enchanted

Maybe it's the wonderful explosion of colorful flowers brought forth with the arrival of spring,
or perhaps it's simply the warmer weather which allows for extended time outdoors; but it has me dreaming of the whimsical world of fairies.

Today I am on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog sharing "enchanted", a mixed media panel/book cover. I envision this piece being hung in a young child's room and then later being converted for use as a cover for a memory book.

I begin with a 9x12 canvas art panel, and layout the chipboard pieces to create a scene. The fairy door Mary is the largest of the pieces, so I begin by situating the door along the bottom to the left side. This door will be set into a tree. Beside the tree, some mushrooms from the mushrooms shape set, will sit among grass and create the perfect perch for the fairies.

Once all of pieces are selected, I sketch an outline for what will become the tree trunk. Texture paste through a stencil creates the wood grain/bark effect. Be sure to trace the door outline before adding the texture paste so that the texture does not impede placement of the chipboard door frame. Allow the texture paste to dry.

Next, I paint the sky using layers of blue acrylic paint in different shades. Blades of grass will be painted along the bottom of the panel. Once I am satisfied with the sky, I paint the grassy bottom edge, as well as the brown tree bark. The painted panel is set aside to dry while I work on painting the door and mushroom pieces.

The door itself is treated the same as the tree. Stenciled texture paste creates the wood pattern, and once dry, a layer of brown paint is added. The door frame consists of two pieces, for this project I am only using the base piece, Since my door is set into a tree trunk, I decided not to use the "stone" patterned piece. Instead, I use texture paste to create a rough texture on the flat around and paint it to create the look of a knot where the bark has grown dark with age and the elements. Before the door and surround are secured into place, I add a glow to the canvas where the window opening is located using gold and coffee ICE.

The mushrooms are painted with acrylic paints to give a realistic look and the grassy base is painted to match the grassy base of the panel. A piece of gessoed and painted book page adhered to the reverse side of the mushrooms creates a solid backing for the cutouts. Once the pieces are complete, they are added to the base of the panel with collage medium. I set a weight on top to keep them flat while they dry.

Three fairies from the garden fairies medium set are coated with embossing ink, sprinkled with charred gold embossing powder and heat set. They are adhered to the panel with collage medium. Using a stencil, I emboss swirling stars around the fairies.

Die cut letters, painted in the deepest shade of the sky blues, form the word "enchanted" in the sky.  

The back side of the panel is covered with patterned scrapbook paper, to give a finished appearance.  

Thank you so much for stopping by today, I truly appreciate it.
I hope that wherever you find yourself these days, you are able to enjoy the beauty that nature is providing us during these unsettling times.
I wish you all the best, stay healthy and take care.
~Ann
  xxx


supplies used:
canvas art panel
DecoArt acrylic paint: raw umber,
dictionary pages
Dina Wakley Media: white gesso
Distress collage medium: matte
Distress texture paste: opaque
Distress paint:
 gathered twigs, walnut stain, vintage photo, black soot, barn door, picket fence
Emerald Creek embossing powder: charred gold
Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts:

fairy door mary, garden fairies medium, mushrooms shape set
Paper Artsy fresco finish paints:
buff, denim blue, mud, venice blue
Seth Apter / Aladine ICE: cold gold, iced coffee
Tim Holtz / Sizzix alterations strip die: gothic
Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous stencil: SSS stamptember - swirling stars