Monday, July 8, 2013

a Silhouette Challenge project

This might look like a card in the photo, but...

 1 Silhouette Challenge cradled panel collage

... it's actually a collage on a wooden canvas
 to hang on the wall (or give as a gift):

Silhouette Challenge wooden canvas collage

(Psssst, here's the secret: at $3.50 the wooden canvas base
couldn't be a more affordable supply for making gifts!)



-1-



This is a project I made as part of The Silhouette Challenge facebook group.
The goal of the group is to make a unique Silhouette-cut project each month & link it up.


 (This is my first one, so far!) :-) If you'd like to join us, simply drop Lauren a line.
Her blog is The Thinking Closet & you can reach here here via email.

...................................................

The wooden canvas (or 'cradled panel') was inspired by my blog buddy,
Lisa, who just created a stunning collage, that she shared on her blog, here.

I've had a few of these wooden canvases around for a while &
have been wanting to share them with you, since they're so very handy!


-2-
(use a wooden canvas to make a quick gift 
that's as easy to make as a card!)


1b Cradled panel - side view


This is what my canvas looked like before I painted it, a wooden
 'cradled panel' base that measures 6x6 inches & 1/5 inches deep:

wooden canvas or cradled panel




 
Cradled panels are surprisingly light, so they are very easy to hang.
(You can just use a push pin in your wall!)
 
  Their light weight also makes them quite affordable to ship in the mail.
They're made from a renewable resource, which is very important to me.
& Did I already mention they are 'cheap'? (The one I used was $3.50!)


 Want to know where to find them?

Since I live in BC Canada, I bought mine at Opus Art Supplies. If you're in the USA, you can find them at Dick Blick (I've never used that brand myself, but how exciting that they even have round ones!)




Do you sell your creations?

When I was researching the best supplies to make collage art to sell, these came up all the time. 
Many artist's prefer them to cloth canvases, because they are less likely to rip or crack in the mail.
They are great for encaustic work or beeswax collage & they can stand up to many collage layers.

-3-



Collage (on a wooden cradled panel) Silhouette project


 

This is a rather simple project that makes a quick gift (it's
basically akin to sticking a handmade card on a wooden panel):

1) Cut a silhouette background shape from paper
2) Add a little paint & ink to the paper
3) Paint a wooden canvas
4) Stick the paper on the canvas & trim it
5) Add a focal image with some embellishments


  • A Wooden 'cradled panel' canvas
  • Paint (I used Black craft paint)
  • Paper (to cut in the Silhouette Cameo) 
  • A cut file to create a background texture with.
  • Gesso/White Paint (optional: a brayer to apply it to the cut paper)
  • Distress Inks or other colour medium of your choice
  • Miscellanous paper embellishments (or a focal image)

1 cut a design in the Silhouette cameo (i used neenah solar white cardstock)

Step 1) Make an interesting background element out of cardstock. I cut a design using the Silhouette cameo... this Small Fancy Gate file from the Silhouette store. It's cut out of Neenah Solar White cardstock.

 2b it gives you lots of texture

Step 2) Add texture to your cardstock, if you like.

2a cut a pat
    To add more interest, I applied acrylic Gesso to my Silhouette cut cardstock, using a brayer. After the gesso dried, I used a foam applicator to add colour with Distress Inks. (If you don't have any Gesso, white acrylic paint would work nicely and any ink or colour medium would work as well).

    3 paint a wooden cradle panel in the colour of your choice or prime with gesso brush some matte medium onto the

    Step 3) Paint a cradled panel (I painted mine with black craft paint). Then adhere the cardstock to the wooden panel using acrylic matte medium.

    I brushed on a generous coat of matte medium. It goes on white like glue, as you can see in the photo above, but it dries clear and matte (which is just a fancy art term for not shiny!) :-)

    I use a local brand Kroma (from Vancouver BC) but Golden also makes it (they list some uses for it in art, here), and I have heard amazing things about Claudine Hellmuth's multi medium (matte).

    4 lay your Silhouette cut paper onto the wooden canvas & press into the matte medium with a rag (this also helps remove excess matte medium

    Step 4) Dab off any excess matte medium using a rag. (It washes out of the cloth nicely with a little warm water).

    5 Trim away the excess silhouette die cut, once the matte medium has dried

    Step 5) After the matte medium dries, trim the excess paper off using scissors, or a hobby blade.

    6 Soften the look of the edges with a tiny bit of distress paint (black soot)

    Step 6) Distress the edges to soften the look, if you like. (I added a tiny bit of Black Soot Distress Paint & wiped away the extra with a damp cloth).

    7 Add a focal image - I like weldbond glue because it's very ecological, it's strong & cleans up with water

    Step 6) Add a focal image - To adhere things like this, I love Weldbond glue because it's very ecological (it's non-toxic & has the eco-logo) Plus it's also strong & cleans up with water.

    8 check on it & press down a little while drying

    I added a fair amount of Weldbond and pressed on it a little here & there, to be sure it dried flat.


    bird on a branch free digi image by mel stampz

    This digital work is offered up for free, but mainly for personal use only.



    The flowers on the focal image are hand-cut fabric flowers:

    9 I added hand cut fabric & cardstock modpodge flowers stamped with paisley heat embossing

    They were made like this:

    1) ...printed a free flower template onto heavy cardstock.

    2) ... added the fabric with Mod Podge (just coated the cardstock with a layer of Mod Podge & stuck fabric on it leaving the flower template printed visible on the back).

    3) ...stamped on the fabric with Frost White Colorbox ink & this paisley stamp & heat embossed the ink with clear embossing powder. Distressed them, to look tea-stained, with a little Antique Linen Distress Ink & water.

    4) ... Cut the flowers out & shaped them using a stylus tool (or the pointy wooden end of a paintbrush).



     (I just swapped the book pages for thin white fabric, here). :-)


    ...I also used the Weldbond to glue the flowers on & beads in their
    centers. Just dropped a blob glue in the middle of each flower...

    9b with add a dab of glue...

    ...and then popped in the bead:

    9c ...and a bead drop into the dab of glue & let dry

    & that was that!

    1 Silhouette Challenge cradled panel collage



    If you'd like some ideas for how to use your silhouette,
    these projects by the Gals in the group are sure to be fun!

    DIY Paper Star Lanterns by Me & My DIY
    A Jar of Gratefulness by We ♥ Cards
    Laundry Room Labels by Unoriginal Mom
    Kids Step Stool with Sass by Joy & Gladness of Heart
    Magnetic Perpetual Calendar by Everydaypaper
    DIY Graduation Gift by Super Sweet Life
    A Silhouette Challenge by Home at Eight
    Oval Coffee Table Reveal & More! by Give Me a Paintbrush
    Stamped Gift Boxes by Coley's Corner
    Monsters University T-Shirt by Tried & True


    Whew that was a long one, hey? Thank You for 
    having a look & Happy Creating! ox


    P.S. Just thought I should let you know, I have no affiliation with any of the companies whose products I've mentioned here. They're just things I use and love & I'm only linking them in an effort to make them easier to find for You. :-)

    23 comments:

    Cutesy Crafts said...

    This is so cute! I've seen that distressing ink at the craft store and wondered what it was for. Love it!

    Migdalia said...

    This is a BEAUTY!!! love it!
    Have a wonderful day,
    Migdalia
    ♥ Crafting With Creative M ♥(my blog)
    ♥ 2 Creative Chicks Challenges ♥
    ♥ Silhouette Challenges ♥

    Susan (rainy) said...

    This is such a beautiful project! Love the wonderful textures.. those fabric flowers are WOW!

    Debbie @ MeandMyDIY said...

    Oh. My. Goodness! This is absolutely fabulous! I can't believe you created all those details yourself. I was floored when you said you made the flowers. Wow! I love the little bird, the colors you chose, the background you used, etc. I love everything about it! What a very sweet little collage. I don't think you'd have any trouble selling something like that. Thanks for the detailed tutorial. Your pictures and descriptions are just perfect for someone like me without a lot of card making experience. So glad you shared this one in the Silhouette Challenge. Have a great day!

    Debbie

    Lisa - papergrace said...

    MEL!!!! This is beautiful! I love the black background with the cut file on top. You totally have my mind spinning out of control. How cool would that be to cut patterned papers with a groovy cut file?!! *swoon* This is so far from "simple" at all. It's beautiful, amazing, gorgeous, and I love how it's got a soft appeal to it. You always inspire me, my friend. ♥ ♥ ♥

    Mari said...

    So awesome Mel! :) Hopefully I'll learn to use my Cameo as well as you!

    Melanie @ bear rabbit bear said...

    This is absolutely stunning!

    Pat (mspfd) said...

    This is beautiful, Mel! Love the cutwork you created with you Silhouette. The flowers are gorgeous!

    Beth Norman-Roberts said...

    Wow, so gorgeous. I love your background. I just bought a Spellbinders with a similar bg and would have never thought to use it like that. You rock my world!

    kellythom747 said...

    I absolutely love this! I am on a bird kick and those are my favorite colors! soo soo soo pretty!

    Unknown said...

    Melanie, what a treat! Thank you for this incredible tutorial. I have to say you are such a gifted teacher. You always present projects that make me think out of the box, but you don't leave your reader stranded with a big question mark over our heads. You always do such a great job of giving us the tools needed to accomplish it ourselves. Those flowers that you made are absolutely incredible. I'll never stoop to paying for flower embellishments again! ;-) Such a beautiful creation. We're so blessed to have you in our Silhouette Challenge group! Thanks for participating this round!

    Warmly,
    Lauren
    The Thinking Closet

    Leslie Hanna said...

    Another fabulous Mel creation! I love what you do, so don't ever stop, you hear me?! xoxo

    oscaralley said...

    Mel, this is beautiful....stunning!! Thanks for sharing. So pinning this one, it that okay? Great tutorial too!!! Love your blog.

    Sue from Oregon said...

    I can see you are having a dandy time with your Silhouette!--they are really addicting aren't they? I even dream of designs LOL Your Sil group sounds like a lot of fun and your project so very cool!

    Heather Landry said...

    Absolutely GORGEOUS project. Thanks so much for sharing your creative process with us.

    Coley said...

    I LOVE this! I'm so into card making & stamping lately and this is like a card but on a keepsake box!

    Valerie said...

    This is so beautiful! Thanks for sharing and inspiring us with your creativity.

    Unknown said...

    What a great project! Certainly on my to~do list now ;) TFS

    linda from arizona said...

    so happy to see you posting more often. A day without Mel is like a day with out sunshine!

    Petti said...

    what a stunning project!

    alexandra s.m. said...

    Absolutely amazing my Friend!
    Thank You~

    Dawn said...

    a fab project, Mel!! so cleverly YOU!
    hugs

    Erum Tasneem said...

    oh wowie! this is hot!! this reminds me i need to buy a new blade!