TMR - Theme ...

... Hi! It's been a while! My mojo seems to have taken a bit of a hike again. However, I do have something for our new challenge over at The Male Room - TMR#66. For our new challenge we have a fun theme for your masculine projects - we want you to incorporate maps or co-ordinates. Here's my take:

Supplies:
Canvas 5" x 7"
Detroit Area map
Um Wow Studio Chipboard embellishments: Michigan State, Tiny House, Hearts
Distress Oxide Inks - Worn Lipstick, Broken China, Cracked Pistachio
Distress Paints - Barn Door, Black Soot; White
Stencil
White Gesso
Gel Medium

I didn't mange to make anything for our mixed media challenge, but this would work for that one too! This is not an original idea to me - I attended a class at Scrappy Chic (one of my local craft stores) run by Michele Kosciolek to create a "Michigan is Home" canvas.

We started by coating the Michigan chipboard embellishment with white gesso and allowing it to dry. This helps to prevent the chipboard absorbing too much ink in the next step. After that we started on the 5" x 7" canvas and a map of Michigan State. I picked out the area that shows Detroit, the largest city, along with my town of Northville and the surrounding areas. As I had such a wide bit of map, I decided to make my canvas landscape, most of the class went for portrait orientation. We used gel medium to attach the map.

I added texture to the canvas with green distress oxide ink through a chevron stencil. I also added some spatter with watered down broken china ink. I used Worn Lipstick and Broken China distress oxides to add colour to the Michigan chipboard. I started with pink, added some water droplets to get the oxidised effect and dried it carefully before adding some blue and water. I really like the oxidised effect this gives. I used Distress paint daubers to colour the word, the house and the little hearts. Once everything was completely dry I adhered the chipboard to the canvas.

Here's a close up of the Michigan embellishment and also the heart by my local town:

I'm submitting this canvas to the new challenge at Love to Craft Challenge Blog - LTCCB#13 where it's Anything Goes.

I had lots of fun making this canvas and it has a home in my craft room. I'm going to make another canvas, a bit bigger, for my Mum for Christmas. It'll be broadly the same, but I'm going to use different colours and have a different word. I'll share a picture once it's done.

Now do visit The Male Room blog to see more inspiration projects from the rest of the team. You've got plenty of time to join in with the challenge. Deadline for submission is midnight (BST) Tuesday 15th August, that's 7.00pm EDT in the States. Have fun!!