Butterfly Challenge - Altered Treat Jar

Hi, Friends.....

I am here with an altered treat jar that I made for Mrs.A's Butterfly Challenge. The theme this fortnight is Butterfly/ies plus D is for Decoupage &/or the Color Gold. I hadn't made a mixed media monstrosity for quite awhile, but I couldn't resist when I saw the word "decoupage"!!

Out came all my supplies..............

I had this old crumpled-up metallic gold doily that I couldn't bear to throw away.  It was perfect for adding to my jar!!  I cut it into separate medallions and circlets.  I did the same thing with another jumbled-up ivory colored doily (not shown).  It didn't matter that the doilies were damaged....some parts were torn or missing and both of them were wrinkled.  The imperfections are not even noticeable and the decoupage medium smoothed out all the crumples.  Yay!   The green tissue is upcycled from a gift I received.  The text paper is from an old falling apart book of poetry quotations from the free box at my local thrift store. 

"Love is the master key that opens the gates of happiness."

                   ---Oliver Wendell Holmes

 
I wish I could remember who gave me this lovely ribbon with the above quote on it. I have quite a bit of it and this is the first time I have used it. (If you want some, send me a note or tell me in the comments!) The quote fit perfectly around the circumference of this jar! 

The pretty scalloped ribbon that I layered over the lower edge of the quotation ribbon was from a sampler that May Arts sent me. It is self-adhesive and, oh, so very easy to apply!!! <3

The rose and butterfly die cuts were off the bargain rack at Joann's ages ago. The cardstock is kind of thin, so they worked very well with decoupage. I put a thin layer of gesso over the die cuts and then used my Faber-Castell Big Brush markers to outline the images.

 



I was surprised to get almost a steampunk look from these doily medallions. They unexpectedly look a bit like gears. I wasn't going for that look at all...and with all the flowers and ribbons, it isn't really noticeable in the finished project. It sure did look like it with just the gold medallions on, though!

Oooops......I applied a little too much gesso over my rose and butterfly images, so I rubbed bright pink gelatos over them and also went over the darker shaded portions with a dark maroon colored Faber-Castell Big Brush pen.

I used a huge variety of flowers from my stash: lots of Prima flowers and many from thrift stores and ones that crafty friends have sent me in stash pruning prizes. Love them all!!

Oh, I meant to mention that one of my favorite new-to-me products is one I found at Walmart.... Simply Acrylic - Gloss Medium. (Apparently out of stock online atm...but I got mine in the brick and mortar store.) It was very economical and fabulous for decoupaging the shiny metallic gold doily parts because it didn't dull the gleam. :)

I pieced together a ring of the trimmings from the ivory doily to put on the rim of the lid for a lacy look.



Hope you enjoyed my jar. Projects like these don't come together super-fast, but they are so much fun to make! And they are great stash-busters!!! :) Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you will join in the fun at the Butterfly Challenge!!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this altered jar in the following challenges:
1. Mrs.A's Butterfly Challenge - Butterfly/ies plus D is for Decoupage &/or the color Gold
2. Crop Stop May Challenge Linky Party #28 - Anything Goes using a product or company CS carries 
 (I used a foam brush with my Plaid - Royal Coat decoupage medium and Prima flowers)
3. Dare2BArtzy - Girly Challenge
4. Cut it Up Challenge #121 - Wings (must use die cuts, store-bought okay)
5. Alphabet Challenge - D for Decoupage
6. CardzTV Mailbox Smiles Anything Goes Challenge #1