Mixed media layout "Being a mother..."

Hey all,

In light of some recent stuff going on in my life, I felt the need to scrap a layout about my feelings. 

On April 4 my little boy Connor suddenly got a lump on his neck. The lump got bigger and after being told by the doctor  a couple of times that it would go away on its own, we were sent to the hospital after all, because it just kept growing. 

Since a couple of days before that hospital visit the lump had started to hurt Connor and his skin turned more red by the day.

Long story short: ultrasound, doctor, surgeon, pediatrician, and finally surgery to remove the entire infected gland on Wednsesday, May 18.

We are still awaiting the final test results, but already know the infection wasn't caused by something scary and incurable like cancer. 

However, back when things weren't clear yet, I suffered through some rough times, driving myself crazy with thoughts of bad things. The thought of losing Connor hurt so much it made me cry more than once. 

Just looking at his lump hurt, I can't stand him being in pain. 

I'm so glad the surgery is over, because staying with him until he finally succumbed to the anesthetics, watching him cry and scream, made me cry even harder.

The day after the surgery Connor already didn't experience any pain anymore. The last few days he has a soar throat and I don't know what to think about that. He's been feeling off. I just hope that whatever is plaguing him, will vanish soon.
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The May moodboard from the "Scraps of Darkness & Scraps of Elegance" blog was one of my inspiration sources.
Scrapsofdarkness.blogspot.nl

The moodboard over at "Mixed Media Place" for the May challenge was a perfect fit for the colors and feel I had in mind. That one quote from the moodboard, "She believed she could, so she did", could have been written just for me during this period. I had to believe I could get through this, when I didn't really feel like an adult myself. So I was brave for my little man!

The quote I used for my layout is another one though, because it perfectly describes the feelings I am trying to convey. 

"Being a mother is discovering strengths you didn't know you had and dealing with fears you never knew existed."

Pictured above are almost all of the ingredients you'll need. 

The shades of Tattered Angels glimmermist I used are the following: Verdigris, Latte, Jazz Blue, Walnutgold and chalkboard French Vanilla (for the splatters) and also Glimmerglam Tail Fin (which I forgot to include in the picture!). 

Started my layout by choosing the perfect paper from Kaisercraft, "Antique Bazaar Collection: Unearth".

I wanted the layout to have a 'prickly' feel, so I chose a Sheena stencil with thorn pattern. Applied Viva Decor's "Rusty Paper" through it.

This layout is full of symbolism: rusty staples are holding many things together, to represent both the stitches Connor has gotten, as well as the pieces of my broken heart being held together.

That beaten up and broken heart was made from brown wire, around which I wrapped henp rope in a crazy pattern.

For the middle part I used a shred of paper with bark printed on it, layered onto some fabric which I colored using my old bottle of Walnut Ink.

Used some pieces of bandage (again with a double meaning) colored with Tattered Angels glimmermist "Verdigris" to tie up some more loose ends.

The chipboard clock (from Sandra's Hobbyshop) represents the time ticking away, leaving us hoping, fearing and wondering.

The patterned crosses woodboard background pieces aren't a coincidence either: everybody knows what the Red Cross stands for.

I kept most of the elements on my layout nature related. Also inspired by the feathers from the Mixed Media Place moodboad. It merely enhanced the feeling I already had. Used feathers, a shred of paper with bark print, some wood chips my dad sawed from a branch, a chipboard dandelion from Scrapiniec, wood angel's wings, a small metal arrow and branch.
I'll leave you with some more close-ups. Hope you'll like it! Questions and comments are always welcome!

You can find me on Facebook too: Less is bore
And also in Instagram:mandylessibore

HAPPY SCRAPPING!

Mixed media canvas "Lights will guide us home" May Challenge 'Words & Paintery' blog

Hi all!

Remember me winning the March Words & Paintery challenge with my altered fan? 

Because of that I was asked as a feature for their May challenge! You can check out their post here.
You'll find a little more info on me there as well, in case you're interested.

Secretly I have been working on my canvas using their brand new color scheme. You are so welcome to join them, the challenge is open until June 15!

Check it out here:
Words & Paintery May challenge

Those jummy and fresh colors spoke to me immediately! The quote however, gave me some trouble. Until I came up with the perfect idea...

Last Summer we spent our holidays in England, again. My husband and I love England. Only this time we brought our son for the first time (and my dad too) to share our love for England with them! This was even Connors first holiday/vacation ever.

The picture I used was taken on the boat on our way back, from Dover to Calais. Obviously the lights that will guide us home are the lighthouses and other coastal lights. Which is why I used a lighthouse on my canvas as well.

For starters I glued a paper to a canvas. The paper is from 13 Arts and is called 'Faces of Spring/In your eyes'. 

Then I applied Tattered Angels Glimmerglam 'Tailfin' mixed with gesso through a compass stencil to emphasise the 'way home'. Once dry I added some more of the same Glimmerglam. 

Through the Tim Holtz swirls stencil I used Art Alchemy Acrylic Paint Opal Magic 'pinkblue' mixed with 13 Arts 'Magic Powder' to thicken it.

Through a damask stencil I used modeling paste blended with Tattered Angels glimmermist 'Pink Poodle'. Love the razor sharp voluminous result!

Once dry I sprayed a little more of the Tattered Angels 'Pink Poodle' glimmermist over the damask patterns and a little on the paper here and there.

Stamped some rope with knots with black ink on the page.

On the spot I had thought my picture, I glued some bandage/gauche with gel medium and added Finnabair 'Artstones' in different sizes. I covered most of it with white gesso, mimicking sea foam. 

Around the edges, in the corners and on the sides of the canvas I added Prima Crackle Paste, allowing it to dry overnight. Colored the crackle paste with some Lindy's Stampgang 'Mad Hatter Mint' and Tattered Angels Glimmerglam 'Tailfin'. Same goes for the gesso'ed parts on the bandage.

I'll explain some more underneath the pictures of the finished result.

Sprayed some glimmermist on the ribbon, crumpled it and let it dry. The big blue rose was handmade by my sweet friend Jetty.

 The blue berries and twigs are from 13 Arts. The little bottle was filled with 13 Arts 'glass filler beads small'.

The chipboard letters and word are covered with gesso, Art Alchemy Acrylic Paint Opal Magic 'pinkblue' and 'bluegold', some Tattered Angels Glimmerglam 'Tailfin' and 13 Arts 'glass filler beads small'.
The steering wheel roughly got the same treatment after receiving a layer of Prima 'crackle paste' first.
The space in between is filled up with Prima Finnabair Art Pebbles in different sizes, 13 Arts 'glass filler beads small', Prima 'Artstones' and some glass balls. All was colored with Tattered Angels Glimmerglam 'Tailfin' after the gel medium dried.

 

The chipboard lighthouse is Scrapiniec, the wings are plaster and the ornament is done with a new Prima IOD baroque mold and clay.

  Filled the lighthouse up with mod podge I blended in two tones, one gold and the other mint.

 The wings are coated with Art Alchemy Acrylic Paint Opal magic 'bluegold' and brushed of with a bit of pink.

The ornament got a layer of gesso and some small art stones, the A whole bunch of different shades because I just didn't like the result. I tried Prima Mica Powder Opal magic blue and green first. Then some of Prima's Opal Magic paints, some glimmermist, some gesso, you get the picture ;) 

Just paint and play until you like the result!

Sticking to the maritime theme and our journey on the boat, my canvas needed a little boat too of course. I thought it would be fun to have some little cherubs in the boat, whispering a little secret. The secret is that they're carrying with them one of the compasses letters: 'S' for South.

Filling up the space around the picture I added shells, bits of straws, flowers, leaves, branches, chipboard, charms, etc. I wrapped some beaded string with hearts through the embellished parts. When all was in place I painted it with Tattered Angels Glimmerglam 'Chandelier'.

That's it. I think. Took me quite some time to finish this one up because I kept missing and thus adding stuff ;)
Comments and questions are always very welcome!
Find me on Facebook too: Less is bore!
And Instagram: mandylessisbore

Happy scrapping!