2 December 2016

Winter Magic with A Vintage Journey

Hi everyone and welcome! Today sees the launch of the latest challenge at A Vintage Journey called 'Winter Magic'. Our host for this challenge is the wonderful Deb Riddell. Here's what she has in mind for this theme; "For us in the northern hemisphere December brings the start of winter and for many that means freezing cold weather and Christmas. But winter is so much more than that and so we ask, how would you interpret the magic of winter? Snow, icicles, colours of blue, silver and white, the festivities of Christmas, misty winter landscapes; show us what your magical focus is for the season and in a vintage; shabby; mixed-media; art journaling; industrial or steampunk style."

This month we are sponsored by Country View Crafts who have generously offered a £20 voucher to their online store for a randomly drawn winner. And three hand picked Pinworthies will be offered the chance of a guest appearance for a later challenge, so there's plenty of reasons to join in.

(click on each image for a closer look)

And now here's my own take on 'Winter Magic' - a canvas celebrating the magic that nature itself creates at this time of the year here in the UK. For me the beauty of this season extends beyond the sparkling lights, trees and tinsel. The last traces of fallen leaves caught beneath a snow/frost laden carpet, and revelation of weather-beaten structures, unburdened by much of the usual floral and fauna, are as magical as any festive decorations.



I started with the base of this deep edged canvas, randomly adding layers of Gathered Twigs, Hickory Smoke, Ground Espresso and Walnut Stain Distress Paints direct to the surface to get a look of dark soil. Next I applied a patchy layer of Texture Paste, leaving some of the 'soil' exposed on the edges, and stamped into it with the Tim Holtz 'Leaf Prints' stamps (mist them with water to ensure they release from the paste). When dry I restamped into the leaf impressions with the same brown shades of Distress Paint to make them stand out, and finally added a thin layer of white gesso to give the impression of frost on top of fallen leaves. With that the background was complete.



The colours mentioned by Deb in her description included blue, white and silver, and as luck would have it I picked up an old blue bottle at a vintage market in Retford recently. It still has the chips and grime of ages past, and with the addition of some Remnant Rubs (from the Elements set) a few dribbles of Ranger's Pearl Alcohol Ink Mixative, some twine and wire wrapping, and Tim's Festive Idea-Ology charms, it was the perfect match. Of course it would have looked weird just sitting in the middle of the canvas so I added chunks of canvas stretcher wood, dowsed in Iced Spruce Distress Paint, dripped with gesso, Pearl Mixative and Espresso Alcohol Ink, and stamped with numbers from the 'Sideshow' set in Cornflower Blue Archival Ink. Obligatory rusty nails, Idea-Ology Nail Heads, and a sentiment from the Small Talk Occasions set adorned the 'fence' beautifully but it also needed a few more leaves. To get that crunchy texture I quadruple embossed some card with Ranger's Snowflake Embossing Tinsel and stamped into it with one of the 'Leaf Prints' using Potting Soil Archival Ink. If you stamp and fussy cut the card first you get the perfect shape too.


So that's where this month's fabulous theme took me. Now I urge you to hop on over to A Vintage Journey to see what my fellow Creative Guides have come up with - it's well worth the visit! Then it's over to you - the challenge will remain open for a month so there's plenty of time to get those creative juices flowing and link up your entries to be in with a chance to win.

I'm entering this canvas into the following challenges;
Anything But Cute challenge #19 - Rustic Glam
Fashionable Stamping Challlenges challenge #117 - Tis The Season
That's Crafty challenges - All Grungy

And how exciting! I've just discovered I won last month's top spot over at Creative Artiste Mixed Media Challenge #20 for my vintage lace/rusty canvas!!! Thank you so much to the team for awarding me this honour.

Off now for some Friday fun. Whatever you're up to take care of yourselves, Jenny xxx

37 comments:

  1. Wow!!! This is beyond stunning Jenny!! You come up with the most brilliant ideas and techniques .. that background is just amazing and I adore that gorgeous bottle and all the bits that make up the fence. The colours, the textures .. it all adds up to pure wintery magic!!! Love this beyond words!!! hugs xx

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  2. Oh my, Jenny - you just keep making incredible pieces - I love each one! I adore the bottles on this one, and your colors against that frosty background - perfect depiction of northern climes this time of year! xxx Lynn

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  3. Such a lovely take on the challenge. Love the way you say hello to winter and good bye to the fall colors.
    Hugs, S@ndy xx

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  4. This is an absolutely wonderful canvas! I love these colors, the pale and the snow crusted leaves, the bottle and the whole composition you put together. Great job!
    Tamara

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  5. Fantastic canvas with so many wonderful textures and additions

    Love Chrissie xx

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  6. That is just stunning Jenny, love the bottle and the rusty nail, and those TH pine cones are yummy. Elizabeth xxx

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  7. This is an amazing creation! I had a good look at all the details and I am admiring your creativity!
    Lia xx

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  8. Beautiful! I love the random effect of the layered bits to create your fence. The bottle is beautiful!

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  9. Love how you incorporated the bottle from Retford. The background is gorgeous. Love how you stamped into the texture with the leaves, looks fabulous. Great design. Tracy x

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  10. This is a knockout. I saw the background come together but never imagined the bottle you picked up when we were in Retford would take centre stage on this beauty. It is perfect and goes so well with the wooden bits and the rusty nails. I just had to order that leaf stamp set after seeing you use it in so many unique ways - thanks for enabling.
    Hugs!
    Cec

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  11. It has been a long time since I quadruple embossed ANYTHING! And you've done it repeatedly! What a wow effect the archival ink into the EP gives! Stunning composition and that gorgeous inky bottle steals the show. Great sentiment too, so true. Hugs, Autumn

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  12. Oh my giddy aunt! STUNNING!!!!! I absolutely adore this work of art Jenny!
    Hugs
    Linda xxx

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  13. Absolutely stunning, Jenny - beautifully put together from the leafy background to the layered icy shards and finishing with that wonderfully adorned bottle. I've got a whole hoard of tiny vintage bottles, some of which have made it into crafting, and others which I can't bear to alter! This is brilliant inspiration to take the leap. I know I must have missed lots of treats here, but I'm looking forward to some proper catching-up time over the festive season.
    Alison x

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  14. How did you ever come up with this most lovely and creative design Jenny??! What a gorgeous bottle with the hanging charms - the pieces lined up like a crooked fence - your wonderful background and layered leaves.... such an inspiring piece! Julia xx

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  15. I adore your take on the theme Jenny, - what you say is so very true! Your make is original and fabulous, that bottle is the perfect focal point! Super make!

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  16. Wow, wow, wow Jenny, this is stunning and beautifully festive! I really cannot take my eyes off that fabulous bottle and the charms are just the icing on the cake. The background is so cool, in a frosty wintry way - simply gorgeous, love the design, the colours - everything! Anne xx

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  17. Trust you to take a different slant on the theme Jenny! This really is fantastic, and stunningly done. You've taken my mind not only to the vagaries of nature, but to the realities of those who are homeless too. Very thought provoking. Nicola x

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  18. The vintage bottle is perfect - great find!! And you surrounded it with just the right "accessories" too. This is really a wonderful creation Jenny. Love the message, the colors and I can almost feel the cold in the air. Thanks bunches for joining the Anything But Cute Rustic Glam Challenge! j.

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  19. Jenny, every time I see one of your canvas', I fall in love all over again! What a beautiful depiction of fall melting into winter. It really seems to me as if the first dusting of light snow has fallen and icy puddles are left as the snow first melts then freezes again as the temperatures drop. Oh, so many details to love about this canvas! Thank you for sharing it with us at Anything But Cute. Hugs! Sara Emily DT And a huge congratulations on your win at Creative Artiste--so deserving with yet another stunning make!

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  20. You know my address - send this now!!! I am in love! Just kidding - but wowzer Jenny - this really is fabulous xxx

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  21. Oh Jenny - this has to be my most favorite make of 2016!!!! This canvas is really fantastic - the bottle is part of the mystery of frozen images that winter brings. Honey Child - you did yourself proud!! I love it!!
    sandy xx

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  22. Oh my! Now that I can get back on the computer I can really see how beautifully detailed this is! Really magical! Hugs, Chrisx

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  23. Just popped back to say thanks so much for joining in our Rustic Glam challenge at Anything But Cute!! Anne xx

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  24. This is utterly gorgeous Jenny with that beautiful background and the wonderful collected elements you added to it. The bottle was a fantastic find and I love how you have altered it, the glass has a wonderful wintry mercury glass feel to it xxx

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  25. Wow ! what a stunning canvas Jenny - from the amazing background to the fence and all it's wonderful detail. Your creativity knows no bounds! xxx

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  26. So much texture! The leaf impressions in the "snow" really drew me in, I had to see how you did that! Absolutely wonderful!

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  27. WOW, this is fantastic! Amazing background and wonderful details.
    Thanks for sharing at FSC.
    Greeting Carola

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  28. stunning,
    you put so much detail
    into this card.

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  29. Stunning work! Love this bottle it's fabulous and the background.... wow! Barbara

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  30. What a super creation, lovely colours and so much dimension. Thank you so much for sharing your lovely creation with us at Fashionable Stamping Challenges.

    B x

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  31. Wow this is fantastic! Such a wonderful composition and love the bottle with the remnant rubs. What have you used to adhere the bottle to the canvas? xx

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Carolyn! In this case I used Super Thick Slap It On as it is rock solid safe when dry :) xx

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  32. Wow!! A creative masterpiece, Jenny, from the idea, to the design to the execution- faultless. Thanks so much for sharing all the fabulous detail, dimension and texture up close. Incredibly striking and inspiring!
    hugs x

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  33. This is absolutely spectacular, Jenny!! Wow!! I'm in awe!! The bottle is amazing and each detail is perfect!! I've been studying the pictures, trying to soak up all of the amazing design elements!! What a stunning project!! Thank you so much for joining us at Anything But Cute for our Rustic Glam challenge!! Have a great day!! Big hugs :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  34. Jenny, this is amazing! Your background is fabulous, it does indeed look like a frosty forest path with the leaves still peeking through that first dusting of snow. And the bottle is so gorgeous, love the colours and the perfect adornments, what a treat for the eyes! Deb xo

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  35. Stunning Jenny you have put so much detail in thank you for all your inspiration

    Happy and Healthy New Year

    Hilda xx

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Thank you for stopping by and leaving your comments - they are really appreciated and will be published when moderated. Jenny xxx

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