Soar Free

Greetings and a warm welcome to you!

I'm delighted to be sharing my 3rd project as guest designer this month with the fantabulous Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. Thanks so very much for all your visits and kind comments on my previous two projects.

The days are rolling by rapidly as it's Monday again! This means it's time for a new challenge, and this week's challenge theme is 'Transport It'.

I decided to do something a little different (for me anyway!) so have made a mixed media canvas showing my favourite mode of transport i.e. hot air balloon. Without further ado, here it is...

Apologies for poor photos - I took some snaps with my phone as I went along for a 'step by step'.

All products available from Simon Says Stamp store are listed at end of post.

1. Began with a blank canvas board. Yikes - my first one!

This board was already primed with gesso.

2.  Dabbed some Ranger Distress Inks on my craft mat

Spritzed them with water. Swooshed the canvas through the inks and heat dried with heat tool.

Then painted with Paperartsy blue and white paints and gesso and allowed to dry.

3. Painted again with white gesso.

Adhered a woven trim.

Stencilled some texture paste using Prima stencil.

Stamped corners (although later on I fairly well covered up this stamping).

4. Painted yet again with watered down white paint.


Dabbed white crackle paint randomly.

Made textured lines by 'stamping' white crackle paste here and there using edge of an old credit card. Sprinkled mini art stones on top of this paste whilst still wet.

 

5. Painted die cut film strip, a drinking straw and chipboard with white paint. Adhered these to canvas. (The two shorter inner straws are positioned to balance the balloon).

Dribbled blue and gold Prima sprays around embellished areas.

Added little blue fragments and metal elements.




 

6. Die cut balloon from chipboard and painted with Prima metalliques. (Balloon actually triple layered).

Sprinkled around gold and pale blue microbeads.  Painted alpha letters and various metals with a mix of black & white gessos and metallique paints.  Filled tiny bottle with sequins and beads.

Layered balloon in place on top of more chipboard and sisal fibres. Added copper beaded trim and light bulb to balloon basket.

Stamped text onto tissue, tore tissue into little strips and glued with multi-matte.

 

7. Added some splatters.

Laid out painted stars, chipboard cogs and sequins to see how this looked but it seemed 'over crowded' given that I wanted the balloon to be main focus.

So scrapped this arrangement!

(Actually I scrapped several 'arrangements', but am just showing this one!)

8. Kept the stars and just added some crystals and pearls instead.

Smeared brass paint around edge of canvas. Painted cardboard panel the same blue as balloon and matted to canvas.

Rubbed white paint into metal wordband so that sentiment became clearer.

Decided to declare it finished at at this point...but further suggestions are welcome!





Do check out this week's challenge to view the always impressive creations from the fantastic design team. Each week one lucky challenge entrant wins a $50 gift voucher to spend instore.

Many thanks again to all at Simon Monday Challenge and at the Simon Says Stamp Store for allowing me feature in the 'Designer Spotlight' this month.

Very many thanks for taking the time to stop by today!
Wishing you a lovely week,
Nicola x

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I used products that are available from Simon Says Stamp Store as follows:

Dies
Memory Box - Grand Voyage Balloon and Quilted Balloon Stripes

Media

Paints
Prima Marketing Metallique Paint in Deep Waters and Brass Hardware. Paper Artsy Fresco Finish Paint in Snowflake

Sprays and Liquids
Prima Marketing Color Bloom Sprays in Gold Foil and Fairy Pond. Ecoline liquid watercolor in Black

Inks
Ranger Distress Inks in Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean, Broken China, Weathered Wood. Ranger Archival Ink in Black

Other
Prima Marketing Mixed Media Essentials for Black and White Gesso. Prima Marketing Heavy Body Gel. Ranger Distress Crackle Gel in Clear Rock Candy.  Dreamweaver Texture Paste. Ranger Texture Paste Opaque Crackle. Prima Marketing Mini Art Stones

Embellishments
Tim Holtz Idea-ology - Hinge Clips, Metal Word Bands, Game Spinners, Wire Pins, Swivel Clasps, Locket Keys / Metal Hardware Keyhole.
Prima Marketing Junkyard Findings and Micro Beads in Copper.
Stampendous Powder Blue Fragments from the Blue Encrusted Jewel Kit.

Sticky Stuff
Scotch Double Sided Foam Tape, Ranger Multi Medium Matte, Aleenes Tacky Glue

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I wish to enter canvas to the following challenges:
Mixed Media World - Anything Mixed Media Goes
Love to Create - 4 - Anything Creative / Mixed Media Goes
Allsorts - Anything Goes
A Vintage Journey - Words that are Special
My Time to Craft - Anything But a Card
Creative Artiste - Anything Mixed Media Goes 
Stamps & Stencils - Texture, Crackle & Paint
Try It On Tuesday - Lets Get Messy