Sunday, September 16, 2012

Dragonflies and Cherry Blossoms

The Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge this week  is to tape it up.  I was excited about this challenge as I love using tapes and I have several "ahem" varieties in my stash. 
My original thought was to create a background that looked like brick. Here is the tape I used along with a few pieces cut and distressed and one of the leftover pieces:

  
I started with white cardstock from my scrap pile.  I covered the surface of the cardstock with tape. Overlapping the edges and in different lengths but covering the entire piece of cardstock.  After I had covered my cardstock I cut the taped cardstock into 1" strips.  I cut those 1" strips into 2" lengths.  Keep any extras as when you build your wall you will need little bits to finish off the edges.  I sponged all my bricks to give them a red and brown finish.

Now it is time to build a brick wall!    Cut the wall from cardtsock. Sponge the edges of the wall to add a distressed feel.  My wall measured 5 1/4" x 5 1/4".  I  used tan cardstock to go with my brick wall theme. 
 
 
I started with my first piece being centered in the middle of the cardstock and leaving half of the width hanging over.  I attached all my bricks using tape.  I left my space between my bricks about 1/16" around each brick.

On the next row start with a full piece and center it under the gap between two of the bricks above.   Repeat until the entire surface is covered. I applied all my full bricks first and then cut the edges off to use them to fill in the spaces.

Here is my finished wall:
I was pleased with the finished background.  I could have stamped or layered images over the background.  I decided to use mine as an Asian panel instead of a brick wall. 

I had this metal stand from Zutter called the Display It All.  It was given to me by a friend and I wasn't sure what to do with it and when I looked at my panel it really inspired me to create a hanging piece of art. 

I took the versamark ink pad and ink pen to cover my metal surfaces.  I heat embossed using Stampendous Aged Gold Embossing Enamel.  (I love this stuff and can't get enough of it!) This took several times because of the round surfaces on the poles.  I also re-heated the embossed surfaces on the bottom and the top and stamped into the warm embossed surface with a Kanji poem.

I sprayed the beautiful Dylusions sprays onto cardstock to prepare paper to use for my flowers and dragonfly.   I let them dry before my next step.

I stamped the Stampendous Holly Hocks twice onto my sprayed paper using versamark ink.  I heat embossed the flowers with the gold embossing enamel.  I crinkled up the flowers after I cut them out to add texture.  I layered the same flowers together and glued them to each other.  To finish off the flower I  added black crushed glass glitter to the centers of my flowers.  I used silk flower stems to create my stems in the background.

I stamped the dragonfly twice on a sprayed background using versamark.  I heat embossed using gold embossing enamel. I cut out both dragonflies and layered them together.  I accented the body of the dragon fly with the same crushed black glass glitter.


I sponged the edges of my panel with versamark and heat embossed using the gold embossing enamel. I pierced two holes in the panel and attached the panel to the metal stand using chains and brads which were embossed to coordinate.

The sentiment is one of my favorites and is from the Artistic Outpost Quotes and Quotables.

Slightly different angel to see the embossing highlights:

Products: Artistic Outpost - Quotes & Quotable, Versamark Ink pad, Versamark Ink pen,  Zutter Display-it-All, Hero Arts Kanji Poem, Stampendous Dragonfly Vine, Stampendous Aged Gold Embossing Enamel, Stampendous Hollyhocks, 7Gypsies Paper Tape Global, Dylusion Sprays, Ranger Distress Inks (Fired Brick, Vintage Photo), Ranger Archival Ink - Black, Stampendous Black Crushed Glass Glitter

For your opportunity to win a $50.00 Gift Voucher to Simon Says Stamp come join in the challenge:

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz

23 comments:

  1. OMG - you never fail to amaze me Suzz. What a stunning project. Just incredible.

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  2. Wow, this is fabulous Sue. I love that versatile wall technique and your use of the metal stand is brilliant. That embossing enamel does look pretty special as does the black crushed glass glitter (haven't seen that before). Wonderful inspiration from you as always clever lady!

    Hugs
    Lesley XX

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  3. You amaze me with all the great ideas you come up with Sue. Love this. Everything is fantastic, the tape brick wall, the flowers and dragonfly and the supercool stand.

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  4. Sue...this piece is fantastic! I wondered how you'd made that great base...and now I know! You altered it! What a cool idea! I so love your gorgeous hanging piece. I love your washi tape! Those numbers are awesome! I love how you've displayed them to create such a cool background. You really do sense an Asian theme just from the background. Those holly hocks and dragonfly are gorgeous against the background. It's all just a beautiful piece...so well thought out. <3 Candy

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  5. Absolutely stunning Suzz, wonderful Asian inspired piece. Your flowers are gorgeous and the gold embossing really adds to that Asian feel. Beautiful background with the tape , so creative. This is such a well thought out piece. Tracy x

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  6. Beautiful and inspiring! Thanks for sharing.

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  7. Love all the gold on this and those flowers are out of this world!

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  8. Best use of tape I've ever seen! and that stand is so cool. What a perfect way to showcase your art.
    hugs Lynn

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  9. you have such a wonderful imagination Sue. love how you've put this together. the display stand is perfect and I love your gold embossed flowers.

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  10. Stunning. I especially love the flowers and dragonfly.

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  11. wow, that's so beautiful! love the stand with your hanging!

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  12. Fantastic, love all the gold tones, great idea for the background!

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  13. Amazing.. I LOVE everything about this. The way you did the background is so cool.

    Hugs~

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  14. No words are good enough! This is totally fantastic!!!

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  15. Stunning piece! Love it very much! The colors are amazing and that dragon fly with the flowers are gorgeous! Hugs, Sandra

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  16. Love this! Beautiful detail and texture!

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  17. Stunning piece, Suzz! I really love the way you distressed the metal texture!

    *mwah*
    Steph
    Simon Says Stamp!

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  18. HEy there Suz....wowwzersss stunning what you made out of the Metal stand, totally love the colors and the dragonfly and the flowers are just FABULOUS. wowwzersss I LOVE IT hugs terry xxxx

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  19. This is really an amazing piece of altered art with a delicate asian feeling.

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  20. Wonderful gilded Oriental frame... amazingly creative use of the tape - just love it!
    Alison x

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