Monday 27 May 2013

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



33 comments:

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

Oh that metal owl has me wooting!!! I love him! What a COOL piece of Art Tracy! Love the blue, and all the bits on this!

Crafting Queen said...

Wow, super creation!

Siobhan Fyffe said...

Amazing Tracy. Everything you make just turns into a piece of art.
Siobhan x

sally said...

My mum is mad about owls & I can just imagine her reaction to this lovely piece of art! Is it certainly inspiration for her upcoming birthday :-)

Sally

Shilpa Nagaonkar said...

Its beautiful Tracy!

Candy C said...

Tracy...your canvas is just awesome! I can't believe all of the thought and little details you've added to such a small area. Those little owls are priceless. Love the faces! That is so creative! The entire piece is really lovely and inspiring. Love the branches! I have the stencil but have yet to use it! :) You've really done it justice as part of your background. Very creative and beautifully done piece, Tracy! <3 Candy

Patricia Howarth said...

Morning Tracy, I am in complete 'AWE' at your canvas, it is stunning. Your tutorial is brilliant. I love all the textures you have made and the owls are soooooo cute, especially loving the WV embossing paste branches. 'Awesome'.
Lots of love from Patricia xx

Claudia said...

Wow, fantastic creation!

Monique said...

That's a beautiful canvas, Love the owls and the little flowers with the gear hearts.

Carol Q said...

wonderful textured creation Tracy!

Unknown said...

Stunning! Love the feel of this piece, great imagery and textures. Chris xxx

Dianne said...

Wow Tracy your blown me away again what a creative board you created, the first pic with the washi tape is lovely. The stencil is gorgeous with the branches,those owls are sooooo kool, love how you used the nib for his beak that was brilliant,love the wooden flowers and leaves.Then all the colors you added makes it a GORGEOUS canvas, thanks for sharing how you made it, have a wonderful day..

Unknown said...

Wow eeee Tray this is just brilliant, I love it all a lot. You have completely captured both owl's character. I just love the whole piece. Hugs Debbie R xx

wendy vecchi said...

this looks great! love the color & the texture!

ria gall said...

Hi Tracy
oh wow what a wonderful piece of art so much depth and texture. This really is a stunning piece love it
Ria

Claudine said...

This is awesome, love that metal owl, how creative to use metal to make your owl. Wow!!!

Astrid Maclean said...

Stunning piece Tracy, love that glowing blue colour, all the textures are amazing and that owl is a whoot!!

Maura said...

Great idea to go over it all in blue. I have to try this idea out soon.

Inkypinkycraft said...

A really cool owl...and fab make trace x

Anonymous said...

That is ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!!!! I love all the wonderful detail and texture you've added to this!!!!!

Anna-Karin said...

Wow Tracy! This is absolutely gorgeous! Love all the texture, the branches, embossed metal owls and all the special details.

Redanne said...

This is such an inspiration piece Tracy, I love how you did the owls, their faces are brilliant. The branches in the background look amazing. A stunning piece of art! Hugs, Anne x

Lori said...

Fantastic take on the theme Tracy, love the monochromatic color scheme.. fabulous!

Sandra said...

It's amazing, Tracy! Love the blue colors, and all the great texture. Those owls are so cute! Hugs, Sandra

AngelicaS said...

Gorgeous color and amazing texture. Owls are really cool! LOVE IT!

Brenda Brown said...

A wonderful design and so much scrummy texture.
hugs {brenda} x0x

Jenny Marples said...

Such a feast for the eyes Tracy. Love the owl and the way the branches almost ooze across this. Hugs, Jenny x

email: Steph@SimonSaysStamp.com said...

Gorgeous owl piece, Tracy! I really love the jean buttons for the eyes and flower centers :)

*mwah*
Steph
Simon Says Stamp!

Words and Pictures said...

Such fantastic layers of texture - a really fab make!
Alison x

Unknown said...

Wow Tracy, I LOVE this. That teal ink colour is fantastic, what an amazing difference the colour makes to your fabulous scene. Love the way the flowers have turned out, and the gesso highlights have transformed the whole piece. Wonderful creation, thanks for sharing. Maddy x

Suzanne C said...

Fabulous! I loved seeing each piece added onto this masterpiece! Gorgeous shades of blue on your finished piece!

Anonymous said...

AWESOME dimension and texture!

Lynn Stevens said...

You stumped? No way!!!! This canvas is so way cool. I'm so going to give this tone on tone a try. I just Love the results.
Hugs Lynn