What I love about the Calico ATCs is that you can choose from such a wide range of beautiful and unusual frames all with matching blanks. As well as giving the perfect opportunity for swapping with other artists, these robust blanks and frames make an excellent substrate for creating individual mixed media miniature portraits to give as gifts, or as a more permanent greeting card.
I loved the elegance of this frame with its flourishes. It reminded me of the exquisite frames around tiny Elizabethan miniatures. The addition of blobs of bead gel; tiny oak leaves; miniature acorns and an exquisitely detailed blackberry branch made it even more special. So as to 'pull together' my added details a little more, I gave the background of the frame a coat of Gesso, leaving bare the acorns and blackberries, which I wanted to foreground.
Adding some colour brought the whole frame to life!
Gilding and white highlights were the finishing touches. I really wanted the acorns to be focal, as my son had seen me working with these and remarked on how beautiful they are. Calico do create some fabulous flora and fauna.
Now I needed an image. Our son is a cat lover - just like his sister; but for him I combined one of my cats with a rather elegant Elizabethan youth. The colours in his doublet suggested blackberries to me and the story behind Isaac's ATC became that of the Autumn Prince.
The Autumn Prince was sad and lonely all the long, cold winter. He dreamed through the awakening spring and the hot and drowsy summer, but when the autumn came and the trees were heavy with fruit he twitched his pink nose and caught the scent of wood-smoke, damp leaves and the winds of change. The Autumn Prince was ready for adventure and he had a map to help him on his travels.
Just like his sister, the Pussycat, famous for her voyage with an owl in a beautiful, pea-green boat, the Autumn Prince was now ready to set out in quest for undiscovered lands. What new discoveries will you make this month? I hope they will be ones that bring you joy and enrich your days.
Calico Craft Parts used in this Project
Shaped ATC wood blank with flourish frame
Sheet of mini MDF Acorns and Oakleaves
Blackberry Bramble Wood Shape
This is just fabulous Julie Ann, i love it! His doublet is amazing. I hope Isaac has a lovely bidthday. Was just browsing the Calico shop and they have some great stuff,
ReplyDeleteLucy x
Thank You, Lucy, so much for your lovely comment. Calico really do have a wonderful range of items for altering you're right! xxx
DeleteMagical, again! I love that ornate frame and the wonderful touches of texture, colour and gilding you've given it make it even more amazing. The colours on the leaves and acorns are delightful too. Your prince of cats looks set for autumnal adventure - bon voyage to him!
ReplyDeleteAlison x
Thank You Alison. I think the Calico craft parts are such a good start to any project they give lots of scope for little magical touches! xx
DeleteWhat a lovely tribute to Isaac, The Autumn Prince.
ReplyDeleteThe theme of Autumn Awakening seems perfect, as he embarks on the journey of a new year of life. xox
Thank You so much, Heather. Autumn always feels like a new beginning to me rather than an ending of Summer. I love its colour and the fruits it yields. xx
DeleteOutstanding and oh so magical Julie Ann! I am sure your son loved this!! I do love the way you made those acorns pull to the front and the pussycat is just perfect in his blackberry outfit!
ReplyDeleteI hope to one day place an order from Calico- I wish shipping to be a bit more affordable, but one of these days, I am just going to go for it!
hugs and another fab creation by you-using fabulous product from Calico! Julie Ann!
Thanks so much, Jackie. It is difficult with the cost of postage to and from the US, I know. I see such lovely things from the States sometimes, but the shipping costs are just so high. I do hope some day you'll be able to treat yourself to one of these lovely, detailed Calico pieces. xx
ReplyDelete