Monday, April 4, 2011

Not a Card..Not a Book...Must be a Collage!

I have another fun project to share with you this week for the Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge.  This week we are challenging you to join us with a project that is Anything But a Card.   Doesn't that sound wide open and FUN?  I have to thank my new team mate Sarah Engels-Greer for the inspiration of using a book cover as a foundation for building a collage.  I am always on the lookout for possible canvases for my collages (remember the giant Goldfish box from a few weeks back?).  I was totally intrigued when I saw Sarah's lovely art that she frequently builds on book covers.  When we were presented with the Anything But a Card challenge, I started casting around for ideas and decided to make a sweep on our one and only antique/junk shop here in the south Miami area.  I was delighted to get this very cool book for $3.  It was published in the early 1950's and is about the sea with lots of vintage style maps and pictures of sailing ships.  I think I will be able to make lots of fun art out of many of its pages.  I had planned to completely cover it entirely, but it was so wonderfully worn and frayed in places that I couldn't bear to cover it up.  Hence, you have my entire collage on the naked book cover.  

Enough rambling about the book cover.  You probably wanted to find out about my project, right?  I'm still in a spring - renewal - Easter mode so that is the theme of this piece.  A few weeks back, French Kissed had a lovely vintage chick image as a freebie.  I fell in love with it and knew I wanted to do something with it - it became the starting point of this piece.  I printed it on my home printer on tissue paper and ink distressed it with Vintage Photo.  Then I created a vintage post card with a couple of Tim Holtz stamp sets - Mini Classics and Mini Holidays.  I made the chipboard letters bright gold and sparkly because I wanted the NEW to be very prominent.  With the bottle cap I added Life and cozied up a gold Cross next to it.  I wanted to convey a new life in Christ.  Continuing on, I created a branch of one of my favorite springtime flowers - forsythia.  I used crinoline again to create the forsythia buds and leaves and glued them to a small branch from the oak tree in my front yard.  Moving on down, notice the sweet vintage eggshell that the chick has left behind?  It's a real one.  I cracked an egg, washed out the shell and dried it with my heat gun.  Then I went to work with the Claudine Hellmuth Multi Medium Matte and that vintage shopping bag that I upcycled for my last blog piece.  Using small squares that I cut with my pinking sheers, I covered the outside of the egg shell.  I shot my homemade Vintage Photo glimmer mist inside the shell.  Directly to the right, you will see a crinoline piece that I made in the style of Tim Holtz's rosette.  I recently saw one made of crinoline on Tammy Tutterow's blog.  I sprayed with with my Vintage Photo glimmer mist and topped it off with a yellow crinoline/tulle flower.  All my crinoline flowers for this piece were made with the Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die.  Last but not least, I used a Journaling Ticket and typed this quote buy Maria Robinson "Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."

I'm anxious to see that you all think of this piece.  I had such fun making it, but don't know if it is any good in the mixed media field.  If you have any feedback for me, let it fly.  Constructive criticism helps us make better art.  

Now to the important stuff.  Be sure to stop on over at Simon Says Stamp and Show to see the amazing art my team mates make.  This week, it's no different - incredible projects from everyone!  And don't forget, our ever generous sponsor, Simon Says Stamp, will be giving a $50 shopping spree to the lucky winner of their random draw this week.  That should be reason enough to make anything but a card and have some fun with us!


Thanks ever so much for stopping by today and for whatever comment you care to leave on this project. 

20 comments:

Sarah said...

Just fabulous Linda - it's all going on with this piece. The book cover is just perfect and the colours are great. Love the printing onto delicate tissue paper, the layering and then the hand-made forsythia branch is really fab! Very creative and inventive this week!!!!!
Sarah x

Kathy Eddy said...

OMG, this is just fantastic! I love everything about it. What a great idea to use the book cover.

Candy C said...

Linda, I LOVE your book cover! Love the teal base color of your book and then the creams and soft yellows against it...perfect! I agree with Sarah...the handmade forsythia branch is wonderful! All of your elements you used are perfect....love the flowers! :) <3 Candy

emilysnan said...

hiya linda , what a great progect , i am lving making those rosettes at the moment to the possibilities are endless with them x love the branch and the printed tissue , fs
xmaggiex

Lori said...

Fabulous Linda! Just love the theme, and all the vintage elements are terrific!

Esther said...

This is such a wonderful collage! There are so many beautiful elements to it. I really love the cracked egg shell that has been decorated, the saying is inspiring, the idea of printing the chick on tissue paper is fantastic, I could go on and on. Love it!!!!

Elisa64 said...

very very beautiful Linda !
I love it

Jennifer Scull said...

WOW!!!!
that pretty much sums up what I think.....
but really, just beautiful! :)

have a wonderful week!

Marjie Kemper said...

Linda, your egg is amazing! I love the whole piece but the egg is just outstanding!

Dan said...

Another fabulous project Linda, so pretty and delicate! Using the book cover was a fantastic idea too! :)

Rebecca Ednie said...

Linda, I love this! It is so pretty! And I enjoyed reading all about the book. I would have bought it in a heartbeat! Such a great colour for the cover. I am not much of a mixed media artist so don't consider my comments gospel but I have a suggestion for you. Your elements in the corners float a bit. Like the egg, crinoline flower and less so, the cross and bottle cap. I know you didn't want to cover all of your book but I think either a paper, chipboard or grunge board flourish perhaps or some other connecting element would ground those lovely embellishments and make them feel a little more part of the whole. Maybe look at Sherry Cheevers look for ideas. Sometimes she swings the other way IMHO with a bit too much going on but she has great ideas! I have been known for not wording things very well so I hope that came across as constructive and nice! Oh and I love the egg! So pretty!

Unknown said...

Wowzer.. This is fabulous. What a great collage.. so many yummy elements to look at.. Hope you have a wonderful week..

Hugs, Linda

Anonymous said...

Stunning project Linda, I love how you've used a real egg shell ! Wow, that must have taken some patience. The book cover is a such a perfect canvas for your wonderful creativity. Sue C x

Angelica Turner said...

Absolutely stunning, amazing detail and texture!!! So much to look at :o) TFS your amazing work.

Conniecrafter said...

so very cool, love the fact that you used a real egg, and love the branch, cool image!

Stef Perry said...

OMG what an amazing bit of art! The chick image really captured me and drew me into all the other details, as I'm sure you planned! However, the eggshell really blew me away...that was very unexpected and a brilliant piece of your wonderful creation!!

Betty Wright said...

Oh, my word! Is that a decoupaged eggshell? Get out! Fabulous and so amazing! Love the texture TH rosette, too! So much to see and take in! I must take some notes! LOL! Stunning card, Linda!

email: Steph@SimonSaysStamp.com said...

Hi Linda, Your collage is absolutely beautiful! I really love the cracked egg and the turquoise color is stunning!

*mwah*
Steph
Simon Says Stamp!

BrossArtAddiction said...

OMGosh stunning!! Love all the added elements and your pic is gorgeous! :D

xx Tracey xx

Deb said...

wow! all I can say is FABULOUS DARLING-Love it, so many awesome details
Debs
xxx

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