Celebrate the Colors of the Americas

How to create an extra large post stamp using stencils

Hi everyone, Heidi here today with an extra blog post! As you might know I ‘m participating in the International Tournament of Art & Craft (ITAC ‘17) and this is my entry for the fifth challenge. This week the challenge is focusing around the continent “America“.

All the details for this challenge you can find here: https://www.aallandcreate.com/challenge-5  You’re asked to use certain elements in your project (if you would like to know which ones, than follow the link) and there also is a set of images / mood board to take inspiration from.

I like to create things that I can give away to someone who will appreciate the project I created, that it fits the person that I choose to give a project to. My projects for the challenges of Oceania and Africa (visit my blog for more info) already have found their destination.

For this challenge though I choose to create something to decorate my craft room with.

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The Crafter’s Workshop provided me with some product to create this project. The opinions I share are solely my own. This post also contains affiliate links.

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First I had to decide what I would create: thinking of one of the elements given in this challenge, A large format feature, XXL size I decided on creating a post stamp, in an extra large size, and I wanted to frame this post stamp. I had an old picture frame laying around, size 34 x 28 cm, I took it apart, throw away the glass and there I had the base for my project. I also decided on making this a mixed media project.

I took pictures of the different steps so that you can see the project grow with me:

How to create an extra large post stamp using stencils

Step 1:

I applied two coats of The Crafter’s Workshop “White Gesso” (TCW9001) on the frame: I choose white gesso because at this stage I didn’t know yet what my choice of colour for the frame would be. Using the size of the old picture as my guideline I also cut out a rectangle from a piece of thick water colour paper (Cornwall, Rough, bright white, 450 gr) to create the base for my inside project. On this paper I draw the characteristic edge of a post stamp.

How to create an extra large post stamp using stencils

Step 2:

Of the images given in the mood board the things that attracted me the most were the butterflies, the flowers, the green and orange colours and the feathers. Since I love butterflies I knew those were going to be one of the focal points of my project.

First I stamped one of the “feathers“ from the Viva Decor stamp set called “Peacock Feathers“ on the watercolour paper twice using the beautiful Gina K by Therm-O-Web ink called “Grass Green“. “Shades of Green“ is given as one of the elements in the challenge (so this is my first shade of green).

Then I applied some The Crafter’s Workshop “Light & Fluffy Modeling Paste“ (TCW9004) on the post stamp over one of the new The Crafter’s Workshop stencils called “Dahlia Blooms“ (TCW750s) using a palette knife and then sat the panel aside to dry.

I also started to ad texture to my frame by adhering some crinkled tissue paper (preferably a light colour) using The Crafter’s Workshop “Matte Gel Medium“ (TCW9011), also putting some on the sides of the frame.

When the modeling paste on the post stamp was dry I applied my next “shade of green“ using Infusions pigment powders in the colour “The Sage “ and Lindy’s Magical Shakers in the colour “Guten Tag Teal“. I sprayed with water (an element from the mood board) and dried the project with my heat tool, working in layers, until I liked the result I was having.

And when the tissue paper was dry I also applied the modeling paste through another one of the new The Crafter’s Workshop stencils called “Big Wreath“ (TCW721, small) on the frame, also using parts of the wreath itself, and minding the sides of the frame to.

How to create an extra large post stamp using stencils

How to create an extra large post stamp using stencils

How to create an extra large post stamp using stencils

Step 3

My idea for this project was to build layers of flowers and leafs with the butterflies on top.

– For this I started to work on some of the flowers first: I stamped the Kaisercraft “Sheet Music“ stamp (my “One or more elements inspired by music mentioned in the challenge) onto some acetate sheet (my Something transparent or sharp element from the challenge) using “Jet Black“ StazOn ink and using my MISTI to prevent the stamp from slipping on the acetate. When the ink was dry I punched flower shapes from the music acetate sheets using a flower shaped punch. Later on I also decided to put some StazOn ink on the edges of the flowers to make them stand out more in the project (for this I used a foam applicator tool).

– One of the other elements given in the challenge is An element suggestive of money and currency . In the old days gold was an excepted way to pay for what you wanted to buy or you could exchange gold for money. That’s why I added several gold elements to my project.

My first gold elements are the leafs: I choose to die cut Deco Foil’s “Foam Adhesive“ with the Marianne Design die with number “LR0250“ and foiling that with “Mixed Media Transfer Foil“ in the gorgeous colour “Old Gold“ from Rebekah Meier Designs by Therm-O-Web .

– I also created some flowers to adhere on my project using the same The Crafter’s Workshop stencil as used before (“Big Wreath“ (TCW721, large and small stencil were used)). I used only the flowers and applied ink over the stencil on regular white card stock. For this I used Memento ink in the colours “Tangelo“ and “Morocco“. I fussy cut the flowers out using my Fiskars scissor leaving a small white edge, and then I clear heat embossed them using VersaMark ink and clear embossing powder, twice on the front and once on the back (so that the glue wouldn’t seep into the paper and smudge the ink).

– I also found some gold coloured spirals (I think they are some sort of fancy paper clips) in my stash, I made them a little larger by bending them and then I had another gold and also my “metal“ decorative element to ad to my project!

In this step I also splattered some FineTec Pearl Color in the colour “Tibet Gold“ on the post stamp.

How to create an extra large post stamp using stencils

How to create an extra large post stamp using stencils

Step 4:

When these elements were all ready to go I decided on my lay out and started adhering the elements to the post stamp using The Crafter’s Workshop “Gloss Gel Medium“ (TCW9006). I waited with the music flowers though, until a later moment.

And while that was drying I started working on my butterflies. I used one of the fun collages from Altered Pages for the wings on these butterflies, this particular sheet is called “1008 Jar Fairies Wings“. I choose two designs, sized them down and printed them on Clairefontaine Digital Colour Printing (DCP) paper (160 grms). I fussy cut them out (and put some Memento “Tuxedo Black“ Dual Marker on the edges of the wings to give them a defined edge) and then I adhered the wings on die cut butterflies from Joy Crafts (die number 6002/0322). For the bodies of the butterflies I used some matte gold coloured card stock and I adhered the wings using Ranger Medium Matte. And to finish the butterflies I put some Stickles in the colour “Platinum“ on the bodies and then set them aside to dry.

Oh, and to lift a tip of the veil, keep an eye out for next months projects to see more of the Altered Pages collages.

How to create an extra large post stamp using stencils

Step 5:

Now it’s time to adhere the butterflies and then the music flowers, using gel medium.

The frame is still unfinished as you could see in the previous pictures. I first wanted to see where the post stamp part was going before deciding on the colour of the frame.I decided that now was the right time to figure out what to do with the frame: I choose to keep the attention mostly on the post stamp so I put another coat of white gesso on the frame and when that was dry I made a mixture of The Crafter’s Workshop “Shimmery Goodness“ (TCW9012) and The Crafter’s Workshop Heavy Body Acrylic Paint in the colour “Spun Sugar“ (TCW9016), about two/thirds to one/thirds, and applied that to the frame with a brush. When that layer was dry I applied Pebeo Gilding Wax in the colour “King Gold“ over the embossed parts and also highlighting the crinkles from the tissue paper (I applied the gilding wax with my finger). The finishing step for the frame is to adhere two of the butterflies with gel medium.

To enhance the edge of the post stamp I put some Gansai Tambi watercolour paint in the colour  “Silver“ (95) around the outer edge and when that was dry I went over the characteristic post stamp lines with a Stabilo Fine Liner in grey (88/96). And my final finishing touch is to adhere some Pretty Pink Posh “Sparkling Clear Sequins“ in different sizes to the project using Ranger Medium Matte. This is my second “transparent“ element and I was inspired to use sequins because they were mentioned in the introduction story at the beginning of this challenge.

Some detail pictures:

How to create an extra large post stamp using stencils

How to create an extra large post stamp using stencils

And that finishes today’s project!

I really enjoyed working on this mixed media piece and it was a lot of fun trying to put in all the elements given in this challenge.

Thank you Therm-O-Web and Altered Pages for providing the DT with some of the products, I had so much fun playing with them!

We would love to see what you create with The Crafters Workshop Stencils and Mediums.
You can share it with us on our Facebook page, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest using hashtag #tcwstencillove.

Heidi Jakobs

The Crafter’s Workshop Design Team Member

 

12 thoughts on “Celebrate the Colors of the Americas

  1. Heidi…what can I say other than it is just stunning. Every detail from start to finish and the addition of our Deco Foil Foam and Foils are perfection…thank you for sharing such a beautiful way to use our products!

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