A Blast From The Past

Hello everyone, I hope you're managing to stay warm in the current big freeze. I had a message from my daughter in London to say that it was snowing up there earlier on!

Apologies once again for not being around to visit, we have big problems with my in laws at the moment because my mother in law is in the early stages of dementia and has been giving my poor father in law a terrible time. She's sometimes like a child and throws temper tantrums and tries to hit him with her walking stick! As she can no longer cook, my father in law has to do it so I've been doing some cooking for them to make sure they do get some decent meals at least.

As mentioned last week, I've been working on some things I can't yet share and with the in laws issue, haven't had time to do much else. So I've decided to share something I made nearly 5 years ago which is hanging in my dining room even now.

I made this mixed media panel for Stamping Sensations as their guest designer when I won a challenge and it came about because whilst rummaging for something else at that time, I found some decorated paper I made around 10 years ago on the one day workshop with Kim Thittichai (of Hot Textiles fame) where we made papers using painted bondaweb and other things. This particular paper was begging to be featured on something a little more permanent than a card so this is how my wall hanging came about.

 
There are several pics so that you can see the detail. As you see, the background paper is quite strongly coloured. It has a painted background with added mulberry papers, scraps of iridescent fabric, stamping and gold leafing pen. The overall effect is more textured than you can see in the photos but you can probably get a good idea. I glued the panel to a square of recycled packaging grey board.
I decided on pastel colours for contrast and pale pink seemed to work best. I die cut the Tim Holtz Sissix Alterations bird cage from strong card and embossed with a mix of Ranger Weathered White and Fran-tage Shabby Pink Embossing Enamel and then rubbed the edges with Bronze Gilding Wax.
I stamped the bird (Kanban) with black ink and painted him with Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry and Peacock Feathers Distress Stains, then cut him out.
I die cut some flowers (Memory Box Petal Party) and some leafy sprigs (a very old Sizzix die) and coloured these with Distress inks and Versacolor inks. I layered the flowers up and added embroidered flowers to the centres.
I added these to my background as you see, finishing off with a stamped and inked sentiment (Inkylicious) and some more embroidered flowers.

I hope you've enjoyed my blast from the past which will be new to some of you who I didn't have the pleasure of knowing at that time.

Fliss xx