Beautiful Plumage!

Not much blogging going on this week as I've done me poor old back in again - it's fine as long as I don't sit, stand, lie, walk, bend, cough, laugh or sneeze!!! :o)

I've been dosing myself with all sorts and trying to keep mobile and do everything in small doses, so small projects like tags and ATCs are perfect for a bit of dabbling and tinkering that doesn't take too long.

These two are for the Frog Dog August challenge and I really enjoyed experimenting with just a few of the products from my first Frog Dog mixed media kit, as well as some stuff I already had.

The kit was packed full of gorgeous goodies (I joined mid-month, so this was the July kit) which I will be playing with a LOT - I'm new to the whole mixed media thing but it really calls to me ... so much to learn and so much inspiration out there.

This is what I used for the first ATC:

• Two colours of Distress Paint (Antique Linen, Peeled Paint) from the kit dabbed on my craft mat, spritzed;
• Eco ATC card swiped through to pick up the colours;
• Texture built up with Crackle Texture Paste, some applied straight to the base with an old credit card and some through sequin waste to make the little stars;
• Various colours of Distress Ink (Picked Raspberries, Mowed Lawn, Peacock Feathers, Fired Earth) applied in layers to bring out the textures;
• Claudine Hellmuth Studio matte multi medium from the kit used to adhere and seal the image cut from the ARTChixStudio ephemera sheet also from the kit;
• Stampendous Fragments in sage sprinkled into the wet medium then sealed;
• Dictionary definition of the word "fly", cut into strips, inked and applied with multi medium;
• Cosmic Shimmer mica pigment powders dry brushed onto the still tacky medium;
• Gilt cream in antique gold applied to edges with my little finger (very useful piece of equipment, I use it almost as much as my pokey tool!)

The second ATC was pretty much the same process, except this time I painted the blank card with gesso first and kept the background smoother. This time I used Pebeo imitation gold leaf flakes sprinkled into the wet medium, Black Soot Distress Ink to define the edges, the dictionary definition on this one is the word "flutter".

Here are a couple of bits and bobs I picked up in the local charity shop (thrift store) which I think are just BEGGING to be turned into something fabulous!

A sectioned hession (burlap) gift bag, a little toy made up of three hexagon blocks which are llinked together but turn independently; a hinged wooden wine bottle sized box with a metal clasp and rope handles; a book of thirty gorgeous Mucha print postcards - all for under a fiver! :o)

Well, I have a lot to learn, but it's gonna be so much fun - I have only used a tiny bit of my kit so far and the next one is on the way wooHOO! Check out the Frog Dog blog for lots of brilliant ideas.

Thanks for popping in - see you again soon :o)xxx