Lone Wolf Designs - Design Team Showcase

"WELCOME TO THE COUNTRY!"

FOR THIS WEEKS "LONE WOLF DESIGNS" DESIGN TEAM SHOWCASE, I DECIDED TO FEATURE GRAPHIC45'S "FRENCH COUNTRY" COLLECTION AND PETALOO "COLOR ME CRAZY" FLOWERS. I HAD A LOT OF FUN WITH THIS PROJECT AND WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT FROM THE START. I THINK IT CAME TOGETHER WELL... SO WELL IN FACT, I JUST MAY KEEP IT FOR OUR FRONT DOOR!  I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE SHOWCASE TODAY, AND AS ALWAYS...

HAPPY SCRAPPIN',

I STARTED WITH A WOODEN FRAME & SUNFLOWER THAT I PURCHASED FROM THE CRAFT STORE. I PAINTED THE FRAME WITH A COPPER METALLIC ACRYLIC PAINT. I DIDN'T BOTHER PAINTING THE ENTIRE FRONT BECAUSE IT WILL BE COVERED WITH PAPER.

ONCE THE PAINT WAS COMPLETELY DRY, I TRACED & CUT BLACK CARDSTOCK TO THE SHAPE & SIZE TO FIT WITHIN THE FACE OF THE FRAME. AFTER GETTING THE BLACK CARDSTOCK TO SIZE, I TRACED & CUT PATTERNED PAPER FROM THE G45 "FRENCH COUNTRY" COLLECTION... SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN THE BLACK. I MUST SAY, AS I REALLY LIKE THE SHAPE OF THIS FRAME, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO REPRODUCE THE SHAPE. PLEASE THINK ABOUT THAT WHEN CHOOSING A FRAME TO COVER WITH PAPER. AFTER INKING THE EDGES WITH TIM HOLTZ WALNUT STAIN DISTRESS INK; I "MOD-PODGED" THE SHAPED PAPERS ONTO THE FRAME. I THEN COVERED THE WHOLE FRAME FRONT & SIDES WITH MOD-PODGE TO HELP PROTECT IT.

NEXT, WHEN ALL OF THE MOD-PODGE WAS DRY, I USED A CHICKEN WIRE STENCIL FROM "THE CRAFTERS WORKSHOP" TO ADD SOME DEPTH TO THE PIECE. WHILE HOLDING THE STENCIL FIRMLY IN PLACE, I USED AN INK BLENDING TOOL TO APPLY WALNUT STAIN DISTRESS INK. CAREFULLY REMOVING THE STENCIL, IT REVEALED AN AWESOME TEXTURE.

NOW TO THE REALLY FUN PART!!  "COLOR ME CRAZY" FLOWERS, BY PETALOO!!  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE WORKING WITH THEM. MY HANDS GOT SO MESSY.... AND IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!! I USED A COUPLE OF TIM HOLTZ'S TECHNIQUES FOR COLORING THE FLOWERS. FIRST I TOOK THE TOP OUT OF A MOWED LAWN DISTRESS STAIN, ADDED 1 PART STAIN & 3 PARTS WATER IN A MINI-MISTER TO SPRITZ THE LARGE FLOWER. THEN CAREFULLY DRY WITH A HEAT TOOL AND RE-SHAPE THE FLOWER AS IT DRIES. AS THEY DRY THEY WILL BECOME SLIGHTLY LIGHTER IN COLOR... KEEP THIS IN MIND WHEN COLORING.

I COLORED THE MEDIUM SIZED FLOWER WITH MUSTARD SEED DISTRESS PAINT. DABBING PAINT ONTO YOUR CRAFT MATT & USING A WET PAINT BRUSH WORKS WELL TO PAINT THE FLOWER. DIP YOUR BRUSH IN WATER EACH TIME YOU NEED TO PICK UP PAINT.

AFTER DRYING THE YELLOW CAREFULLY WITH A HEAT TOOL, I DRY BRUSHED OVER THE HIGH SPOTS OF THE PETALS WITH BURNT ORANGE ACRYLIC PAINT. THEN I TIPPED THE EDGES WITH THE SAME COPPER METALLIC ACRYLIC PAINT.

FOR A FINISHING TOUCH, I TIPPED THE EDGES WITH THE SAME COPPER METALLIC ACRYLIC PAINT THAT I PAINTED THE FRAME WITH.

THE WOODEN SUNFLOWER WAS VERY FUN TO WORK WITH & TO PAINT!! I LOVE THE WAY IT CAME OUT. IT COORDINATES WELL WITH THE G45 "FRENCH COUNTRY" COLLECTION. 

 I STARTED BY LAYING DOWN A BASE COAT OF BURNT ORANGE ACRYLIC PAINT & ADDING  BURGUNDY TO THE CENTER... BLENDING IT INTO THE ORANGE.

 ONCE THE ORANGE WAS DRY, I USED MUSTARD SEED DISTRESS PAINT TO APPLY YELLOW OUT ON THE TIPS OF THE PETALS... CREATING A BLENDED COLOR LOOK.

 LAYERED WITH THE COLORED PETALOO FLOWERS & SOME GREENERY FROM SILK DOLLAR TREE FLOWERS... THIS SUNFLOWER MAKES A STUNNING APPEARANCE!!

 I ALSO USED THESE TECHNIQUES TO COLOR THE SMALLER PETALOO "COLOR ME CRAZY" FLOWERS THAT YOU WILL SEE ON THE PROJECT. TO FINISH UP THE PROJECT... I ADDED SOME OTHER EMBELLISHMENTS FROM THE COLLECTION, A COUPLE MORE FLOWERS, & A "WELCOME" TITLE...

 I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE ENJOYED THIS WEEK'S "LONE WOLF DESIGNS" DESIGN TEAM SHOWCASE... "WELCOME TO THE COUNTRY"!  THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR THOUGTHS AND COMMENTS - THEY ARE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED AND WELCOMED!!
HAPPY SCRAPPIN'!!

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MOST OF THE PRODUCTS USED IN THIS PROJECT CAN BE PURCHASED AT AN AWESOME DISCOUNT OF 25% OFF MSRP AT...
LONE WOLF DESIGNS DISCOUNT RETAIL SALES

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