Shara Reiner's whimsical mixed media flowers will challenge your creativity, but the finished product will make you smile.

SUPPLIES

• flat brush
• permanent ink pen
• baby wipes
• #4 round brush
• #1 liner brush
• masking tape
• canvas
• assorted scrapbook paper
• palette knife
• newspaper
• jar lids
• foam texture stamps

INSTRUCTIONS

NOTES:

You can use the pattern for the pot and bottom portion of the flower if you do not wish to experiment with the White Modeling Paste. We hope you will try this great technique, though.

1. Adhere torn newspaper pieces to the canvas with Matte Decou-Page, by first brushing the Decou-Page onto the canvas and putting the newspaper on the canvas while it is wet. Apply more Decou-Page over the newspaper.
2. Smooth the newspaper well onto the canvas. (Don't worry about wrinkles, as it will give the piece more texture.) Let dry completely.
3. Use a color of your choice to slip-slap onto the background over the newspaper. (We used Country Red.) You are creating a dry-brush effect; do not cover the entire newspaper. Let dry completely.
4. Use the same slip-slap technique as in Step Three to apply a coat of White Gesso over the background. (Again, do not cover the entire background.) Let dry completely.
5. Add Patina Green Antiquing Cream to the outside edges and blend with a baby wipe. Let dry completely.

6. Tear a piece of scrapbook paper of your choice, about 4" wide. Adhere to the bottom section of the canvas with Decou-Page. (Use the same technique as when adhering the newspaper print in Step 1.) Let dry completely.
7. Using the masking tape, tape off a "pot shape" about 1" from the bottom of the canvas. (Make it about 5" tall.)
8. With a palette knife, smooth White Modeling Paste to fill in the taped-off area. Carefully pull the tape away. Let dry completely.
9. When the Modeling Paste is completely dry, paint the pot shape with your choice of color. (Indian Turquoise is a great color to use.)
10. Shade the outside edges of the pot with Wedgewood Blue and highlight the center of the pot with Whispering Turquoise.
11. Add a stripe of Warm White, about 1" wide, below the top of the pot. Let dry.
12. Add Lamp Black checks with a wide flat brush. Let dry.

13. Paint leaves and stems with a mix of Hansa Yellow Light and Phthalo Green-Blue. (You should have a very light transparent look.)
14. To make the flower, cut and crumple a 6" square of scrapbook paper and soak in water for a short time. While it is still wet, tear the paper in a circle. (You will get funky shapes...and that's o.k.)
15. Apply Decou-Page to the top center of the canvas. Let the paper flower hang over the top of the canvas. Put several coats of Decou-Page on both the front and back of the flower so the paper is stiff. Let dry.
16. Cut a 2" square of a different scrapbook paper; wet it; and tear it in a circle. Place this as a center for the flower. While it is still wet, gently rubbed the paper off with your finger in a small circle in the center of the paper. Let dry.
17. Add a very thin layer of Hansa Yellow Light over the entire flower. Let dry well. (This should have a transparent look.)
18. Add Lamp Black lines and dots both at the end of the lines and around the center.
19. Using a small round brush, add some Lamp Black leaves coming out from the pot.

20. Add whatever lettering you like: change out the words; change the month. Stencil the chosen letters on two different scrapbook papers, using Lamp Black. Let dry.
21. Cut the letters apart and Decou-Page them onto the canvas. Let dry.
22. Using different sized caps and lids from bottles and jars, add circles by dipping a lid in Lamp Black and stamping it on the canvas. Let dry.
23. Use the rubber stamp and sparsely add Lamp Black to it; stamp the background of the project, very lightly.
24. Using the black and white pens, add finishing details. (Refer to photo.) Add as many or as few details as you like. Let dry.

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