Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day? - hanging by Julie Ann

It's great to be on the Calico Craft Parts blog with a brand new project for 2018! I don't know about you, but at this point in January the winter seems endless and I find myself longing for spring . I wanted to create something with the beautiful MDF triptychs from Calico, so I combined styles and sizes and allowed my imagination to spring forward to sunny days and blossoming hedgerows and a little spring-time whimsy!

The triptych kits come in different shapes and sizes, with or without tiny holes. I decided to drill my own holes and to create 3 individual hanging arches, which I've displayed in my Grandma's favourite vase.

I combined a domed and an arched kit, using the arch from the smaller kit as a centre panel, covering it with a sumptuous gold paper. For the other pieces, I cracked open a jar of heavy black gesso and painted them front and back.

Those arches suggested an Elizabethan theme to me, so I printed out this painting of a rather elegant gentleman's doublet and attached it to cardboard. A tiny scrap of lace, fixed with some heavy gel medium added the finishing touch to the doublet.

And, for the head, a miniature based on a sketch I did recently of my son.

The frame is gold embossing paste through a stencil. I created the card mask in the centre by drawing around the arched panel.

Spring is the time when poets are inspired to take up their quills. This January I have taken a word to reflect on in my art and the word I have chosen is 'seeing'. My poet has decided to let his heart lead the way and to write about what he sees!

Out of his window he sees hares hopping around among the rose bushes, but - after looking in his heart - every one of them has the face of his love!

There are so many breaths of fresh spring air available from Calico! I combined them with painting and tiny flowered sequins to drive the January blues away! As the hares are in profile, their second ears are chopped off corners of the Maidenhair fern.

Scraps of paper add warmth and colour to the mini windows, and the Calico word element from Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 completes the project.

I used copper wire for suspending the arches. I hope you will be inspired to create a triptych hanging of your own. You might like to combine your own art work or vintage photos with the beautiful Calico flora and fauna. I have included a full list of all the Calico Craft Parts I used in the project. Until we meet here again in a fortnight's time, keep dreaming of spring and have a creative time!

Calico Craft Parts Used
Domed Top Triptych
Arch Top Triptych 
Wooden Word Elements, Summer and Seaside
Sheet of Mini MDF Feathers, Style 2
Sheet of Mini MDF windows
MDF Heart Mini Plaques
Maidenhair Fern Wood Shape
Wild Rose and Maidenhair fern shape
Wild Grass Wood Shape, Style 4
Sitting Hare Wood Shape