Crazy for Autumn Colour .....

....... that's our new challenge theme over at A Vintage Journey!

Hello and welcome to a brand new challenge where I am the host for the month. October is so very often a wonderful month for lots of wonderful colours and so we are looking for projects where you have chosen a bold, colourful, autumn palette for your vintage; shabby; mixed media; art journaling; industrial, timeworn or steampunk project. Let's see those wonderful autumn colours in all their glory!



We have had a wonderful Autumn here in the North and it only broke last week when the usual equinox gales hit us and totally destroyed the garden! Up until then I had some lovely shrub roses still flowering and the rosehips have been amazing - so many and such beautiful colours. I should have taken a photograph BEFORE the gales!

I decided to try and replicate some of these colours in a small shadow box made by Calico Craft Parts (who are our sponsors this month too).



I decided to make the box up before painting as I thought this might be easier. The outside was painted with PaperArtsy Fresco Very Berry Chalk Paint before adding DecoArt Weathered Wood.


While this was drying I selected an Autumn colour palette (including the sky!) to make a small "picture" to go in the back of the box.


The colours were blended onto the cardstock .......


.... spritzed with water .....


.... and the same colours picked up from my craft mat.


I then used stamps from the Tim Holtz Mini Bouquet stamp set to add the stems here and there.


I really love how this came out. I had the idea in my head but really wasn't sure whether it would work. I will certainly try this again, perhaps in my journal.


By this time I had crackled the outside of the box with white paint and added some text tissue around the insides which gives it all a shabby look. The box is quite deep so I felt it needed something in the mid ground, so added this little trellis flourish (also from Calico Craft Parts) which has just been coloured with a little white paint.


I wanted a big flourish on the right hand side of the box. Calico Craft Parts products are very sturdy and can take any amount of medium on them. The right hand side flourish shows how they arrive and the left hand side finished with a coat of Very Berry Fresco paint, white acrylic dabbed here and there and finally some DecoArt Crackle Glaze.


Having to sit with the new puppy in the kitchen just lately has given me lots of time to make flowers! I tried to replicate some of the wonderful colours of the flowering shrub roses before the gales, but kept to a similar colour palette for the berries.


I finished the box with a few alphabet letters (again from Calico Craft Parts).

Dreaming of Autumn Days!


I can certainly recommend this little shadow box - you can see how deep it is. It also comes with a perspex glass front which I haven't used and piece to go on the back so it can be hung. I find it stands on its own quite nicely and am so pleased I didn't hang my flourish and flowers any lower!

I hope this has inspired you to join us in our challenge this month. For some amazing inspiration from my fellow Creative Guides, do hop on over to the blog post for this challenge at A Vintage Journey.

Have a great weekend and happy crafting!

Jennie x


Here are links to the Calico Craft Parts I have used:








Comments

S@ndy Diller said…
Such a great project Jennie and as always, your flowers are spectacular. Hugs, S@ndy
Redanne said…
A stunning little shadow box Jennie, I love the richness of the colours in the background, the little trellis looks perfect and your signature flowers are stunning!

I am just imagining your beautiful garden now in those autumnal tones - we have been so lucky this year - we even have ripe grapes to harvest! Hugs, Anne xx
Absolutely delightful, Jennie - your autumnal garden background is glorious, like an Impressionist painting. The trellis and the crackle provide a wonderful setting for your incredible autumn roses - gorgeous!
Alison x
Nancy said…
I am in awe of the beauty of this. Absolutely gorgeous.
Astrid Maclean said…
Such a gorgeous box Jennie, the background looks amazing, such super colours and the way you finished with the CCPs and of course your fantastic flowers looks stunning! Wonderfl autumnal make!
Annie said…
love your CCP shadow box Jenie and the wonderful colours/stamping in your background. Your flowers are stunning and look fabulous against the frame of the shadow box...love the craft parts too

A great challenge theme

Huge hugs
Annie xx
A Pink said…
A Gorgeous piece of autumnal creativity! Jennie. Love your small 'picture' in all those wonderful colours . It sits so beautifully in your crackled embellished frame. Your crafted flowers are as always stunning .
x
sarascloset said…
So pretty! I could just take a stroll through that Autumn meadow! Your flowers are amazing (as always) and I love how you've finished the box! Thank you for sharing your steps! I'm surprised you are getting anything done with that new puppy! Hugs!

PS I have a dumb question--how do you make the labels for your inks? My handmade ones are all peeling off.

Wow, what an amazing shadow box! I love how you added the many layers of Distress Inks on your background by mopping up the inks and stamping - beautiful 😁. The flowers, trellis and embellishments add such beauty. What a wonderful way to remember the lovely shrub roses in your garden - perfect 😀. Wishing you a happy Friday and weekend! J 😊
SewPaperPaint said…
I really love that stamped inky panel as a focus here and your chippie and flowers frame it perfectly. A stunning and inspiring project. Hugs, Autumn
Julia Aston said…
I cannot believe I didn't visit anyone's blog for the Autumn challenge - a brain blip for sure! This is such a beautiful shadow box display Jennie - that background is gorgeous with the stem stampings - I love how you painted and crackled all the pieces - and your glorious roses will keep your garden alive for you all year long! Julia xx