Through the arched window...

Okay, that post title dates me... anyone for Play School?!  Welcome all.  I'm here with my second inspiration offering for this month's Country View Challenges theme to Use Something New To Me, and I've been working with the Wallflower Vellum again.


This time, rather than candle-light, I decided to work with natural light to illuminate my vellum.

One of the things which delights me about the vellum is how it changes according to the light, and that's what I wanted to take advantage of.

So I put it in an arched window.







It's really a very simple tag...

I cut the aperture using one of the Movers & Shapers Sized Arches, and added DecoArt Media Texture Sand Paste through a Prima brick stencil.













In places, I just smoothed the paste on directly, to give an impression of the stones being worn away with time.










I then used various Fresco paints to build up layers of colour.














There's some dry-brushing to highlight the texture, and some dark green for an aged mossy look.









The "window" was easy.  I just selected the part of the vellum page I wanted to use and cut it to fit the arch aperture.

I've gone for a window celebrating the beauty of the natural world... like Edmund in King Lear, my cry would be: Thou, Nature, art my goddess!











In further celebration of nature I added one of my favourite of her manifestations - some ivy - cut out of Kraft Core with the Spring Greenery Decorative Strip Die.











The ChitChat stickers add just a little thought to take with you on the journey.














And some simple undyed ribbon and twine make for a monastically austere topping.








I'm pretty pleased with how this changes according to the angle the light strikes it.  With the sunlight directly behind you get something very dramatic indeed!

I'm trying to be quick (with limited success) as you've only got two more days to come and play along. (Can you believe it's almost the end of January already?)  Use Something New To You, and you could be in with a chance at winning a voucher from our generous sponsor Country View Crafts.  And if you simply can't wait to go shopping, you'll find some product links below!

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I'm flitting around the place for workshops for the next few days, but as long as I can get the hotel wifi to work on my various stopovers, I hope to be hopping around Craftyblogland to see what you've been up to... after all, what better way to while away an evening away from home?! See you soon.

Where there is much light, the shadows are deepest.
Goethe

There are two kinds of light - the glow that illumines, and the glare that obscures.
James Thurber

Ingredients (or similar) available at Country View Crafts:
Tim Holtz Wallflower Vellum Stash
PaperArtsy Fresco Paints
Manila Tags
Tim Holtz Spring Greenery Decorative Strip Die
Tim Holtz Movers & Shapers Sized Arches
Brick Stencil similar to this one
Ranger Texture Paste
Palette Knife
Idea-ology ChitChat Stickers
Picket Fence Distress Paint