Christmas Greetings

Hello Friends,

Hope you have been getting ready for Christmas like I have! I finally have the house decorated the way I wanted and have stored away all the bins in the garage. I sure am enjoying the decorations and the lights each night.

Today I have an fun project for you, using a 9 x 9" Vignette Panel and the Etcetera Mosaic Tiles. So lets get started!

I covered the Vignette Panel with paper from the idea-ology Christmas Backdrops. I have more than one pack of paper so I was able to use two of the same paper to cover the inside. The seam where the paper meets will mostly be covered up so no worries about that.

I also covered the sides and back with more paper, then added the green Design Tape Trim on the lip edge. Now we are ready to start the inside of the Panel.

Using Collage Medium, I covered Etcetera Mosaic Tiles with paper and ephemera. I did lay out a basic design before I started covered the tiles.  I always add a layer of Collage Medium over paper, so I did that before drying the tiles and moving on to the next step.

Time to PAINT!

I love our Christmas adornments this year so I decided to just paint them all up and use what I need, then save anything that is left for another project. 

Next is the large toy soldier from the Salvaged Figures pack. I used Foundry Wax on his chest for a great shine!

I rubbed him with steel wool to age the paint, then used a damp paint brush to add Walnut Stain Distress Crayon.

I thought he need a little extra for the holidays so I added Scor-tape to his shoulders...

Added a bit of metallic trim I found in a drawer. I cut twice the size of the tape and doubled it on the shoulder so the two cut ends are at his neck. I also added a plume to his hat. I used my heat tool (on purpose) to melt a bit of the plume, so it is not as tall as in this photo.

Okay, time to add the Mosaic Tiles and an Etcetera trim piece (two pieces from the 'Pinked' package). 

To make sure the trim is straight - I cut a piece of chipboard 1 1/8 x 8". I added the Collage Medium to the back of the Etcetera Trim piece I had previously painted black and set it above the chipboard. Once it was secure I could remove the chipboard then add the tiles above.

You can see here that five of the tiles are doubled to give dimension to the project.

Before I stared add my embellishments, I needed to color a Christmas tree. I used the small tree from the Alpine pack. After spraying it with Rustic Wilderness and drying it with the heat tool, I sprayed it with water and squeezed it to remove a bit of the green, but keeping the rich color. After drying it again, I wiped Opaque Texture Paste over the tree to mimic snow. You can dry the Texture Paste with a heat tool to quicken the process.

So I started adding the embellishments with Collage Medium. First my toy solider the the tree with a big dollop of Texture Paste underneath.

*The Alpine tree was the only thing I used my hot glue gun on. I find it is much easier to get it to stay in place with hot glue, rather than the CM. I always hold it in place till the hot glue cools.

I added Texture Paste to the trim shelf...

Then just added a bunch of things to the paste. The pine pieces are plastic. They are the very tip of a longer pieces from a wreath I bought at Hobby Lobby. The snowballs also came from Hobby Lobby and the candy and bells are from idea-ology.

Lots of ephemera pieces and more the metals I painted. The star seal is from the Word Plaques and Tags set.  I covered it with Foundry Wax, then added a bit of Mushroom Alcohol Ink and Rock Candy.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed this project.  It is always fun to make stuff using the Etcetera Tiles because anything within arms reach is up for grabs.  This make is no exception!  Now back to the making table!

Now carry on,

paula

Curious Things Etcetera Panel

Hello Friends,

I thought I would change it up today and share an idea-ology a fun and deceptively easy Halloween project using an Etcetera Panel and a pack of Mosaic Tiles. 

Etcetera Panels are the perfect substrate for so many things.  This is one product that I keep multiple packs on hand!  Each pack comes with 4 panels - two 8 1/2 square and two 7 1/4" square.  The Mosaic Tiles pack only shows squares on the front, but if you turn the pack over, you can see the rectangles too.

Pop out all the mosaic pieces from the matrix.

Here is what my board looks like all laid out.  I worked with the pieces quite a lot to figure out where they should go.  Sometimes it has to do with the paper or ephemera shape as to what size tile goes where.  

I also wanted some different levels so I planned for a second level on some squares.

Begin adding paper to the background and each Mosaic tile.  There is no need to add paper to the places where there will be a second layer.

First layer

The ephemera 3 and 1 fit perfectly on the tiles. I just grunged them up a bit with ink.

I wanted to use this piece from the Facades pack - It is the center of one of the Facades that just pops out...so perfect for a giant moon!

I added some inked paper from the Halloween Backdrops pack, then added a layer of Collage Medium over the top. I let that air dry for about 15 -30 seconds, the poured Lost Shadow Embossing Glaze over the top.  Tapped off the excess, then melted it with an embossing gun (it melts very quick).  Once it was cooled, I splattered Phantom Mist Mica Stain over the top.

I added the big moon to the panel, then fussy cut the haunted house from the Halloween Ephemera pack. I added the house to the moon with thin foam squares so it was raised up off the moon.

Take note...I added the bingo chip with a foam Square below the house. This bingo chip will eventually be hidden under the frame.

This is also a better representation of the actual color of the moon.

Pieces from Adornments Flourish combine perfectly with the frame from, The Manor. Especially when the finish is the same. 

1. Wipe Black Soot Distress Paint over metal, let dry.
2. Shake and then squeeze Gilded Foundry Wax on disposable paper. Wipe Foundry Wax on the raised portions, then heat with Embossing gun till shiny.
3. Add Mushroom Alcohol Ink on Blending Tool with felt. Pounce over gold to age.
4. And for one added measure, shake and squeeze out Sterling Foundry Wax, then use a Splatter Tool to splatter over the metal. Repeat embossing.

Add image of a ghostly woman to the frame.

Adhere the frame over bingo chip using foam square and a thin foam square under the top portion.

Add Flourish piece over moon with Collage Medium.

Add a second Flourish to the left edge of the house. Remember, the black tile that says 'Confectionery' is raised so the Flourish is glued to it and then hovers over the tile above. I added a foam square that helps the top of the flourish sit up off the board ( you just can't see it)

From here you just start adding in lots of interesting things.

Word Plaque - I rubbed Black Texture Paste over the words, then added Hardware Heads on each end.

Bouquet Flowers - I used Antique Linen Spray Stain and dried them before adding to the panel.

You can also see there is Mummy Cloth and some neutral moss (from the craft store).

I repeated the same embellishments on the right side, except for added black ribbon.

I also added a paper from the Ephemera pack using a nail. Yes, you can nail right into the panel!

I added more Hardware Heads as well as Large Fasteners to the panel.  I cut the "legs" from the Large Fasteners, then glued them into place with Collage Medium.  

Once dry, I used the Texture Hammer to smash the top so I could go back and add white paint into each divet.

In the top right corner, I added a strip from the Snippets Number Strip package (my go to ephemera pack).

I hope you will give this one a go! It really was easy...to me the Mosaic Tile do all the work so if you can glue paper to hardboard, you are set!

Now carry on,
paula