New Beginnings

A group I belong to has a challenge for a quick project - just for fun. The theme is New Beginnings.


I wanted to try a new "toy" and technique. I don't have molding paste but I DID have vinyl spackling!!! I cut out the leaf shaped from wire mesh ribbon, laid it on muslin, spread the spackling on, trimmed the muslin around the wire mesh and the shaped it like I wanted it (pinned it to my muslin I use to paint on, etc.) and let it dry. Then I painted it with a whole bunch of different greens and a bit of gold Lumiere. Then let it dry again. Have to be careful because the leaves could lose their shape because the vinyl spackling is water soluble. But they maintained well enough.

Then I wrapped a real twig in three different fiber yarns and also used those same three yarns for the "grass"

I painted and then melted Tyvek for the flower and used an old piece of costume jewelry for the center.

The background is one I have been saving from a CCRR we did I can't remember when. Funny thing was.....before I found this piece of CCRR for the background I was wondering how I could also incorporate butterflies!! Then VOILA!! I found this piece that reminds me of a wrought fence AND it has butterflies on it!!!! How cool is that?????

So, here is my thinking behind the whole thing. New/Spring = flowers, of course, that's obvious. Butterflies are a new beginning from something not quite so beautiful into something very beautiful (I LOVE butterflies for just that reason) Also, a new "toy" and a new technique. I had a blast doing it!!