La Famiglia

I am often inspired by a single object and find myself building an entire artwork around it. That was the case with this vintage photo, complete with a rather ornate, paper frame. It has been in my stash for too many years to count. The sepia tones in the image called to me today.

You can create something similar on a book cover, canvas, wood panel, or - as I did - on book board. To start, I cut a piece of book board to approximately 9 1/4 x 7 1/4 inches. I rounded the corners using sandpaper, and painted both sides with black gesso. I added a bit of depth and interest by dry brushing a bit of white gesso around the edges. 

Next I began to assemble my layers using patterned paper. I hand cut my base layer but found it a little too bright, so I darkened it using spray ink and added dye ink to the edges.

My next layer was created using patterned paper and a die from Spellbinders Grand Nestabilities Large Labels.

From there, I created a number of paper elements to be used in the design.

I added texture to kraft colored card stock using Spellbinders M-Bossibilities Bricks Embossing Folder and then lightly rubbed the surface with dye ink to darken the bricks. Lastly, I hand cut the card stock to create two smaller pieces.

Using a die from Spellbinders Shapeabilities Botanical Swirls and Accents, I cut and embossed two different color patterned papers into the same shape.

I then layered the die cuts and, to make this more unique, added brads and a circular found object.

I used the same two patterned papers to create shapes using one of the dies from Spellbinders Shapeabilities Address Book. I cut these shapes even further by hand and created two unique elements, layering the different colors in the final piece for more visual interest.

Using one of my own hand painted papers, I cut, embossed and stenciled this element using one of the dies from Spellbinders Nestabilities A2 Filigree Delight. 

For the final touch, I added several different found metal objects to both frame the focal image and add another design element.

In the end, by combining mixed media elements with my own individual twist on commercial products using tools from Spellbinders, La Famiglia was born!

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Supply List

Spellbinders Paper Art Supplies:

GC-001 Spellbinders^TM Grand Calibur® Machine

LF-168 Spellbinders^TM Grand Nestabilities® Large Labels

EL-015 Spellbinders^TM M-Bossibilities®  Bricks and Bark Embossing Folder

S5-146  Spellbinders^TM Shapeabilities® Botanical Swirls and Accents

S5-167 Spellbinders^TM Shapeabilities® Address Book

S5-177 Spellbinders^TM Nestabilities® A2 Filigree Delight

Preferred Promotional Partners: Tsukineko Momento dye ink pad, Imagine Crafts Inkblushers sponge

Cross Promotional Partners: BoBunny Press patterned paper, 7 Gypsies patterned paper 

Other: book board, gesso, watercolor paper, card stock, vintage photo, acrylic paint, paint brush, spray ink, found metal objects, brads, tin snips, adhesive, scissors, sandpaper