Enchanted Forest

This being my second  blog challenge and I found in some ways rather challenging. An idea sprung into my head very quickly, but the urge to pick up reds and greens to use, was hard not to do. To glitter and distress was the easy part. I love making something new look very old and up-cycling items.

With creativity flowing after reading the challenges, I immediately thought of cardboard that I had lying in my craft room and peeled the top surface off to reveal the corrugation underneath and tore around edges to make it look ragged. I  then gave it a coat of Gesso with a baby wipe, then rubbed some browns and black around the edges, coated over with some studio matt and poured over glamour dust. Finally, I dropped some frantage on to give a snowy effect and lightly went over with Treasure Gold. This is when I notice my cardboard was looking like trees glistening in a dense winter forest. I mounted onto a piece of torn distressed paper, my inspiration had now begun.

I cut out my Reindeer dies, one on mountboard and I stencilled a design using grunge paste, painted over and again highlighted with Frantage and Treasure gold. The other Deer I cut from mirri board and used Ferro Paste through the same stencil. I then rubbed in a little distress ink and repeated other finishing touches as before on the Deer.

My Chandelier I put Ferro Paste over it and highlighted again with Treasure Gold. For my candles I coloured first of all with Distress Pens, then dripped some Beeswax on with a brush and for the flame I put a little Glossy Accents on and added bling. I wanted my chandelier to be my interpretation of the moonlight shining through the forest. 

My Flowers were cut out with Parchment Paper and PaperArtsy brown wax paper. I stamped onto the parchment using the same Holly stamp as in background, Built them up and touched the edges with Treasure Gold. I used a couple of Skeleton Leaves and various bits from my stash.  But found was still lacking depth until I noticed some Oak Leaves which had fallen in the garden. I brought then in and dried with the heat gun, before dipping in Melt pot and dusting with Perfect Pearls. 

My breadboard was out of a Bargain Shop and I thought perfect to alter. I wiped over with Gesso. Then used gilding flakes to stamp on leaves. My holly was stamped with Archival Ink and I embossed my little dots stamp.I then rubbed lightly over with some brown and rust paint to give a little more depth. Sealed with Studio Matte and touched edges with Treasure Gold.

My Let it Snow sign I stamped onto Kraft paper and distressed edges added little star buttons from my stash and mounted onto a coffee stirrer stick which had been coated with Ferro Paste.

I hope you have enjoyed looking at my blog. Please feel free to leave me a comment.

Julie x

P.S. Thanks for your computer work and photographs Chris. Love you Always.

Products used : Paper Artsy Paints - Little Black Dress, Chocolate Pudding,       Brown Shed. Archival Ink - Potting Shed, Distress Ink Black Soot. Gilding Flakes - Morris Dance. Magnolia Tilda - Let it Snow and Holly Stamps. Tim Holtz Leave Stamps. Ferro Paste, Grunge Paste, Treasure Gold. Sizzix and Marianne Creatable Dies. Crystal Pins Live and Love Crafts. Anything else I have forgotten please ask.

 I wish to enter this in: 

Live and Love Crafts  Stardust Challenge

Our Creative Corner Challenge  A Very Vintage Christmas

Country View Challenges  Bah Humbug Challenge