Pink Hope - mixed media with resin cast items, embossing, and stenciling

October is breast cancer awareness month. Cancer SUCKS! All who have it, and their families, need to have hope to fight, to survive.

My project today is a plaque with mixed media elements, a message of Hope in pinks using a Unity Stamps set, stenciling, resin pieces I cast, Distress ink, embossing on acetate, all on a wood plaque.

Putting It Together

I've had this wood plaque in my stash for while, waiting for the ideal project. I thought it would be a good base for a hope filled project.

I dry fit a couple stamps from the set to start my idea. I ended up using a different sentiment from the set when it fit better later.

I used Spun Sugar Distress Stain to cover my panel.

Spun Sugar was a bit too light so I added Worn Lipstick.

I liberally sprayed the panel with water and then wiped it with a dry cloth to let the wood grain show through.

I then used a heat tool to dry the panel.

I used the coarse side of a nail buffer, from the dollar store, to lightly sand the panel and smooth it down. I absolutely love the colour these two Distress stains on the wood. This makes me want to experiment more with Distress stain and wood.

I stamped the ribbon stamp with Versamark and added embossing powder, clear pink.

After setting with heat, I liked the embossing but it was missing something.

I re-heated the embossing and added pink crystal embossing powder. After heat setting it, it was a little too.. not what I wanted.

So... I did a second-generation stamping with Claret Stazon over the embossing. After inking, I stamped off first on some paper and then stamped on the embossing. This added detail to the embossing.

I decided to add a sunburst, which I feel expresses hope. I used a stencil with Clarity brush and Antique Linen Distress Oxide, brushing from the sun down the rays.

With the stencil anchored on just one side, the stencil can be lifted like a door to check on progress without moving the stencil. I like the subtly of the sunrays.

I used a blender tool and Vintage Photo Distress ink to go over the edge of the plaque and give it a finished look.

I decided to use the HOPE sentiment and stamped on the panel with Claret Stazon.

I dry fit some resin items and flowers from my stash. I cast the resin items months ago using Super Clear resin and Perfect Pearls with silicone molds. While the flat cast feather was soft cure, I shaped it to cure with a twist.

I used Spun Sugar and Worn Lipstick stains to colour the white ribbon, one I have in my stash but no clue where I got it.

I added screw eyes to the top of the plaque and knotted the ribbon as a hanger. I also added gems from a Hero Arts kit I got last year.

And I thought I was done so I went to bed, but.. the stamped ribbon just didn't have the right feel. I thought about it overnight and while I was at work and...

I decided to emboss on acetate with an iridescent clear.

After heat setting, the embossing has a little bit of sparkle and dimension on the clear acetate.

I fussy cut the stamping. I had to keep turning it in the light to see where the line is.

Using pop-up Glue Dots, I added the clear ribbon stamping over the stamping on the panel. The raised acetate stamping gives the butterfly ribbon more dimension, but.. the adhesive.. yuck.

I dug through my stash and found some small flowers and dry fit them over the Glue Dots and decided they were a bit.. umm.. heavy.

I stamped and embossed the butterfly trio from the set on acetate and then fussy cut them. I bent the two larger butterflies before adding all three to cover the adhesive on the stamped ribbon.

Supplies

Challenges

Unity {Show and Tell}: Mixed Media

Creative Craft Cottage: Pink for Breast Cancer
Scribbles Designs: Embossing
Tuesday Throwdown: Stenciling
Simon Says Stamp Monday: Not a Card
A Bit More Time to Craft: Anything Goes
Createful Hearts: Anything Goes
Pearly Sparkles: Anything Goes