Tale-ing Fragments #7: Nature's grace & beauty

"With shining eyes she noted all of nature's beauty and grace."

  
Like my former post, this project brings together the results of trying out different materials and techniques. The first part I made is actually the small frame in the center. It's a Baseboard Lace Frame I altered with Distress Crayons and Glazes, it's pretty amazing to think it started in pale cream-color. I particularly like the silver shimmer created with Brushed Pewter crayon.

 

I usually alter elements like frames to fit whatever it is I want to frame, so it was a little strange for me to do it the other way around, but I went through my stash and found this lovely lady. Then I looked through my recent experiments for a background and found a bright green one with botanical images and the story was set in my mind. Does she not look like she's listening? Observing? 

I had to remake the background because the piece I had was too small, which gave me the opportunity to play with the imagery. I started with Yupo synthetic paper and created a mix of greens with alcohol inks. Then I used Tim Holtz's Entomology stamp set and Alcohol Lift-Ink pad to create ghost images of insects and writing. The lifted handwrite was stamped on the photo around our studious lady. When I was happy with the alcohol ink background, I added Collage Paper over it with the technique Tim has shared in a demo last week using Resist Spray. The spray creates a shiny finish that deepens the colors and, because the lifting creates white images, the black images on adds depth and interest.

For some extra spots of color I stamped, colored and cut some of the Entomology images. The cicada was especially fun because I could place it next to the ghostly lifted image! Since I didn't want to block too much of the background (it has big wingspan!) I stamped the image on acetate as well and added the clear wings to the body, I really like how dimensional it all becomes.

I chose to add a moth instead of a more colorful butterfly because it's delicate coloring fit better with the colors I used to tint the photo and the text strips.
The final part was making the frame. It wasn't planned, at all, but I felt a frame was needed and could not find one in the right size, so I decided to try and make one! I used a similar technique to the one I shared in my last Tale-ing Fragments post, but with Woodgrain Cardstock and I really love the results! I'll definitely make more frames from no on, it's just so convenient!

I'm entering this project to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge that has a 'create a scene' theme. I figure it fits since it is telling a story, albeit a fragmented one ;)

SSS Monday Challenge Blog

Hope you enjoy this little walk-through, I'd love to hear what you think and as always feel free to ask anything!

Keep safe and keep your spirit up,
xx
Naama