Still Your Thoughts by Lynne Moncrieff

Hello

With this project, the products I worked with allowed me to try to aim for the feeling I was aiming to evoke.

The darkness lies towards the left side with it becoming lighter as we move towards the right side, a lightening of the mind with thoughts being stilled. The Pearl Inks allowed me to bring roots to the stamped tree, signifying grounding our thoughts. That little scrap of re-cycled paper, with marks made with Pearl Inks, they could represent fallen leaves but also the freeing of thoughts, falling from the mind and disappearing into the earth.

Supplies

That's Crafty! Clear Stamp Set The Language of Trees Set 1
That's Crafty! Surfaces MDF Round Uprights Pack of 7 Assorted
That's Crafty" Surrfacs Tea Bag Paper
That's Crafty! Medium - Acrylic Liquid Wax
That's Crafty! Medium - Gesso White
That's Crafty! Medium - Walnut Ink Crystals
That's Crafty! Pearl Inks: Black, Bronze, Tree Bark
That's Crafty! Multi-Surface Paints' Black, Grey, White
Archival Ink Jet Black
Extras: scrap of re-cycled paper

Instructions

After preparing the surface with Gesso, I then applied a coat of Acrylic Liquid Wax before laying onto the surface

teabag paper which I had previously stained. Once laid and smoothed onto the surface, I then set to work with the Multi-Surface Paints in white, grey and black, using a piece of damp cloth to apply the paints, blending and pressing into the surface.

To this, I then sprayed Walnut Ink.

Leaving this to air dry, Pearl Inks were applied.

When applying the paints, walnut ink and the Pearl Inks, I was conscious of not completely obscuring the original stained teabag paper.

The base of the Upright was prepared in a similar way.

Once dry, I laid a used teabag (with contents disposed of) onto the circle and a piece of scrap paper which I made marks with Pearl Inks. I then stained the tree from Set 1 directly onto the Round with those elements in place but not adhered to the surface.

After stamping, the teabag was adhered. Placing the new A4 stencil onto the teabag, I lightly edged with Stabilo watersoluble black pencil followed with white paint, dragging the paint outwards.

Inking up the words "still your thoughts" only, they were cut into word tiles before adhering to the teabag.

The scrap of paper with marks, adhered to the surface.

With the Bronze Pearl Ink, splatters were added to the surface. The Black Pearl Ink was added to left side of the rim, spraying with water to allow it to run, controlling by turning the Round to allow the colour to run.

When I carved the stamps, I wanted the freedom to extend the roots with paints/inks, etc which is what the Pearl Inks allowed me to do with this tree. First, focusing on the roots, I then dragged colour up the trunk, to blend, otherwise there would have been a stark contrast between the Jet Black stamped image and the Pearl Inks at the root. Misting with water, allowed the Pearl Inks to diffuse and create a beautiful, natural effect.

Thank you so much for your visit to this latest post.

Wishes
Lynne