Thursday, June 6, 2019

The Pretty Little Birds Chirped -- A Vignette for A Vintage Journey



Welcome friends! We start the newest challenge at A Vintage Journey today and our theme is Tissue Paper chosen by talented Creative Guide, Astrid. Here's what she says about the challenge:

There are many different ways you can incorporate tissue paper into your project - create texture by scrunching it up, stain it, paint it, wax it, stamp on it, emboss on it. You could use cheap tissue from the supermarket, recycle gift wrapping tissue, or even use old dressmaking patterns. Just remember to create in one of our preferred styles of vintage, shabby, mixed media, art journaling, industrial, timeworn or steampunk.



I used Tim Holtz Plain Tissue Wrap ( the old kind) and his newer Collage Paper-- to make the embroidery hoop focal point of my vignette. It's been so long since I made it, the details are a bit fuzzy, and I only have one process shot. I'm happy I have that one photo, because I would have never guessed what I used to get that crackle! I stretched  the plain tissue wrap through the embroidery hoop, trimmed the excess and applied clear gesso to the surface. Next I gave it a coat of DecoArt Crackle Glaze and allowed it to dry to make those lovely cracks.



Using Distress Collage Medium Matte, I applied the birds which I had torn from Tim's Aviary Collage Paper. From here the details of completing the hoop get's a little fuzzy. I'm fairly certain I sealed it with Vintage Collage medium (not Matte) before using Distress Crayon in Walnut Stain to highlight the cracks.  Recently I added Broken China and Twisted Citron crayons to give it much needed color. Finally I smeared Antique Linen paint around the edges. I aged the tightening mechanism with Smolder Alcohol Pearls, splattered the crackled tissue scene with watered down Ground Espresso ink and added text with a Clippings Sticker.

I originally planned to take advantage of the transparency of the tissue wrap and have this hang alone, but somewhere along the line I lost sight of my original plan. The hoop has auditioned several creative 'homes' this past month. In it's final destination of the vignette box, I thought it needed a light colored backing to make it stand out more. I used a Tim's Stitched Circles die to cut a coffee filter circle which I adhered to the back of the tissue. I love the encaustic appearance of the finished hoop element.



The frilly edging was made with Tim's Crochet Thinlits die cuts. It's easy to give them the perfect vintage hue with a spritz or two of Antique Linen Distress Oxide Spray. I apply Vintage collage medium to the reverse side of the hoop's edge and adhere the strips of lacy paper while they are still damp, crimping as I go along. I'm using the vintage collage medium where ever I can, because I'm down to the last bit of my matte and need to save it for where transparency is needed.


I prepared my vignette box by giving it about 4 coats of gesso. It was black and gold in it's former life as a piece of cheap block wall art (not real wood) for a child's room similar to the one shown above.  I pick these up at garage sales for a quarter whenever I can just for this purpose.


Next, I adhere little scraps of various Tim Holtz Collage Papers to the interior side walls and a few bits to the interior back wall and seal with collage medium. I save these bits left over from other projects in an envelope with my complete rolls of paper just for this purpose.


I smear the inside walls randomly with DecoArt Crackle paint, because I want a chippie effect, and this stuff always chips a bit. Sadly, my 1/2 full jar is almost hardened, so I didn't exactly gets the results I was hoping for; perhaps a little too chippie. Does anyone have tips for reviving this stuff?


While that's drying, I paint the exterior with DecoArt Media Fluid Raw Sienna. I mix DecoArt Matte Medium with Burnt Umber to work as a glaze and brush that on. When it's dry, I water down Picket Fence paint and smear that on. A final step to make this look like authentic aged wood is to add some Vintage Photo crayon.



 After the crackle dried, I highlighted the cracks with DecoArt Patina Green Antiquing Cream and colored the interior further with a spritz of Broken China Oxide spray thinned with a squirt of water. I chased the color around  the interior with my heat tool, and when dry adhered an advert cut from Vellum Wallflower paper stash, again sealing with collage medium. Allowing that to dry just to touch, I held my breath and gave it a short two squirts of Twisted Citron to the backing where I thought it might show in the end. Sadly, those oxidized droplets are all but covered up. You might catch sight of a drop or two peeking out from behind the Nest and Eggs ephemera bundle. And there's the green ghost shadowing up at the top where I blotted back some of the green from that squirt. All in all, I love the subtle coloring.



With my finger, I smear Ranger Opaque Crackle paste on the lip of the frame and when dry, highlight the cracks with Walnut Stain Distress crayon.


To finish off my vignette, I adhere corrugated waste packaging to the back of the hoop to give it dimension before adhering to the box.



I made a nest from some natural packing material and a collage of scraps cut from a Journal Card, held together with a clothing tag perfectly distressed by trips through the washer and dryer (oops!) and fastened with my Tiny Attacher. Thank you for the inspiration, Jo!  I've had this tag in my junk drawer for years, but my soon to be 22 year old son still has a size 18 boys waist! A Story Stick is colored with Smolder Alcohol Pearls and Picket Fence paint and a tiny egg from my stash is dropped in the nest. I just realized, I used this egg as a photo prop in this post.


 An Ideaology Label Pull and a couple of brads from my stash colored with Smolder holds a scrap with a Remnant Rub. The brads were red and green to start; I first painted them with Black Soot paint before adding a drop of Smolder.

I'll leave you with a few more photos of the completed vignette.




That's it for me! I hope you'll travel over to A Vintage Journey and see what amazing inspiration my fellow Creative Guides have prepared for you!  Perhaps you will be inspired to join in the fun and link up your own Tissue Paper project. Hugs and blessings, Sara Emily

Challenge shares:

Links to products used and available at The Funkie Junkie Boutique:
Tim Holtz Thinlits Crochet
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Collage Paper Aviary
Tim Holtz Stitched Circles
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Remnant Rubs Halloween
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Tiny Attacher
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Journal Cards
Ranger Opaque Crackle Texture Paste
Ranger Tim Holtz Alcohol Pearls - Smolder
Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint
Ranger Distress Oxide Spray
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Crayon
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Collage Medium Matte
anger Tim Holtz Distress Collage Medium Vintage

27 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh, Sara Emily, this is spectacular!! Wow!! The crackle on the tissue paper looks amazing!! I love the beautiful scene you added with color and the birds!! All of your details are just so stunning and I love, love everything about this!! Truly sensational, my friend!! Have a great evening!! Big hugs :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  2. Really love the theme and colors on your box Sara Emily. The birds are perfect and I love the hoop. Hugs, S@ndy

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  3. Wow this is glorious!! So much texture, detail and skill! I have project envy!! :)
    Thank you for joining us this month at We Love 2 Create With Polkadoodles! Jane (DT) xxx

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  4. This is one of the cleverest and prettiest vignette boxes I have ever seen Sara, absolutely brilliant use of those two types of collage paper! And oh that crackle, - it looks super. Love the clever way you used the embroidery hoop too. Altogether a superb project!! Thanks so much for playing in the challenge!

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  5. I love love love this Sara x Lots of amazing details and layers of gorgeousness. How clever to use the hoop in this way x TFS and huge hugs
    Annie x

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  6. Sara Emily this is wonderful! I love the way the tissue in the hoop is crackled and colored! And all the details make a beautiful vignette! Thanks for sharing

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  7. What a delightful project Sara Emily! Brilliant idea to use the crackle on collage/tissue paper, going to have to give this a try myself :) Perfectly aged and distressed~ love it!!! <3 xo PS, I have no advice how to revive the 1/2 jar, sorry.

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  8. Wow, what a stunning make! I was mesmerised by all the details your created and the way you used the tissue paper - beautiful 😁. Thanks for the inspiration and wishing you a happy Friday and weekend! Jo x

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  9. This is beautiful, the textures and design are fabulous. Thank you for joining us over at Bleeding Art this Month.
    Hugs
    Linda xxx
    Bleeding Art DT

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  10. Oh, that crackle on the tissue paper looks amazing and the hoop was such an inspired idea. This really is a stunning shadow box Sara and the details you added are superb. I wish I could help with the dried up crackle, I have one myself - I tried using warm water but that just made it worse, sadly.... Hugs, Anne xx

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  11. As usual there is so much detail here Sara Emily! I love bird nests and blue eggs so I was happy to have my eye wander all over your project - what great crackle on this, the lace die cut made such a great edge for your hoop - a beautiful tissue project! xx

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  12. Wow!! This is so gorgeous Sara! The crackle on the tissue paper is amazing and I love all of the details used in this stunning little vignette!! Have a great day! hugs xx

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  13. Wow - your crackled embroidery hoop "glass" looks just fabulous, and I love the crocheted doily frame you created for it too. An altogether charming little shadow box. I've just had to dump some Prima Crackle which simply didn't want to crackle any longer - simply been hanging around for too long, I suppose - it just looks like lumpy porridge now!
    Alison x

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  14. Wow Sara! I love the crackled tissue in the embroidery hoop - what a fabulous idea. Then all the wonderful details .... all beautifully layered. It really is an amazing project. Jennie x

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  15. What a beautiful altered box, Sara Emily! I love the embroidery hoop with the crackled background as well as the lace trim around the edges. It looks just like a real piece of fabric lace.

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  16. WOW, this is so amazing, thanks for the details!

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  17. Pretty vintage project. Love the shadow box pieces. Well put together

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  18. A wonderful vignette Sara Emily! You make me laugh that you cant remember what you did, sounds just like me. Leave something half done to use another time but no idea how i did it - the joys of craft. The embroidery hoop is stunning with the birds on the cracked surface and your vignette embellished beautifully xx

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  19. Super work Sara! There are so many lovely details in your vignette box, I am quite fascinated with the way the tissue looked when you applied clear gesso and crackle glaze. What a fab surface it creates! Perfect for those pretty birds . Thankyou for the warm welcome you have given me Sara and also for the lovely comments you have left on my blog. It is very much apreciated. Toni xx

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  20. Incredible use of Crochet thinlits! It's a fabulous idea, i'm in love! love the whole design of your work! Amazing! barbara

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  21. Fabulous work, Sara!!! My favourite is the embroidery hoop, I love those giant crackles and those lovely birds!!! xx

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  22. WWOW!! What a fabulous piece, Sara! I love this altered box so much. The background you created is beautiful and perfectly embellished.
    Hugs, Ann xx

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  23. This is just beautiful and I love all the elements. Beautiful, beautiful work! ;-)

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  24. Frickin awesome!!! I love the piece, I LOVE the process! You teach me so much!!!

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  25. A really Gorgeous Vignette box , Sara Emily with so many wonderful creative touches. Love the embroidery hoop focal feature- its like it was made for the vignette .
    A really inspiring project - TFS x

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  26. Amazing effect with the tissue paper in the embroidery hoop. That is getting filed away to try! Beautiful vignette box and I love the soft muted effect of the birds on the hoop!

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  27. I absolutely love this, Sara Emily!!!!!!!! I mean really, really love it. Is it for sale?

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