When you want to do something specific but don't have the tools...

I saw something somebody had done for Halloween the other day and it inspired me to do a piece of my own. The things I took from that were the use of a mirror, some crackle glaze, and a burlap panel. Now, I don't have any crackle glaze left or a burlap panel, so I improvised. I started by attaching a burlap square I got from Poundland to a cardboard base.

 

Easy enough! I added some paper panels to the burlap one, after distressing them and inking the edges. I then cut out an ornate frame from chipboard. The outer card was the bit I wanted to crackle, so I did a bit of research. I painted it black, then when that was dry added a thick layer of PVA glue. When that had gone tacky I painted red paint over the top, and left it to dry, before inking the edges with black soot distress ink.

 

Here's a close up version to show you the cracks. Doesn't it look cool! Would look great with brown paint over the top to give the illusion of bark.

 

I grabbed some grungeboard hearts, used distress inks/alcohol ink to paint them, stickled some of them then when they were dry edged them with black soot distress ink.

 

The reason for the hearts is because I decided to do a quote about mirrors and found this one. It was stamped on card, edged with distress ink and attached with foam pads.

 

Here is the mirror, which is lain on the top (still trying to figure out a way to attach it) The frame was painted with metallic distress paint and embossed with black distressing powder. The mirror was painted with silver distress paint, then painted again with silver but with a brush which already had black paint on to give it a murky quality, then stamped with a crackle stamp.

 

Finally I cut some butterflies and flowers out of paper in my stash, edged them with black soot, and stuck them onto the side of the piece.

 

I'm really pleased with this piece and am already thinking of doing something similar with a writing quote. It's the first time I've felt really creative for a couple of weeks, and hopefully will be the start of a creative streak.

 

Happy crafting

Ems