Where Dreams Are Born by Alison Hall

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.

It's day 3 of our collaboration and we have a fabulous project from Alison to share.

Hi Everyone, Alison here today, with a rusty mixed media hanging. I couldn't wait to see what kind of paint effects I could achieve on the Relics and Artifacts. They take all kind of media beautifully, just like the That's Crafty! Surfaces, and I decided to use my favourite DecoArt Media products.

Here's what I used...

That's Crafty! Surfaces MDF Hanger Kit - Rectangles

That's Crafty! Surfaces MDF Tags - 2 x Size 3, 1 x Size 5

Relics and Artifacts - Visage, Rising Spirit

Dresden Trim - Halo - Silver

Bohemian Jewels - Aquamarine

Stamps - That's Crafty! Textures - Crackle, Crafty Individuals - CI406, PaperArtsy Emma Godfrey - EEG18

DecoArt Media - Texture Sand, White Gesso, White Crackle Paste, Ultra Matte Varnish

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic - Green Gold, Cobalt Turquoise Hue, Phthalo Turquoise, Raw Umber, Burnt Umber, Quinacridone Gold, Carbon Black, Titanium White

Ranger Archival Ink - Coffee, Jet Black

Glossy Accents

Rusty Wire

Palette Knife, Paintbrushes

Old Book Page, Cream Lace, Ink Blending Foam

Here's what I did...

1. I began by prepping all of the MDF rectangles with white gesso, and applying white crackle paste onto the 3 MDF tags. TIP(to self!)...If you apply gesso under the crackle paste, it shouldn't flake off.

2. Next, I used my finger to apply some Texture Sand around the edges of the three small rectangles, and used a paintbrush to paint the large rectangle with Green Gold acrylic.

3. Once the Texture Sand was dry, I painted the three small rectangles with Phthalo Turquoise Acrylic, adding some Quinacridone Gold on the textured edges for a rusty effect.

4. On the large rectangle, I painted a few age splotches on the edges with Raw Umber, stamped some crackles and script with Coffee ink, then painted with a wash of Quinacridone Gold acrylic.

5. Next, I painted the Relics and Artifacts with DecoArt Media acrylics in Cobalt Turquoise Hue and Quinacridone Gold, adding detail to the eye with Carbon Black and a dot of Titanium White. I also used Quinacridone Gold to colour the Dresden Trim Halos.

6. By now, the white crackle paste on the three tags was nicely dry and crackled, so I painted them with Green Gold, adding some Quin Gold and Burnt Umber around the edges, then sealing the crackle with a coat of Ultra Matte Varnish. 

7. I stamped the Emma Godfrey wonderful phrase onto gessoed book page, cut it out, then sponged black ink onto the edges. I assembled the tags as shown, using glossy accents to glue the Dresden Trim, Relics and Artifacts, Bohemian Jewels, and words in place, then attached them to the three small rectangles, layering with cream lace, and gluing a large jewel over the rectangle's top hole. I glued the three rectangles to the large board, hiding the three lower holes, then added some curled rusty wire to finish.

I hope I've inspired you today.

Please hop over to the Relics and Artifacts blog to see some inspirational artwork from their talented ambassador Monica.

Alison x