DecoArt Winter Challenge--Happy Birthday, Momma

I picked up the phone before I went to bed and my heart grew heavy....it was Mother's birthday...one more year has gone by without her.

The twins-- Mary and Martha

I went to sleep trying to figure out what I would do to CELEBRATE her day. I  had wanted to enter the DecoArt Winter Challenge. I  had some ideas, but I started thinking about doing something to honor Mother's memory...so I slept on it.

When I awakened, I gathered my supplies. My Mother was one of the most creative people, so this seemed like the perfect way to spend my day.

Supplies:
5x7 wrapped canvas
Mini Mister by rangerink.com
Flutterbies Stencil, Tracy Moreau, Americana
Whirlpool Stencil, Andy Skinner, DecoArt
Americana Decou Page Paper, Victorian Romance, the music sheet

DecoArt Media:
Crackle Paste
Modeling Paste
Gesso
Matte Medium
Tinting Base
Shimmer Mister--White
Liquid Glass

Fluid Acrylics:
Quinacridone Violet
Cobolt Teal Hue
Cobolt Turquoise Hue
Blue Green Light
Paynes Grey
Phthalo Turquoise
Dioxazine Purple
Turquoise Interference
Violet Interference
Blue Interference

DecoArt Snow-Tex
Ice Crystal Glamour Dust
DecoArt Pallet Knife

Brushes:
#10 Flat
#4 Round
10/0 Liner
1/4 Angular

I had a 5x7 canvas I had put Crackle paste on a few months ago...yep it got kinda dirty!

I knew this was to be a winter scene, but I wanted to have items in this that were special to Mother.

A butterfly was most always worn on Mother's  left shoulder when she left the house, so butterflies would be in the background!

 I  used Tracy Moreau's stencil, Flutterbies, to add them with Modeling Paste...I like it!

I started adding color to my dried canvas. I started with Q. Violet, spritzing one squirt of water onto my paint on the pallet so it would be thinner and not so dark.

The colors we are to use are Purple and Blue-- very appropriate since Mother's twin wore pinks (light shades of purple) and Mother wore blues!

Cobolt Teal Hue was added next--no rhyme or reason, just put it around. ..be sure to put some on the edges of the canvas.  I spritzed water on the paint, again.

You can see that I use very little paint.

I continued to cover my canvas with Cobolt Turquoise Hue...more water spritzed on top of my paint on the pallet to keep it light and airy.

Color building continues with Phthalo Turquoise...this is a strong color, so be careful.

I added the whirlpool stencil with Tinting Base to resemble snow...now we are getting to Winter!

It wasn't exactly how I wanted it to look, so I brushed Tinting Base all over--perfect! It gave it a foggy, snowy, cold look! Yes!

I drew my heart-shaped flower next...it had to be something to do with love!

Mother told most everyone she spoke to that she loved them. She spoke at dozens of churches in my childhood denomination  (Cumberland Presbyterian) and spread the message of John 3:16, being certain to always include verse 17, because she said THAT was just as important!  That woman loved and was loved!

I used gesso to base my flower.

The heart was painted Q. Violet. The stems were based Blue Green Light and highlights/shading done with Cobolt Turquoises and Tinting Base.

I outlined the design with Paynes Grey.
I  added Phthalo Turquoise to resemble snow melting from the flowers, because I wanted it to symbolize that LOVE KEEPS US WARM.  I added Liquid Glass on top of the drops of water and on the base of the flower and then I placed a puddle of water splashing...this was surrounded by Snow-Tex.

LOVE was cut from Americana Decou Page Paper. I used the music from the Victorian Romance package.

Music was very important in my house. Mother had a beautiful alto voice and she would sing with her twin sister when they were teenagers.

Mother sang most all day as she worked around the house. I would get frustrated listening to her singing the same things over and over, but now, I understand it was her way to pray and to help ease her heart...what a silly brat I was!

Most of what I did to finish the canvas will not show up on camera.

I attached the music with Matte Medium.

The letters L,V,E were painted with P. Turquoise. The O was Q. Violet. I painted the Turquoise letters with Blue Interference and the Violet with Violet Interference. The leaves were painted with Turquoise Interference.

I painted BLOOM, my word for 2016, with P. Turquoise.

All letters were outlined with Paynes Grey.

Ice Crystal Glamour Dust was painted over the dried Snow-Tex.

I  shaded around the design and the edges of the canvas with P. Turquoise   and then with Dioxazine Purple.

I  used a stiff toothbrush to splatter the White Shimmer Mister on top of the design to look like snow.

The canvas was sealed with Matte Medium.

Happy birthday, Momma....I miss you...I wish I could have been a better daughter. You taught me so much and I am working on doing better! Hug Daddy for me and my Aunts/Uncles! I was a lucky girl!

Notice the butterfly on her shoulder  And the button necklace that she crocheted! 

Thanks for stoping by...I wish Blessings to YOU...~charlotte♡

Quote by Thoreau