Friday 5 July 2013

Choose a decade or era

The new challenges at ‘Crafts-Too Challenge You’ starts today and they are going to be a lot of fun. The theme for the month is ‘Choose your Decade or Era’ but for the first two weeks there is a twist, but because it’s a brand new challenge blog the twist is ‘Anything Goes’. So we are looking forward to seeing lots of lovely projects that link to some time in history.
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I am showcasing a canvas depicting images from the 1950’s and used some stamps from Marianne Designs.

I started by sealing the canvas with gesso then stamped some vintage dressmaking pattern paper and glued it all over. When dry I added distress paints and spritzed over them causing them to bleed and blend together and heat dried.
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I glued on the embellishments with tissue tape and stencilled numbers using walnut stain distress ink. When dry I washed over some white gesso making it thicker over the added elements, when this was dry I let some of the watery wash dribble down the canvas.
I stamped the ladies and child onto cream card and again on Marianne Designs patterned paper and paper-pieced the dresses. After cutting them out I inked the edges with walnut stain and glued them to the canvas.
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To finish off added some more stencilling, the flowers, sentiment and the butterfly ….
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I also watercoloured some vintage photo distress ink around the images to make them stand out a little more.


So if you are doing a project over the next two weeks that links to another era or decade we would love to see it over at ‘Crafts-Too Challenge You’.


Take care and have fun.

hugs {brenda} x0x

Challenges to have fun with -
Bloggers Challenge - create your own background
Crafts 4 eternity - sewing room
Crafts and Me - anything goes
Stampotique - recycle (dressmaking pattern and the sew letters are scrabble pieces)
Creative Card Crew - no designer paper
Try It On Tuesday - metal (scissors, hanger)
Cheerful Stamp Pad - from the past
Imagination Crafts - anything goes
Simon Says Stamp and Show - anything goes

57 comments:

Rita said...

What a fabulous canvas Brenda. Right up my street too. You have captured the era to perfection with this creation. Fascinating piece of art. Have a Good Day. Hugs Rita xxx

Amanda said...

Loving this canvas!
Love
Amanda x

Paula Whittaker said...

What a super canvas...so full of layers and interest.

Redanne said...

This gorgeous canvas evoked memories of my Mum and Auntie who used to make all their own clothes in the late 50s. Love the drips in the background and the edging of the ladies to make them stand out. The embellies are gorgeous too. Hugs, Anne x

Gio said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Gio said...

oh the gorgeous fifties!!

Such a lovely canvas, ....Brenda!! eheheh! Sorry, dear!

Astrid Maclean said...

This is stunning!!! Wonderful choice of stamps and a gorgeous card altogether, - love how you have put it all together and great colours too! Looks like a fab new challenge site, - wished I had more time to play :(

Jenny Marples said...

Fantastic canvas for a great theme Brenda. Love the way the ladies pop out with a little help from Vintage Stain. Hugs, Jenny x

Carol said...

Gorgeous Brenda. All that work. When I get bored with parchment I will have to come to one of your classes. I wouldn't know where to start.
Carol x
c2cudt

Linda Coughlin, the funkie junkie said...

This is totally fabulous, Brenda. Wonderful textures and background and the images are just darling. And all the sewing embellies are cute as a button!

Hugs,
Linda

Lillibelle said...

A great canvas with a lot of fantastic sewing details Brenda! I also like your creative background.

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous images.
My Mum remembers when the New Look style came in.
Love your muted colour tones.
Wishes
Lynne

Gram's Treasures said...

Amazing detail, Brenda! Once upon a time, I used to sew too....but that was in the mini-skirt era. Hope you have a fun weekend.
Joyce xx

Yvonne Garner said...

Just fabulous Brenda! Having sewn most of my life, I have a true fondness for sewing/fashion themed projects! Hope all is well. Hugs, Yvonne

Netty said...

smashing canvas Brenda, good luck with the new challenge site, hugs Annette x

Deborah said...

Such a gorgeous canvas, Brenda. I love the gessoed scissors - they look so cool!

Junibears said...

This is beautiful dear Brenda! The 50's was/were my era! xx

The Sparkly Fairy said...

Love this! Off to have a look at the challenge :)

Marjie Kemper said...

This brings me back to childhood and cutting out paper dolls. Love how you've added the metal embellies and softened them so. Such a sweet project!

Words and Pictures said...

Gorgeous smoky colours, and lovely retro images... Congratulations on being up and running with your first challenge!
Alison x

Sandy said...

Wonderful - this is the way my Mother dressed when I was growing up! Your scissors look wonderful and I really like the whole theme. My Mother made all my clothes growing up.
sandy

Von said...

Gorgeous canvas Brenda lovethe subtle background :)
Von ♥

Lisa Jane said...

Just beautiful.. love the images
Lisa x

Lucy Edmondson said...

This is lovely, Brenda!

Lucy x

Anonymous said...

Beautiful art Brenda! xx

Silvia(Barnie) said...

Wow, that's wonderful card, great techniques and fabulous images. Love the sewing theme.

Meggymay said...

Beautiful, I remember that dress style.
Yvonne x

Karin said...

wow beautiful canvas! Have a great weekend! Groetjes Karin

hazel said...

Wow! What a fabulous canvas, I love it.
xxx Hazel.

Sam & Poppy said...

I love your recycling style Brenda, thanks so much for joining in with us at Stampotique this week :)

1CardCreator said...

What fun this is, love the way you added the scissors too! Your new blog design is beautiful also. ~Diane

Candy C said...

Brenda...love your canvas! The white washed pattern in the background sets the tone for this whole gorgeous piece! I love all of the sewing items you've incorporated onto this piece. The little spools, the buttons, the lace, the scissors, the snaps....all of it creates such great dimension and interest! The little "SEW" letter tiles are also really a wonderful embellishment. Then...the sweet little ladies from pattern fronts...well, they just totally "make" the entire canvas! Love it! Thanks for sharing your art with us at Simon Says Stamp and Show. <3 Candy

Unknown said...

This is beautiful Bren, so elegant and the colours are delicious! Love it! Chris xxx

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

Sew lovely!!!! Love your retro ladies!!!! What a great time period! The whole theme on this canvas is wonderful! Thank you for sharing your work with us this week here at Simon Says Stamp & Show this week!

trisha too said...

This is just charming, Brenda--the sweet shabby wash of colors, and the retro images--really fine piece.

:)

catherine said...

This looks fabulous Brenda and just love all the images and theme. good luck with the challenge blog
x catherine

Kay Wallace said...

SEW clever! Love it!

Rossella said...

This is just so fab, I love it all
Rosie x

Meihsia Liu said...

Such a gorgeous creation! Love the beautiful textures and great image. Thank you so much for sharing with us at Simon Says Stamp and Show this week. :)

Lisa Somerville said...

Fabulous canvas Brenda, love the vintage images! Thanks for playing along with the Bloggers Challenge!

Reflective Art Studio said...

Nicely Done- Thank you for sharing your talents with us at Stampotique Designer's Challenge.
Sarinda

paper fun said...

Fabulous project. Very creative.

Those pattern images remind me of my childhood, watching my mother sew.

Thanks for joining us at Creative Card Crew.

Mari

paper fun said...

Your canvas is great for our challenge at Crafts 4 Eternity too!!

Thanks for joining our sewing challenge at Crafts 4 Eternity.

Mari

Ephemera said...

Ooooh fab canvas Brenda, just love the fifties vibe, loving all the texture and the sewing them. Have a great day. xx

Anjas-Artefaktotum said...

What a wonderful collage, love the fabulous combination of textures, design and stamps.

Suzanne C said...

Gorgeous soft whitewashed background with the soft pastels on the ladies frocks. Lovely! Thanks for joining us at Simon Says Stamp and Show.

Tincan Crafter said...

I liked this so much. Those scissors are adorable, and thanks for sharing how you did everything - there is a dreamy, ethereal feel to it - I am going to save your instructions and try something like that - thank you for inspiring me today.

Cath Wilson said...

Lovely work, Brenda. The background's fab and the collage stamping looks really good x

Valerie-Jael said...

Thanks for joining us at TIOT with your lovely canvas. But sadly to say, we only allow a maximum of 5 challenges together! Valerie

Mrs.B said...

Hi Brenda, fabulous canvas, love the images and gorgeous details.
Avril xx

Wynn said...

Hi Brenda Thank you for your kind words. I did say CD was Victorian Birthdays in my blog but equally it coud be 40s as I remember wearing a sun hat like this when I was a child. I've added this to my link. Hope this helps.

Hugs Wynn x

Wynn said...

Forgot to say Fab card. Takes me back in time to 50's when my Mother used to sew my dresses.
Wynn x

michele said...

Gorgeous canvas! Thanks for joining us at Crafts 4 Eternity this week hugs x

Alexa said...

This is lovely Brenda - all the little elements come together so beautifully, Particularly like the press studs - great idea. Thanks for sharing it with us at TioT! Keep well. Alexa xx

Libby Hickson said...

Such a sweet, gorgeous canvas! Thanks for playing along at the Stampotique Designers Challenge!

Shilpa Nagaonkar said...

Such a cute one!
nagaonkarshilpa.blogspot.in

Magda said...

Great project! Love all the textures and layers. Thanks for playing along at the Stampotique Designers Challenge. Magda :)