Little Boy Blue

Hello all and welcome to another piece inspired by the latest Artistic Outpost release PaperBoy.  

This one is a layered tag, and - for those in shock after the recent rash of orange and green projects here at Words and Pictures - you'll be relieved by yesterday's return to my favoured palette of browns and now blues!

This little guy with his bare feet (too poignant even to be on display here - but you'll see them in the next project!) is so brilliantly defiant - he stands his ground and looks you in the eye, and so I thought he deserved a special frame.  

I was lucky enough recently to win some gorgeous candy from the wonderful Lynne over at Adorn.  If you've never visited her blog, I really recommend it - she creates exquisite works of shabby chic art, subtle and beautiful.

The copper Inkssentials Memory Frame which surrounds my PaperBoy was just one of many lovely things in my package from Lynne (there'll be some more examples coming up soon), and I'd been waiting for the right project to use it.

The main tag is created using Fresco paints and the PaperArtsy crackle glaze - results every time! 

Once I had my delicious crackle, I sanded the edges for extra shabbying, and added the sentiment - clear embossed for extra impact - and then some Vintage Photo DI to distress it further.

The next layer is a chunky kraft tag by East of India.  This was part of a set given me by another lovely friend (thank you Lynda) and, again, I've been hoarding them for special occasions.  

I brushed the tag roughly with a wash of Snowflake Fresco paint, and used the fabulous text collage stamp from the set to add some extra interest.










The boy himself is watercoloured with Distress Stains, applied with a waterbrush direct from the craft sheet.  

I cut up some acetate packaging so that I could add a "glass" cover to the image within the frame.  (Those who enjoy such things - if you look very closely, you'll see it's just minimally too short - not enough acetate to go round!)










I dyed some seam binding (of course) to go on the top, and that completes the picture.  I really like the layers against one another - building forward and upward from the optimistic sentiment to that intense gaze.











I hope that's offered you some further temptation towards these glorious stamps.  If you want to see the full set, you'll find it here.  

And don't forget the March Referral Programme is still on over at Artistic Outpost - just one AO image on your project and you can join in for the chance of a prize package from Artistic Outpost - definitely worth playing for!






Thanks so much for your company today - each and every comment is so much appreciated, even if I'm a little less prompt than usual in paying return visits - apologies, and I'll try to do better!

The hero is one who kindles a great light in the world, who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets of life for men to see by.
Felix Adler

A boy doesn't have to go to war to be a hero; he can say he doesn't like pie when he sees there isn't enough to go around.
Edgar Watson Howe

A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.
Christopher Reeve