Dreaming Of Dragons-Peek-A-Boo Project

There is an illustration by Eleanor Fortescue Brickdale titled "Knight Carrying Child" it has been part of my collection for many years although just a greeting card, it plays a prominent place in my medieval inspired bathroom décor. I have made a copy of the illustration and used it as the inspiration for this project.

Supplies:  Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts-Round Frame with Dragons, Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts-Royal Flourishes, Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts-Bat Wing Miniatures, Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts-Dragons Shape Set, Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts-Vine Corners, Antique Brass 7" by 10" table top frame, Ink Jet print of desired image, Heating tool, scrap piece of Bookboard, pencil, heavy duty scissors, Weldbond, Dragon's Eye, Sculpey Premo Accents  Graphite  Pearl polymer clay, small plastic roller, flat roller with handle, rubber stamp to texture the clay, round cutters for clay, liquid polymer clay, small paint brush, polymer clay toaster oven for curing, Art Alchemy Sparks Paint-Raven Black, Versa Mark, Judi Kins Embossing Powder-Black Opal, Tim Holtz Distress Stains-Mermaid Lagoon, Gathered Twig, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss, and Mowed Lawn, Heavy Body Gel Medium, alcohol in a mister, assortment of screws, screwdriver, awl,  and tweezers

1.  Make a copy of image to fit inside of Antique Brass Table Top Frame.

2.  Add some age to ink jet print by spraying with water and alcohol, allow to puddle then dry with heating tool.

3.   Use pencil to trace outer circle of Gypsy Laser Cuts Round Frame with Dragons on to Bookboard

4.  Use heavy duty scissors to cut out circle and secure to back of GSLC Round Dragons Frame.

5.  Prepare Sculpey Premo Accents  Graphite  Pearl polymer clay.

6.  Roll a thin layer and place onto stamp of your choosing to add texture to your clay.

7.  Use round cutter to cut out circle of clay to place into GSLC Round Dragons Frame.

8.  Apply a thin layer of liquid polymer clay and press in textured circle of clay.

 9.  As there is a gap around the edge I rolled two long, very thin strand of polymer clay.

10.                Attach at end and gently roll into a rope.

11.                Secure the rope to the edge of your frame to fill in the gap.

12.                Use cutters to make several circles of textured clay to use to build your eyelids for your Dragon's Eye.

13.                Use same cutter to make crescent of textured clay and build your Dragon's Eye. Be sure to place a bit of liquid clay on back of eye so that it will cure securely when baked in polymer clay oven.

14.                As Dragon's Eye is baking paint Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts Bat Wings Miniatures with Art Alchemy Sparks Raven Black paint.

15.                Choose a dragon from Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts Dragon Shapes Set.

16.                Use Versa Mark on same  stamp you used to texture clay.

17.                 Sprinkle with Judi Kins Black Opal Embossing Powder and cure with a heating tool.

18.                Fill in negative spaces with Tim Holtz Mermaid Lagoon Distress Stain.

19.                Use Weldbond to secure dragon to back of knight's armor.

20.                Once Dragon's Eye is cooled use Versa Mark on textured stamp and Judi Kins Black Opal Embossing Powders to age the frame front and back and also on one of  the Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts Royal Flourishes and cure with heating tool.

21.                Fill in negative spaces with Tim Holtz Gathered Twig Distress Stain.

 22.                Use Heavy Body Gel Medium to secure two painted GSLC Miniature Bat Wings to either side of the Dragon's Eye.

23.                Use Versa Mark on textured stamp and Judi Kins Black Opal Embossing Powders to age the frame front and back and also on one of  the Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts Vine Corners and cure with heating tool.

27.                Fill in negative spaces with Tim Holtz Peeled Paint, Forest Moss, and Mowed Lawn Distress Stain.

28.                To lighten the stains I spayed with alcohol and water and dried with heating tool.

29.                Place picture into frame.

30.                Assemble project using assortment of miniature screws and Heavy Body Gel to secure any loose areas.

This would make a great gift for any "Game of Thrones" enthusiasts or a child's room. To add to the gift you could include this quote from R. A. Salvatore , Streams of Silver “No, I would not want to live in a world without dragons, as I would not want to live in a world without magic, for that is a world without mystery, and that is a world without faith.”

 
 

I cannot wait to see your interpretation of this project. Share it on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Craft Group Page on Facebook. I would love to see what new creations you are working on!

We're All Mad Here-Peek-A-Boo Project

I am a man of few words and as an artist I rarely include any text in any of my mixed media creations, but, when  I was asked if I would ever consider making an Alice in Wonderland book I came across some wonderful quotes the title of this post being one of them.

"When you can't look on the bright side, I will sit with you in the dark."

"It's no use going back to yesterday, I was a different person then."

"Have I gone mad? I am afraid so, you're entirely bonkers. But I will tell you a secret, all the best people are!"

They are the inspiration for this piece.

Supplies:  Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts-Alice in Wonderland Chipboard Silhouettes [D171A], Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts-Tiny Alice Props [C2A], a wooden frame from a 3-D model project, Alice in Wonderland Echo Park Scrapbook papers, sandpaper block, Tim Holtz Distress Sprays-Crushed Olive, Fired Brick, Walnut Stain, Wild Honey, and Antique Linen, Tim Holtz Distress Stain-Vintage Photo, Acrylic Paint-Copper, Blue-Red (Maroon), Pearlized Black, Interference Blue(Fine) and Violet(fine), Bookboard, Damp Cloth, Bonefolder, Versa Mark, Wendy Vecchi Embossing Powder-Red Geranium, Ranger Embossing Powder-Gold and Black Sparkle, Heating Tool, Paintbrush, Weldbond, plastic bags filled with kitty litter, clamps,  microbeads, black gesso, rust patinas, and green moss dimensional paints, ArtDeco Single Step Crackle Finish, ArtDeco Antiquing Cream, baby wipes, collection of various embellishments, thin tip Sharpie, red chain, and screw eyes

1.  Take apart the Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts Alice in Wonderland Chipboard Silhouettes and Tiny Props.

2.  Stain the wooden frame using Tim Holtz Distress Sprays Crushed Olive, Fired Brick, Walnut Stain, and Wild Honey.

3.  Add further distressing by dry brushing on Acrylic Paint-Copper, Blue-Red (Maroon), and Pearlized Black.

4.  Decide on how you will place Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts Alice in Wonderland Chipboard Silhouettes and Tiny Props into the six sections of the frame. Take pictures to remember your placement.

 

5.  Choose Alice in Wonderland Echo Park Scrapbook papers you want to use for the wallpaper in your frames-I chose two complementing patters.

 

6.  Fussy cut and glue into place using Weldbond.

7.  Gently sand the edges using a sandpaper block

8.  Cut a piece of Bookboard to add to the back to give your frame a more substantial feel. Glue into place using Weldbond.

9.   Carefully and gently press the wallpaper onto the Bookboard using s damp cloth and Bonefolder.

10.                I rubbed too hard and removed some color from the Echo Park Alice in Wonderland paper so I added Tim Holtz Distress Spray of Old Linen to tone it all down.

11.                Clamp down the edges and let it dry completely.

12.                To give the back a more finished look, choose some Echo Park Alice in Wonderland Scrapbook papers and glue to the back using Weldbond.

13.                Gently sand the edges using a sandpaper block.

14.                Stain the edges of the frame and backboard with Tim Holtz Distress Stains-Walnut Stain.

15.                Add a vintage worn appeal by painting the edges of the frame with copper acrylic paint, and Tim Holtz Distress Spay-Old Linen.

16.                Use Versa Mark and Embossing Powders to age the Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts Alice in Wonderland Chipboard Silhouettes and Tiny Props. I used Wendy Vecchi Embossing Powder-Red Geranium, and Ranger Embossing Powder-Gold and Black Sparkle.

17.                Set embossing powder using a heating tool.

18.                Dry brush with Acrylic Paint-Copper, Blue-Red (Maroon), Pearlized Black, Interference Blue(Fine) and Violet(fine) to give an aged look.

19.                Careful glue the Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts Alice in Wonderland Chipboard Silhouettes and Tiny Props into the six sections of the frame.

20.                Press into place using plastic bags filled with kitty litter or sand.

21. Add embellishments using Thick Gel Medium. 

 

22.                Add microbeads of black and gold to fill in empty spaces.

23.                Add vintage age to areas using black gesso, rust patinas, and green moss dimensional paints.

24.                Dry thoroughly before adding DecoArt One Step Crackle Finish to the background area carefully not to cover any of the Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts Alice in Wonderland Chipboard Silhouettes and Tiny Props.

25.                I edged some of the pieces using a fine point Sharpie to offset the glossy finish of the Crackle Finish.

25.                I then applied a thin layer of Antiquing Cream allowing it to dry before I buffed it off using a wet wipe. This darkens some of the cracks.

26.                Finally I added red chain using screw eyes and jump rings.

 

27.                If you wanted to take it a step further you can do a quick internet search and find many of the quotes I have included here and adhere them to the back of the frame.

Here are a few more wonderful quotes from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland:

"If you don't care where you are going any road can take you there."

"Every adventure requires a first step."

"Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality."

"I'm not crazy, my reality is just different than yours."

...and finally.

"This is my dream, I will decide where it goes from here!"