The Dresser

 

Before we begin, I want to give you an update on my situation.  As of the 10 p.m. local news/weather channel I watch, rain that started about an hour ago (that would be 9 p.m. my time) will shortly turn to sleet and ice now that the temperature is dropping below freezing.  Predictions of up to 2 1/2 inches of ice will be followed by up to 7 inches of snow in time for the morning commute.  Power outages expected across Wichita as crews are on standby.  The airport has cancelled most flights, schools have been cancelled, as have many local functions.  In the event you don't hear from me, I may be without power.  Add to that, I have a sick kitty (Squiggles) and my stress level is quite high right now.

As you might know by now, Bleubeard and I are hosting Art Journal Journey the entire month of February.  Our theme is What's Your Style?   We are thrilled you dropped by because we have a new style we are working on today.  Apparently it's quite popular in some collage and mixed media circles.  It's called Paper Piecing and it is exactly how it sounds.

We call this The Dresser.

The idea is to cut various pieces of painted (or decorated) papers and turn them into a collage.

I've never hidden the fact I can't draw, nor do I care to.

However, the mathematician in me knows I can copy shapes like circles, squares, and rectangles if push comes to shove.

With Bleubeard's gentle nudging, I created this dresser with the flowering cactus in a bowl that sits on top of the dresser.

The dresser sits on an area rug.  

I started this by painting several pieces of cardstock with varying shades and tints of green.  I also painted cardstock using burnt umber.  I first laid the "rug" of scrapbook paper to the substrate, a sheet of 110 lb. cardstock.  To make the dresser, I cut a template I folded in half.  I was able to get the leg design right that way.  I attached it to the substrate, then added the brown "drawers."  I colored the drawer handles using a purple felt tipped pen. 

I freehand cut the pot to which I added the green cactus.  I decorated the pot using a roller type stamp.  The leaves were cut  and attached next.  The cactus flowers were punched from cardstock I colored red.  The green tips were colored using a gel pen.  The  final item I added was the rubber stamp on the left side of the page.  It was in lieu of a framed picture.

In addition to Art Journal Journey, Bleubeard and I would like to enter this at River of Creativity, where their 10th challenge is Anything Goes.  

 

We would also like to enter this at Creative Artiste Mixed Media, where their February challenge 79 is "Anything Mixed Media Goes."  Requirements are to use multiple media. I used three colors of paint, a gel pen, scrapbook paper, a purple felt pen, a paper punch, a roller stamp, and a rubber stamp.

Bleubeard and I are delighted you joined us and hope to see you at Art Journal Journey with your own interpretation of What's your style?, mine being paper piecing today.  We are also delighted to be joining Creative Artiste Mixed Media and River of Creativity.  Although I don't say it often enough, I am so grateful for your support of my art this month.