Twas The Nite Before Christmas

Merry Christmas crafty peeps... it's my turn on Unruly Paper Arts blog today to share my design team project with you inspired by our theme this month "Santa  Is Coming, anything Christmas featuring Santa.

This started off being a Halloween candle holder that was black. I picked it up on the clearance shelf for next to nothing. Painted it white and then I had this little glass house that I also painted white and embellished it with yummy glass & tinsel glitters. 

Added some Buffalo snow for the base and then bleached out my little bottle brush trees and also added some more glitters. 

For the finishing touches I added ribbon, pinecones, bells, and leaves all sprinkled with Rock Candy Glitter & gold. I hope you were inspired to get busy with your Christmas decorations. For photos of my step x step process jump over to Unruly's blog. xoxo Toni

This project is being entered into the following challenges: 

Try It On Tuesday - Snowflakes or Winter Whites

Altered Eclectics - Altered Art or Mixed Media

Artistic Inspirations - Challenge 146 - With A Twist of Christmas 

Spooky Fun !

This month at Unruly Paper Arts our theme is "Open Theme". Halloween is right around the corner and I love decorating so I thought I would make something for my front porch. I used this graphic on another project awhile back and thought it would be perfect addition to my decor. I used an 8.5" x 11" canvas for this project, so here we go !

My canvas was first given a blotchy coat of white gesso... I wanted it to be chunky and worn looking. Next I used a splatter stamp for background texture effect with Brushed Corduroy & Tea Dye Distressed Inks.  Using Ideology Ransom Alphabet mask I then applied different shades of Lindy's Stamp Gang mists over the stencil. Using Black Soot I stamped a few spider webs here and there. Next up is my house and blue prints. My house image was generously provided by Graphics Fairy

...blueprints and all ! I distressed the blue prints and house with Walnut Stain DI then applied the graphics with Glue and Seal and allowed to dry completely.

For my sign I simply ripped a piece of chipboard,  and glued my "Don't Let The Price Scare You" sentiment on top. Distressed the entire top with Black Soot and Walnut Stain and crumpled the edges then attached to canvas. 

For my key and safety pin I took 1 pt vinegar and 2 pts bleach allowed the key to be fully submerged. I left over nite... outside because it had a pretty potent smell and in the morning I had a perfectly rusted key and safety pin to attach it. 

Ok for the fun part... I love working with beeswax and I haven't in quite awhile. I allowed it to melt a bit longer than normal because I wanted it to discolor a bit. I then just brushed over the entire canvas, using my heat gun to move the wax around and allow chunky areas. Then I brushed over the top of the canvas which provided the nice long drips. Once it dried it turned a beautiful warm caramel color which I love. 

This will now be nailed to a wooden stake and stuck in a pot on my front porch for a Halloween decoration...Hope this has inspired you and have a  BOO-tiful Halloween !

Inspiration Using Chipboard

 Hi everyone...This month at Unruly Paper Arts our theme is "Chip off the old block". Yes... we are focused on Chipboard,  specialty papers such as corrugated cardboard and different ways to utilize them in your art. Chipboard has always been something I have loved to incorporate in my scrapbooking. And now it's more popular than ever to use it in your altered art pieces and mixed media. It provides you with a 3D effect, as well as the chunky texture to your pieces.

What exactly is it. Well it's usually recycled paper it's pressed fiber thick paper. Used on the back of notebooks and is sturdy enough to handle sanding, painting, inking, cover with paper, modeling paste.

In scrapbooking you will for the most part get packages of chipboard pieces that are letters, numbers, shapes etc. and sometimes you end up with an assortment of odds and ends and you don't know what to do with them... DON'T THROW THEM AWAY !!!

I have boxes and boxes of leftover pieces. I seperate them by letters, shapes, numbers etc. These pieces I can collage together for other projects, covering them in gesso and then painting or glittering will give them a new look. 

The letters above obviously were from different sets but can be used all together to create something fun and whimsical. The next few photos I will take each letter and apply a different technique to give ideas of different products to use on them to breath new life into those old chippies. 

Apply modeling paste with stencil to provide texture. Once dry, apply paints, inks or mists to give you a new wanted color. 

The next one I wanted to have a glossy sheen to it. Using 3 coats of UTEE provides that pretty look. 

No project is complete without a little glitter and that is just want this chipboard piece needed for a facelift. 

This piece was sprayed with Lindys and then a nice thick coat of Distress Crackle Paint was given to add that old vintage look. The last two letters I applied chalkboard paint and chalk to decorate, the next one I added sand modeling paste for texture, and the last letter I simply embossed a stamp on the top of my letter. 

Time to go dust off those old chipboard pieces and find a new home for them on a beautiful masterpiece created by you. I hope this has inspired you. For more wonderful ideas and techniques be sure to check out Unruly's blog ALL month long for designer to inspire you with their chipboard makeovers. Happy August !!! xoxo Toni