Mixed Media Monthly Challenge #10 | Reveal

 Well, I can't say that I'm upset about February being over. I have actually never been so happy to flip a month over in my calendar as I was this month! March is definitely not the end of Winter here in New England but it's so much closer to Spring that we can all taste it!!! Many of us have damage to our homes already and the thaw of the record breaking amount of snow is going to be nerve racking! Spring will be a blessing but also a time of costly repairs. We deal with it and move on making us strong and resilient. I feel like these situations make most of us New Englanders "tough around the edges" but ready and willing to help others because we're all in the same boat! My parents have been blessed with the most wonderful and caring neighbors which warms my heart immensely! They are what community is all about and I wish we were all like that all the time.

OK, off my soapbox and onto some art. I "cope" with certain difficulties but venting to friends and my Mom, and through my studio time. The positive from this winter has been time creating - it's been too cold for me to deal with outside and I'm so tired of shoveling and dealing with hip pain that my studio is my escape. I have been creating canvases lately and diving back into Pocket Scrapbooking. More on that tomorrow! With the first of the month comes a new challenge reveal over on The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge blog. This month's theme is "Birds of a Feather". This was a fun challenge because it reminds us that Spring TRULY is right around the corner!  The Design Team really knocked this challenge out of the park - check out the blog for some amazing inspiration! I'm so proud of how much this team has grown and succeeded and I'm even more proud to be a part of it!

 I created this canvas by using papers from Graphic 45 "Botanical Tea" collection.

 

 

Once I adhered the background papers I painted the back of a script stamp with gesso and randomly stamped on the background of the canvas. I love how this technique tones down the paper and instantly adds a subtle mixed media flair to the project ...

 

 

I used Faber Castell Design Memory Craft Gelatos to color many of the elements on the canvas. The highlight of the canvas is the bird. I used a bird foam stamp and applied several colors of gelatos directly to the stamp. The colors I chose were Snow Cone, Cotton Candy and Chocolate. I then lightly misted the stamp with water and stamped on mixed media paper. It took a few attempts to get the look I wanted - each time it came out differently. The technique photos were taken at night with my iphone so please excuse the poor quality ...

 

 

I also colored the cheesecloth that's behind the bird by scraping some gelato onto my craft sheet, adding water and then I dragged the cheesecloth through the mixture. In the photo I originally used Cotton Candy and then switched to a Guava gelato ...

 

 

I also colored the flowers using the same technique as the cheesecloth. I used a light and dark blue to add depth to the flower. This is such a great way to coordinate elements that weren't necessarily designed to go together.

 

 

I layered some thread, the doily, and the colored cheesecloth and then added the bird with foam tape. I added some glass beads below the bird and added the title. Once everything was attached I scrapped some Champagne Gold gelato onto my craft sheet, added water and picked up the mixture with my brush. I flicked the mixture onto the canvas which added some lovely shimmering gold flecks onto the canvas.

 

 

 

Our sponsor this month is the FABULOUS Faber Castell Design Memory Craft. I own a ton of their products and highly recommend them.

 

 

They are offering two amazing prizes this month and you don't want to miss this opportunity. The gelotos are one of my most favored and often used products and here's a peek at the prizes ...

Please join us so you can have an opportunity to win one of these prizes!!

We also have a great Guest Designer this month who is also a DT member of our sponsor. Welcome to Rita Barakat!!  Here's a link to her blog - take a peek, she is awesome!!

Thanks for stopping by and I'm looking forward to seeing what you create with this month's theme "Birds of a Feather"!