TGIF! Friday means… weekend is here! 😀 Who doesn’t like weekend? I know my girls are so looking forward for weekends, especially warmer days. They get to play outside more and even better, more Day Light time!

In the morning, when my husband getting ready to leave for work, he called me to outside to show me something. Yah… we found Cicada shells on the ground! They have arrived in our area…

This is my first time seeing this creature and I do not think I like them. My hubby showed me a video and man! I tell ya they are LOUD. But they are unique creature. They have pretty colors when they are adult and amazing life cycle: “The periodic cicadas spend most of their lives as underground nymphs, emerging only after 13 or 17 years, most likely to reduce losses by satiating their predators.” (Wikipedia)

It has been 14 years I think my hubby told me since last time they were here. So this year, there is a big chance we will go tent-camping and they will be around!!!!

And, we also found a beautiful Luna Moth resting on our Garage light.

I captured this photo with my iPhone and wish I had a good point-and-shoot camera to capture the beauty of its colors and details.

Enough with these wing creatures in our backyard, and up to my project 🙂

So, today project is also inspired by these wing creatures, I made a mixed media project contain one of the wing creatures, butterflies 🙂

I found some white tissue papers and started stamping the butterflies from Butterfly Endearment stamp set (Unity Stamp Company) with CTMH – Archival Black Ink Pad. Even I had my craft mat on my table, I used a used copy paper under the tissue paper because it is so thin, it bleed through. I set them aside to dry complete. It did not take a long time to dry because it is tissue papers and thin. But if you do not want to way, you can dry it with craft heat gun. The heat gun won’t curl the paper at all. I tried that too 🙂

I did simple steps on this canvas. I used Gel Medium (Dina Wakley) to adhere the stamped tissue papers on the painted canvas (oh I had the canvas painted with acrylic paint from FolkArt – Plaid Crafts couple weeks ago and just had no idea what to do with it yet, and now I do :D).

I used the heat gun to dry the Gel Medium after I added the papers on it. Then I added thin layer of White Gesso (Dina Wakley) and dry it with heat gun (this is speeding the process of making the canvas).

When the Gesso dried, I stamped more of the butterflies randomly using Memento LUXE – Tuxedo Black. Again I dried it with heat gun then I added some of the butterflies that I have colored them with Gelatos – Metallic Blueberry and fussy cut them with Micro-Tip scissors. I added on top of the stamped butterfly with Gel Medium. Then dried with heat gun.

Once the butterflies dried, I added some texture on the canvas using Shutters Stencil (ARTPlorations) with some homemade embossing/texture paste (you can go here to see my post about it) and kraft knife. This I let sit air-dry while I had my lunch 😀

I added some light shadows to the butterflies with Walnut Brown PITT artist pen – Big Brush. I finished my canvas with a quote from Brave Spirit Diamond Stripes stamp set (Unity Stamp Company) that I stamped on a strip of White cardstock, and glue it on the canvas, added some extra shadows on it with PITT artist pen Big Brush.

I spayed with some Gold Gelato that I mixed in a mini spray bottle for some shine, but it doesn’t show in the picture, though, but you can see some gold/yellow-ish color on the canvas.

My mixed media canvas is done 🙂

I really enjoy the process of making mixed media canvas; it takes time to wait a medium to try, but love the result of medium layering. Every time I create mixed media project, one thing I learn is that letting go of controls of what’s gonna happen. This is hard, but this is a good training for me, especially in life lesson, I am learning to be more flexible and trusting my life in the hand of my God who has the total and full control of my life.

I do hope you like the project today and thank you so much for visiting me. Have a fabulous day!

I link up my project at:

UNITY {show & tell} Photo Challenge 5/12 – 5/19

SSS Monday Challenge: Emboss It

STAMPlorations / ARTPlorations May Mixed Media Challenge

Take It Make It Challenge: May

Splitcoast Stampers – Mixed Media MIX172: Inspiration Wallpaper

(I pick this wallpaper)