Taking Flight

Hello - Alison here!  I'm delighted to be offering my first official post here at eclectic Paperie.  Since joining the team, I've so enjoyed discovering new crafty goodies and ways to use them.

I'm sharing some details today of the steps in creating one of my altered canvases - so I hope it will also serve as some extra inspiration for the brand new eP Get Altered Challenge - Using Canvas as well then!

I started with a blank 5 x 7 inch canvas, and gave it a coat of gesso. While that was still wet, I started layering torn pieces of the beautiful Serenade paper collection from Basic Grey.  I'd edged the pieces with some Vintage Photo Distress Ink so that they had some definition against the pale,  textured background.

Once they were in place, I brushed another light wash of gesso over them (gesso diluted with a little water, to make it less opaque, so that the designs will continue to show through) to give the papers a distressed, shabby chic look.  When I work with a canvas, I love to take the design over the edges, to make the most of the dimensionality.

I added some stamping using the co-ordinating Serenade music stamp from Hero Arts.

The next stage was to apply some stencilling using the beautiful Crafter's Workshop template, Mini Mariposa.  I used Vintage Photo and Gathered Twigs Distress Inks, and tried to position them so that they covered both paper and naked canvas so that there would be different textures under the ink.

I also used the Mariposa template with some texture paste to create dimensional butterflies on the canvas.  You smear the paste on with a palette knife, make sure all the areas you want filled are filled, and smooth away any excess before carefully lifting the template away.

Once the paste was dry, I applied some embossing ink and then added the beautiful Liquid Platinum embossing powder to it.  I love the shimmer of it, and the subtle glamour it brings.

I also used the Liquid Platinum on one of the Idea-ology bookplates as my centrepiece.   I cut the large pair of wings from the Layered Wings Die, using Grungeboard, and blended Vintage Photo and Gathered Twigs DIs onto them.  Then I stamped a flourish in embossing ink, and brought the Liquid Platinum back into play - I love how it catches the light.

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I hope this piece inspires you to try out something new... and if you incorporate canvas in your project, then you can play along with the brand new Challenge here at eclectic Paperie.  

And have fun playing!

Alison x

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