Three of my favorite words – Love, Laugh and Live.  This mixed media canvas I’m sharing with you today is a little bit different for me because I’m not using a variety of vibrant colors like I normally do, but I’m absolutely in love with how it turned out.

I did bring together some of my favorite products from some of my favorite companies. Here’s what I used…

Supplies:

• Canvas Corps Brands Chunky Stretched Natural canvas 8″ x 10″
• Trinity Brass Charms in various shapes and styles
• Gina’s Designs – Texture Sheets in Harlequin
• #8 Manila Tag
• The Crafter’s Workshop stencils – Harlequin
• Andy Skinner Stencils – Baroque
• Americana Decor – Old French Script
• DecoArt Media Line – Gesso, Modeling Paste, Crackle Paste, Crackle Paint, Mat Medium
• DecoArt Media Line Fluid Acrylics – Paynes Grey, Cobalt Turquoise, Viridian, Phthala Green
• DecoArt Media Line Antiquing Creme – Patina Green, Medium Grey, Carbon Black
• Canvas Corps Brands E-Flute Ridges cardstock paper
• Canvas Corps Brands Black and White Live Love Laugh sheet
• Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist – Verdigris, Kiwi
• Tattered Angels Simply Sheer – Cozy Yellow
• Tattered Angels Glimmer Glaze – Parsley

Tools:

• Makeup sponges for paint
• Brushes
• hot glue gun
• palette knife

I started off by layering gesso on the natural canvas with a palette knife, then added a few pieces of vintage book pages and script tissue paper with the mat medium.  After drying, I used Andy Skinner stencil in Baroque with crackle paste in two corners.

The modeling paste was used with my favorite Harlequin stencil from The Crafter’s Workshop, use a palette knife for easy and even application.

While the canvas was drying, I started working on the charms.   I’m so happy to be using these wonderful brass charms and trinkets from Trinity Brass Co. My good friend Lisa Marie Jimenez has an incredible collection to choose from for jewelry making, altered art of mixed media.

 

I used the Paynes Grey as a base for the brass and then the Antiquing creme in Patina Green to give them an old and tarnished look. I used both a small brush and my finger tips for best application. The #8 tag was covered in layers of Payne’s Grey, Cobalt Turquoise Hue and Patina Green Antiquing creme.  The sheet of Harlequin chipboard was covered first in Payne’s Grey, then a layer of Crackle paint mixed with Viridian Green.  Once the crackle paint was dry and cracked, I layered it with Carbon Black Antiquing creme, to highlight the cracks.  The ridged cardboard was also layered with Payne’s Grey, Viridian Green, Crackle Glaze and Medium Grey Antiquing Creme.  Using the same colors in different combinations and levels of crackle will give all these pieces a collection look.

Before adding all my charms and chipboards, I painted and spritzed the dried canvas with glimmer mist.

The glimmer mist is also perfect for paper flowers.  I had these in my stash and now will be a perfect addition to the canvas.

Now, it’s time to add all the wonderful layers… I wanted them to really stay affixed, so I used my hot glue gun to adhere them. I love how all the cracks and details turned out!

The sun and the moon…

Whimsical butterfly and key, I’m lovin’ the detail cracks on the chipboard.

The frame brass pieces were used to highlight words in the canvas sheet.  I applied Carbon Black Antiquing Creme on the cracked Baroque paste.  It looks so old now!

This is one of my favorite creations now, I definitely will be using these techniques and products again.  I hope this tutorial encourages you to try something out of the box and new to you.  This original canvas is now available in my shop!

Thanks so much for visiting with me today!

Blessings,