Saturday, February 6, 2016

Mixed Media Valentine with Lots of Metal





Hi, Friends......

I am here with a mixed media valentine today.  I had this background leftover from last year along with some miscellaneous broken jewelry pieces from a thrift store grab bag.  I never was quite satisfied with any design ideas I had for it, so it all sat in a zippy sandwich bag awaiting another Valentine's Day and perhaps a zap of inspiration to strike my brain!  :)

The background was a piece of rose colored cardstock with punched hearts from scraps glued on. Then it was dry embossed with my Darice - Ranunculus folder. 

I totally adore how this folder makes a rose-like impression. I sponged it with Distress Ink in Vintage Photo to bring out the texture.


The glue attaching the old salvaged jewelry pieces is still wet here and looks white.

Next I glued on these old pieces of cheap broken jewelry. Much of the finish was worn off and they were rather ugly, but I knew how to fix that! :)

I went wild smooshing Versamark over the entire thing and heat embossed with some fine detail gold powder....so as not to obscure the fine textures of the chain.  Oh, yesssssss!!!  LOVE!!



Not only did the heat embossing shine up the chain and mismatched hoop earring, but it gave a nice gilded look to the rest of the paper, too.

Next I glued on an adorable pair of owls.  My daughter (who makes and sells jewelry) gave me this broken charm, thinking I might be able to use it.  Why, yes, I certainly can!  Thank you!  :)  

I glued the broken pieces back together on the card and heat embossed again with gold powder to cement them on.  I love that heat embossing can be used as glue!  The owls and the chain are very firmly attached to the card now.


I misted over the entire thing with Clearsnap Smooch Spritz in Pomegranate to give a "rose gold" look and wiped off the excess with a baby wipe. I don't know if you can tell from the photos that this one is a bit redder than the one before. I also dabbed on some Faber-Castell Glass Bead Glitter Gel here and there. It looks blue-green in the photo.

Next I prepared a diagonal area for adhering a ribbon across this very lumpy, bumpy, uneven surface.  I put marks on the edge where my ribbon borders would be and used a ruler to keep my adhesive foam squares inside the boundary lines.  By using the tiny foam squares, I could place them strategically around the chains and embossed ridges.


Next I attached a scrap of brown cardstock over the foam squares.  As you can see, this still isn't completely level, but it gives my ribbon a solid platform on which to lie down.  Otherwise it would be very wavy.

And here is my finished card.......

I have the light angled on this so you can see the bright shiny gold.  Yum!!

I put a shimmery gold Serendipity - Love die cut over the black velvet ribbon. I'm not sure what you call the red thing. (I don't have the package anymore, but it came with the flat-backed gem I used for the body of my spider in my Halloween project.) I mounted it all on a black card base. Do you like it????  I love how it turned out.

I really had a great time playing and experimenting around with all these techniques and supplies.  One of my crafty goals this year is to make more mixed media pieces.  I think I will ask my wonderful local thrift store to save me any broken jewelry that they would otherwise discard because this project was way fun to make!!!

Thank you for stopping by.  Your visits and your kind comments mean so much to me!!!  

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Design Memory Craft Take the Challenge with Mou February - Hearts 

2. Serendipity Stamps Challenge #52 - Anything Goes
3. A Colorful Journey February Challenge - Show Some Neglected Art Supplies Some Love
4. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Have a Heart
5. Eclectic Ellapu - Love Actually
6. Southern Ridge Trading Company February Challenge - Anything Love
7. Country View Challenges February - Make Your Own Background
8. 4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #284 - Love
9. Pixie's Snippets Playground Week 215 - Use Snippets

27 comments:

  1. OMGosh - I have died and gone to heaven !!! This is simply divine and I soooooo love it :-D

    Hugz

    IKE xxx

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  2. Wow, what a lovely and glittery card! Beautiful textures and shine! Thanks so much for playing Simon Says Stamp Wednesday “Have a Heart” Challenge!

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  3. I'm simply in awe, Janis. Just sitting here dumb-founded at this amazing work of art that needs to be framed and sold! Or, at least, used as decor in your own home. In awe!! Enjoy your day! Hugs, Darnell

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  4. Oh.My. Goodness.!!!! Janis, this is just totally fabulous! And I love that you shared how you made this - hate to give the game w away already but this HAS to be a weekly pick for me in the Playground. I adore it! Have just been watching our local UK TV and watching how to work with mixed media etc. and was already fired up enough to go online and order some stuff - this has now got me firing on all cylinders!

    Thank you so much for coming to play.

    Hugs

    Di xx

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  5. Janis, your Love card is marvelous and I really appreciate the steps to create it. Most of us have "junk" jewelry around and your idea to use it creatively is perfect.

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  6. Nice colors and textures! I really like the blue green touches you've added. This makes the whole thing "pop."

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  7. Simply stunning...just love your card.

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  8. This is lovely the texture is fabulous .Lis

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  9. Wow Janis this is fantastic. Love the colour and texture. What a stunning piece of work. Barbxx

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  10. So very beautiful, great layering and focal image with the charm! Gorgeous!

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  11. Thanks for the fab idea of what to do with my old broken costume jewelry!!

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  12. This is so gorgeous! - love the design and cute owls - thank you so much for playing along with MAWTT for our things with wings challenge hugs Judith x

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  13. Fun card! Thanks for joining us on the Southern Ridge Trading Company Blog!
    -Katelyn DT Member at Southern Ridge Trading Company

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  14. Oooh what a beauty it is and love how you incorporated jewelry into it and used plain old embossing to get such stunning effects
    Cheers
    Dr Sonia

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  15. This is a real work of art, I love all the colours and textures. You must have had such fun making it.

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  16. Wow! Stunning project. Brilliant idea to use old jewellery bits and bobs. I agree with Darnell, this should be framed and hung up to drool over, Cathy x

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  17. Absolutely LUSCIOUSLY GORGEOUS Janis. Wow. Truly BEAUTIFUL. j.

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  18. Absolutely LUSCIOUSLY GORGEOUS Janis. Wow. Truly BEAUTIFUL. j.

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  19. How beautiful! Love your mixed media collage! Thanks so much for joining us at Serendipity Stamps!

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  20. Such a fabulous mixed media card. Have a wonderful weekend!

    Love and hugs
    Maarit

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  21. So beautiful and very creative! I may never look at cheap throw away jewelry the same again!

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  22. Whoa, this is gorgeous. Such amazing texture ♥♥

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  23. Fabulous!! So glad you joined us at SSCB!!

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  24. Oh this is awesome! Many thanks for sharing the technique - all that gold is beautiful!

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  25. Wow! This is amazing! Great job showing how you did all this! Love the "moon" behind the Love and owls. Thanks for joining us at the Serendipity Stamps Challenge Blog!

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THANK YOU so much for taking the time to leave a comment. Your kind words encourage me so very much!!!

Have a lovely day!
<3
Janis