Thursday 1 May 2014

Wings to Fly!

Hello and welcome to Magpieheaven! Over on the PA blog, PaperArtsy fans have been showing how talented they are and creating some amazing projects for the #3up Challenge here. Each night three volunteers are selected to work with beautiful, new PaperArtsy products. Please pop across because the standard has been very, very high: you will not be disappointed! I've loved the artists' work with all the new products, but the other day my good friend, Lucy gave me the gift of some of the new Chatsworth papers. They are fabulous to work with, so if you're not sure what to give a crafty friend you couldn't go far wrong with these. Because I've been a GD this semester, I've not joined in the PA challenges lately, so I really wanted to get involved again and I decided to create something using Chatsworth! It's nothing like Gail's Origami style 'make', but she did inspire the theme of flight and I did use PA paper as part of it! Here it is - my Shabby Chic butterfly!
My colour scheme is partly inspired by Gail and partly by that of my kitchen. Ah, don't get me started on that one! Last June a friend who fits kitchens started to work on ours. Soon it will be a year, and we have three out of the planned sixteen cupboards; no work surfaces; a sink that desperately needs replacing; no tiling and walls that need plastering! Something has gone a bit wrong in our dear friend's life maybe or events just keep overtaking him; but he doesn't seem able to tell us about it! We soldier on with what we have, assurances - sometimes - that more will be done, and we can dream! I have now placed my butterfly over the door to the kitchen and it reminds me of how lovely it will all be when it's finished!
 On a previous blog I told how a demonstrator at Ally Pally taught us to use pretty papers on MDF shapes. I was eager to try this technique again and I had a pack of MDF butterfly shapes. I cut out some Chatsworth, stuck my butterfly face down, making sure my glue - matte multi-medium this time, although in the demo it was PVA - went to the very edge of the shape. I then gave the butterfly a wiggle to dispel air bubbles and trimmed around it roughly before sanding down the edges thoroughly, working in strong downward strokes.
I used some old sand-paper sheets from Mr Magpie's tool cupboard because I needed to be able to get into those fiddly little corners and make everything smooth. Chatsworth is so beautiful, it doesn't exactly need embellishment; but I did want - like Craftyfield - to see how it would look with stamping and Frescos applied.
The butterfly is edged with Hey Pesto Fresco Finish and I used some Sage, watered down in the centre and touches of Chartreuse here and there. I then used the LPC028 script stamp without a block and stamped randomly with Sage Fresco and Wendy Vecchi Potting Soil, Archival ink.
 I flipped the paper over and stamped this sentiment from Ink and the Dog Wings Plate 1 in Potting Soil, embossing it with clear EP. The metal plate is from a pack I bought from the MDF Man and rusted with rusting powder. I used tiny pearls at each corner.
The butterfly is to hang above the door so it can be seen on both sides. On this side I coloured the MDF with Guacamole, Sage, Chartreuse and Hey Pesto and did a little more stamping with LPC028. I again stamped my sentiment on the reverse side of the Chatsworth, but attached it to the centre of a half cotton reel that I bought from PA at Ally Pally - I love these! A little cream hemp cord keeps the butterfly in flight, hovering above our half-finished kitchen with a message of hope for the future! Well, our friend has informed us he is now working on the fourth cupboard door! I should like to enter my butterfly for the PaperArtsy challenge this week. Thank you so much for dropping by. And some day, when the kitchen is completed you're all invited over for tea and home-made cake! If you can't make it, I promise to post pictures on the blog!!! Have  a great weekend and - if you're playing along with the draw - good luck!

25 comments:

  1. Oh, Julie Ann butterflies are my favourites (like a lot of other people) and I have some of the MDF Man's in various sizes :-). Think I need to make one of these because it's beautiful!

    Hugs
    Lesley Xx

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  2. PS... I meant to add that I hope there's some progress on your kitchen very soon. It must be a nightmare trying to live with a permanently messed up kitchen! Xx

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  3. Well Miss Julie Ann this is just plain gorgeousness, the paper are beautiful now they are STUNNING, love the rusty plate and how the heck did you stamp on that spool, its a BRILLIANT creation it must look fantastic over the doorway. I do hope you can get your kitchen together soon, I know the love in your nest conquer all, I have some chip board birds and will try this technique on them, thanks for always inspiring my my dear Magpie Cuz, hope you have a wonderful week, ((( HUGE HUGS )))

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  4. Already looking forward to tea and cakes in your new kitchen. You have achieved a perfect balance of addition in order to enhance , but not overpower the beautiful paper. A symbol of renewal, let's hope that it does the trick!

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  5. Awesome the butterfly hanging. The Chatsworth paper looks beautiful through the paints. Fab center of the embellishments. I want to see your the kitchen photo that will be completed. xx

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  6. Oh I didn't realise the background was papers, I thought it was paint and stencils, good job I 'read' it - hehehe!! Love how you've displayed the half cotton real on the wooden shape - gorgeous

    Sam xx

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  7. STUNNING butterfly Julie Ann, great work with the papers and love the cotton reel body. Not good waiting for a kitchen, hope you get sorted in 2014! :-) xxx

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  8. the butterfly looks gorgeous, those papers are just so fabulous, aren't they?! Hope your friend gets on with your kitchen soon....

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  9. What a lovely butterfly, Julie Ann - hope you soon have a gorgeous kitchen in which to hang it in pride of place!
    Alison x

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  10. Your butterfly is great JulieAnn. I love the paper techniques it looks really cool. Hope you get your kitchen sorted to lovely xxx

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  11. ohh Julie Ann, so sorry to hear your kitchen is no further forward. At least your butterfly is beautiful and will make you smile.

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  12. Loving the subtle and soft colors of this beautiful butterfly Julie Ann, those papers are gorgeous and like most comments above have mentioned I hope your kitchen is all finished soon. xx

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  13. Hi Julie Ann, thanks for naming me your muse. Love the butterfly. Great use of these gorgeous papers. Sorry to hear about your kitchen challenge. Hope miracles happen soon

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  14. Absolutely Fabulous Julie Ann! Your art is truly beautiful- each and every piece! I wish we lived closer, I would come over with my hub and help you get that kitchen right again! "( Sorry for your troubles, but love your butterfly outlook! xoxo

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  16. Hi Julie Ann! What a gorgeous butterfly hanging, love the fact that you can see both sides! Yummy colours and sweet little cotton reel ! Great work x

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  18. Stunning butterfly, I love the rusting on the plate! :)

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  19. A gorgeous piece of art Julie Ann! I'm sure it really brightens up your kitchen.
    Alison xxx

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  20. Love your butterfly - my dear you are a saint - or the person that is redoing your kitchen is such a good friend that you do not want to hurt his feelings. I would be so bonkers by now, I would throw up my hands in despair. It is a wonder you can be so creative with so much confusion in your kitchen. Our kitchen is really the heart of our home. Best wishes kid and know that I am keeping my fingers crossed that your kitchen will NOT take another year!!
    Sandy xx

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  21. That's a gorgeous idea, your butterfly looks fantastic.

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  22. This is so gorgeous and I love the spool used as a butterfly body. So ingenious! It is typical of you to be so loyal about the kitchen and not just bring someone else in to finish the job, and you are so patient,

    Lucy x

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  23. Hi Julie Ann..I recognise that butterfly and cotton reel lol..you have made an excellent job of them too xxx

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  24. So pretty. I love the half spool.

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  25. Wow Julie-Ann your butterfly is gorgeous, both sizes look amazing. I really love your rusting but I also love your half cotton wheel. Sinply stunning. I hope that kitchen gets done soon :-) Kezzy xxxxx

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