With 3 things : Mistletoe Accordion {by Jenny Marples}

Hi friends, introduction it's Jenny Marples with you for another With 3 Things post. 

This feature on the PaperArtsy Blog is where 3 bloggers are sent 3 items in the post. We have no clue what PaperArtsy HQ is going to send us, there might be a slight variation but generally 2 of the 3 things will be identical.

This all ties in beautifully with the Alison Bomber designer focus. A current blog theme is Nature, and it has tied that to this 3 things post too, adding another challenge into this project.

I have made an accordion style display with my supplies.

Let's take a closer look...

There is a major twist in my process this time but I'll start in my comfort zone, playing with the Slime and Olive Tree Infusions. I love dying different fabrics with mixes of Infusions. For this project I have mixed both colours into a mug of hot water, soaking white linen and natural calico overnight. Look how the same solution dyed the fabrics different colours!

Using dilute solutions of each pigment I have painted the stamped Mistletoe images from the Alison Bomber EAB29 stamp set, cutting around them, inking the edges and highlighting the berries with a liquid gloss.

After cutting the sheets of Grey Board in half I've hinged them together with a spacer tool.

I like to paint the board on both sides so the finished project looks complete from any angle.

After tearing panels from the lighter version of the dyed fabrics and sticking them to the front of the painted accordion I've spread a layer of PaperArtsy Grunge Paste over the top.

By spraying the text stamps from the EAB29 stamp set with water I can stamp into the Grunge Paste to add texture and detail. It's worth letting the paste dry a little before doing this for sharper results.

I thought blotting some dilute Slime Infusions and splattering paint on the dry surface would help to accentuate the stamping a little more than it has and at this point decided to make a big change.

Remembering a technique I learned from Raquel Burillo Perez, I've spread more Grunge Paste over a piece of mixed media card and stamped into it with the wet text stamps in the same way as before. This time I've rubbed a little of the Olive Tree Infusions powder onto the dry paste, spraying it with water and allowing the liquid to run down the paper. There's the drama I wanted all along! This can be chopped into panels and glued over the original splattered paste.

And in another plot twist I've re-painted the board using Baltic Blue Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic Paint to add a stronger contrast between that and the dyed paper/card. I've also die cut some of the stamp images from the set to layer up with the mistletoe.

And here's the finished project!

Stamping the text in a contrasting ink helps it to stand out more whilst using thread the blue thread through the buttons gives a nod to the colour of the board.

Try stamping the tiny text in the set onto the card with a pale olive/brown ink for added detail.

It's both challenging and fun to start with 3 things and see where the journey takes you. And even if you get lost along the way, dipping into the treasure trove of techniques that have been shared on the PaperArtsy blog by so many talented creatives over the years can help to bring you to a successful conclusion.

Jenny

Blog: https://pushingtherightbuttons.blogspot.com/

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