Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Roses for Valentine's Day

I made this 8x8 canvas being inspired by February's My Mojo Monthly on Sarah's blog where the theme is "heartstrings". What better time of year to make a shabby-chic heart project than for Valentine's Day? I had so much fun just playing with my mixed media canvas and while it started out very monochromatic and blah at first (wish I had a before picture so you would believe me), getting into a shabby-chic frame of mind changed the whole thing. I started with kraft colored 7Gypsies tissue paper on my canvas and then made a bunch of rolled roses from torn muslin strips in various sizes and placed them in a rough heart shape. Once I started to work the background with a layer of watered down gesso and then Portfolio oil pastels in brown and red violet it immediately had the worn and well-loved look I was after. I decided to sketch in a heart shape to act as a shadow to my rose heart with a china marker and more oil pastels and then finally came across the perfect found text in a book. A little rose tea Glimmer Mist on the roses and some glass beads and it's complete.

Here's the close-up - I love how rubbing oil pastels accentuates the canvas texture - especially when using white.


I really do love this piece :-) because after all, isn't a well worn love the best? Happy Valentine's Day!


10 comments:

Jeany said...

Wow, wow, wow, it is gorgeous!!! Happy Valentine Penny

Iezie said...

It really looks fabulous your haert filled with roses. It looks indeed very shabby-chic.
Happy valentine.
Greetings,
Ini

Elaine A said...

Penny -

This is such a lovely piece of art. I love the colors you chose, and I really love the texture you've achieved on the canvas. Gorgeous piece!

Elaine Allen

Anonymous said...

Penny
This most certainly is tugging at my heartstrings.
The beautiful, shabby colour scheme, the handmade roses with their perfect detail of beads and shimmer and the cherry on the icing is the found text.
A piece to fall in love with.
Wishes
Lynne

Lori said...

Really gorgeous piece, Penny, I just love those flowers!

Jennie Atkinson said...

This is so gorgeous Penny and those flowers look fantastic!

Sarah said...

What a wonderful creation. Really love the softness and variation in your rolled roses with the delicate background and white washed effect. A perfect love affair! Thanks so much for sharing with My Mojo Monthly! Sarah.

Anonymous said...

Your roses are amazing!

Trishia said...

Ravissante, as the French would say! I agree -- love how the textures show up on the canvas.

Franka Benjaminsen said...

Roses in a heart... that's really romantic. Love the soft, rolled roses in different sizes. You've made a wonderful canvas. Bye, Franka