Trash to Treasure Mixed Media

Every week at OWSE on Wednesday night someone (usually the one of the owners-Robynann) does a tutorial on a technique.  This week I'm doing a  tutorial.

I was inspired by Lin Browns tutorial on Paper Artsy Here 

Started with a piece of cardboard 6x8.  I tore a couple of pieces of book paper and glued it in a couple of spots on the cardboard.

I ripped the top layer of the cardboard to show the inside texture.

I wanted a flower back ground, but didn't have a stencil to use. So I had some extra die cuts from a project I just finished and glued them using glossy accents to create the raised texture.

Get some baby wipes ready..... After it dried, I used 1 inch wide brush and painted the whole top with linen acrylic. Wiped the paint off the area with the words & blended around the edges-dry well.  Blended in golden harvest acrylic paint-using baby wipe to blend and smooth the edges. Dry well.  Using a stencil, I added some spots using vintage white acrylic paint-dry well.

Still using a paint brush, I added some lettuce green adirondak colorwash ink-used a baby wipe to feather the edges.

 Added sailboat blue adirondak colorwash ink. using baby wipe I tried to blend together. Added more linen acrylic paint around the edges.

 Using my finger, I rubbed antique gold fub and buff around the edges and the flowers.

 Here's the close up of all the layers showing.

 To finish it up I took my black paint pen and outlined my flowers.  Sponged some Rusty Hinge distress around the edges. Stamped a script stamp around a few areas with brown staz on ink.

Add some buttons with twine to the center of the flowers, punched holes in the top and threaded some raffia thru to hang it with, added 2 layers of butterfly with a pearl center and a little black twine for the anteannae, a Tim Holtz bird and some die cut leaves.  The sentiment came from Stampin Up. 

 Look at all the layers!  Truly a trash to treasure finale'

 This project is going to  new friend that has overcome some tremendous obstacles to start a new life with her daughter!