Florentine Moon Triptych

I have always had an affinity with the night sky. The stars and moon make me swoon! And I've been especially inspired to make moony themed pieces recently, and this project is no exception.

The exterior is dark and moody. A Vintage Triptych "Florentine" is covered with paper from Graphic 45's Love Notes. 

The corners are adorned with Victorian Corners 2 which have been chopped in half to give a sort of hinge look. I've added a Hasp to the cover for a closure, and simply added the smallest of the Tudor Rose Singles to add a bit of decoration to the piece.

Inside I've relied on old paper and paint, and a bit of gold embossing powder.

I'm really pleased with it and I have a video to show you just how I achieved this look (and how I put the pieces together) Pop over HERE to see the walkthrough.

Are you ready to make some of your own moon magic?

Here are all the bits you'll need from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts:

Vintage Triptych "Florentine" *Coming Soon*
Victorian Corners 2 

Hasps
Tudor Rose Singles

And all of the other supplies that I used in this project:

Sweet Dreams Collage Sheet

Graphic 45's Love Notes

Black Crepe Ribbon
Rusty Star Ornament Set

Brass Starburst CharmFlat Back Gold Star Studs 12mm
Flat Back Gold Star Studs 8mm
Stamp and pad
Gold embossing powder
Glitter

Old Paper

Washi Tape

Acrylic paint
Glue

Scrapbook Layouts Using Chipboard

Hi crafty friends!  Leigh Ann here today on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog showing you how I used my chipboard to accent a couple of 12x12 scrapbook layouts!

For my first layout I used the Catweed Shape Set.  First I coated the chipboard pieces with white gesso, then I took it way back and used two green colors of Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist.  I gave them several coats, blotting and drying in between, until I achieved the look I wanted. Once dry I assembled my layout.  You should be able to achieve this look with any green mica mists. 

For my second layout I used the larger piece from the Henna Doodles 2 Set.  First I coated it with gold color bloom spray, then I used the mint color Art Alchemy wax over the entire piece.  Once dry, I cut it into 3 pieces and used the ends on my layout.  I still have the large middle flower for another project. In the close up you can see that I also splattered the color bloom spray on the page behind where I planned to place my chipboard.  This helps bring out the gold undertone and tie everything together nicely.

I hope you have enjoyed these ideas for how to use chipboard on scrapbook layouts and will be inspired to try it yourself!  I used the following Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Products on these layouts:

Catweed Shape Set
Henna Doodles 2

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

I have to admit, the art I am sharing with you this week tickles my funny bone. Perhaps some think art should not have levity, but I disagree. I believe art needs to bring some of the elements that humans most need in their lives: beauty, inspiration, insight, a glimpse of God, relaxation and humor.

Of course you know I'm picking the funny route.  

So for this piece I turned a miniature tin into a wooden crate containing fish that someone ordered for their dinner party. 

Except the fish, wearing hats, drinking martinis and blowing party horns, might not be what was expected. Even the clown fish are a little different.

The tin contains an accordion fold paper with five panels.

I create a mixed media scene on both sides of each of the five panels. 

To make this piece dry brush many layers of paint onto both sides of the Accordion Fold insert. Keep going until you are pleased with the result.

Stamp plant and circle images onto the  paper with black ink.

Remove the Little Crowns from the sheet that keeps them safe and ink the edges of all the hats with black ink.

Adhere the hats to a page from a vintage book and cut out with a utility knife. Further age the hats with brown ink.

Stamp colorful images onto vintage book pages and cut out with different sizes of circle punches.

Fussy cut fish from Something's Fishy--free!. Place the circles, fish and hats onto your paper to get a rough idea of your layout. 

Adhere the circle to the accordion paper with matte medium. When dry, repeat on the other side.

 Then adhere the fish and hats.

Write your message on white cardstock, cut out and adhere to one of the panels. Make party blowers, clown noses and martinis and adhere as well.

Print and cut out the Fish Crates and adhere to the interior and exterior of your tin with matte medium. Make sure to work out any air bubbles.

Add some greens and your project is complete. I hope you enjoyed this project. If you would like a free copy of the high resolution colorful fish, please visit my blog. Warmly, Betsy

Great Stuff

Little Crowns 

Altoid Tin - Coming soon!

Altoid Tin Accordion Book 

Paper Calliope's Something's Fishy 

Paper Calliope's Fish Crate

Acrylic paint

Ink in assorted colors

Rubber stamps

Black pen

White cardstock

Vintage book pages

Circle punches

Greens

Beacon Zip Glue

Beacon Fabri-Tac

Matte Medium

Signs of Spring and Early Bloomers

As the weather is getting warmer and the advent of Spring weeks behinds us, I remember my mother's gardens on our small country lot. The first flowers to bloom would be the tiny white snowdrops followed quickly by the tiny blue spring beauties. Added to our springtime bouquets would eventually be lily-of-the valley in both pink and white, bleeding hearts of similar shades, pussy willow, and crabapple blossoms. She never grew hellebores and I often wondered because it contained the word "H-E-double toothpicks." and perhaps explains my fascination with them.   They intrigued me with their deep colors and blooming even with snow around their roots, they seemed resilient  to me, unwilling to be defeated in the face of adversary. These are the inspiration of this project.

1.  Take apart the GSLC Arabian Triptych.

2.  Dry brush with metallic paints in shades of pewter, chocolate and black flash.

3.  Fill in any negative spaces with Tim Holtz Distress Stains in mermaid lagoon and bundled sage.

4.  Collect magazine pictures of flowers you desire to use in your composition. Mine is of hellebores from a Martha Stewart Living Magazine I deconstructed.

5.  Fussy cut to the best of your abilities, this is not a fond or pleasant chore for me.

6.  Edge the cutouts with Distress Markers, I used frayed burlap and hickory smoke.

7.  Glue into center of back portions of GSLC Arabian Triptych.

8.  Create a varnish wash of gray acrylic paint and matte varnish. This will add to the vintage look of your final project.

9.  Choose GSLC fern fronds you would like to add to your compositions cutting carefully with an Exacto blade.

 10.                Use alcohol inks in shades of green and a sponge blotter to color your GSLC fern fronds.

11.                Spray with water and rubbing alcohol to give GSLC fern fronds a splotchy appearance.

12.                Take apart GSLC butterflies and dragonflies you'd like to add to your compositions carefully with and Exacto blade.

13.                Use various shades of nail polish to color the wings of your GSLC butterflies and dragonflies.

14.                Use a brown and black sharpie to color bodies of GSLC butterflies and dragonflies.

15.                Glue GSLC fern fronds, butterflies and dragonflies into your compositions.

16.                Weight down with a plastic bag filled with kitty litter.

17.                Glue frame portion of GSLC Arabian Triptych using Weldbond, holding into place with clamps.

 

 

 

 

 

Some final thoughts. In the days when messages were sent in the language of flowers, A springtime bouquet with snowdrops and lily of the valley could signify consolation, hope, and the return of happiness. Even bleeding hearts and crab apple blossoms represented the age of innocence and purity and fertility and romance. But if you should receive a bouquet with hellebores in them it represented scandal and calumny. Even the flowers can tell us stories.

Supplies:  Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Arabian Triptych, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Fern Fronds, Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts-Butterflies and Dragonflies, Metallic Paints(Chocolate, Pewter, Black Flash), Paint Brush, Tim Holtz Distress Stains (mermaid Lagoon, Bundled Sage), Magazine Pictures of Flowers, Scissors, Tim Holtz Distress Markers (Hickory Smoke and Frayed Burlap),Weldbond, Gray Acrylic Paint, Matte Varnish, Exacto Blade, Shades of Green Alcohol Inks, Sponge Dabber, Spray Bottles of Water and Rubbing Alcohol, Various Shades of Nail Polish, Brown and Black Sharpie Marker, Plastic Bag of Kitty Litter, Clamps,

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!