"Whimsical Ways With Arnold Grummer"

I was feeling "Whimsical" this week and was busy creating Victorian themed  mixed media artwork... so I had the idea to incorporate the papers I created using Arnold Grummer's Papermaking kit!! So the house itself and roof of the Victorian Birdhouse are the papers I created! This was so fun and very creative so don't feel that you have to follow my lead exactly with what I used,but merely make it your own with the fun embellishments of your choice! So lets begin and have some creative fun!!

~Supplies~

Finished handmade papers of your choice

Canvas- I used  an 8 x 10

Acrylic paints-( I used Golden)

Plastic wrap or small baggie

 Dylusion Ink Spray ( Ranger Inc.)

Background texture stencil

Printed Chipboard Cuts-Victorian themed

Stamps for texture

Tim Holtz Distressed Ink

Archival Black Ink

Acrylic Borders in Black

Assorted Embellishments of your choice

Mod Podge

Matte Spray sealer of your choice

1) Prepare the background by painting it in a periwinkle blue color. Then when dry ,paint over with a teal color using a plastic baggie and dabbing the paint with it for some texture and a layered effect.

2) Once dry, place your background stencil on the canvas and use your Dylusions spray in  turquoise to create a contrast of texture in the background. 

3) At this point when that is dry, spray with the matte sealer so the ink doesn't run or smear( as anything you put over it unless sealed will cause the spray to reactivate and get messy)

4) One that is dry you can now start to" build your Bird  house" by cutting it to the size you would like for both the house area and the roof.

5)Paste down on the canvas using the Mod Podge.

6)Now that you have your foundation on the canvas you can start applying the embellishments.

(I also used small strips of paper cut with shears that had a scalloping effect and placed on the sides and bottom of the house for an outline)

7) I stamped the roof area and the sides of the house to give it some texture before I applied the black borders around the roof for a gingerbread appearance

.

8) After applying all the embellishments I then stamped a small texture stamp in black ink around the border of the canvas and at the base of the birdhouse. I also stamped a small saying over the roof itself " A little Birdie Told me".

9)The final touch was adding small flowers around the edges and at the base for color and interest.

10) Finish off the canvas project in a matte sealer and you are done!!

I hope you have all enjoyed this very fun birdhouse project using papers I created using Arnold Grummer's Paper Making Kits!! 

~Have a Beautiful  Creative Day~

Sherri