Happy Monday to you all! Thanks for taking the time to stop by my blog.
This week ... "You've Got Airmail!"
I decided to try to do something different than using the obvious airplane stamps, or doing something strictly with post cards. So, I decided to take an envelope ... something that could be airmailed and alter it into something vintage. While thinking of "AIRMAIL", I thought about wings; which made me thing of butterflies; which made me want to add one to my altered envelope. So ... without further adieu ... here is my finished project.
It began as really plain and not very attractive brownish-grayish envelope measuring 4 1/4" x 9 1/2". I covered the body of the envelope with Matte Multi Medium and then text from an Austrian book that was recently given to me by a friend and someone who's work I truly admire, Claudia of Von Pappe II.
I had sealed the book text with the Matte Medium so when I sprayed the rest of the envelope with Calypso Teal Dylusions Ink Spray, it only penetrated some of the areas of the text. But, I liked the look.
Making "Skins" of photographs.
I love this technique. It's not transferring images but making what I like to call a "skin" of an image. Using this technique, you can create all sorts of semi opaque images and then just adhere them over book text or whatever background with Matte Multi Medium. You have the image and some of the background is visible underneath it. It gives a very cool "ghosty", nostalgic feeling to vintage pieces.
I selected two vintage images; a man and a woman and sized them to fit on opposite sides of the envelope. I then edited the photos to be in an oval shape. They measure 3 1/4" x 2 1/2". I printed them out onto cheap printer paper.
Then I began with
one coat of Matte Multi Medium brushed over each image. Let it dry.
Then brush another layer of Matte Multi Medium over the images, only
this time, instead of going up and down, brush across the image. Let it
dry. Then brush another layer of Matte Multi Medium over the images
going back up and down again, rather than across-creating a crosshatch
appearance. Let it dry.
Then begin removing the paper by thoroughly wetting the paper and lightly rubbing your thumb over image to remove the paper pulp. Keep rubbing the paper until the image is clear. (As it dries, some paper "fuzz" will reappear. You can repeat adding water and lightly rubbing off the remnants of paper or you can just add the picture to your piece and brush Matte Medium over it to seal it. That will seal the image and the paper fuzz will not be seen.
I created four "corners" to add a real vintage feeling to the altered envelope by die cutting these sweet little ornate pieces from Simon Says Stamp's own collection of die cuts. This one is Allegro Corner. I die cut it on white cardstock and sprayed it with Vintage Photo Distress Stain that I transferred from the original container into a 2 oz. Mister Bottle. Works great! I heat set the stain and then I added Treasure Gold Copper Guilding Wax. The one of the left has the Guilding Wax applied. The one on the right has just the Vintage Photo Distress Stain.
I repeated this same technique to create the beautiful iridescent almost stained glass effect butterfly in the center of the envelope. This is Memory Box's Chloe butterfly. She's lacy and gorgeous! I first die cut her onto white cardstock and then sprayed her with Vintage Photo Distress Stain. I then lightly spritzed her with Biscotti. But, honestly, I decided to do something different with her, so the Biscotti won't even show up.
I sprayed a piece of text cardstock with Perfect Pearls Turquoise Mist. Perfect Pearls is not like Glimmer Mist or Ink Sprays. It is almost transparent, adding more shimmer than color. So, I sprayed and dried and sprayed and dried until I got a nice iridescent glow. Then I die cut two butterflies, gluing one on top of the misted text paper (using Glossy Accents on all of the die cut areas on the underside of the butterfly. Then I started to wipe (using my fingertips) some Treasure Gold Florentine Guilding Wax. Love the rich, deep antique color! Finally, I added some of the Guilding Wax right onto the wings, producing a very aged appearance.
Here is the left side of the envelope. I stamped some Post Card images from Tim Holtz' Postcards stamp set onto the flap using gold pigment ink. The vintage photograph was added on top of the envelope using Matte Multi Medium. Then I brushed over it to seal it. Then I added the delicate corners. I added sweet little Melissa Frances pearls. Finally, I added the little roses sprayed with Vintage Pink, Vanilla Breeze and Lemon Zest Glimmer Mists.
Here is a better photograph of the iridescent butterfly popped onto the center of the envelope between the man and woman. I added a small Tim Holtz post card and "envelope" with an airmail sticker and airplane postage stamp from Tim Holtz' Tiny Things stamp set. The butterfly has a air mail tag added to his wing using Tim Holtz' Ball Chain and the stamp, stamped with Coffee Archival Ink is from Tim Holtz' Remnants stamp set.
The dashing gentleman on the right is also surrounded with the elegant corners and another smaller Memory Box Butterfly (Vivienne) done in the same manner as the larger butterfly. Only this butterfly is colored with Treasure Gold's Aquamarine Guilding Wax instead of Florentine. See the difference? I like to think that this envelope contains a love letter that the butterfly is winging his way to deliver....AIRMAIL!
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. I hope that my altered envelope has inspired you to enter our Simon Says Stamp and Show's Monday Challenge by creating something airmail themed.
You could be the lucky winner of our random weekly
$50.00 credit voucher. You could also be chosen as one of our very special artists of the week to be featured in our new feature ...
I can't wait to see what you create!
Here are all of the products used in creating this altered envelope.
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