Before we start I need to warn you this is a long post as I have included a step-by-step to create the background as well as explained how I made the embellishments. You might like to get a cuppa before we move on.
It’s the lovely Astrid’s turn to host the new challenge at
A Vintage Journey and she has chosen the theme of autumn colours. This is how she describes it -
Who does not love the beautiful colours that Autumn brings? The oranges, muted deep reds and all the many different brown and green hues. Tim's Distress range should give you many choices. Make a project incorporating some of these colours, but don't forget this is a shabby vintage challenge, so no cute please!
I chose to make a canvas full of pumpkins and leaves to depict an autumnal theme.
To begin with here’s how I created the background.
I started by daubing gesso over the canvas with a palette knife and laying some old dictionary paper in it. I spent a little while pressing the paper in to let the moisture seek through, after about 4 minutes I began to tear the paper away leaving some embedded into the gesso. I left this to dry overnight.
The next day I smeared several of the green distress stains over it plus some antique linen. If you try this, make sure you dry the canvas and media between each layer.
Next came some of the distress paints, smooched onto the craft mat, spritzed with water and then pounced in random places using a piece of kitchen roll.
Out came the gesso again and this was also applied with kitchen roll.
Now to add a bit of texture, just some small bits of frameworks at the moment, adhered with wet glue and a little gesso dabbed over parts of them with my finger.
And now some stamping using black archival ink. OK are you still with me?
Out came my favourite latticework stencil and I used some cut-n-dry foam to transfer more white gesso onto the canvas - be warned using a palette knife will push it underneath and smudge it.
Then some dipping with the greens and adding some yellow and finally some splatters with the brown – phew, hope you like it. This photo shows some of the details in close up.
Next came the elements to add.
Three butterflies die-cut from Kraft Resist paper using Tim’s mini butterflies. I dipped them in some walnut stain distress paint which acted as a resist then daubed barn door stain over them and some wildfire treasure gold.
Three mini acorns die cut from card covered with distress inks and rock candy crackle paint.
The picture wheel with a die-cut cog, added because I wanted something to reflect the shape of a cartwheel. I covered it with distress embossing powders and then some distress paint mixed with distress stain and as my friend Sharon said it looks as through it has been through the mud.
Finally two types of pumpkins, pumpkin jack and the mini movers and shapers. The large one was textured using gesso through the speckles mask then layered with distress paints and distress stains. The smaller ones were cut from coredinations paper, sanded and dipped in some stains to create the colour changes for interest.
To complete the look I added two 3D pumpkins and a mushroom I found in my drawer bought at Hobbycraft in the florist section and also the words were stamped from Tim’s Thankful Silhouettes die.
Well I did warn you it was going to be a long post, but I hope you have enjoyed looking at it. If you would like to know how I did the leaves drop by A Vintage Journey on Monday morning where I will be doing a
Destination Inspiration post and another step-by-step, but for now have fun with your autumn colours and come and join us in our
new challenge.
Have a great weekend. I shall be at Ally Pally tomorrow if anyone else is going.
hugs Brenda xxxx
