Tuesday 5 February 2013

Metal Valentine Wall Hanging


Today I wanted to share a wall hanging I created.

I made this for my DH for Valentine's day instead of a card, it's also my entry for the Everything Wendy Vecchi Group Mac #3 challenge. This time we've to use Wendy's stamp or stamps and also to use a (nice) 4 letter word, mine is "love".



For this project I used scraps of metal foil in various square and rectangle sizes which I glued onto chipboard hearts cut using my Cricut, (my Cricut machine is so handy for these type of projects, cutting whatever shape for my base in whatever size I need)
then I embossed the hearts using a Sizzix embossing folder and my bug. I only used the A plate and one B plate along with the "No more shims" embossing mat to protect my bug from thick depth of chipboard and foil layers. It worked a treat. I painted the whole metal surface with black acrylic paint then while it was wet "brushed" it in one direction with a paper towel to give it an industrial, old brushed metal look, as inspired by Sam Poole on her TV demo on C&C using adhesive backed aluminium foil from a DIY store (or her partners tool box).
I wanted a slight patina on the hearts so over-layered this with some green, blue and copper acrylic paint, then removed most of this with a brush and paper towel again to leave just a hint of colour, I sanded a bit too, to highlight the base metal in places.


I stamped Wendy Vecchi's bird on grunge paper and cut this out and coloured it using Radiant rain colours in Key lime, Blue flame, Pewter and Copper to keep the metalic look. Embossed this using TH's cracked glass embossing folder. I made the faux screw using tiny circles die cut from card glued 2 together then run this through an embossing folder with lined journalling note effect to make the grove this was painted black then I applied a tiny bit of forgotten gold gilding powder with my finger, that I've have had for "yonks" but only came across recently during a tidy up (the gold powder that is... not my finger, which is probably one of the few things I don't misplace in my crafty hovel, lol). I distressed it a bit by hitting it with the edge of my scissors. The metalic shape at the bottom was cut from my Cricut then given the same treatment for colouring as the screw (I didn't hit this though), then shaped it with a ball tool in my hand to give it a 3D metal feel. I used a wee metal heart heated with red/gold embossing powder again this powder was in goody bundle from Lori. 

The medium size heart started life the same, only bigger. I used the chipboard letters from Lori for the words and the embossed metal crown was from same foil run through another TH embossing folder, cut out & coloured with same paints for background and distressed as before.


Next, (sorry this photo is a bit out of focus) the largest sized heart, same base, just bigger again, I used the same background technique. I  bet you knew that was coming, lol. embellished this one with TH tattered flowers made into roses from a printed leafy foliage scrapbook paper. This was too clean and pretty, so I used the same Radiant Rain sprays and Radiant Rain dabber in Copper again to make them a bit more metalicy (is this a word?) 

The sentiment is stamped using Vintage Photo DI, and using words from a Wendy Vecchi stamp set which I die cut using an Xcut die, and I made a faux die cut, for backing it to frame this by drawing around the die and cutting it out of black card. The screws "attaching" it are made same way as the first one.

BOY! Do I talk or what?
 Sorry this was so long, and well done if you managed to stay with me.

Thanks for looking.

hugs
Alexandra x


12 comments:

  1. This is gorgeous! Love the grungy, distressed looking metal, and Wendy's bird is so cool! Thanks for joining the MAC!

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  2. It wasn't too long, it is always good to see how people like you create such beautiful pieces. That Radiant Rain looks fantastic, love the way you did your hearts (saw that programme too, it was good) and those lovely twiddly bits at the bottom of two of them. I think your hubby will be very pleased to receive this! Hugs, Anne x

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  3. wow wow wow alexandra...what a stunning creation...hope you are staying cosy and warm in this chilly weather...hugs kath xxx

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  4. Oooh lah lah! The texture is incredible. I love your wall hanging, Alexandra. So many great details!

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  5. Absolutely FABULOUS!!! Pinning! I love every metalicious inch! Fab design!

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  6. Wow! This is quite something, Alexandra! It looks absolutely made of metal, and it's pretty amazing how you put the different pieces and products together for such artistic touches. Love the look of the copper Radiant Rain and daubers. Interesting to read about the process, all the steps and details. Again, wow!

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  7. What Fabulous work Alexandra. Thank-You so much for the lovely comments left on my blog. I am now your latest follower.
    Hugs Rita xx

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  8. Absolutely marvelous Alexandra such wonderful heart ! Well done.
    XO SanDee1899
    http://www.sandee1899.blogspot.com

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  9. Oh Wow that is just too cool, such wonderful work, texture and colors you brought to the metal, Fantastic!!

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  10. Looks fabby with all the different textures ;)
    xoxo Sioux

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  11. Fabulous metal hearts, really effective technique and lots of other lovely elements too x

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