On Butterfly Wings by Fliss Goodwin

Each day we have a post from a That’s Crafty! Design Team member and a Relics and Artifacts Ambassador and the blog posts will go live every day at 11.00am GMT and 6.00am EST.

We hope you will join in the collaboration each day, as there will be two very special prizes! One lucky winner will receive a Gift Certificate for £25 from That’s Crafty! and the other lucky winner will receive 3 sets of Relics and Artifacts Matte Resin Craft Blanks of their choice, from Relics and Artifacts!

Here’s what you have to do for a chance to win:

1. Visit both blogs each day and leave a comment.

2. Become a follower of the That’s Crafty! blog.

It’s that easy! The winners will be picked at random on Tuesday 2nd May 2017.

Day 5 of our collaboration and it's Fliss's turn today with an absolutely fantastic project.

I hope you’re all enjoying everyone’s creations in our collaboration week with the Relics & Artifacts Ambassadors. I was so excited when I found out about it as it’s taken me out of my comfort zone and given me the chance to work with some amazing craft blanks that I’ve always admired from afar but have never been able to pluck up the courage to use, mainly because they’re so beautiful in their natural state that it seems a shame to do anything to them.

I’ve now taken the plunge and have used my favourite That’s Crafty! substrate together with a Relic & Artifact blank in my favourite shape – I’m sure you know how often butterflies feature in my artwork!

Ingredients:

That’s Crafty! Surfaces – Jagged Edge MDF Upright

Sandra Evertson Prima Relics and Artifacts – Butterflies

Sandra Evertson Relics and Artifacts Bohemian Jewels - Aquamarine

That’s Crafty! Clear Stamps – Textures Set 2

Archival Ink – Fern Green, Potting Soil

Pebeo Studio Dyna Acrylics – Iridescent Blue Green, Green Yellow, Orange Yellow, Red Blue

Prima Art Alchemy Acrylic Paints – Metallique - Green Olive, Black Berry, Steampunk Copper

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics – Burnt Sienna, Raw Sienna, Yellow Green Light, Pyrrole Orange

PaperArtsy Infusions – Blackcurrant, Emerald Isle

DecoArt Media White Modelling Paste

Prima Art Ingredients Micro Beads – Bronze

Mixed Media Paper

Tim Holtz Bigz Die – Tattered Leaves (I used this one as the leaves are quite large to balance the butterfly)

Dina Wakley Media Tools

Ranger Black Palette Knife Set

Water Mister

Silicone Glue

Recipe:

The first thing I did is to apply quite a thick layer of modelling paste to the upright section of the MDF blank, making sure not to cover the feet and very bottom as this makes slotting it into the base very difficult. I then used a pointed tool to draw lines in the paste to resemble tree bark. I left it to dry overnight.

For my next layer, I painted the bark effect with the sienna paints, not worrying too much about making it perfect as this is just my under layer.

I then sprinkled on the Infusions and misted them with water, allowing the colours to run down the surface. It may seem a strange combination of colours for tree bark but it does work I promise!

The next layer is the Alchemy Paints. I used all 3 shades lightly to the bark, then misted with water and allowed the colours to run a bit. I carried on until I was happy with the effect.

I glued the finished panel into the base and then painted the base with the Alchemy shades, just dabbing the paint on with a brush in a haphazard fashion.

I die cut some leaves from mixed media paper and coloured them by adding shades of green paint with a bit of copper to a plate, pressing the leaves in, then misting the paint with water and dipping them in. As you’ll see, in some areas there are raised areas of paint and I found that by drying them with a heat gun the paint bubbled a bit adding some lovely texture.

Now came the challenge of decorating my butterfly. I started off by painting with matte orange and blue to give a good surface for my next layer, which was the Pebeo orange, red and blue green. These paints are quite gloopy so I wanted a good undercoat for them. Once they were dry, I stamped on the bubble wrap design with green Archival ink and the double circle image with the Potting Soil ink. I added some jewels in the body cavity.

I added some micro beads to the leaves and tree bark and then assembled my mixed media panel using silicone glue to stick on the leaves and the butterfly – as the butterfly is quite heavy, you need a strong glue and I found the silicone type works as treat with slightly more bulky items. I finished off with the text, stamped on mixed media paper with the brown ink and cut the words apart before gluing them on.

Now over at Relics and Artifacts Blog, Sherry has an amazing project to share with you.