Cindy here! Are you ready for another Flamingo Four? This month, Melissa, Erin, Abigail and I each received the following four items:
1. Patterned paper from Crate Paper's Portrait collection
2. Maya Road chipboard frames
3. A Jenni Bowlin card (Fly, Cry, Sit or Play)
4. A letter made from MDF (D, G, H or K)
Melissa's Take:
Everyone looks at monogram letters and thinks that they need to make something for someone whose name begins with that letter. I didn't want to do that. Instead, I played around with the frames and realized that the scalloped oval, when placed with the K, looked like "ok" so I went with it. I ended up mounting it on an 8x8 canvas that I panted black and covered with some of the patterned paper squares. I was particularly drawn to the red and thought it popped well between the black and the white of the K. I decided to go with a phrase - to make this art that someone could hang on their wall and inspire them in the moments they need it. From the "ok" came, "Everything will be OK in the end. If it's not OK, then it's not the end. Now sit down and take a breath!" The last part tied in the card I received. The additional frames I was sent further embellished the canvas, and I backed it with the A side of the second sheet of patterned paper, using the B side for the oval one. I added some ink, bling, lace, and Prima flowers to make a perfect inspirational (and beautiful) wall hanging!
Erin's Take:
When I saw the letter and the 3 chipboard picture frames I knew I needed to do something about my children. I usually create off-the-page projects for friends and family as gifts, but this one I am keeping. I used the paper to cover the letter and also to create the two rosette flowers (spiral rolled) and leaves. I used the picture frames as frames for my 4 children, boys in the middle and girls on the top on bottom, using gelatos to color them in. I also used gelatos to color the sides of the large letter. The playing card I was given had a little girl on it, so I cut the little girl out and tucked it with in my cluster of flowers, gems, and leaves. I then played around with the idea of what the “G” stands for with my children, and “Grateful” is what I am for being able to be a mom.
Abigail's Take:
I used the D as door hanger and thought it could represent the month of December. I love mixing greens, blues and turquoises with reds. I think they just look really happy and fresh and inspiring together. I misted the "D" with a red spray and then ever so slightly inked all the corners to give it a vintage-y feel. I stacked the frames on top of the "Cry" card to make a nice cluster that draws the eye to the phrase on the right side. Stacking the frames gave some dimension and depth to the project as well. I don't like when my projects look one dimensional and flat! I thought the puffy garland in white and blue looked like snow!
Cindy's Take:
When I first saw the items in this month's Flamingo Four, I was stumped. I couldn't think of anything inspiring that involved an H. My ever-so-helpful family helped me brainstorm H-words. Helicopter? Hernia? Hamburger? Maybe hippo, hand grenade or horticulture? My son Trevor, inspired by the "Fly" card, drew a picture of a hot air balloon holding up an H where the basket would be. Somehow, that did the trick. I had my idea. I ran up to the craftroom, dug through my alphabet collection, and came up with this:
My husband cut the background board for me while I painted each of the letters a chocolate brown. While those were drying, I added a quick whitewash to the background board. I trimmed the Crate Paper to frame my piece, then punched out circles to back the O and to use as holly berries. I trimmed down the "Fly" card so that the girl's body formed a Y. I imagined this hanging at our front door, so I used multiple coats of Outdoor Mod Podge to glue and seal each element. See how shiny?
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