Summertime At Our Creative Corner

Good morning everyone. I'm back with a new challenge which opens today at Our Creative Corner. The lovely Laura is our host this month and here's what she says about her challenge:

'Summer is in full swing - whatever the weather! Whether it is pouring with rain or blisteringly sunny wherever you are, Our Creative Corner want to see some 'Summer' inspired creations.  What sparks your imagination when you think of the word 'Summertime'? Travel to faraway exotic destinations, buckets and spades, sand dunes and sparkling sea? Does summer bring to mind delicate flowers in a hazy garden or bright vivid tones of a warm sunset? Perhaps just the use of vivid colours evokes a summery mood....or do pastel shades have more of a summer look for you? 
Whatever your interpretation of 'Summertime' is we would love to see your creations here at Our Creative Corner.'

I have chosen to use the colour which most evokes summertime for me: Sparkling, clear turquoise with a hint of bronze/gold from reflections of the sun on beautiful, far away oceans. I love those pictures of impossibly perfect white sand and the clearest turquoise water don't you?

I suppose I've taken a different tack with this challenge but I wanted to use colour as my inspiration rather than traditional summertime images. However, there are some little details which reflect summertime as a visual image. Here's what I've made - hope you like it:

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A wooden keepsake box

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The box was another Charity shop find. I dismantled the tassel handle and started painting BEFORE taking a photo - oops! You can still see a small portion of the original colour scheme of black and gold and not a great deal of style!

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The box was painted with three coats of DecoArt Gesso. I thought I may use the tassels and the piece they were attached to so added gesso to these too, in the end I didn't use them but they're saved for another day.

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DecoArt crackle paste was put through a stencil which imitates air bubbles in water. The whole box was then covered in gesso again. Once dry it was given two coats of DecoArt Media fluid acrylic in cobalt teal hue - I love this colour so much. Although it's not easy to see, a coat of DecoArt Interference paint was applied in various places on the box. This is just an amazing product. The only problem is it can be almost impossible to capture the effect with a camera!

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Next step was to very roughly add some DecoArt Media fluid acrylic in quinacridone gold. This colour can be used without diluting as it so transparent - another favourite!

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Next, various images were stamped onto the box top and sides using versamark ink. Mica powders in shades of gold and bronze were then carefully applied.

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Finally DecoArt crackle glaze was applied to various areas and highlighted with Traditions burnt umber paint - I really love the new Media line from DecoArt but don't want to waste all the paints I already had so you will see them pop up from time to time!

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Small metal fittings were aged with a variety of products and then attached to the box.

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The hinges look a little orange in this image but in real life they look aged and dirty!

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The inside of the box is painted with warm cream Traditions acrylic followed by crackle glaze. When dry, some DecoArt Antiquing Cream was applied following the instructions. This is the part of the project I like the least: I hoped the colours used would make the inside look like old ivory but it didn't - in anyway! I've decided to keep some special shells in the box which my daughter and I collected whilst in Florida several years ago.

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The sides of the lid were stamped with the water bubble image followed by mica powders. I didn't want to use it all over the box because it's a very busy image.

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I love the way the stamped image appears to look so worn in places. It looks flaky but is actually very stable I'm glad to say!

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The lid was given a homemade embellishment ( both pieces are buttons in real life but who would have guessed?) which was painted with the same colours as the box including a patchy coat of DecoArt Interference paint in turquoise. The crackle glaze was added next. When dry, Traditions paint was used in the cracks and a little more Interference paint was added randomly. At last, you have an image which highlights the effects these beautiful colours give.

 I do hope you like my interpretation of Laura's Summertime Challenge at Our Creative Corner. All that's left is for you to make your own piece and link up with us. Who knows - it may be you who wins the prize from our sponsor, or is chosen as one of the top three by the challenge host or you perhaps you will be our challenge winner and have the opportunity to come back and share your art with us on the blog? If you don't enter, you'll never know!

Lastly from me, thanks for visiting today.