Wednesday 14 May 2014

Lynne for all Seasons!

Hello Followers and Friends and Welcome to Magpieheaven. I've been feeling a bit under the weather this week with a virus I just can't shift. Nevertheless, I've been crafting away and it's taken my mind off feeling poorly! Focusing on 'Nature's Glories' on this canvas, which I've created to brighten up my Mum's flat, has lifted my spirits so I should like to enter it for the Country View Crafts, 'Nature's Glories' Challenge here.
 My plan is to see if I can eventually create my Mum four canvasses corresponding to the Four Seasons. This canvas is not exactly Keren Baker's CAS style, which is amazing and has to be checked out; but the lady at the window was inspired by Keren's wonderful 'cut out' technique featured over on the PaperArtsy blog here. This is where I began.
I took a very inexpensive, discount art shop canvas and added as many different textures as I could before covering it in a good coating of Gesso. Here you can see I used die-cuts; Grunge Paste through stencils; masking tape; a Prima topiary tree and some punched out leaves to create my background.
In this close-up you can see the effect of Gesso over masking tape - a tip from Gabi at Dusty Attic. Her incredible video is well worth viewing!  At the very top of the image, you can also see the effect of squeezing Grunge Paste through gauze.
I built up my canvas, adding a range of embellishments: Tattered Pine Cone Roses; Tattered Florals; Prima flowers and resin birds and a beautiful cherub given me by my good friend, Lucy. Everything was given a coat of Gesso!
I made sure the sides of the canvas had texture added too.
While everything was drying I painted my window die-cut with some PaperArtsy Little Black Dress. I didn't stick it down, but every so often I would place it onto the canvas to remind me of what I wanted the composition to look like eventually.
This is a huge jump, I know, but I think that photographing every step would have taken ages, so I apologize for a leap - or should I say 'a spring' - forward in time? I wanted to evoke the light of one of those evenings in late spring when it doesn't get dark until well after eight and summer is almost here. I mixed little mister bottles of PaperArtsy washes in Guacamole, Brown Shed, Hey Pesto and Inky Pool and thoroughly enjoyed myself spraying to my heart's content. I think that the spray painting technique gave a soft, twilight feel to the canvas. I then accented areas in paints and Treasure Golds in Sapphire, Green Amber and a limited edition purple.
I am indebted to the brilliant Keren Baker for my Edwardian lady gazing out at Nature's Glories in her garden of endless Springtime. I stamped her onto card first washed with PaperArtsy Vanilla. I used Versamark, Onyx Black and once this was heat set, I dabbed on Blush and Brown Shed with a baby-wipe to create her skin tones. Then it was time to take the scalpel and cut away her gilded cage! The top of the cage becomes a pretty lamp, only just lit for the evening and she gazes out of the window into a world of endless possibilities! The wall-paper is PaperArtsy Chatsworth and she has a curtain of a little tea-stained lace. The embellishments on the window include a painted resin flower arrangement; tiny punched out butterflies, a jump ring and some tiny rusted keys - I love this charm given me by Lucy: maybe they are the keys to the lady's studio where she has been creating with the sun streaming in.
The butterflies are painted and stencilled card or punched out of Chatsworth paper and the Tim Holtz trellis was embossed with Verdi Gris and Copper Frantage.
I continued my trellis over the edge of my canvas. I should like to have included a sentiment from one of Lin Brown's Eclectica ones, but those roses just went wild and left no room for anything else! Sorry, Keren, if this isn't quite in the spirit of CAS; but I did enjoy cutting that lady out of her cage and you were the inspiration! I should like to link my canvas to PaperArtsy and Country View Crafts Challenge for May. Thank you so much for stopping by to peep into the Magpie's Nest today. My next canvas is going to be Summer. I do hope you have a wonderful, creative week and that all your crafty projects flourish.

27 comments:

  1. oh wow, that looks incredible! it may not be CAS but I love it - the lady peeking out of the window is just fabulous.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Let me exclaim that this is exquisite!
    The yummy texture on the base of the canvas and the way you created a scene and a story and a sense, for me, of wistfulness and contemplation. Is it the gaze of the woman or the way she appears from behind the window, I will need to ponder upon this for a little while longer. That fragment of tea stained lace to create the curtain is the sort of detail that makes me sigh.
    Divine!
    Wishes
    Lynne

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beautiful,I am sure your mum will love that,such vibrant colours

    Donna.x

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oooh great canvas, lovely colours and very chirpy xxx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Fabulous as always Julie Ann! When you have flowers growing wild it isn't easy to see the writing on the 'wall' - canvas so can see why you didn't add one. Your canvas is a delight, looking forward to the set as i'm sure your Mum is:-)

    Hope you feel better very soon & shake the virus off :-) xxx

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm missing words, that's an amazing project.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Classy And Superb! CAS your way is just fabulous! Love all that yummy texture - your Mum must love this! Hugs, Chrisx

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow wow wow absolutely awesome stunning canvas your mum will love it. The texture is amazing, I really love the colours and the cut out lady with the lamp is genius. I hope you feel better soon, thinking of you :-) healing hugs :-) Kezzy xxxxx

    ReplyDelete
  9. WOW this is amazing! So much to see with all the little details and it's all perfectly put together. Your Mum with LOVE this xx

    ReplyDelete
  10. Awesome canvas Julie Ann! Gorgeous background you made and It's wonderful you enjoyed to spraying. Your mom will also gazing at the same time when the Edwardian lady gazing out at her garden. Your Mum really love the canvas xxx

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hello Miss Julia, I have missed visiting you. this canvas is SUPERB and full of fantastic texture, I'm so flipping excited, this is a perfect inspiration for a canvas I'm going to make for a friend from swimming who is blind, I told I wanted to make a textured piece for her and imagine you making this, karma that what it was, you Mom is going to love all these canvas your doing. How you incorporate the essences and feelings, into your creating is AMAAAAAAAZING.. You have created such an unique style like no ones else,s, you take inspiration form others and soar with it. I was so in love with your challenge with the Dragons I had to dream too, a big thank you for always inspiring me Cuz, hope you have a wonderful weekend, ((( BIG HUGS)))..

    ReplyDelete
  12. Seriously amazing!! Thankyou for the lovely things you said about me! I love what you've done- I wouldn't know where to start with something as painty and textural as this. I'm glad I inspired you- at the end of the day, we're not all supposed to be the same- and I appreciate that my style is somewhat different to lots of other peoples. Love the idea of the lady gazing out into the garden. You've inspired me in return!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Absolutely stunning, looking forward to Summer!
    Hope you're feeling much better!
    Alison xxx

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh Julie Ann! Such a fabulous canvas! And I love the idea of your four seasons- your Mum is sure to love them all!!! I am so sorry you are ill- it's the pits- isn't it- not feeling 100%? Wishes from across the waters and miles for your good health to return soon! xo
    And Dear Julie Ann, thank you so much for your sweetest words- I love when you visit and you always make my heart smile! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  15. wow, gorgeous. I do a lot of fussy cutting out of small images, most people hate doing it, but you have shown how effective it can be.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Fabulous work Julie Ann and I adore those little keys hanging from the window.Lovely to see the different stages and looking forward to your summer one. Hope your feeling a bit better now.
    Julie x

    ReplyDelete
  17. This is spectacularly gorgeous Julie Ann. I love every single detail, from the colours, to the trellis carried onto the edges of the canvas. And the textures are wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Extraordinarily beautiful Julie Ann. I've spent ages studying all the wonderful textures and exquisite details and I still keep seeing more. You really have captured a very lovely twilight scene and the lady at the window brings a terrific sense of mystery. All in all this is exceptional. I do hope that you are feeling much better by now. Enjoy the rest of the weekend. Nicola x

    ReplyDelete
  19. Julie Anne this is amazing. I love all the texture and the colours are great. Xx

    ReplyDelete
  20. This is so glorious, julie Ann! Such texture and detail and charm! I adore the colour combination you have created; it is so unusual and creates a sense of twilight. Most of all I love how you have cut the birdcage away to create the lamp. So imaginative! Hope mum appreciates it,

    Lucy x

    ReplyDelete
  21. Glorious, naturally... But seriously, I adore the way you've laid down your textures and the gorgeous colours you've used. And the lady peeking out is of course a clever touch.

    ReplyDelete
  22. So sorry to hear you're feeling so unwell, Julie Ann - do hope you're feeling a little better by now...

    The canvas you've created for your mother is just glorious - such beautiful colours, and I adore all the dimensional elements... fabulous Frameworks (off around the edges - perfect!), and the various flowers - paper and metal. How lovely to see the PA woman peeking out of the window. This is glorious by itself, but I can just imagine how magnificent a seasonal set will be... good luck!! And feel better soon.
    Alison xx

    ReplyDelete
  23. I LOVE your canvas!!! It is just gorgeous and will be beautiful for your mom!!! I hope you are feeling better!!!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Beautiful Julie Ann. I love the mix of textures, it just looks fab!! Hope you feel better soon

    ReplyDelete
  25. Your Mum cannot fail to love this beautiful canvas Julie Ann and if she's anything like my mum it will have pride of place and be shown to anyone who walks through the door. Love the depth and texture you have incorporated and the window with your lady gazing out is a lovely focal point.

    Hugs
    Lesley Xx

    ReplyDelete
  26. Well I hope you are feeling much better. By the looks of this canvas how could anyone tell you were feeling poorly! The design is fantastic and the colors are beautiful! What a fantastic idea to add those little keys. This is one gorgeous canvas and wins the big prize of the year. Now where did I put my blue ribbon!!
    Thanks for telling us how you did this cause I definitely want to do a canvas kinda like this. Love your work honey and I know your Mum did too!
    Sandy xx

    ReplyDelete
  27. Wow what a fabulous canvas! Wonderful design and all those fabulous embellishments. Thanks for sharing it with us at Country View Challenges for our Natures Glories challenge. Jennie x

    ReplyDelete

Due to high level of spam recently I have enabled comment moderation on this blog, so any comments will be moderated before appearing on the blog.