A couple of months ago, I won a fabulous prize from Quietfire Design that involved some lovely stamp sets and awesome wood pieces from Walnut Hollow. I was so excited to win, because I NEVER win anything! LOL But that being said, I have never worked on wood before. Oddly enough, my husband is a woodworker, but I have never dabbled. So I was fast and furious online seeing all the many projects I could do with the pieces I won. I settled on trying my hand at pyrography or wood burning. I have always thought it was a beautiful art, but have never tried. So I bought a pretty inexpensive wood burner at a local store and decided to give a go.
The second project, came a little easier for me as it was more in my element, so to speak. I have a bestie that, like me, collects crosses, so I wanted to make her one this year. I loved making it and it really came together very quickly. I bought the wood piece at a craft store and had initially thought about stacking wood pieces, but they didn't really have ones to stack with, so I stuck with the one. I gesso'd piece and then took some lovely craft paper and old book page and collaged all over the cross. I then took some of my fave, fave Daler-Rowney Pearlescent Inks in Waterfall Green and Galactic Blue and applied over top. I love those inks as they are so smooth to work with and the pearlescent is to die for! Even watered own they are still so fibrant!
As I wanted to get a "patina" kind of look, I took my Distress Ink in Vintage Photo and applied on the edges and sides. I then took one of my favorite background stamps with Distress Vintage Photo and applied lightly over and on the sides for some texture. I have enjoying using my cheapo doilies for many projects this season as they do quite well with various mediums, so I used one here with Distress Stickles Clear Dry Glitter Rock Candy and then applied some brad looking elements to pull out the patina look on the cross that I was going to use as the centerpiece.I love using Prima flowers because you can do pretty much anything you want to with them and they will turn out great. I always buy the big barrel with the plain ones and then I can color them to suit the project. So I took several here and colorized using the Daler-Rowney inks as well as the Distress Glitter. I laid down some sticky back ribbon and I loved and added more of the brad elements to the cross and shaded with Vintage Photo and then applied the centerpiece with hot glue. I think it turned out nice and I hope my pal likes it!
I hope you were able to get all of your Christmas Cheer done and in the mail on time, but most of all had fun doing all of your many projects as well. As I mentioned the other day, I have had fun, but I will be glad to get back to "no mail deadlines" and just having plain fun! I have all new projects on my table to start off 2015 with and I can't wait to get my hands on them! One will be an altered book journal for the new year. As part of a journal challenge over on His Kingdom Come, I bought from a dear online friend Mary Brack in her Etsy Shop. You should pop on over, she has some gorgeous altered books. I have to get started altering the cover over my wonderful holiday time off so that I can start the challenge called Take Me Deeper by January 2, 2015! If you are interested, you should click on the links and join the site and group for what will be a growing experience for 2015!
I will also be continuing my "Tag Swaps" over on Google+ Creating and Sharing Mixed Media Art in the new year! I have January's on the table and it's time to get busy! I have to tell you that I have met so many wonderfully talented folks through my online adventures and rounding out 2014 calling them all my friends is a blessing! I look forward to starting 2015 with them all and sharing our love of art!
As I will be off next week, I want to wish you ALL a very Merry Christmas and a MOST blessed New Year! My prayer is that you ALL would know the reason for the season in Jesus Christ the blessed Son of God and carry His free gift of life within you that you can look to 2015 with enthusiasm for growth that you could be fruitful for Kingdom building on earth! God bless you ALL!
Merry Christmas!
Your wood-burning is wonderful, Felicia, and the cross for your friend is exquisite. May you experience the best of this Christmas season, always.
ReplyDeleteWin, you are just the sweetest! Than you so much my friend and I pray the same for you as well! Many blessings to you...Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! :)
DeleteOh I just love your wood burning piece. That is something that I have always wanted to tackle myself. I have a beautiful piece of wood burned art that was done back in 1982 by a wonderful friend of mine. I actually bought it from her as a gift for my parents and it hung in their house till 2012 and now it is blessing my wall. She done the wood burning and then had the skill to paint it and it is an awesome piece. After seeing yours, I may have to try it. I have a wood burning kit that I bought many years ago off the clearance rack at Wal Mart. So, I just need to get it out. ggg I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I look forward to all the crafting that 2015 can hold in it! hugs, Patty
ReplyDeleteThanks soooo much Patty! You do need to dig it out! I did have fun although it was quite the learning experience! I want to learn more technique, but having a hard time finding info. I will keep at it though because I enjoyed it! I would have to semi master some technique before I would consider painting it, although that would be a whole other technique, huh? Would love to see your piece as well! You have a most Merry Christmas as well Patty and may His blessings pour out on you in your new year! :)
DeleteFelicia, that wood burning, come on I think you were born with a wood burner in your hand, it is fantastic, you know I have a wood burner, actually I inherited from a friend who just used it once didn't see it working and said I collect all kinds of junk, yes I do, but I don't consider that burner a junk, so I keep looking at it and can't decide when to give it a go, guess I am scared, but seeing your work, it is so inspiring and I will really try it! :-) Thanks dear Friend xox
ReplyDeleteLOL, LOL! Thanks Ruth!!!! EVER my cheerleader! It's flawed on so many scores, but thank you for sweet comments! I will get better, I will, I will, I will...ha ha ha! Give it a go girl! It was fun even though I am still learning, so I am glad I bought the tool! I am sure you will be equal to the task as well! You are VERY crafty my friend and I don't see you NOT doing it well! LOL Go for it! Thanks again Ruth, my friend! Blessings!!!
DeleteThat wood burning piece is great Felicia! I am always afraid of trying that art as it seems like if you mess up you are done for. Great job for being brave and for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Shel! I had the same thoughts! LOL And actually in a way that is true, although you can try to tweak it here and there and pretend like you "meant" to do it, but when I did that on another piece, my lovely daughter said, "mom did you mess up right there?" LOL Leave it to a child!! I will continue to try to perfect it because I am so OCD, but it will NEVER take the place of my mixed media! LOL Merry Christmas!
DeleteFantastic! I never would have guessed that was wood burning! And the cross is just phenomenal! Your friend will be so happy! Have a wonderful Christmas, Felicia!
ReplyDeleteThank you my sweet friend Zsuzsa! :) As I said, I had fun doing it although once I got too far into it, I realized I had bitten off a little more than I thought with my "first" piece, but it was still a great learning experience and wasn't too bad to look at afterwards, which is good because I gave it as a gift to someone! LOL, LOL I really had fun doing the cross! I have had several of my friends say they want one now that they have seen it! LOL So I guess I will be doing some "after Christmas" gifts! LOL I will have a wonderful Christmas my friend and I pray you do as well filled with lots of joy and peace and lovely family fun! Blessings to you and look forward to seeing all you crafty goodness in the new year! Thank YOU for all your wonderful encouragement this year! Ho, Ho, Ho! :)
DeleteFelicia, I think your wood burning piece is fabulous as is the cross for your friend!!! Both are wonderful gifts!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Wanda! I had so much fun doing both pieces and I think both recipients liked them! I just love doing gifts to make others smile and give them a part of me! That makes it all worth it! LOL! I pray you had a blessed Christmas and I pray all of God's blessings on your new year my friend! I look forward to seeing all your many gorgeous projects this year! Thank you again! :)
DeleteFelicia, I have to say it is absolutely gorgeous!!! You did an amazing job. I surely could not do that after many tries. You should be very proud of this work art!!!
ReplyDeleteOhhhh Penny, thank you so much! It was a first for me and probably a little ambitious for a first piece, but I think I do that to myself, A LOT! LOL! I don't think I like to push myself! LOL But I had fun doing it! I wanted to explore something new, but my art journaling still takes the front seat! LOL Thank you again sweet friend! I pray you had lovely holidays and have a blessed new year!
Delete