6" x 8" Mixed Media Canvas

Another canvas swap with a small group of friends, this one was sent to Lori.  I totally loved this canvas when I was done with it - so much that I might have to make one for myself.  I also find that I really enjoy making canvases.

I began by stenciling leaves (Wendy Vecchi Studio 490) on the canvas with white embossing paste (Wendy Vecchi)... I stenciled one or two leaf stems, let them dry, did another one or two, let them dry, etc. until I had it covered.  Then I gessoed the whole canvas.  Next I sprayed it with water and then started adding Distress paint.... I either sprayed more water or blotted some off as I went whatever was needed to allow the colors to blend but not blend too much.  Let the paint air dry and it was beautiful but I wanted the colors to be a bit darker so I sprayed with water and added paint again just like the first time and let it dry.  Next I stenciled little circles (A Crafter's Workshop stencil - mini circle explosion) in between the leaves and on the sides of the canvas with a heavy bodies acrylic paint and let it dry.  Randomly stamped Wendy's text image with Archival Ink.  Used my finger to add Viva Inka Gold in old gold to the edges and over the leaves catching some of the high spots but also getting some on some of the low spots.  The flowers --  I used Glue 'n Seal to glue pages from an old Gregg Shorthand book to Wendy's Clearly For Art, enough to cut Tim's tattered floral's die 3 times.  Then I used Distress Paint to color the flowers and Archival Ink to stamp Wendy's small weed image along the edges of the petals.  Cut, heated, and formed the flowers. I added small holeless gold beads to the centers of the little flowers.  The leaves -- Another Wendy stamp.  I stamped 3 of them onto grungepaper, cut them out, painted them with Distress paint on both sides, stamped various Wendy backgrounds onto the leaves with Archival Ink, drew the black lines with a Pitt pen.  The words -- Wendy stamps again.  I painted manila cardstock with Distress Paint, stamped with Archival Ink and cut them out.  The butterfly -- Yes, another Wendy stamp.  I cut a piece of grungepaper large enough to stamp the butterfly on, painted it with Distress Paints, let them dry, stamped the butterfly with Archival Ink, and cut it out.  I also painted the back  

Below is the wonderful canvas I received from Trent!!!!  It's 8" x 10".