My Little Creative Escape: A Poppy Gift Bag with Gesso

It's another mixed media projecIt. This one was for the Mix-ability challenge on SCS from the other week. The challenge was to use newspaper and gesso. I made a pretty panel to add to the front of a kraft gift bag.

I tore up some strips of SU's First Edition designer paper and adhered them to a piece of cardstock. I then gave it a light coating of white Gesso. I am not so good at patiently waiting for things to dry with mixed media, so I went ahead and used my heat gun to dry it. I have read that you need to be careful with this, since gesso can burn easily if it's heated too much.
I added some Distressed Diamond stamps for some texture. I stamped them with MFT Kraft ink. I then made a pretty patch of grassy leaves with the stems and leaves from the Pretty Poppies stamp set. I used more MFT ink in Sour Apple and Jellybean Green. I touched the edges of my panel with some Broken China Distress Paint.
Then I created a 3-d flower with the Poppy Builder Die-namics. The Electric Red card stock is so rich and yummy! I did the center with Black Licorice cs and a touch of Rock Candy Distress glitter. i got out my Glue Gun and added my Poppy to the panel with it. I also used the glue gun to adhere my finished panel to the stamped gift bag.

I decided to accent the bag a little bit more by stamping a larger harlequin print from the Distressed Diamonds stamp set, but this time in Black Licorice ink. Then I brushed on some random strips of Picket Fences Crackle Paint.

One final detail was a tiny, Decorative Circle Die-namics, layered with a Circle Stax 1 Die and i turned them into a sweet tiny tag. I added more of the same stamps and tied it on with a Electric Red Grosgrain Bow and black twine.

Thanks so much stopping by today. I am having a lot of fun playing with these mixed media projects. I am excited to start THIS class next week. Christy Thomlinson is my Mixed Media idol. I just LOVE everything she does. Will you join me??