I'm travelling into a new way of working, a new country, a new language, and a new hobby which I'm passionate about. Come with me for some of the journey...

Wednesday, 9 March 2016

Encore - Lovers Love The Spring

Encore Posts
While I'm away, there are some scheduled posts with new creations coming your way, but I'm also taking the chance to do some catching up here at Words and Pictures.   Projects which made their first appearances elsewhere for Design Team duties or Guest Designer opportunities, but which only had a sneak peek here, are being gathered together in the pages of my virtual scrapbook.  I'm calling them "Encore" posts and they're formatted differently (all the way down the centre), so you can spot them easily.
Please don't feel that you have to comment all over again!
Hello everyone, catch up time here again at Words and Pictures, with a project which originally appeared over at Calico Crafts in their previous life.  These days they offer a fabulous range of Calico Craft Parts which are pure delight to create with, but I still remember with fondness the eclectic range of crafting goodies they used to supply.  Here's what I wrote back in February 2014.
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I'm delighted to share a little touch of Springtime and a little touch of Shakespeare with you. I was even lucky enough to catch 10 minutes of sunshine between torrential rain showers for some of the photos.


I'm always amazed by the difference in colours depending on whether it's in sunlight or in shade...


It's another hanging created on a side piece of the same chopped up book box as the last one... waste not, want not. (Calico don't stock the history books box set I'm afraid!)


I painted the thick cardboard with DecoArt White Wash acrylic paint and added a coat of One Step Crackle Medium (also DecoArt) around the edges.   Once it was dry and crackled, I rubbed Burnt Umber paint into it and wiped away the excess with a babywipe.


Then I began assembling my Spring collage pieces.   One of the joys for me at Calico Crafts is they have such lovely things that you really don't need to do very much to create something special!


The grapevine heart is 8.5cm across, and comes wrapped about in plain wire.


I have to admit that I unravelled that and re-ravelled it (yeah, I don't think it's a word either!) with rusty wire - a bit fiddly, as I had to re-ravel before fully unravelling so as not to have the whole thing disintegrate on me, but I think it was worth it... but then I'm a rusty wire junkie!


These adorable little speckled eggs - they've just had a whisper of gesso added, and then the white splatter at the end.


And the ruffle roses have had a couple of coats of gesso to rough them up a little and make them a touch paler.


The three driftwood planks absolutely delight me and, again, they've just had a rough coat of diluted White Wash paint for an even shabbier chic look.


Being a rusty wire junkie, I couldn't resist wrapping the planks up with a bit more of the stuff.


And the whole thing is layered over a piece of script paper torn from the Kaisercraft Timeless Classics 12x12 pad.  I inked the edges with Jumbo Java Versamagic Chalk Ink, which is a lovely rich colour, perfect to add definition to the paper behind the twigs of the heart.


The words - ah, the words - are from one of the songs in Shakespeare's As You Like It. The first verse is at the foot of the post... it's not necessarily his finest hour, but it's pretty!


They're stamped using the Artemio Typewriter Alphabet stamps onto lightly inked paper, and then edged with the Jumbo Java Chalk Ink again.


Some rusty wire through the eyelets at the top, some hot glue gun action, a little white paint splatter and we're done!


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I hope you like it, and I really, really hope that Spring will be here soon in reality.  According to the weather forecasts I've been looking at at the time of adding these top and bottom paragraphs, the weather in China is likely to be an improvement on what we've been having in the UK - so fingers crossed for all of us!  Thanks so much for stopping by, and I'll see you again soon.

It was a lover and his lass,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonny no,
That o’er the green corn-field did pass,
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, Hey ding a ding, ding:
Sweet lovers love the spring.
Song from As You Like It by William Shakespeare

31 comments:

Maggie said...

Stunning hanging Alison, great crackle background and I love the soft colours and natural wood you have used to create lots of texture.
MaggieH

chrissie said...

Wonderful Alison and a great choice for a revisit. What amazing crackling and the wonderful idea with the twigs heart.

Hope all is going well--thinking of you

Love Chrissie xx

Cestina said...

I love this heart but as for the words - this song is engraved on my soul. It was selected for the inter-house competition at my boarding school when I was 11. As one of the 3 girls excluded from singing "You will put everyone off" I had to listen to it being endlessly practised by all the rest of the house. It's a very bitter memory! Funny how things can rise up to haunt you 60 years on....

hazel said...

A wonderful piece Alison.
xxx Hazel.

Dorthe said...

It is a gorgeous hanging, just my favorite nature tones, and materials Alison.
Beautiful crackle, and lovely hopes for new life, in form of the eggs. So lovely a story ,told by you, with the heart and the words !!
Hug
Dorthe

Julia said...

The crackle on this project is awesome, I love that. Such a beautiful project, so natural.

rachel said...

beautiful work Alison - the crackle is fantastic - love that heart too and the rusty wire was so worth it! Big hugs lovely lady! Rachel xx

Meggymay said...

A wonderful re- visit Alison, gorgeous hanging.
Yvonne xx

Brenda Brown said...

Beautiful rustic charm with amazing crackle, love it xxx

Almo said...

I love all the rusty wire on this project Alison, re-ravelled sounds good to me even if its not in the dictionary, I know what you mean!. Mo x

Astrid Maclean said...

Another fabulous encore piece Alison, great to see it again!!

Pamellia said...

This was definitely one of my favourites Alison. Just gorgeous! hugs :)

Unknown said...

Ahhhh - beautiful Alison. So makes me SEE spring! Love your little eggs. I have a couple in my drawer hubby found for me! You always inspire me. This is just lovely. XXj.

Willy said...

Beautiful spring project, always love the little details on your work!!

craftimamma said...

It's lovely having a second chance to look at your stunning projects from a while ago Alison. This one is really gorgeous with the lovely crackle in the background and you were so right to unravel and re-ravel the twiggy heart.....rusty looks so much better!

Hugs
Lesley Xx

pearshapedcrafting said...

I do hope you are having some fun in the sun! This project is a lovely remainder that Spring is going to arrive some time soon! I love your wire wrapped heart especially! Hugs, Chrisx

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

What a gorgeous alteration...so earthy and just plain beautiful!!!

Kjersti said...

Spring... I love the season, and I ♥ your creation. The natural colors, gorgeous crackeling and beautiful heart...
Hugs Kjersti:)

Kay Wallace said...

Absolutely stunning, Alison! Love the earthy feel to this one!

Diana Taylor said...

Totally beautiful - I love the little eggs and rusty wire - so delightful and such a lovely reminder that spring is just around the corner!

Lys said...

Only you can achieve this special combination, the roughness of the rusty wire and the delicate eggs. Amazing!

brenda said...

Loving the wonderful rustic feel to this piece Alison.

B x

craftytrog said...

Love, love, love!!! xxx

Annie said...

absolutely stunning make Alison....lots of yummy crackle and a great layout, especially like the heart

Take care
Annie xx

maj. said...

Adorable spring-artwork Alison!!!

SewPaperPaint said...

Oh my gosh, Alison! This is so very cool!!!

Barbara said...

Queen of Neutral colors! Another masterpiece! As always an inspiration! barbara

Sandy said...

do I need to tell you just how gorgeous this is?? Alison, you are so dang good!
Sandy xx

Kasia said...

So great creation, Alison! Love this beautiful heart :)

sarascloset said...

This is so, so pretty, so full of nature's details and oh, how I love that crackle background! Hugs

Cocofolies said...

Well, I have difficulties to say that it's one of my favourite from you Alison, because so many of your amazing creations are my favourite LOL!!!!!
This out of the box hanging does not escape to the rule... Truly a masterpiece creation, of course I adore it!!! xx