The Mirror Crack'd - Mixed Media Challenge #2

Well, lots to say in today's post!! Firstly, having been running more regularly over the past year, I took part in what could be considered my first real race - the Bournemouth 5K Speed of Light. I finished in almost exactly the time I predicted when I filled in the application form. And am really rather pleased with myself!!

By the time this blog goes out, my OH and my stepson will be well into their own running endeavours as they both run the Bournemouth Marathon. First ever marathon for Sam - and first in 27 years for Steve!! I am sure they will both do well, although at the time of writing, they are both moaning that the sun is out and it will be too warm!!

Now, onto other crafty matters!! Today sees the launch of the second mixed media challenge over at The Mirror Crack'd. Before I go into that, all of us on the team have been over the moon at the number of entries that we had for our first challenge. It is great to know that there are so many of you out there interested in mixed media.

So, our second challenge is 'Body Beautiful' - projects featuring the human form eg hands, faces, mannequins etc. This gave me the perfect opportunity to do something I have been wanting to do for ages - alter a papier mache mask - and of course it had to be an elaborate one!! 

I started with a slightly watered down gesso to undercoat the whole thing, and provide a base to work on.

I then painted the face part with Do Crafts Artiste Acrylic Paint in Sea Spray - and the top with Lagoon. 

Next, I used 'Pringle' Deco Mache paper and applied it across the top half with Matt Mod Podge. 

Using Creative Expressions Mini Swirl stamps, and Aged Mahogany and Peacock Feathers DI's, I stamped onto single ply napkins. I didn't use totally smooth ones, as I wanted to add a little more texture.

I tore the napkin into pieces, and applied the to the top half of the mask with Mod Podge - the Peacock Feathers over the paper, and the Aged Mahogany on the rest.

You many notice under the left hand side of the face part that there is a slight pinky colour. I orginally used some texture paste through a stencils, then tried adding some gilding wax but didn't like the effect - so covered it all up with paint!! Anyway, I then added some dots of Flitterglu. After leaving them to set , I then added Copper Thunder gilding flakes.

I forgot to take photos of the next few stages - so here we have jumped to the finished mask. I used more of the acrylic paint, and created the band at the bottom of the headdress - using the Paint Fusion technique of picking up two colours on one brush.

I then used more Flitterglu and gilding flakes around the edges and apertures of the mask, and to separate the face from the headdress. Because the texture paste was still showing through, I added some pearls to cover it up. More pearls on the headdress, along with the Turquoise Filigree embellishment from The Works completed the look.

Whilst there are definitely some things I would do differently, overall I am pleased with how it turned out!! 

Make sure you pop over to The Mirror Crack'd to see the other amazing inspiration from the team. Then you have a whole month to get creative. Really looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

I would like to enter this into:

Anything Goes with a Twist - Twist = Anything Goes!!!

Take care,

Cxxx