Wednesday, April 1, 2015

April's Mixed Media Card Challenge!


Hello!

The Mixed Media Card Challenge theme this month is flowers and the optional element is a basket.

I frequently draw on my love of nature and gardening for inspiration for my art work. I enjoy building mixed media projects in layers to share my stories. For this month I share that living in the the far north means there is no spring season. And while I miss the beautiful, fragrant and colorful bursts of spring flowers for now I patiently wait and make art.


 
 
 
 



I wish I could put this card in your hands so you could twist and tilt it to capture the many different effects of the light bouncing off the different materials.

 I started creating the blue background with aluminum foil attached to cardstock and dry embossed . I colored the foil with several different hues of blue alcohol ink.  To create the look of cracked ice I used blending fluid to remove the blue edges to reveal the silver.

On an acetate overlay I painted the openings of STAMPlorations shutter stencil with white acrylic paint to represent the breaking-up of our snow pack.   I left a few shutters unpainted so it is easier to see the cracked ice underneath.

For the top layer I created a piece of alcohol inked glossy cardstock to represent the bright summer colors that will soon fill our world. And added embossing paste enhanced with color, glitter and texture to create symbols of our annual earth cycles in the far north including a fern and a leaf I dried last summer. The STAMPlorations daffodil was stamped on acetate and colored with sharpie markers.

So for now I am happy to enjoy many representations of flowers until our growing season arrives. And as they say "I'm just chillin"!




May you have a beautiful spring season!  Hope our design team's cards bring you inspiration for this month's Mixed Media Card Challenge. Be sure to stop by their blogs to see the details of their cards.

This is the link to the Mixed Media Card Challenge

Challenge Entry:  I am also entering this card into Virginia’s View Challenge- #14 Layers and Dimension
Layers-base is embossed foil colored with alcohol inks
Overlay-acetate layer with shutters stencil painted with acrylic paint

Top layer-alcohol ink painted glossy cardstock with stenciled highlights created with embossing paste, glitter and gel pens and stamping.  Daffodil is stamped on acetate and colored with markers.
 
Thanks for stopping in and of course every comment put a smile on my face and more inspiration in my heart!   Many thanks!...Jan

8 comments:

  1. That blue foil BG paired with embossing and alcohol inks looks awesome :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great colors and shimmer on your embossed foil background Jan!

    ReplyDelete
  3. you always have such cool technique combinations going on! this one is no exception!! great card!

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a beautiful card, I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your card just sparkles, Jan. Love the effect of the foil, embossing and alcohol inks --- gorgeous! And love your summer colours and beautiful daffodil. Amazing piece of art!! Loll xx

    ReplyDelete
  6. I wish I could hold it too! Absolutely fantastic techniques with a beautiful result!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow, how cool is that background, Jan! I love the depth that you had achieved! I bet it looks even more beautiful in real life! So glad that you join the fun over Virginia’s View “Layers and Dimensions” Challenge!

    ReplyDelete
  8. You make me want to get out the aluminum foil, Jan. I hope you are seeing more sunshine every day in the great white North.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for leaving a comment...it makes my day