Monday 11 March 2013

Spring is sprung


   Hello everyone! Welcome to my new followers - So glad you are here....Only one more to go till I reach the magical '50'! Magical to me that it is - When I first began blogging my dream number of followers was 50 (I sure know how to 'think BIG'!) To me the number 50 seemed so far off and hard to reach it yet seemed like a perfect target and I can't believe I am nearly there!....

     My project for today has been inspired by two challenges...The first is Vintage Stamping Challenges which wanted 'Spring is in the air' creations...My first thought was, of course, flowers. If someone needs a trademark style I guess they are becoming mine!

    The second inspiration was over at Eclectic Paperie which is to create something using fabric. The demo I saw was by Micki Harper who is just so fantastic at mixed media - she is such an inspiration to me. So I wanted a bit of a mixed media feel to this project and having done a few canvases recently I was looking for something else to work on - and fabric seemed perfect.

     So I began to think about using fabric paints. I own some Pebeo paints and I have had them for years. I used to do a lot of fabric painting, but haven't done much in the last few years with the exception of the two t-shirts my children pleaded to have last summer...My son wanted a Scooby Doo T-shirt and he chose a picture from his favourite Scooby Doo book. My daughter is a Moshi Monsters fan so picked her favourite character - They have two very unique articles of clothing!


 






















I have done many fabric paintings in the past - My mother-in-law has several of them!





     I have some lovely cotton bags that were very kindly sent to me by my Mother-in-law's wonderful best friend. I have been told that she does read our family's blogs regularly and if she does peek in and read this I really hope that she will like this transformation of one of those bags.

      I have done Servietten technique on fabric as it is one of my favourite things to decorate with serviettes. However I have never mixed the two together - and dare I try some stamping too? That would be fun! It did occur to me to perhaps add in some buttons and some stitched elements but I think I will leave that for another time ;o)

     Here is a peek at the finished bag - A spring decorated bag! Normally I photograph things indoors but there was no way the picture was going to be lit well enough...so outdoors into the freezing, yet sunny day and here is the 'Spring' bag - pictured in very wintery temperatures!





    I got the fabric paints and watered them down, adding some white so it was a paler colour and dabbed and blended to create a hazy background. I normally wait for the paints to dry by themselves but this time I was impatient, so I blasted it with the heat gun.



    When the background was dry I got the antiquities stencil and dabbed Frayed Burlap DI over parts of the bag....I didn't really consider the machine washing resistance of the ink - I just wanted that exact colour!



    Then I used a script stamp and began to stamp with Frayed Burlap ink over parts of the bag...carefully drying with the heat gun each time to prevent smudging.



Then I applied some pale green fabric paint over a flower background stamp and randomly dabbed some of it over parts of the images.


    Now all of the background elements were done and the flowers needed to be added. I chose Rose and Daisy serviettes and got the fabric serviette glue. I cut out various roses and daisies and arranged them on the bag and then glued them down.


The daisies of course were practically invisible as they were white and didn't show up against the colour background. Because I didn't want invisible daisies I brushed the petals with some very watered down white fabric paint - I didn't want any of the flowers to be totally opaque....I wanted some of them to blend in with the background and also be able to see a hint of the background detail through them. I was trying to get the effect of some of the flowers almost merging into the background and also for there to be some contrasting elements of a more opaque colour.



    When it was all done I painted some swirls with green and white fabric paint and I also very gently stamped some white fabric paint on the floral background stamp, just rolling it over various parts of the image so that there was a layering of effects....



....My first ever mixed media bag!  That was so much fun - I want to make more!










       Thanks so much for being here to have a peek - Hope you will come back again to see what I make next time.......





    I am entering this into the following challenges -

Vintage Stamping Challenges - Spring is in the air
Eclectic Paperie - Get Altered - Fabric
Artistic Inspirations  - Flowers
Simon Says Stamp - Chic to be Shabby
Country view challenges  - Pick and Mix

34 comments:

  1. Wow! I love your bag! Daisies are a favorite of mine and they are so happy in feel. Love all the layers on your bag!

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  2. The beautiful delicate painted flowers on your bag are just amazing.

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  3. Love how you've added the stamps and paint to the paper napkin images - and of course the whole thing looks gorgeous with that fabric texture. Beautiful! Great to have you play along with us at eclectic Paperie.
    Alison x

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  4. The children's T-shirts look like a real hit! Those paintings for your MIL are stunning and so is this gorgeous bag - love the treatment you gave to the background and the daisies are just wonderful. I don't think it will be long before you reach 100 followers, never mind the 50 mark! Hugs, Anne x

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  5. Wow you really are multi talented, your children are very lucky to have such a clever mum. We really love your spring back, it's so nice to see flowers rather than look out at the eternal snow here.

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  6. Laura...your bag is absolutely stunning! I so love everything about it. Your design is so sweet. The colors are so feminine and spring like. It truly is a work of art and I thank you so much for sharing it with us at Simon Says Stamp and Show. <3 Candy

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  7. Firstly Laura, thanks for your well wishes recently.
    Secondly, I love those T-Shirts you made for your lovely children!
    Thirdly, that bag is just totally GORGEOUS! I could list all the things I love about it but I'd be here all day. Suffice to say, if it needs a home, my door is open!!
    Juliaxx

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  8. Wow that bag is totally gorgeous, thanks for the tutorial, I am definately going to give it a try,
    Rosie x

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  9. What a gorgeous bag! Be sure to put it to special use :)

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  10. WOW what an absolutely stunning decorated bag absolutely fantastic think you have really nailed our flower challenge-thanks for joining us at Artistic Inspirations
    Carol DT x

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  11. Oh Laura, your bag is just gorgeous! Such lovely colours and the texture looks wonderful on those flowers. You've done a really good job on it and the tee shirts look great too. x

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  12. Wow! Just WOW!! This is spectacular!! I'm so glad you linked up at the eP blog challenge!

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  13. Love it!! What a gorgeous work of art! That Micki does such cool stuff and I'm sure happy you were motivated by it to create this canvas breath of spring. TFS ~ nise

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  14. Wow Laura, that is drop dead beautiful. Awesome. My mouth dropped. Beautiful bag. Actually my mouth dropped after seeing the shirts. Your Mother In Laws friend will definitely appreciate how you've altered the bag. Thank you so much for playing along with the E-Team in our Get Altered Challenge.

    hugs

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  15. WOW this is amazing Laura you have put your special talents to fabulous use. Thank you for joining us at Artistic Inspirations this week.

    Joan x

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  16. I WANT ONE. This is absolutely beautiful!

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  17. Gosh Laura - this is stunning! Amazingly clever use of serviettes - very beautifully made. Nicola x

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  18. Oh my giddy aunt....MAGNIFICENT...I never thought about using paper napkins in this way before,truly beautiful!
    Pssst like Annette I want one as well,lol.
    Thank you so much for linking up over at eclectic Paperie Laura.
    Hugs
    Tracy
    xoxo

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  19. It's lovely to see you with your fabulous bag at Country View Challenges Laura, thanks so much for sharing your second and different style creation with us.
    hugs {brenda} x0x

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  20. Utterly stunning Laura!!! No wonder you are racking up the followers when you produce works of art like this. There is so much attention to detail and I love how you've mixed so many media together. You've inspired me. Hugs, Jenny x

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  21. Gorgeous altered bag, I've never used serviettes for anything crafty, but after seeing this I'd love to give it a try, and love the t-shirts for the children too.

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  22. I've never tried napkin art on fabric but after seeing this beautiful linen bag I must give it a try! Beautiful touch of colour - you really made the flowers 'pop'. What a gorgeous project! I like!!! xx

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  23. Wow this is gorgeous! Fabulous job combining paints, stamps, ink and serviettes. I just looked at a box of serviettes from my decopage days, I really should use one or two soon. Thank you for sharing with us at Simon Says Stamp and Show!

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  24. Gorgeous project, the design is absolutely stunning ! Thanks for joining us at VSC. Sue C x

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  25. Absolutely gorgeous! :) xx Thanks for joining us at Artistic Inspirations this week -Paula DT

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  26. I only just discovered your blog, via, via as one does..... and have spent a lovely time looking at so many of your wonderful projects. They are all fantastic and I am bound to be back many times, but so far this is my absolute favourite. I totally adore it!!!!

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  27. Totally gorgeous ! Thankyou very much for the Liebster award and you kind words, I will be blogging about it soon x

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  28. A fabulous bag, great spring feeling. Thanks for joining us at Flonz Craft Vintage Stamping Challenges.

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  29. This is beautiful! A fab' entry for our first challenge at Country View Challenges. Thanks! Chris xxx

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  30. Wow this is absolutely gorgeous, such clever techniques and the finished bag is a real work of art
    Claire xx

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  31. Would really like to compliment on your gorgeous art work (love that tote) but your children have captured my interest - such gorgeous smiles - you are very lucky my dear!!
    sandy

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  32. Oh Laura, your bag is so amazingly creative and so beautifully done. I love how you used napkin art on fabric. Amazing, just amazing! Xxxx

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  33. Who would have thought to use tissue on material, what a brilliant job you have done on this bag the colors are sooo beautiful, thanks for sharing Laura, it's a stunning make. I love the mushrooms too. Have a wonderful day..

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