Mixed Media Vignette Mini Tutorial - Your Heart's Desire for A Vintage Journey

Hello! It's time for a new challenge at A Vintage Journey, and our hostess, Annie has chosen the theme Your Heart's Desire -- so appropriate for the upcoming Valentine's holiday. 

"Since February is the month of love, we would like you to include hearts as the 'main' focus of your project. Just be sure your design is in keeping with our vintage, shabby, mixed media, art journaling, industrial, timeworn or steampunk styles that we prefer."

These are the steps I took to alter my vignette tray using contractor's foil tape, Tim Holtz Kaleidoscope Texture Fade, Prima and DecoArt paints and powder. The hoarded tray was the perfect size and depth and was a gift from my fellow Creative Guide and wonderful friend, Autumn. Thank you!

I cut a strip of foil tape for each side of the tray adding about 1/2 inch to each of the measurements. I applied Prima's Steampunk Copper paint to each foil strip using a cheap foam brush. This paint is really gooey, and I don't want to mess with washing out a brush when I'm done. I use a pouncing motion, rather than brushing it on, to get good coverage and to give some variation in color. Any texture will be flattened out by the dry embossing.

When the copper paint is completely dry, I emboss the strips using the Kaleidoscope embossing folder. Do not wet the foil as you would if you were using paper. I did pass it through my die cut machine the prescribed three times, but I doubt it needed more than one pass.

I apply DecoArt Green Patina Antiquing Cream over the surface with my finger and allow it to dry a bit. Then I wipe with a slightly dampened paper towel, leaving the color in the recesses. I don't particularly care for the shine from the foil, so I apply Prima Color Clay Artisan Powder with my finger over the entire surface and wipe off the excess with a dry paper towel.

It's very easy to adhere the tape over the edges of the frame, since the foil is adhesive backed. **I make all my cuts before removing the protective backing. ** I mark the width of the inside of the frame opening on the back of the long edge of the foil strip.  I add 1/4 inch to the depth of the frame (1/2 inch) and mark a line horizontally on the back of the strip at 3/4 inches from the long edge. I make vertical cuts to that line from the previous markings. I score this flap at 1/4 inch and again at 3/4 inch.

I fold the strip at 1/4 score line and this surface goes on the 'floor' of the frame. The score at 3/4 inch  will be at the inside lip of the frame. Use scissors to cut in at an angle to miter the corners. Now I remove the protective backing and starting at the floor of the tray, adhere to each surface. Once the scored and folded part of the strip is adhered, I simply fold and form the remaining portion over the remaining edges.

I got lucky and the design aligned at one of the corners! Now here are some more  photos of the finished project.

I used another foil strip to create the Retro Repeat panel in the background and paired it with a panel colored with Distress paints. Behind the Retro Repeat is a scrap of paper I used to ink up some die cuts on awhile back--I didn't want to waste the ink. LOL

The Faceted Heart is cut from Distress Metallic Kraft Stock, heat embossed in clear with Lattice and Flourish stamp set. It's colored with Distress Crayon, antiquing cream and Artisan powder. I used a couple of Big Chat stickers for my sentiment.

The wooden cogs were also a gift from Autumn, and I heat embossed them with a mix of Baked Texture powders. I altered and added Faucet Knob, an old Ideaology word token and some chain from my stash. I threaded rusty wire through the token hole and twisted it up. Black Soot paint splatters finish it off.

I can write a personal message on the back, which is finished off with a stamped Oxide panel from my stash.

I hope you'll hop on over to A Vintage Journey to see how my talented fellow Creative Guides have interpreted this theme. Then I hope you'll play along! I can't wait to see YOUR Heart's Desire!

As always, your visit and your sweet comments brighten my day! Sara Emily

Challenge shares:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Love Is In The Air

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Anything Goes

Scrapy Land Challenge #106 Anything Goes I used 2 Sizzix dies.

Crafts Dreamy Anything Goes Challenge #2

Mixed Media Place January Challenge Inspired by the bottom right photo and by the cinnamon sticks matte brown color.

Links to products used stocked by The Funkie Junkie Boutique:

Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 2PK - Faceted Heart by Tim Holtz

Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlits Die Set - Retro Repeat 

Sizzix 3-D Impresslits Embossing Folder - Kaleidoscope 663296	Prima Art Alchemy Acrylic Paint - Metallique Steampunk Copper	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Collage Medium Matte TDA47933	Ranger Tim Holtz Ground Espresso Distress Paint TDF50605	Tim Holtz Ranger Metallic Distress Paint - Antiqued Bronze TDF52913
Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Rusty Hinge TDF53217	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Evergreen Bough TDF53026	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Fossilized Amber TDF50209	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Black Soot TDF52937	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Crayon - Chipped Sapphire TDB49609
Seth Apter Baked Texture Bundle - 7pieces	(LATE OCTOBER PRE-ORDER) Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Pad 12 Color Bundle #5	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Faucet Knobs	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Big Chat Stickers TH93192	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Lattice and Flourish CMS257