Grunge Paste Challenge

Hello everyone it's been a while since my last post, so I hope you all are well. I've been busy with all sorts, and not been feeling my best. We have just had a week away visiting my daughter SIL and grandchildren which was lovely, and then a few days in the New Forest. It's been an amazing time with so much to see, lots of galleries and craft industry shops with work spaces. I love visiting this kind of place where artists are in situ working as well as selling their art.

Before I move onto sharing what Ive made since coming home I need to tell you that I have decided to stop the Zodiac Challenge. It is a lot of work and as I'm enjoying creating so much at the moment. There just isn't enough time for everything. As many of you know, being part of the community that we all share, also takes time and sometimes making art has to come first. If I have not visited you  for a while please forgive me, I hope to catch up with you all soon :). 

So to announce the winner from last month which was Pisces picked by  Random. Org who picked number 2 which is Rising Rain Gallery, so please get in contact so I can send you your prize.

I hope you like you the new look to the blog, I did install it all and make it fit etc but all the other work is done by a very talented lady called Sharon

So onto today's make, which has been inspired by two people. Firstly, we visited the craft centre as mentioned above and through the entry was an exhibition by Cleo Mussi  I loved her use of mosaic and thought about how I might create a mosaic look with Grunge Paste. Then last night I saw Lisbeth's mosaic with Grunge Paste on the Paper Artsy Blog Challenge, and was amazed. You must go see how she created her project. It is very well thought out  and executed. 

So not wanting to copy her design (that's for another day ) I covered a 6x6 white board with a heavy layer of Grunge Paste. I used a square acrylic stamp block to form a square on the board. Next I created my mosaic look.

I used Purple Rain Fesco Finish acrylic paint in the grooves and wiped it over the top.

I wanted to age the frame so mixed some  colour using Fresco acrylics in French Roast, Claret,  Zesty Zing and Pumkin Soup. I didn't know what I was looking for, but knew I wanted grubby. I rubbed it on and then rubbed it off giving it the grungy look I wanted.

You can see in the photo above that I have rubbed it back slightly with a sanding block in places to add to the aging process. 

The centre I painted with Jade and some of the grunge colour to give it a rusty metal look. This was then  coated with a little Quinacridone Gold from DecArt to finish the look.

As you can see above I punched holes around the frame and threaded around some rusty wire. ( I was introduced to this by Andy Skinner at his workshop I recently attended, and Carol Fox who I know from craft club, told me where I can buy it, as I had never seen it before. So big thanks to you both.

I had a butterfly which I had already cut out from IndigoBlu so painted it with China Blue from paper Artsys and then clear embossed it. I edged the butterfly square and bits of the wire with Topaz Treasure Gold.

And then added a sentiment.

I had to hang it in the garden by the Armandii as it looks so beautiful and I felt welcomed us home.

So that's my plaque. I really enjoyed myself this afternoon and hope to play tomorrow as I have brought loads of goodies home with me. A nice pile of Bark, lots of beach stuff, and some great drift wood I collected at Milford on Sea yesterday. 

Don't forget I have changed the blog name and so to keep getting notifications of when I blog you must un follow, and the click follow again. Thanks 

See you soon Debs xx