Art From Scraps

May the 4th (be with you) is my BFF Patsy's 70th birthday and I wanted to make a big deal for her, but what kind of present should I give to celebrate? She and I both have too much stuff, but I must do something ...so I made this THING. I told her it was a bookmark, or a coaster, or if placed on the ground it could be a trip hazard. Something we all need.  In actuality, it is a big piece of scrap wood from my deck construction. 2"x12"x I forgot to measure. 

It has six sides that I could paint and it is free standing, as any good doorstop ought to be.

But first, I needed to dry it out, as it has been rainy, rainy, rainy (thank God for the wonderful rain, sez my garden). So I baked it in the oven for two hours. Yeah. 

Then I scraped it as smooth as possible and layered on the modeling paste, which smoothed it out further but also added some 'artistic' texture. Then find my paints and paint the background color on the whole block. I let that dry overnight.

I have not been in my studio very much since we moved, mostly because I have been focusing on knitting, but also because the lighting is terrible.  Not conducive for creating. But nevermind, I wasn't doing any painting or sewing or anything else creative til this project came along. I had ordered new paint pens and new white gel pens, which never got used and this was just the thing to try them out on. I have oodles of tube acrylics, safely stored in a drawer, which managed to almost dry out from lack of use. Ooops. But my more liquid craft paint was still good, so all was not lost. I located my container of pens, another of brushes, and another of stamps. But first the sequin waste and sponge stampers. 

This is where the brain let's go and the fun begins. Stamping and stenciling and drawing and dotting and more drawing and wiping off the goofs, and just playing. I used my hair dryer to make sure nothing got smudged, and so I could add the next layer of detail.

And then to add the significant birthday greeting and my signature.

Here are the super wonderful paint pens and white ink pens. 

Addictive!