Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Vintage Garden for Anything But Cute!

I am very happy, thrilled even, to share my first piece as a Design Team Member for Anything But Cute! Our hostess for our very first challenge is the amazing Branka and her theme for this month is Vintage Garden!
What do you think of when you hear the word Garden? Is it flowers, birds, butterflies, dragonflies, bees, lattice, vines, fences? Whatever garden vision you have, we want to see it. But make sure it's in a vintage style.You can make anything mixed media that follows this theme. When I think of a Vintage Garden, my mind automatically went to soft colors and lots of wonderful birds singing, and flowers. Any type of garden inspires me because I do not have a green thumb at all and have mad respect for anyone that can keep any plant alive!


I must admit that anything Vintage or Shabby Chic are my weak points when it comes to doing mixed media. Thankfully I have a wonderfully supportive team and they provided lots of inspiration! Make sure to check out their creations as well! 

I found this blog post by Olga Heldweinand had that duh moment of, "why didn't I try this?"  I used her Dry Brush technique which you can find HERE, to create my background. First I applied Gesso, some number stickers, and my texture paste through a stencil and then used my chalk ink to "paint" the color onto my canvas. I used a script stamp with Archival ink lightly around the canvas. 
I painted and smeared the chalk ink with my fingers then added white acrylic paint over some spots to create a more cohesive soft look. 

I then started adding my elements. I try to place everything where I think it will go and then add in the paints, and other design ideas. The cheesecloth adds just the right amount of extra texture I needed. Whew! My birds nest was brown to start with so I whitewashed it with watered down white acrylic paint and gesso.

I painted and used gesso on all the pieces and the Inspire chippie is embossed with LSG embossing powder-Merci Beaucoup Mint. My flowers were edged with Color Box pigment ink. The die cuts are from a TH die-Spring Greenery. 


I made the eggs with polymer clay and sprayed those with LSG Jack In the Pulpit Teal! Love this color and the shimmer is amazing!

Lastly I added some small button type stickers that are garden themed and some more cheesecloth. 

I would love to share this project with the following wonderful challenge blogs:

Mixed Media Monthly Challenge #12-May Flowers

Our Creative Corner-April Showers Bring May Flowers In my neck of the woods we have very little flowers growing right now but I plan on planting some rose bushes in my front yard at the new house this month. :)

Beyond Grey Challenges #68-Make Your Own Embellishments I love using polymer clay in my projects and the eggs in the nest are my polymer clay embellishment creations.

Mixed Media Mojo-Tic-Tac-Toe Board I chose the middle row with Gesso, Stencil, and Chipboard

Craft Your Passion #260-Anything Goes








64 comments:

  1. What a gorgeous make Niki!!! I love all the texture and great choice of colors! BRAVO and you thought you could not do vintage and shabby huh??? Simply fantabulous!!!

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    1. Haha! I still don't think I can really do vintage or shabby chic. This canvas took me forever and then some!

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  2. Absolutely gorgeous! I just love those eggs and your nest is wonderfully sculpted. Loved seeing how you created your BG too.

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    1. Thanks Maria! I do have to say that I did not sculpt the nest. I just have it a whitewash with gesso. :)

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  3. Oh boy Doc, what a treat to get to see your process!! I've been dying to see more of how you put this gorgeous piece together! I just love how you added little splashes of colour here and there, in the background and on your flowers!! LOVE that nest and I can't believe you made those eggs yourself, wow, they are awesome!! You have really captured the spirit of a Vintage Garden, you rock!! big hugs my teamie :)

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    1. Thanks Bubbles! When I saw this challenge theme, I was a bit daunted but luckily I got it together. I need more clay to play with. I ran out after doing this piece. lol! Hugz to you muffin and I am so happy to call you teamie as well!

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  4. AMAZEBALLS! Wow, Punkin! You have hit it out of the ballpark on this creative canvas! I love how you created and colored the background, so soft and oh, so pretty! Painting the nest, "feathering" it with the cheesecloth are just genius ideas! And let's not forget about those sweet eggs--my absolute favorite. While you would love to share it with the other challenges--I would love it if you shared it with me! Ha! Ha! What a MASTERPIECE, my crafty teamie! Big hugs on a job very well done!

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    1. Be still my heart, you so sweet Sara Puddin! The shimmer and color on the eggs is what makes em awesome. Lol! I actually gave this piece to my mortgage broker to say thank you for helping with my new house. :) Hugz to you muffin!

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  5. Absolutely beautiful canvas, Niki! Fabulous texture and colour combination! I love your flowers and greenery arrangement and especially your stunning nest with that piece of cheese cloth and those amazing eggs! Bravo, my amazingly talented teamie! You did an awesome job!
    Have a wonderful day!
    Big hugs :)
    Branka xxx

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    1. Thank you kindly dearie Branka! So happy to call you a teamie as well. Hugz to you muffin!

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  6. Glorious interpretation of Branka's theme of a Vintage Garden, i struggle with vintage and shabby chic too but you have rocked this challenge Niki, love your colour palette and all you amazing textures.

    Congratulations on your first post as DT member, looking forward to seeing more of your projects :-) xxx

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    1. Oh thank you Mo! It was a process but one that I will try again and again. lol! I am usually heavy handed with paint but had to go light for this piece. Hugz!

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  7. You would never ever know Niki that your weak point was vintage/shabby. You hit it out of the park (in my novice opinion!). Your Vintage Garden project is wonderful. My favorite part of it is that it is not shabby - it's chic! It's not crowded and over frufru - it's peaceful and sweet. Your background is perfect. And best of all - the sentiment you chose: INSPIRE. This is the first challenge of a new blog with a new DT to INSPIRE all of your new "students" of creativity. Thank you sooooooooooo much - I'm inspired! j.

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    1. What a wonderful way to look at the Inspire Chippie piece! That is exactly correct! Haha! You are awesome sauce! Hugz!

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  8. Absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for sharing photos of your process (I get creating and forget to take them). The colour palette is beautiful and the nest makes a gorgeous focal point and is so spring-like. I love the cheesecloth because it reminds me of the bits and pieces that a nesting bird steals to make that nest.
    Hugs!
    Cec

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    1. Totally what I was thinking of when using the cheeseclot Cec! Bits and pieces that birds steal from all around. Every time I brush my Husky, I leave some hair in the yard for the birds to use in their nests. Lol! Hugz to you muffin!

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  9. so soft and gorgeous. I can see that nest tucked away in a tree. I am not going to believe you when you say something is your weak point! You always seem to get it 150%....LOL

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    1. Haha! I am serious when I say this is my weak point. I have to reign myself in big time and think soft. Haha! Hugz!

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  10. What a beautiful nest! I love the soft colours, I love your vintage garden! Thanks for playing with us at OCC.

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  11. Love the neutrals with the turquoise popping out from it - it's amazing!! I think the fact that you make your own embellishments is amazing too hun, plus.... weak point?? Tut tut tut, don't do it to yourself, this is incredible and is another side to your talents. Your work is beautiful xx

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    1. Oh Gee! Thank you dearie but you are the true Shabby Queen! I bow down to your awesomeness! I want to come visit you and learn some shabby techniques from ya! That would be a blast, and an amazing vacation time! Hugz to you muffin!

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  12. Wow wow wow Niki! Love your layout and fabulous color and you know I adore texture! Beautiful, you are awesome! Thanks for coming to play tic tac toe at Mixed Media Mojo Niki!
    hugs,
    ~kim

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    1. Hi dear Kim! I thought of you when I heard the challenge theme. I bet you would make an amazing piece! Hugz!

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  13. Gorgeous project! Love those pretty eggs. Thanks so much for joining us at The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge.

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  14. very beautiful - love the muted colors and all the texture
    thanks for joining us at Mixed Media Mojo

    Barb Housner (DT)

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    1. Thank you dear Barb! So happy to see you in my neck of the woods. Lol

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  15. This is beautiful! It's is surprising that you started off with everything being white to revel a splash of color in the end! Wow!

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    1. Haha! I think I create backwards instead of like normal. White is hard to keep white, know what I mean? Thanks for stopping by!

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  16. Hi Niki! Gorgeous springtime garden creation! I'm interpreting your nest as a Robin's nest and it's just lovely! :) I hold Robins very close to my heart--we have a family that nests every year under our decking--first brood growing their feathers now :) :) Your color palette is gentle, your blooms so romantic and your embellies FAB! Thank you so much for joining my April Showers Brings May Flowers challenge at Our Creative Corner!! XOXO-Shari

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    1. That is so cool that they keep staying at your house and providing a home for their offspring. Wonderful of you to mention this sweet story. Thank you Shari!

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  17. So soft and pretty. Love how you "painted" with chalk ink!

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    1. Olga's YT was a happy find when I was doing this piece. She is fantastic at "painting" with the chalk inks.

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  18. Very pretty, love your nest and eggs!

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  19. Killing so many birds with one stone (pun intended) - how creatively clever! Your piece already looked great, but when you started walking through what you had done it gained on gorgeousness. So many elements in such harmony - well done!

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    1. Those words just touch my heart Alice! Thank you so very much. Hugz!

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  20. Niki this is a MASTERPIECE! Love all your spectacular details and the color combo is fantastic! Thanks for joining us at Mixed Mojo challenge.

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    1. Haha! Thank you Lula! Those are big words and I can only hope to live up to it. :)

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  21. Wow, wow, and wow! I love your mixed media piece, and using the color teal just melts my heart. Thank you for joining us at Craft Your Passion challenge blog this week!

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    1. So happy I could melt your heart, in a good way. Lol! Thanks Pat!

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    1. Lmao! I have been called Nike before and autocorrect is known on my phone for changing my name. Lol! Thank you Valerie!

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  23. I'm so in love with the vintage feel and colors of this project. Fantastic idea to make your own little eggs. You've inspired me to try that. Wonderful background with the stencils and chalk ink too. Thank you for sharing it with us for our May challenge at Our Creative Corner. xxx DT Laurie Moore

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    1. Polymer clay is wonderful to play with and it takes paints very well. Thank you, Laurie, for the sweet comment. :)

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  24. thats the most adorable nest :) Loved how you worked out the pastel shade to create such a beautiful and catchy project :)

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    1. Thank you Angela! I was so happy to happen upon the video by Olga. It looked interesting so I have it a go. :)

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  25. So much to see and learn., I just want to go and play right now....Amazing work of art and colour, this is a really beautiful piece of artistic pleasure. I have joined as a new follower...to learn and admire.
    {aNNie My Personal Blog}

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    1. You so sweet Annie! Thank you so very much for being a darlin! Hugz!

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  26. Stunning! I love everything about it, thank you for sharing it with us at Mixed Media Mojo.
    xxx Hazel.

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  27. Oh, those eggs are to die for! Love the color and shimmer! This is a beautiful project!

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    1. The LSG spray is amazing stuff to work with! Thanks Elizabeth!

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  28. Oh wow! I think I just fell in love with your piece!! I'm honoured that you wanted to share this with us at Mixed Media Mojo. :)
    Siv xx

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    1. Haha! Thanks Siv! MMM is near and dear to me and always will be.

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  29. Beautiful colors and details! Thanks for joining us at The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge!

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  30. Beautiful canvas! Love the soft color palette!! Thanks for joining us in this month's Mixed Media Monthly Challenge.
    www.lynnkopas.blogspot.com

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    1. I don't really do "soft" well, but this one turned out better than I hoped for. lol! Thanks Lynn!

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  31. Beautiful!! Love the colors, texture and details! Thanks so much for playing along with Mixed Media Mojo this month!!!!

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    1. Sure thing Maria! MMM was my first and will always be dear to me. Hugz!

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  32. Wonderful card! Great colours!
    Thank you for playing along at BGC!

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  33. What an amazing project !!! Love the eggs and the nest !
    Thank you for playing along at BGC!

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