Tim Holtz Sizzix Chapter 1 - Stenciled Flowery and Oxide Watercolor Mixed Media Mini Canvas

Another mouthful with that title, and one of my favorite makes this year. I'm back with another Tim Holtz Sizzix Flowery Thinlit make that didn't make Tim's LIVE as I mentioned in the last post. I used basically the same colors of Ranger Oxide Sprays on this as the previous card just adding a few more colors, but with a twist on the Flowery Thinlit. I used the die as a stencil instead of adhering the actual die cut on, and of course it's on a canvas rather than a card. Keep that in mind with other card sized die cuts, because using the die as a stencil gives you even more options for making Art decor pieces as well as cards. And, the great part is this was so simple to make. This is a lengthy post so grab snacks. Enjoy!

So that you can see the whole little canvas, I've laid it on top of the frame for the photos, but it will be housed in the frame for display.

Die cut the Flowery Thinlit with the Kraft Heavystock. Pick out all of the pieces inside the die EXCEPT the pieces that you know will be the sky areas as you will want those to be recessed and not raised from the paste. (Note: From my previous post, one of the main reasons I colored in the extra image of the Flowery was to see where my sky areas would be, so if you think this will help you print out an image and color it in with markers to use as a guide, or just use a picture of my completed project.) Use a Collage Brush and Collage Medium to add a heavy coating to the front of the piece making sure your sky areas stay inside the die where they need to be and carefully lift up to dry on a nonstick surface, and clean up any medium left behind. When dry flip over and coat the back, again placing on a nonstick surface. This will make the die cut stronger for use as a stencil, and hopefully you will be able to use it again.

Using a 4 x 4 inch chunky canvas and Crackle Texture Paste, apply the paste lightly with your finger, rubbing it all over the top and sides of the canvas. Let dry naturally. Texture is your best friend when it comes to canvas in my opinion, and Crackle Paste is fabulous.

 

Lay the Flowery stencil over the canvas in whatever way you want the foliage to be seen, and using a palette knife while holding the stencil in place, spread Matte Texture Paste through the stencil heavily so that you cannot see any part of the canvas underneath the stenciled parts. Remove the stencil, and clean any paste from the sides of the canvas. Let this dry naturally at least an hour. Clean off your stencil as best you can will a little water and a rag to get all of the paste off that you can as you will use this again. If some sky areas fall out in the cleaning process it is fine to place them back in. Mine stayed in great shape and can be used again after this project and only one sky piece fell out.

 

Gather Mustard Seed, Crackling Campfire, and Rustic Wilderness Distress Oxide Sprays and a water coloring brush. You don't have to do this next part if you eyes are sharp, but I needed a little guidance. Lay the stencil back over the canvas matching up the raised dry paste areas to the stencil. Leave the stencil on to help you paint in these first parts to help you make out the scene of foliage, and where the sky will go (now you know why that was important if you have eyes like mine). Shake the Mustard Seed Oxide first and pour just a tiny amount of it onto the craft mat. Pick up the Oxide with the brush and color in the centers of the flowers liberally.  Color will bleed out and that is fine. Next, color in the flowers with the Crackling Campfire but being a little more careful so that not much color bleeds out. Then color in the leaves with Rustic Wilderness. Remove the stencil, and carefully paint in the recessed areas of the flowers and leaves so that you can now make out the scene. Take artist license here and shape the leaves and flower petals in the recessed areas how you wish, and even add in stems. Lightly mist once with water from about a foot above the canvas and let this dry naturally about an hour. The colors will blend slightly (especially in the flower centers) and wick out gently as well as oxidize like Oxides do, and also seep into those fabulous crackled parts. Color in the sky areas with Speckled Egg where you think sky should be using the set aside stencil as a guide so you know where for sure, as well as color the sides of the canvas. If other colors came down the sides just blot with a paper towel and then recolor with Speckled Egg. The other colors will naturally blend in with the blue on top of the canvas and you want that to create a dreamy watercolor look, but if any mud up to much just blot off. Let this dry a bit before moving on.

 

Now that the canvas is dry you can see what needs retouching and highlighting, and now you can really add to the canvas with another lay of color. I applied the same colors on the flower parts and pulled the colors out a bit to give the flower petals more of a wispy look. I also added a little Twisted Citron to the leaves for some contrast. I let this dry, and then added a little more Speckled Egg to the sky as well as a tiny bit of Tumbled Glass to the centers of the sky areas and let the two blues blend. If other colors mud up the sky area use a paper towel to blot the excess and retouch. You can also use a heat tool to help dry the layers. I did three coats in total of the Oxides over the canvas. Let it dry completely over night. Remember, there might be times you don't like the look of it, but you can always use a clean and damp rag or paper towel to remove any color and then reapply. 

 

To further highlight the centers of the flowers, apply Glossy Accents to the centers and pour gold micro beads on top and shake off the excess. You can leave the centers alone if you wish or even apply other dimensional items. Once the centers are dry and you like the look of the canvas (you can touch up anything you wish at this point) spray a light coat of Spray Fixatif over the canvas and sides. This will add a barrier of protection so your colors won't further blend together before applying a top coat. FYI, if you want to sign your canvas do so before the Fixatif so it can be seen well. I did not do that and my signature is barely seen. Spray Fixatif is a good trick for sealing any of your Distress projects that you don't want to reinvigorate later, as all Distress Mediums (except paints) are water based and can move again with a wet agent.

 

 

 Spray the canvas and sides with a clear glossy top coat and let dry. (Note: After I sprayed mine, I thought the flowers needed a little more of something and noticed that the raised paste areas all had a little lip wall around them, so I added Glossy Accents to the flower petals only to really make them pop, and the Glossy Accents settled nicely to the surface of each petal.) 

 

Supplies: 

(Die Cut Machine, Craft Pick, Collage Medium Brush, Palette Knife, Paintbrush for Watercoloring, Water Mister) 

-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Kraft Heavystock

-Sizzix Tim Holtz Thinlits (Chapter 1 2021): Flowery Thinlit 

-Ranger Tim Holtz Collage Medium: Matte 

-4 x 4 Mini Chunky Canvas 

-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Texture Paste: Crackle, Matte 

-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Spray: Mustard Seed, Crackling Campfire, Rustic Wilderness, Speckled Egg, Twisted Citron, Tumbled Glass 

-Ranger Glossy Accents 

-Gold Micro Beads

-Krylon Spray Workable Fixatif, Crystal Clear Gloss

 

Sorry there were so many photos, but I just couldn't help myself as I am in love with this little beauty. I am so surprised at how easy it was to make. Thank you truly for stopping by and for all the blog love! I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!

Tim Holtz Sizzix Chapter 1 - Layered Flowery Oxide Watercolor Card

Hello everyone. I hope this post finds you all happy and healthy. Today, I have the first of two makes using the new Tim Holtz Sizzix Flowery Thinlit. By accident, I forgot to use this die in time for the LIVE Tim had so this make and the next were not on the LIVE, story of my life. The die was hiding from me in bubble wrap. ;0) Anyway, I completely love this Thinlit as it makes putting together a card super easy and fast as you have a whole image the size of a card and really need nothing else but a colorant on or underneath. So simple. So this card is easy peasy to do, and I decided to break out the Tim's Oxide Sprays from Ranger to watercolor again...it's my new favorite thing to do, and the Oxides are perfect for that chalky watercolor look. Enjoy!

(Note: I printed out an image of the die cut and colored it in with markers so I could make out the sky, flowers, and leaves to give me an idea of the scene, and as a guide for the watercoloring.) Cut a piece of watercolor cardstock to 4 1/2 x 5 3/4 inches using the Deckle Trimmer. Add two sided tape to the back of a piece of kraft cardstock a little bigger than the die. Die cut the Flowery Thinlit with the kraft. Pick out all of the pieces inside the die and remove the backing of the tape and adhere to the center of the watercolor piece leaving a border around the whole thing. Gather Scattered Straw, Rustic Wilderness, Crackling Campfire, and Speckled Egg Oxide Sprays and a water coloring brush. Shake the Scattered Straw Oxide and pour just a tiny amount of it onto the craft mat. Pick up the Oxide with the brush and color in the centers of the flowers. It does not matter if you get it on the kraft, just don't get the color on the outside border of the watercolor so it's clean. Color in the flowers with the Crackling Campfire, the leaves with Rustic Wilderness and the sky areas with Speckled Egg. Lightly mist the whole thing with water to oxidize the colors and blend slightly. Let dry. 

 

 

 Cut the black cardstock for a card base to 4.75 x 6 inches and mount the watercolor onto the front of the card base. Add two sided tape to the back of a piece of yellow Metallic Confections Kraft Stock about the size of the die, and die cut the Flowery. Pick the pieces out and adhere the metallic over the kraft Flowery piece laying it on perfectly so the borders match. 

 

Add Sunflower Stickles to the center of the flower openings. I did not add a sentiment so I can use this card for many different occasions.

 

Supplies: 

(Die Cut Machine, Two Sided Tape, Craft Pick, Deckle Trimmer, Paintbrush for Watercoloring, Water Mister) 

-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor Cardstock 

-Ranger Surfaces: Kraft Cardstock, Black Cardstock

-Sizzix Tim Holtz Thinlits (Chapter 1 2021): Flowery Thinlit 

-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Spray: Scattered Straw, Rustic Wilderness, Crackling Campfire, Speckled Egg 

-Tim Holtz Idea-ology: Metallic Confections Kraft Stock 

-Ranger Stickles: Sunflower

 

Wasn't that so easy?!! I love the tropical look as well. Here's hoping for warmer weather. I'll be back again soon with another Flowery Oxide make but this one is on a canvas!!! I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!