Gather Ye Rosebuds...

Hello all, and welcome to Words and Pictures.  I'm very happy to have your company for a while.  

Today I'm sharing an Artistic Outpost design piece which has already made its debut over at the AO blog, but I know not everyone gets over there, and also I like to get everything under my own roof here at W&P so that I know what I've made!!

I've really enjoyed having the chance to play with a couple of new stamp sets, Generation Redux and Secretary Pool, as part of my DT work - work? hmm... who are we kidding?!

I've also thrown in a sentiment from my favourite Think and Wonder set.  One of the (many) things I love about the Artistic Outpost sets is that they mix together so well, making them really flexible.

The haunting stare of the woman from the Generation Redux set speaks to me of the spirit still flickering inside, despite a life spent in thankless work. So she seemed to belong with the beautiful letter block from Secretary Pool and the quote encouraging her to - for once in her life - break out and follow her dreams.









I started with a painty background, created with Fresco paints, including stamping the letter block with paint.  I think, for a paint-stamping, the clarity of the image is great.

I also love the blendability of the Frescos, and they leave a wonderful chalky finish, perfect for stamping on, should you wish to.








In fact, I stamped the woman onto tissue paper so that I could decide where best to place her on the tag without the headache of having to get it just right first time.

I used Coffee Archival ink to do it, incase there might be some spritzing or blending to be done later.



I smoothed her onto the surface with some multi-medium.  Love how the wrinkles in the paper have given her patterned hair! 



I used a pastel pencil to just lighten her skin slightly in places, and I also added some to gently highlight the flower heads behind her.

I put a light wash of paint on a separate piece of paper and stamped the sentiment, again in Archival.

I added an Idea-ology clock whose hands are set to point to the words YOU and SHOULD to emphasise them!

The flowers are two of several I made and have been using on a number of projects, so you'll see them around again.

They were created by sticking patterned paper to some acetate packaging, die-cut with the Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die, and then heating it to mould the petals.

And together with the clock, they are symbolic of the rosebuds she needs to get out there and gather before time runs out.










The tag was mounted onto some paper that I'd stamped the letter block all over - this time in Frayed Burlap DI for a softer look, and then the whole thing sits on some corrugated card which has had a coat of shabby white paint.  

I coloured the two eyelets with paint and alcohol inks to tone in with the painty background, and used some white string to hang it up by.

I don't know what it is about corrugated cardboard, but I love the look it gives to a project, adding texture and dimensionality.

And I'm pleased with the layer using the alphabet block stamp, which was frankly a bit of an afterthought!

So, off you go and seize the day everybody - whatever it is you never did, you really should...

Thanks so much for stopping by, I do so appreciate your company and your comments; and apologies that some of my visiting has been a bit sporadic of late...  I do hope to get round and see you again soon on my travels.

I'm entering this in the Clocks challenge at Out of a Hat Creations.

To the Virgins, to make much of time

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, 
    Old time is still a-flying: 
And this same flower that smiles to-day 
    To-morrow will be dying.

That glorious lamp of heaven, the sun, 
    The higher he's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run, 
    And nearer he's to setting.

That age is best which is the first, 
    When youth and blood are warmer; 
But being spent, the worse, and worst 
    Times still succeeds the former.

Then be not coy, but use your time, 
    And while ye may go marry: 
For having lost but once your prime 
    You may for ever tarry.

Robert Herrick