Into The Woods

Are you inspired following a woodland walk, love those woodland creatures or love to play with your woodgrain products, this week Simon Says Stamp and Show invite you to join us on a creative walk into the woods. Whether you are inspired to create a wildflower meadow, love forest, nature inspired colours, or perhaps something whimsical with fairies. There is lots of room for creative interpreation this week from using a woodgrain patterned paper to an owl stamp and anything in between.

I was inspired to use wood products, woodland branches and an owl in my nature inspired canvas.

I must admit this weeks challenge had me stumped! I spent many hours searching through my products until I stumbled on the Crafters Workshop Mini Branches Reversed stencil and then I was on a roll. No forest is complete without branches and mine were given fabulous texture using Wendy Vecchi's White Embossing Paste through the stencil. Lots of wood products included here, from Prima Wood Leaves and Flowers, Prima Nature Garden Wood Tickets, and even an owl cut from Metal Foil Tape.

Sorry about the blurred picture! I began by covering my canvas board with Freckled Fawn woodgrain washi tape.

Cut a large owl from metal foil tape using a Spellbinders die and then embossed the owl with the Diamond Plate Texture Fade and then covered with black soot Distress Paint.

Once I had covered the owl with paint I then removed any excess with kitchen towel.

I washed over my canvas board with Gesso and then added the owl to the canvas board, adding mini gears and a pen nib to the owl, adding a touch of black soot Distress Paint to all the metal embellishments to age a little.

I then added white embossing paste through the branches stencil.

The branches really add that woodland feel to the canvas.

A smaller owl has been added to a piece of driftwood I found in my craft goodies. I added Prima clock parts for the owls eyes and a piece of wood for his nose. I also added clock parts to the centres of my flowers. Two Prima Jeans Buttons have been added to two corners of my canvas. I then added some embossing paste around my owls and across the bottom of the canvas so they looked more embedded within the canvas rather than just floating.

Before colouring my canvas I coated everything with one coat of Gesso.

I then sprayed the canvas with Calypso Teal and touches of Melted Chocolate Dylusions Ink Sprays. I also found some copper letters in my collection and added OWL to the larger owls body, again adding clock parts to the top of each letter.

I then dry brushed Gesso over the whole canvas, and then I was finally happy with the result. The Gesso really lifts the textural pieces and lightens the whole canvas. I love how the branches look in the background.

Chitchat stickers were also added to the canvas, using words that I associate with any walks I have taken in the woods, I embrace the surroundings, it's always an adventure in the woods with my children and we often find bits and pieces to use in our art and you always discover something new on a woodland walk, you really should try it!

For more great ideas please pop over to the Simon Says Stamp and Show blog and take a look at my fellow team members they have created inspirational projects. Remember there is also the chance to win a $50 prize from Simon Says Stamp.  I always look forward to seeing your creations each week.

Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment, much appreciated.  Enjoy your week. Tracy x x 

Products Used:

Crafters Workshop Mini Branches Reversed
Wendy Vecchi White Embossing Paste
Prima Wood Leaves and Flowers
Prima Nature Garden Wood Tickets
Prima Clock Parts
Prima Jeans Buttons
Metal Foil Tape
Freckled Fawn Woodgrain Washi Tape
Tim Holtz Alterations - Diamond Plate and Riveted Metal Texture Fades
Tim Hotlz Idea-ology - Pen Nibs, Mini Gears Sprockets,Chitchat Stickers
Distress Paint - Black Soot
Claudine Hellmuth Gesso
Dylusions Ink Sprays - Melted Chocolate, Calypso Teal