2018 #10 Paper Dolls: Forever Yours with ESN {by Miriam Grazier}

2018 Topic 10: Paper Dolls

Miriam is back today, and her frame suits this project perfectly! Lots of texture in the background, and as ever, she shares a few really good tips too! ~ Leandra

Hi everyone, it's Miriam  with you today, and I'd like to share with you a faux framed romantic picture, using lots of goodies to compliment the Paper Dolls that I have chosen.  I've used Fresco Finish Acrylic Chalk paints in Spanish Mulberry, Dolly Mix and Sugar Plum, Grunge Paste, Treasure Silver and a mix of old and new Sara Naumann stamps.

I wanted the paper doll image to stand out on my project but wanted to also create texture and so I used a technique that Leandra demonstrated earlier this year which used Grunge Paste scraped onto a background in random areas.  I'll explain more about this later in in the post.

As soon as I saw this Paper Doll image I immediately thought of Sara's early 2018 stamp release ESN23 and ESN25.

Eclectica³ Sara Naumann Set 23 (ESN23)

Eclectica³ Sara Naumann Set 25 (ESN25)

Sara has some lovely romantic images and quotes that work so well with the chosen image.  I had great fun choosing colours and images.  I tend not to lean towards the traditional reds for romance, but found the pinks / purples mix soft and romantic.

I started by using Leandra's technique to scrape Grunge Paste thinly over a piece of Grey board.  This took practise for me as I kept scraping it too thinly, but that was fine as the joy of Grunge Paste meant that I could simply smooth it over again with a spatula and start again. If you are worried about it drying too fast while you work, you can mist it softly with water.

Eclectica³ Sara Naumann Set 02 (ESN02)

Once I had the 'right' consistency, I used my 'go to' script stamp from ESN02 and stamped into the Grunge Paste to create texture.  I love how the simple texture creates a lovely effect on the background.

I'm not great with colour matching, but the Fresco Chalk Acrylics work so well together.  I used Sour Grapes to stamp the music notes and heart stamps randomly over the board.

To create a shadow I drew around the Paper Doll image using a Stabilo All pencil and softened the line using a water brush.  This made the finished project look a bit more 'grounded'. 

The faux frame was simply card, painted around the edges using Pewter Fresco Acrylic Paint.  To make it more realistic and a bit distressed, I then stamped the dense script stamp  from ESN25 which ends up looking more like 'scratches' around the border using Archival ink. And once dry, I rubbed Treasure silver around the 'frame' and buffed it up to give it some shine.

 

I loved how the silver worked so well with the romantic feel of my project.  I felt that it gave it a fairly vintage and soft feel as opposed to a more traditional modern effect.

I really hope that I have inspired you to create a project using Paper Dolls yourself.  They are so fun to use and can give totally different effects and meaning.  And, more importantly to people like myself who do not have any patience, they are already cut out and so there is no fussy cutting (yes, this excited more than you could imagine!).  

I simply loved the Grunge Paste technique - it's so much more interesting than stamping solely onto painted card.  I love the texture and the feel of the stamped Grunge Paste.  I think I could have embellished the project more using, maybe, some pearls and lace.

Thanks for joining me this evening.  And, yes, get out those Paper Dolls and start using them instead of hoarding them!  You can see more about this project on my blog. Do pop along and let me know how you use your Paper Dolls.

Blog: Miriam's Creative Dreams

We always hope that you  learn something interesting from our blog. 

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You must complete step 1 AND 2 to be entered into the draw. 

To join our challenge:
1. Leave a comment on the Topic Introduction Post and go in the draw to win a PaperArtsy Apron. 
2. Make something arty relevant to the topic, and link your creation from any social URL (eg. Instagram, Pinterest, Blog Post etc) sharing your original make to this challenge page 

The current topic link Topic 10: Paper Dolls will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, June 17th 2018, and the winner will be announced 1 hour later at 18:00, because we have some new product announcements starting at 19:00.