My Dad Was a Romantic-A Peek-a-Boo Project

I’ve written about my complicate relationship with my father in previous post- Father's Day Journeyman-but as I have also stated before our parents lived lives before we knew them. In the same envelope of treasure troughs I wrote about in last month's Mother's Days post there were pictures of my dad in his WWII Army Uniform. When we were going through the contents of our family homestead we found a box of letters written to my mom from my dad when he was stationed in Germany. They give us insight to their young love and a side of my dad I never knew. This letters are the inspiration for this artwork.

Supplies:  Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Typewriter Set, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Eiffel Tower-6 inch, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Parisian Shape Set, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Heart of Gears, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Vintage Bulb Set, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Display Tray Dome, Copies of Collected Treasure Trough-Photographs, Maps, Letters, Weldbond, Acrylic Paint-Green, Yellow, Brown, Neon Pink, Blue, Red, Gold, Silver, Paintbrush, TH Distress Stain Bundled Sage, Sanding Blocks, Matte Gel Medium, Embossing Powders-Black, Silver, Red, Yellow, Pink, Embossing Ink, Heat Tool, Copper Foil Cardstock, Weldbond, Heavy Gel Matte Medium, Thin Plastic Spatula, Paper Ephemera, Vintage Postage Stamps, Cosmic Shimmer Lava Paste, Texture Pastes, Metallic Gears, Miniature Screws, Screwdriver, Awl

1.  Gather supplies.

2.  The substrate for this duel artwork is   GSLC Display Dome back section.

3.  Make copies of collected treasure trough-photographs, maps, letter.

4.   Do a quick dry brush technique using yellow, green, and brown acrylic paints.

5.  Fill in any empty spaces with TH Bundled Sage Distress Stain.

6.  Use Weldbond to apply strips of maps and letters to your altered dome substrate.  Adding a few focal point photographs.

7.  Use sanding blocks to perfect and distress edges.

8.  Coat entire surface with Matte Gel Medium sealing it all in.

9.  Use embossing ink to add embossing powders to GSLC Typewriter Set-I used black metallic tones.

10.                Once again fill in any empty spaces with TH Bundled Sage Distress Stain.

11.                Cut a piece of copper foil paper to place behind the cut out typewriter keys.

12.                Sandwich and glue the GSLC Typewriter Sets together. Allow to dry fully being pressed down with a heavy book.

13.                Use embossing ink to add embossing powders to GSLC Vintage Bulb Set-I used yellow, red, German silver. Cure with heat tool.

14.                Use Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold acrylic paint to fill in empty spaces.

15.                Cut a piece of copper foil paper to place behind GSLC Vintage Bulbs

16.                Sandwich and glue the GSLC Vintage Bulbs together. Allow to dry fully being pressed down with a heavy

17.                Use embossing ink to add embossing powders to GSLC Eiffel Tower-I used yellow, brick, and bronze. Cure with heat tool.

18.                Use Raw Sienna and Yellow Oxide acrylic paint to fill in empty spaces.

19.                Decide on placement of these larger pieces on your prepared substrate.

20.                Next Choose items from GSLC Parisian Shape Set and GSLC-Heart of Gears to add additional layers and interest to artwork.

21.                Use embossing ink to add embossing powders to GSLC heart of Gears, Chairs, and Corset-I pinks and reds. For Fleur-De-Lis I used gold and coppers, For scroll work I used silvers and platinum, and on birds I used shades of blue. Cure with heat tool.

22.                Use acrylic paints to fill in empty spaces and to add interest, details and layers.

23.                Decide on placement for assemblage and add to artwork using Heavy Gel Matte Medium and a thin plastic spatula.

24.                Select postage stamps and paper ephemera from your collection and add to empty spaces in your assemblage using Heavy Gel Matte Medium and a thin plastic spatula.

25.                Always allow everything to dry completely as you keep it flat and weighted down.

26.                Wanted to add a vintage appeal and unify the piece I added blue and green texture pastes to the edges using a thin plastic spatula.

27.                Add green acrylic paint to a small portion of Cosmic Shimmer Lava Paste and dab it onto edges using a thin plastic spatula. Cure with heat tool.

28.                To further unify the artwork I added metallic gears using miniature screws, screwdriver and awl. 

 Some Final Thoughts.

My parents were married for 59 years, still together to my dad's passing. They had a relationship that showed their love and adoration for each other. It wasn't free from bickering-dad mowing mom's flowerbeds, dad driving too fast, or him picking at a bandage-but I never saw them fight in front of us kids. They taught me how to be dedicated to another in quiet times, to share the chores-Mom washed dishes dad dried them, mom canned the Bread and Butter Pickles  dad ate them, dad went to work and mom picked up side jobs-picking tomatoes, trimming Christmas trees, selling her produce at farmers' markets, babysitting, selling Amway, vanilla extract, paring knives, wooden spatulas that doubled as a paddle, helping the neighbors butcher in exchange for meat for the table...and maybe more I did not know about. They were not "I love you!" type of people and I wondered why they rarely said to each other or me while growing up. I knew they loved me but I wanted to hear it spoken.

Now having the letters and the history of my parents courtship I know my dad was a romantic and I am inspired to live my life  sharing my love and kindness with others.