Creative Embellishments/The Color Room canvas

July??? Can you believe it???!!! 

I am back today with a canvas that I did for my July DT assignment for the Creative Embellishments July Challenge as well as for HeArt and Soul Artists presented by The Color Room's Palette #170.

 The July inspiration photo at Creative Embellishments just screamed "end of the day relaxation" to me! Whether it be on vacation or at home, we all need to re-charge our batteries! One way I relax is by engaging in this fabulous hobby! And especially when I do a canvas because I can get really dirty and messy and if I make a mistake, it doesn't matter! I can paint over it! 

After gesso-ing my canvas, I used a palette knife to smear on thick streaks of molding paste. After that dried, I went back over everything with another round of gesso. Then I concentrated on adding gray to the middle of the piece in keeping with The Color Room palette. Feeling that it was a bit stark, I added in streaks of white. After that I misted with both LSG in Steel Shimmer and Prima Color Boom in Pearl White. That's what's fun about a canvas .. you just keep adding until you like your results! 

My yellow and red edges were done with Gelatoes and a small bit of LSG Grab a Guy Gold. You know how I love that color!!! Keep in mind that while all this was going on, I did the exact same thing to the Creative Embellishments Steampunk Gear Panel with the exception of the molding paste. And to give the Panel just a bit more oomph, I dabbed it with some Tim Holtz Wild Honey Distress Paint. Loved that so much that I added just a bit to my background as well! It added a bit more depth. Next, I had fun using my new CE Circle Bokeh Stamp. If you look hard enough you'll find it! 

Then to comply with the challenge at The Color Room to "use a toothbrush," I splattered first white and then later black paint all over the canvas .. and the Gears panel. 

What I love most about my piece is the effect of Distressed Crackle Stamp all around the edges and somewhat in the middle of the piece. Love love love how much interest it provides! At the last moment I also did some heat embossing mainly on my Steampunk Gear Panel with clear embossing powder and Stampendous Aged Gold embossing powder. Love that some adhered to the canvas itself! My heat embossing was done as part of a cross promotion with Paper Wings Production And lastly, what are gears without a bit of Rub and Buff in Patina? 

My CE Art Flair was perfect to add to my project as the first word of my quote from Picasso .. "Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." How much more relaxing can you get?  

Here are some close-ups: 

(BTW, photo credit to Maryjo Boughton Photography; snagged it off Pinterest!) 

And YES, this is now hanging right above my work table and I love the inspiration it provides!

 I hope that you can find time to play along with both these challenges this month! I did my project is just a few short hours one Sunday afternoon/evening! 

 Art Flair


Circle Bokeh Stamp

 Distressed Crackle Stamp

Steampunk Gear Panel

CE Inspiration photo

TCR palette #170

That's it for today! Thanks for coming by!!!!