Why, I declare...ePlay challenge project

Hello everyone! It's Bonnie here with my response to the June ePlay Fabric Challenge. I had a copy of a lovely old photo which I purchased from Vectoria Designs and I was excited to create something worn, tattered, and vintage where she could be the star. Doesn't she look like she is saying "Why, I declare" in a lovely southern accent? I printed the image on white cardstock and then further distressed and aged it with Vintage Photo Distress ink. Everything else was built around her as the starting point.

I chose a scrap of designer paper which had a collaged look to it and cut it to size. I knew that I wanted to do some sewing so I didn't adhere it to the chipboard substrate until near the end. Using Sepia Archival ink, some flourishes were stamped randomly around the edges of the background. I selected a lovely aged and yellowed page from the Sears Roebuck catalogue which was in my Michelle Hill Ephemera Pack and tore three sections from it to layer over the designer paper. Once that was adhered, pattern was transferred with white gesso on a brush through the Dylusions Blocks stencil. Pale Ochre Archival ink was applied through the Dina Wakley Plastic Canvas stencil using a makeup sponge.

For the fabric bits, I had some remnants of burlap including a heart which I had cut to use somewhere and didn't. I also had some torn canvas fabric strips to which I wanted to add soft colour. I sprayed my craft mat with water and then Dylusions Melted Chocolate ink spray and dragged the strips through the puddles. The colour was very intense in some places so I rinsed the strips in the sink and came away with this brownish pink hue which I loved. I spritzed a little Vibrant Turquoise ink spray in a few places and rinsed that out as well. Then I hung them on the clothesline to dry, causing the neighbours to shake their heads and mutter... what else is new...LOL. I took one of the longer strips to the sewing machine and sewed as I folded in some pleats.

Next it was a case of playing with layering bits and scraps which were on my desk from previous projects until I came up with a composition that pleased my eye.The brown under the image had been embossed with the Diamond Plate folder and then not used for another project. The blue circle was punched, faux stitched and popped up on foam. The teal strips were offcuts from a Bingo card. also from the ephemera pack which I had sprayed with Studio Blue and Lark Art Anthology sprays for a previous project. I tend to save little scraps if I like what was done to alter them. They work well in larger projects and altered playing cards.

Once I liked the arrangement , I returned to my sewing machine to add some stitching to the right side, bottom edge, and through the short piece of canvas and heart. Love the texture and shabby chic effect.

 A length of lace was added to the bottom layers, as well as a mulberry flower and three threaded buttons. A layered kraft butterfly with a bead center was affixed to the top left corner of the image and an Idea-ology metal Word plate was attached with a brad over the pleated fabric.

The final embellishment was the key hole plate which I backed with black cardstock to allow the shape of the hole to stand out. Vintage Photo Distress ink was applied fairly liberally around the outside edges followed by Walnut Brown Big Brush pen before the entire layer was glued to the chipboard substrate.

Thanks for visiting today. I hope you gained a little inspiration and are keen to join us for our Fabric ePlay Challenge hosted by our very own Andiepants. Can't wait to see what you create!

Bonnie

Here are links to most of the products I used:

Dina Wakely - Plastic Canvas Stencil	Dylusions Stencil 5x8" - Blocks	Dina Wakley - White Gesso - 2 oz.	Faber Castell - Big Brush Pens - Neutral
Distress Ink Pad - Vintage Photo	Dylusions Ink Spray - Vibrant Turquoise	Dylusions Ink Spray - Melted Chocolate	Archival Ink - Sepia Ink Pad
Scor Tape -1/4"wide x 27 yds long (double sided)	Art Anthology - Coloration Color Sprays - Studio Blue	Art Anthology - Coloration Color Spray - Lark	Dina Wakley - Gel Medium - 2oz.
Vintage Paper Ephemera Bundles