Mixed Media Tag: There's No One Like You! (butterflies)

Hello :)

Today, I would like to share a mixed media tag I created using the packaging from my set of sculpey tools. It was perfect because it had printed words on it and it was thick cardboard so it could withstand sprays, water, mediums etc without getting warped. I went with the flow and did not have a particular design in mind, the aim was to keep layering until the desired look was achieved. This tag carries the message of valuing uniqueness, all of us are different and sometimes because of social norms, we feel the pressure of conforming to what is expected and end up losing our uniqueness. It is important for us to realize that whatever we are, we need to embrace it and celebrate our individuality and as a corollary be tolerant of the differences in others. This is especially important for children and adolescents because bullying, peer pressure, parental expectations are big issues which can have far reaching consequences. So back to the tag, I have used a new technique for me which is to create depth by stamping (background and foreground). The color scheme was of "umber" (browns) and I added yellows and blues to lend contrast. 

Here are a few pictures of the process: 

(The packaging from my sculpey starter kit formed the base of this tag)

(Applied white gesso on the tag, stamped the botancil kaisercraft stamp with archival ink)

(Stamped the inkadinkado fairies and peekaboo designs mini stamp with archival jet black ink on snippets of white cardstock)

(Colored the stamped images with distress crayons and distressed the edges with the tim holtz distress tool)

(Stamped the sentiment from stamplorations- trendy feathers 2 stamp using archival jet black ink and butterflies with chalk inks)

(Added colors using little birdie sprays and cosmic shimmer spray, also used tropical gelatos as well as black and brown eyeliner)

(After spraying the colors since the stamped images went into the background, some butterflies  were stamped again using archival jet black ink so that they form the foreground) 

(Embellishments like twine, fabric flower, butterfly and flower sequins, snippet of gauze, gems, leaf diecuts and pollens. Also prima's 3D matte gel was used to stick all these embellishments and ranger's dry glitter was added to the fairy image to create a magical dust look.)

To finish off, few more colors were added to bring it all together and splatters of white were made using white gesso.

Here are a few pictures of the finished tag:

Thanks for your time! Would love to read your comments :)

Stay Blessed.

I am playing along with the following challenges:

1. Butterfly Challenge # 71 (There are butterflies, umber shades have been used and "underneath" is interpreted as many layers have been used in the projects, so there are hidden elements beneath the ones on top- stamping and embellishments)

2. Pixie's Snippets Playground: Weeks 265 and 266 (Snippets of white cardstock used for stamping and snippet of gauze used for texture)

3. Simon Says Monday Challenge: Spread your wings 

4. Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes

5. More Than Words Mini Challenge: "One" (facebook) (The word one has been used twice, in both the sentiments)

6. Craftyscrappers Challenge 14 (facebook) (Used the new technique of multiple stamping to create depth)

7. Stamplorations Anything Goes Challenge (The sentiment is from the Stamplorations- trendy feathers 2 stamp set)

8. Happy Little Stampers Mixed Media Challenge  (Layers of stamping have been done and embellishments are also positioned in layers)

9. Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies (Leaf die cuts have been used from cheery lynn dies and sizzix bigz die)

10. Creative Artiste's Challenge 22 - Anything Mixed Media Goes