January Mixed Media Project at TRENDS

This year at The Mixed Media Trends they are using a technique each month from various mixed media books.  For January, the featured product is WOOD ICING from a book by Mary Beth Shaw called "Flavour of Mixed Media."  I had never used or heard of this product which is designed to alter furniture, cabinets, create wall hangings and numerous other projects.  (See the link at the bottom of the post.)

However, in keeping with my resolution to use what I have I am substituting the products incorporated into the challenge and hope you will follow along as I move forward.

For the first two weeks, we were to  gather supplies and also select an unusual item to create texture.  (I cut a sprig of holly from the front yard.)

Once I had an idea in mind, tools out and paste in hand, I couldn't wait to get started . . .

I had a round blank board book that I have wanted to alter for a long time and create a textured cover.  It was perfect for the January project.  I'm hoping some of the other techniques throughout the year will fill the inside blank pages.

I coated the front and inside of the cover with thin white gesso, let dry and then used a thick white gesso to apply some texture to the surface as a base.  I took a flat texture plate and set it into the white gesso and when lifted, you can see the results in Step l.

 STEP 1

After the base coat was dry I sanded off sections where I wanted to add a variety of textures using MODELING PASTE rather than WOOD ICING.

STEP 2

I used a brass stencil on the lower right and covered it with modeling paste and lifted it off carefully.  On the left hand side I used a piece of lace in the same manner.  Let both dry. Some sequin waste and a foam stamp were applied to the top right and I set in a crown from  the Tim Holtz line.  (I attempted to use the holly leaf in the middle section, but the leaves curled too much to be effective.) Paste was put down over the center and I pressed a foam leaf stamp into it; touched up here and there with some marks from a fork and strips of thin wood.

The next step will be to determine the colors I want to use to make the textures jump off the cover and pleasing to the eye.

Mary Beth Shaw uses many stencils on her projects creating a smoother appearance with sanding.  I wanted mine to have a lot of texture so no sanding.  If you can envision the stencil I used at the bottom left with others similar, you could gently sand the top of the entire piece as suggested in her book and not lose the deeper texture effect.

Do you think I can wait for week three or four to add some color?

http://woodicing.com/