2017 #4 The Long Forgotten Garden {by Lynne Moncrieff}

2017 Topic 4: Doors, Windows, Architecture

In this post, Lynne has created a gorgeous montage of elements that she builds gradually to lead you into her flora and fauna-filled overgrown hidden garden...perhaps a hidden world....

Hi everyone Lynne Moncrieff with you today.

Lovely to be here on the PA blog. I've chosen to share with you a house triptych featuring the recently launched ESC stamps and one of the stencils.

Initially I struggled with the concept of working with Scrapcosy stamps for Topic #4. I was to-ing and fro-ing as to the stamp selection. I could not imagine how I could use the pretty floral stamps for this theme. Oftentimes, my initial ideas are based on vignettes in my mind's eye and nothing was forming. On stepping away from the stamps, I moved my focus to substrate choice. Then, it all perfectly clicked into place.

The 'That's Crafty' House Triptych substrate set in motion a vignette of a statue, within the grounds of what was once, a stately home. The ESC stamps and stencil, allowed this to materialize, of opening the walled doors/gates, walking through the mossy, dank and damp overgrown garden, guided only by the dabbled sunlight, flickering through the overgrown trees, finally leading to the statue. A sight of faded glory with creeping vines and fragments of torn papers nestling in its form.

To be perfectly honest, I had no firm idea of the direction of each step. This is not uncommon for me, preferring to allow the project to lead me. This project in particular was very organic in that nature.

 

 

The stamping of two of the floral stamps from Eclectica: Scrapcosy set 3 

 

ESC03

 

...might seem redundant especially with the dominant stencilled flower. The hope was, on completion, the stamping would peek through the Infusions and add to the sense of the overgrown. 

 

 

The Infusions pooled in and around the large flower from stencil ...

PS049

 

...staining the  background but not the actual Grungepaste, allowing for contrast.

 

Throughout, I worked  with a limited infusions palette of: Sleight Blue, Olive Green and a hint of Rusty Car, including staining the sari silk ribbon binding the triptych, vintage paper and all manner of elements such as vintage crochet lace, loose threads from torn calico, etc.

Similar steps were followed for the interior, this time with a hint of stencilling along the bottom edge. By stamping the slender floral stamp in different directions, including upside down, pattern was created that adds to the feeling of foliage, creeping, taking over.

This RELICS & ARTIFACTS Facia Familiaris perfectly captured the essence of a statue. See the transformation within a few simple steps: a swipe of Grungepaste, Taupe and Infusions.

 

There is no easy way, this involves lots of fussy cutting to achieve the end result. My hands were not best pleased with me!

This step made me realise how important the choice of a stamping surface is to a project. If I had chosen to stamp onto anything other than the vintage paper, I would have lost the ease of manipulation of the flowers. The paper also added to that sense of the old, the tattered. 

 

 

Fresco Chalk and Gold, splattered freely, not only add contrast, the gold echoes the dabbled sunlight, filtering through the canopy of trees, with Chalk conveying a mouldy, fungal appearance.  This process was also carried out on the fussy cut flowers.

 

 

I would continually return to the project, removing some elements and other times, I would add other pieces of this and that.

With the doors slightly ajar, we are afforded a peek at what lies behind.

Although I used snippets of this particular flower on the central panel, especially the leaves, I could not resist placing this flower on the inside of the doors. The delicate form worked in my favour, allowing for manipulation so the flowers would face right and left, towards the central panel.

The "statue" nestled amongst a tangle of leaves and flowers and caught on the breeze, snippets of papers yellowed with age.

Although initially stumped as to how I could make the ESC stamps work for me, for this Topic, on conclusion of the project, it made me pause and realise that one of the reasons I am passionate about stamps is their versatility.  The two flowers proved this. The slender flower morphed into a tangled, creeping vine, making the stamp almost unrecognisable from its original form. This stamp in particular, helped me to achieve the effect which simply began as a vignette in my mind.  The second flower was equally useful, providing the focal on the inner "door" panels or when only utilising the fussy cut bloom or leaves.
Which PaperArtsy stamps do you own which will make you re-consider their suitability for Topic #4 and beyond?  It is always fun to view our stamps with new eyes. 

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So many small details which I am thrilled you explain so clearly, as your process makes complete sense when you see it evolve, and fascinating to follow! I love the layers, even if the fussy cutting was a big job! You have created depth so beautifully! ~ Leandra

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