2019 #9 Arty Wood Blocks: Enjoy the Little Things with EKC {by Ellie Knol}

2019 Topic 9: Arty Wood Blocks

 

Ellie creates a hanging plaque with a wooden base for her butterflies, but it's not quite that simple! She sets herself a challenge to incorporate many ideas along the way, so how many do you think she fits in? Take a look! ~ Leandra

Hi everyone, it's Ellie Knol from PAPER-STAMPS-COLOR with you today, and I'd like to share with you the pleasure I had in creating on .. yes .. a wood block! 

I have thought of making a collage on some house-style woodblocks (3 of them, had them gesso'd already), then thought of using empty blocks from wood-mounted stamps, and also a very rough piece of wood... but in the end, I decided to use the piece of wood you see below as it's already got some structure to it because of the 'lines'.

I wrote down a list of possible techniques I could use, and could check off a whole lot of them while creating.These notes might interest you, I've marked them with an asterisk. 

This is the finished project! I chose to let the photographs do most of the talking this time, along with my notes. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask, please!  

* Use Kay Carley's gorgeous stamp set with butterflies (EKC25). 

* Use smaller blocks of wood too.

* Use embellishments - I found an old necklace I wanted to incorporate.

It took a while to get the chains the way they are now, and to attach them to the wood. 

* Try to incorporate a gorgeous big rusty nail and knob I found during my holiday.  
 

I sprayed it with a sealer first to make the loose parts of rust not fall off. Hope it will stop it getting more rusty too, otherwise it will soon fall apart, hehe.

* Use vellum.

 I stamped the images onto vellum and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder. I cut them out, and painted it on the back with Fresco Finish Paints, the colors Green Patina and Granny Smith.  

Because of the wetness of the paints the vellum started to curl a bit... LOVE, LOVE it!

* Use tissuepaper or similar paper (see-through).

I used Deli paper in the end.

 

* Use script in the background.

I've used the words from the same stamp set here and there, peeking in from behind the papers and objects. 

* Use a lot of white paint.  

* Use a drybrush technique with Fresco Finish paints

* Use a whitewash layer

For both I've used Fresco Finish Snowflake, my go-to paint as it's opaque, but also very easy to water-down to use as a whitewash. In addition I've also used two other colors: Green Patina and Granny Smith; the same ones I used to color the butterflies.

* Use a (rusty) chain so the project can be hanged to a wall.

 The chain from the old necklace has been used to be able to hang the project to a wall. 

* Add structure

As mentioned I decided to go with this piece of wood because of its structure. The nail and knob also have structure!

So there you are... a rusty, woody and colorful piece of home decor!

I had to add one extra NOTE :
As I went for the rusty nail and knob, I had a look through my rusty stash of papers and found this one on Deli paper (leftover from the RUST theme a while ago!!). 

I am so happy with the outcome of this project.

These are the notes I did not use: 
- Use crackle paint
- Use the corresponding stencil from Kay (PS128). - Only paint the bottom of the project as a base.
Maybe you can use them on your project.. to join us in the ARTY WOOD BLOCKS challenge!?

Don't wait! Get creative...  and tag us on social media: instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or FB

See you!! Happy crafting!!

Ellie Knol 

Blog: http://elliecreahoekje.blogspot.nl/   http://ellieatcs.blogspot.nl/ 
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