die cuts, and found these butterflies left over from another project and two Seth Apter Robo die cuts my good friend and fellow Creative Guide Autumn sent me. The butterflies were already done, and I can't remember exactly what I used on them, but I do know there is a chunky copper embossing powder on the orange one. I also melted some Black Soot Distress Crayon on the edges of the blue butterfly .

I decided to make some rusty pipes out of my Robo Square and Robo Bar die cuts. I gave them a coat of black gesso followed by some random smears of my gel medium... concoction. I heated that and added just a touch of Prima  Light Patina Metallique paint.

I thought there could not be a more unlikely paring of a butterfly and rusty pipes, and so my title was born. This started out at a Tim Holtz Christmas Quote Chip, which I sanded, painted with black gesso and applied Label Letters. I gave it a generous dabbing with the Ranger Emboss It Dabber and clear embossing powder.  I also included a Quote Chip to round it out.

That's all for me today. What will you find to melt on your design? We hope you will play along with this month's challenge at A Vintage Journey to be in for a chance to win a £20 Voucher from Country View Crafts or be choosen as one of our three Pinworthies! Please stop by the blog where my fellow Creative Guides are waiting to melt your heart with their inspiration.

Sharing with these challenges:

Country View Challenges February 2018 - Anything But Cute

Scrapy Land Challenge #82 Anything Goes Spellbinders and Sizzix

Crafting By Designs Things with Wings

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes

Thank you for stopping by today and for all your thoughtful comments! I really appreciate YOU!

Hugs and Blessings!

Sara Emily