How Pink???

So did you get to see the Polkadoodles Show on Create & Craft TV this morning? I did and WOW what a show! Anyway, I made a few samples for the show but had a bit of a hiccup with delivery so it was hit and miss as to whether any of my samples would actually appear! As luck would have it they miraculously appeared halfway through the show. This is one of the samples that kept sneaking into view, I'll show you others over the next few days.

Anyway, I created this canvas using the new Work & Play 2 CD from Nikky Hall and have managed to shock myself with the amount of pink I've used!! Now I know a lot of you don't like CD's (I have no idea as to why, they are exactly like using a digi only better value and they don't take up room on your PC) so she has also released the characters as digis for you to be able to buy and download separately (this item is exclusive to Create and Craft TV until 1st April 2014, so if you're desperate for it then might want to order it from them).

I have to say I had lots of fun creating this picture and used it as an excuse to experiment! Now I know you'll be looking at the picture thinking "what experiment?" Well if you look at the background you will see that I have used one of the digital papers, now if you look even closer you will see that the canvas texture shows (click on the picture to be taken to a larger version which you can then zoom in on)! So how did I do it? Well I used a good old fashioned transfer technique which basically means that you print your digi paper as normal and then transfer it onto canvas leaving only the image and not the paper! I have to say it's become a bit of an obsession with me at the moment and you'll be seeing more of this technique in the next few weeks along with a few hints and tips and maybe a tutorial.

Once I'd created the transfer background using the patterned paper, I decided to try and do a secondary transfer with the sentiment. This was fairly successful, although I discovered that I didn't need to cut the paper tight around the text. It would've been better to have left plenty of paper surrounding it as the text lifted slightly in places which meant I had to touch it up!

To hide any shabby areas and add a bit of texture, I added some course modelling paste from my stash and dabbed gold acrylic paint around the edges. In places the transfer wasn't brilliant so I mixed some pale pink acrylic paint into some Maimeri Iridescent Paste and swiped it over this area with my fingers.

I cut out the image and coloured it with my Graph'It markers. I then gave her a little dimension by running my ball tool around the edge before mounting her on the canvas using silicone glue. Once the glue had dried I added some glitter glue to her tutu and hairband.

Next I made the ballet shoes. Now some of you have probably made these for your Barbie or Sindy Dolls when you were kids? They are dead simple and quick to make, but really add to the overall effect. The hardest part is the ribbon as it's a little fiddly and you have to wait for the glue to grab (unless of course you are using a hot glue gun). Again these have been glittered to within an inch of their life!

Finally, I've added some ribbon curls, ribbon flowers, pearl stars and pearls to pull it all together.

I hope you like this little canvas. Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

I'd like to enter this project into the following challenges:
All Crafts Challenge February/March - Anything but a card
Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes
Crafting From The Heart - Anything Goes/Spots or Stripes
Craft It Up & Link It Up With Craftin Desert Divas - Brads, Button, Ribbon or Twine
Created With Love - Girly
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Transparent (the tutu is tranparent)
My Craft Spot - Anything Goes
Robyn's Fetish - Anything but a card
Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes
Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - Glitter