My kind of CLEAN and SIMPLE !!!

Hello crafters..

Am back soon with another “not so complicated” project today. Before that, I would like to thank you all for the wonderful responses to my “forever fall” deco piece. Looks like you liked the bright colors, this project today is a contrast to that in terms of colors and embellishments.

 I managed to do something clean and simple…NO NO NOT A CARD…this is my DT project for AnythingBut A Card challenge#41 blog where the theme this month  is an open challenge. You can make anything as long as it is not a card.

I have re cycled an old wooden wedding invite into an altered wall plaque! I first sanded it and gave a liberal coat of gesso sanding in between layers. This time I wanted some soothing color and wanted to have lots of white! I know you might be as surprised as me on this thought. Believe me, I struggled to keep it simple but I had this vision in mind and then just did what I wanted to see…

I colored the panel in pastel turquoise acrylic colors and thane sanded it to reveal some white in parts and in some places the wood beneath too.

I drew a free hand heart in the center and used Pva glue to create cracks there. Once happy with that I masked the heart and went about creating textures on the rest of the board.

For this, I mixed equal parts of Putty chalk powder with white glue and little water to get a paste like consistency and poured it into a plastic paper cone, with its tip cut. Now with one side sealed when you press the cone, the paste oozes out of the fine tip which can be adjusted depending on how much you cut it.

Once again I drew free hand flourishes and swirls and left it over night to dry. The next day it was tough and strong..I sanded it a bit and rubbed in inka gold and some walnut stain DI just to age it a bit. There I go again…can’t keep anything really clean can I ???

Once I was happy with the aged panel, I went with creating the embellishments. This time, it was going to be simple…remember??? I made these flowers from scraps of pattern paper that I had. The roses are using TH tattered florals die and the  daisy is using CLD Shasta daisy die and the flower center has some flat back pearls.

I used walnut stain to ink the edges of the flower and applied a little bit of gesso too keep it shabby! Some ready made leaves and that was ready.

Next comes the focal object on the panel…the sentiment. I looks for some interesting craft quotes on the net and took a print out. The main sentiment is crackled with rock candy distress crackle paint and for the mini accordion behind it, I have used hand made paper on which I have used TCW stencil and Di to create a back ground and then stuck the quotes. On the edges I have applied gesso here too.

Do take time to read the quotes…This is so true with me. Is it the same with you too…do let me know.

I clipped the quotes to a mini clothes pin and stuck it to the panel and highlighted it with a jute twine bow!

I then drilled holes on the wood panel and strung in some baubles in complimenting colors and some copper wire. I had to tie a silver ribbon bow on one side to just lighten it up a bit!

I small cow bell retrieved from a broken wind chime at home, finds its place on the lower end of the panel! I have rubbed in gesso here too.

That’s it..my clean and simple project is ready…Do you think it is so??? Do let me know…If you know my style of work,you will understand my struggle here!!!!

My daughter just loves to hit on the bell every time she passes by it and says” Amma, it is time to craft”…I just love her for understanding my love and passion for the art and giving me time for it too.

This project is dedicated to all you craft lovers…Thank you all for stopping by, leaving comments, visiting me and also following my blog!

Hope this inspires you and would love to see your creations at Anything But a Card Challenge, this month.

I would like to link my “clean” project in the following challenges…

Frosted Designs - White space

Fab "n" Funky Challenges - 3 embellishments ( flowers, beads, bells,bow)

Crafting by Designs - Anything Goes

Die Cutting Divas- Ribbon, Twine Pattern paper, pearls

Crafty Catz- Ribbon

Crafts 4 Eternity - ribbon

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes
Vintage Stamping Challenge - Anything but a card
Scrap It Girl - Use paints, water colors or gelatos ( have used acrylic colors)

Sugar Creek Hollow - Recycling ( wooden invite, bell from a broken chime)

Until my next creative journey,

Happy Crafting and Re cycling,

Cheers.