Altered Playing Cards, Week 21: A big mess

I'm once again joining Claudine at Claudine's Art Corner, this time for Week 21 of the Altered Playing Card Challenge.

This week Claudine showed everyone how to use clear embossing paste.  As usual, I didn't have any, and I'm sure my limited craft budget would have been pushed to the limit if I could even find it in my town.  So, I used what I had, which of course, didn't work as well as I would have hoped.

These are the supplies I used (from back left clockwise):
acrylic paints
low tack masking tape
brass stencils
playing card
texture dimensional paint (note the cost)
playing card

I began by choosing background paint.  This is NOT how Claudine did hers, but I didn't have her product, so had to improvise.

I like to get my paint from the lids, but it's obvious, I needed more paint or a bigger brush.

I waited and waited, and finally was able to give the cards a second coat of paint.

Once I thought the paint was dry, I began kneading the tube of dimensional paint I would use in lieu of the transparent paste Claudine used.

I carefully taped the stencil to the card and my craft sheet

then filled the holes with the texture paint.

I did the same for the second stencil.

It was at that time I decided to not use the neon yellow paint because it clashed with the color of my texture paint.

Unfortunately, although I allowed the stencil to dry with the paint, and they were both dry to the touch after about four hours, neither the background paint, nor the texture paint were really dry and I ended up with a mess on my hands.  The stencil pulled the background paint up and much of the texture paint stayed in the stencil.  I tried to repair the problem using the background color I had chosen for the second card.  It simply didn't work.  So, I drew a crude heart around the inside of where I imaged the stenciled heart might be, then added the drops of paint like Claudine did.  I had planned to use an old "Love" postage stamp, but decided to use the word instead.  I even forgot to add some book text, something I actually have and had left room for!


The rose was even worse, except the holes were larger.  Nothing I did made sense, and everything just turned to messes.  And, at this point, I was too sick to care!  I managed to write the sentiment "A rose by any other name" after I painted a piece of security envelope, but that was all I accomplished.  I was truly ready for bed, because I had spent (wasted) over ten hours on these two pieces, and my frustration level had peaked.


Here are the two cards using texture and the same colors this week.  I apologize that these are really bad cards, but I'm so frustrated that I don't have the tools or products that Claudine has.  It would be different if I had something similar, but even my craft paint and gesso are inferior.  The good news is, there are only 12 more of these.  I'm not about to throw in the towel at this late date.  As always, I am very grateful for your comments.  They will surely help me feel better soon.