I hope y’all are ready for all the little I’ve got the Snickers and M&Ms in the basket by the front door and ready to have a good time!

Remember when I told you that I had some ideas for projects that I needed to put ink to?  Well, today’s project is one of those.

I love projects that you get totally lost in and feel like you accomplished something when you are finished and hat’s how I feel with this project.  I went into the studio yesterday morning and it was 9:30 last night when I looked up and realized I had spent in the entire day working on this project!  Of course, there were some trial and error things that happened, but you know what?  I didn’t even care . . . . I simply tossed them aside and started over!  It was too much fun!!!

I first started with a 5×7 stretched canvas that I covered with gesso . . . . uh it’s on the floor somewhere!  Not being daunted by it, I then reached for a flat 5×7 canvas (no gesso this time).

What’s fun about this canvas is I actually tried the Wrinkle Free Distress Technique on it.  It worked, but I didn’t get the end results that I truly wanted so I ended up misting the canvas with Gold Perfect Pearls and water and then the ink float more across the canvas.  I was after a softer look.

I also need to tell you that the canvas itself was the last thing I worked on.  I made all the different elements first, deciding on the colors and style and putting them all together.  It was after all the little things were done, that I actually inked up the canvas.

Sadly the photo above doesn’t show it . . . the wings are covered in gesso that I textured in a feathery motion to actually look like wings.

I love these roses.  I stamped the rose image out on GrungePaper first and then over stamped the polka dots in Snow Cap pigment ink.  I let the white dry and then cut out the individual pieces before deciding what color the roses would actually be.

The bird cage is arched over the face and fastened down on either side with 1/8” Score Tape.  Boy it really holds things down!  I actually used it on a number of items on the canvas.  There’s a 1-1/2” piece under the face, holding it down behind the bird cage.

Speaking of which . . . the face.  I actually covered a small piece of GrungeBoard with Snow Cap pigment ink before I stamped the image.  It was then cut out and water colored with Distress Re-Inkers to add some color, lipstick and eye shadow.  The white ink softened the gray color of the GrungeBoard and then let me add some more fleshy tones (like tea dye) for the skin.  She even has a tiara one . . . can you see it?

The beads on the bottom of the bird cage are from an old pair of earrings that I had in my stash.  Thank goodness for family and friends that pass along old jewelry they no longer wear or want!

For added humor, I stuck in tickets for The Tubes.  I think of a water slide when I think of the tubes, and water better way to fly (well maybe first class)!

Stamps: Studio 490 – Dimensional Rose Art, Rose Art Part 2, It’s Face Art, and Seriously Art by Stampers Anonymous from eclectic Paperie

Ink/Paint: Ranger Tattered Rose, Worn Lipstick, Fired Brick, Crushed Olive, Peeled Paint, Dusty Concord, Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Wild Honey, Antique Linen, Rusty Hinge, Tea Dye, Vintage Photo and Old Paper Distress Inks; Ranger Snow Cap Pigment and Olive, Coffee and Jet Black Archival Inks; Ranger Gold and Snow Cap Acrylic Paint Dabber

Accessories: 5×7 Flat Canvas; Tim Holtz Alterations Caged Bird and Elegant Flourishes; Ranger Claudine Hellmuth Gesso, Rock Candy Distress Stickles, Tiara Glitz Stickles, Mini Mister, Ink Blending Tools with foam, Gold Perfect Pearls, Matte Accents; Maya Road Trinket Pins; Tim Holtz idea-ology Trinket Pin, Jump Rings, Memo Pin; Manila Shipping Tags; Miniature Key; Old Jewelry; Score Tape

Well, I guess that’s all I’ve got for you, except I’m so damned thrilled with myself that I finally got this project down in ink! 

There’s not much more to say, except thanks for stopping by today and I’m