Monday 26 October 2015

Winter Branches ATC - by Alison

Hello all, Alison here from Words and Pictures with a crackly ATC for you today.  It's no secret that I love trees at all times of the year.  I love the young spring leaves so fresh and vivid, the luscious summer growth at its height, the glorious array of colour as the leaves turn in autumn (there have been plenty of creations celebrating that lately), but I also love the bare branches, stark against the winter skies.  This ATC celebrates that particular beauty.


I love working with these ATC blanks.  They are sturdy and beautifully dimensional in themselves, and so lend substance to a small piece like an ATC.  I've used the Plain ATC but there are lots of designs to choose from.


I started by applying a coat of DecoArt Media Gesso and Crackle Paste in varying thicknesses across the ATC.  Once that had dried, I wanted a bit more crackle around the edges so I added some Media Crackle Glaze (which also has a glossier finish) and waited for that to crackle too.


Regulars at Words and Pictures will know I've been having a bit of a purple phase... adding Wilted Violet to my autumn colours with great joy.  I've played with a similar autumnal range of colours here, but using DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics, applying them in washes to build the layers of colour.  The paints involved are Dioxazine Purple, Cobalt Blue Hue and Phthalo Blue coming down from the top, and Raw Umber, Burnt Sienna, English Red Oxide and Quinacridone Gold coming up from the bottom.


The gorgeous Skeleton Tree Style 3 has also had a touch of colour - a wash of Quin Gold and then some Dioxazine Purple to add the darker shadows.


I wanted some scraggy meadow grasses, so I stamped them in Sepia and Black Archival inks around the foot of the tree.


And up in the sky the affirmation of the eternal beauty of trees - some ChitChat stickers with the same paints creating shadows around them to bed them in to the wintry sky.


I love the dimension of the Craft Parts - they give this little ATC a real presence - and the delicate cutting is so intricate and detailed.  I hope you like my Winter Branches - as you can probably tell, I'm rather fond of this one myself!


If you're tempted to go shopping, you can click on the links in the text to go straight to the Craft Parts I've used.  Do go browsing while you're there - there are always new treats on offer.  And of course as we're heading towards the end of autumn there's a whole new Christmas & Winter range arriving!  Thanks so much for stopping by, and I'll see you again soon.

Alison xx
Words and Pictures

35 comments:

  1. Gorgeous background and such an amazing tree cut out! This is so very cool!

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  2. This is so incredibly beautiful. I can feel the autumn night chill just after the sun sets. The crackle is simple gorgeous Alison and the Skeleton Tree is absolutely perfect on this ATC. Pinned! -- Mary Elizabeth

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  3. Oh. My. Goodness!!! Fantastic crackles and incredible colors..... you always amaze me! xxx Lynn

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  4. WOW! The size of the tree really does mean you can go to town on the background and still make a huge feature up front. LOVE the way this looks (particularly the purple!) Jenny x

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  5. I love your new association with purple, fabulous ATC!
    Love
    Amanda x

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  6. That is one gorgeous crackled background Alison and such a great colour combination. Those paints are just blended to perfection. And what an amazing tree too! Love it. Jennie x

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  7. This is really gorgeous Alison...I too love trees I will have to look at the range. The new Christmas ones sound fun too x

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  8. Gorgeous, Alison - love the tree, and your crackle is fabulous!

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  9. absolutely stunning alison....love it. it really is crackle magic xxx

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  10. That is a wondrous piece of small art that, I'm sure, would also make a superb larger canvas! The wilted violet rocks :-D

    Sally

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  11. Always Beautiful. You've hit the nail smartly on its autumnal head. Even at it's barest, the tree is beautiful in it's surroundings. Fabulous! Lx

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  12. Absolutely wonderful Alison, the tree really pops against that gorgeous background
    Hugs
    Donna xxx

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  13. A stunning piece - the colours and crackle look fab Xx

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  14. LOVE all that yummy crackle Alison and those hues look amazing. Gorgeous make. Nicola x

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  15. Alison - I totally l-o-v-e this piece. I am a tree lover and don't have enough dies of them - ha-ha!! Can you tell me haw thick your paper was that you made the tree from or did you stick a few pieces together? Thanks, in advance,


    Lorraine
    ;o)

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    1. Hi Lorraine,
      Thanks for your lovely comment. It's not actually a tree die, it's a Calico Craft Parts MDF wood shape, 2mm thick. You can see it here: http://www.calicocraftparts.co.uk/thin-skeleton-tree-mdf-wood-shape-style-3.html

      Hope that helps.
      Alison x

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  16. Your background colours and crackle are gorgeous, and so detailed and wonderful is the tree, on the cold day in the woods, with the soil and plants, giving a feeling of warmth !!
    So beautiful Alison !!! oxoxo

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  17. Lovely crackled background! And both purple and warm-sunny-autumn-leaves colour are fantastic! Majestuous tree.

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  18. Fascinating textures and colours - I am in awe of this piece!

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  19. And this atc will always stay beautiful Alison...lovely make!
    Greetings, Alie

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  20. Wonderful crackle! I too love trees - whatever the season - and this ATC captures their magnificence perfectly. Your work always captures the mood of the season and radiates so much enthusiasm, heart and creativity! You never cease to inspire, Alison! xx

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  21. This ATC is gorgeous and I love how you've added the value range for trees in the background too xx

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  22. I am totally in love with Wilted Violet and it is so lovely to see it featured on your amazing textured ATC, it works so well with the brown tones of the foliage. The tree looks amazing and I love how it goes over the edges of the ATC - beautiful work Alison. Anne xx

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  23. Gorgeous ATC, the crackle looks great.

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  24. Wow! What a stunner Alison! Such an amazing crackle background for those lovely trees.
    Fliss xx

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  25. Now I need this tree...you are an enabler! LOVE your crackled purple sky! A gorgoeus ATC!!!!

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  26. Beautiful Alison, such gorgeous texture from the Calico Craft Parts and the amazing layers of crackle. And those colours! Beautiful as always, thanks so much for sharing it! Deb xo

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  27. Stunning Alison, the back ground behind those wonderful trees look fantastic, love that colour combination!

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  28. Alison this is just beautiful! The crackled sky background is so lovely behind the trees! Absolutely amazing!

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  29. A magical tree ans scene Alison, wow!!! Love love love all your crackle and layers of paint washes, all that gives so deep colours at the end. Just fabulous!! xx

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  30. This really is wonderful Alison! I love the crackle of course and the trees ( like you, I love the shapes of bare trees and then the gradual appearance of the Spring buds, although I must admit to enjoying the range of colours at the moment)Best of all you have captured the colours of the fabulous clear skies we've been having lately! Chrisx

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  31. Gorgeous Alison palette!! The tree's silhouette is just striking! beautiful atc! xo

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  32. A fabulous ATC Alison and the tree is fabulous x
    Hugs Annie x

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