Pondering Peacocks

My grandmother collected postcards and after her departure I found her post card collection in our musty, dusty attic. It was a magical treasure and perhaps is the inspiration for my love of all things abandoned and overgrown. There was a dilapidated farmhouse down a long winding country road that I would visit when I was a child. I called it my thinking place, I loved the eerily silence, the quiet solitude of this place. These are the inspirations for this project.

1.   Make photocopies of your vintage postcards.

2.Distress photocopies with Tim Holtz Distress Sprays-Antique Linen and Wild Honey, add a gentle mist of Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist of Gold and Blue.

3.  Once dry trace tags where you will be cutting out photocopies of vintage postcards.

4.  Line up the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Large Decorative Tags with about 1/4 inch between each of them.

5.  Use Weldbond to glue together with a strip of Tyvek, This will allow the tags to work like a triptych.

6.  Use small pallet knife to cover both front and back with Ferro Metal Effect Textured Irongold Paint

7.  Allow to dry completely, making sure it is flat and weighted.

8.  After separating Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Peacock Feather spray with Tim Holtz Distressing Sprays Peacock Feathers.

9.  Emboss Peacock Feathers layering with Versa Mark and Rangers Black Sparkle, Tim Holtz Walnut Stain, Pearllustre-Lapis, Judi Kins-Extreme Peacock, Recollections-Tramline embossing powders.

10. Cure with a heating tool between each layer.

11. Add wooden stirring sticks to back of Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Large Tags for added stability allowing to dry completely and flat.

12. Add photocopies to panels using Weldbond to keep them in place.

13. Once dry distress with Ferro Textured Paints of Iron and Silver.

14. I used a damp cloth and was not pleased with the results so I decided to make extra copies and cut with peaking scissors and reapplied using Weldbond.

15. I distressed carefully with Tim Holtz Distress Ink of Vintage Photo

16. I reapplied Ferro Texture Paints more gently this time around the edges of the panels.

17. To add further depth I used FolkArt Moss Painted Finishes.

18. Another thing they will never tell you  on most online blogs is that you are designing as your progress through your projects, at this moment I felt like I needed another element so I used  Versa Mark and the embossing powders I used earlier to emboss a few Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Mini Flourishes Bella curing with a heating tool.

19.  I secured the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Peacock Feathers using an awl and twine.

20. I secured the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Mini Flourishes using blue wire.

21. I used a wooden skewer to wrap the wire around and give it a decorative vine look.

22. I added Vintage Bronze Copper wire to add further depth and interest and used the same technique to add a vine-like look.

My grandmother died many years ago before I grew into a man. She never knew the artist I have become, I like to think that she would be delighted at this project honoring her and her treasured collection.



Supplies:  Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Chipboards Decorative Tags Large, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Peacock Feathers Shape Set ,   Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Mini Flourishes Bella, Ferro Metal Effect Textured Paint Irongold, Iron, Silver, Small Pallet Knife, Tyvek envelope, Weldbond, Photocopies of Old Postcards, Pencil, Tim Holtz Distress Sprays-Antique Linen, Wild Honey and Peacock Feathers, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist, Gold and Blue, Coptic Marker-Cashew, Versa Mark, Embossing Powders-Rangers Black Sparkle, Tim Holtz Walnut Stain, Pearllustre-Lapis, Judi Kins-Extreme Peacock, Recollections-Tramline, Heating Tool, Wooden Stirring Sticks, Sandpaper Sponge, UHU Gluestick, Seriated Scissors, Tim Holtz-Distress Ink-Vintage Photo, Blending Tool, FolkArt Painted Finishes-Moss, Awl, Twine, Blue Wire-26 Gauge, Vintage Bronze Copper Wire- 20 Gauge, Wooden Skewer

I cannot wait to see your interpretation of this project. Share it on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Craft Group Page on Facebook. I would love to see what new creations you are working on!