Hi everyone.
The our current topic Mail Art it give me a great opportunity to create something to use Washi-paper. In the old days in Japan, letters were written with a brush using washi-paper, but it's not easy today! However today I thought I'd follow suit and make a tidings of flowers letter out of old fashioned scroll letter using the wonderful Sara Naumann stamps and stencils.
For our Texture main theme I have used the collage of thin washi paper dyed with fresco, Momigami applied to the surface of the box, Underlying background showing through thin Tengucho-paper and a picture postcard made of thin paper.
I decided to use blue and peony as the main color, I chose PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic- Blueberry, Bougainvillea and Pea Coat By thinning this color as much as possible and layering the paper, it was made to look purple, I also made another color of PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic-Heavy Cream for the stamping.
I used Sara Naumann stamp set 67 (ESN67) for the illustration of the letter and same Sara Naumann stamp set 65 (ESN65) for the band decoration of the case.
Also I used Seth Apter stamp set 34 (ESA34) for the collage paper.
The following three types of washi were used for this project.
A little thick washi for the letter scroll, Momigami-paper (wrinkled paper) on the surface of the box, finally, I used ultra-thin Tengucho-paper (thin paper often used for restoring old books and Japanese paintings).
When I dyed the Tengucho-papers, the paper was so thin that the color it applied would passright through, so I laid down a craft sheet and painted it.
The dyed Tengucho-paper is cut into strips and used to frame the flower papers below.
In the three pieces of flower papers below are Sara Naumann stamp set 67 (ESN67) was stamped with Tsukineko - VersaFine Clair - (Nocturne) on two pieces of Tengucho-paper, and colored later.
On the right two sheets of Washi-paper, the PaperArtsy Stencil by Sara Naumann (PS364) was reverse-stenciled with Ranger Industries- Distress Oxide (faded jeans) and it was made for the border of the letter scroll. The two on the right were prepared for the collage but were not used.
I splatted Southern Skies with water on the case surface because the stamp pattern below was not very effective. I did the same stencil PS364 and gel printed with Distress Oxide-(faded jeans) for the back of case. ---The first plan was to gel print stencil (PS364) on the Tengucho-paper and paste it with gel medium, but I canceled it because the gel would pass through the paper and smudge the pattern. It's a pity that the result is not so beautiful.
Next, I made a belly band to hold the case. I stamped the heart of ESN65 on two sheets of paper (the two pieces of Thencho-paper glued together.) with Ranger Industries - Distress Oxide (wilted violet and faded jeane) and finished with clear embossing powder to decorate the belly band.
The belly band was stenciled with the same Ranger Industries - Distress Oxde (wilted violet and faded jeane) using PS 362 on the Washi-paper, then I attached a small magnet to the belly band to hold the case. Also I made postage stamps using Ink the Dog mini stamp MN126 and MN127 and pasted to the band.
I wanted to make the background of the letter look like watercolor paint, so I used transparent Southern Skyis diluted with water. First, use a soft flat brush with 1-inch bristles to apply paint in gradat shades and draw a curve in a horizontal line. Next, stencil Southern Sky diluted with water from dot stencil onto the top of the curve with a sponge. To splat the bottom part water and sprinkle silver embossing powder to emboss. I also used the dyed blue Washi-paper to make flowers using a die. I pasted the border for edging that I made with PS364 before from the back. This mounting is like a picture frame made of cloth or paper used for hanging scrolls, etc., it is not often used for letter, but I used it here as a decoration.
I put pieces of flower paper in the middle and made a collage with dyed Tengucho-paper to make a frame, and placed each on the letter scroll with gel medium. On the thin flower papers, the background of the letter scroll below is slightly transparent at the same time, so that it becomes the background of the flowers.
I made this letter to tell someone about a tidings of flowers, and the Japanese sentiment next to each frame is a short poem about these flowers.
The project using Sara's supplies from Topic Mail Art was so much fun that it was a pity that it was over, so I made a picture postcards in the same way. This photo is using mini stamps from Ink the Dog, I painted Lemon Meringue, Bubble Gum and A Bit Fishy on card stock, randomly stamped MN131 and MN132 with VersaFine (Morning Mist) and cut with scalloped cutting Dies to make a picture postcard frame.
I stamped ESN66 birds onto the vellum with VesaFine and finished with clear embossing powder to paint the birds from the back. I added MN125 and MN126 post stamps to the frame of the previous photo to make a slightly transparent picture postcards.
These are the three parts of the finished letter. I didn't know the name of this flower, so sentiment wrote a romantic poem for it. In the same way, I added haiku and flower language related to the flower.
I don't think this project went all the way, but I think this continuous scrolling without breaksworks will provide me with a lot of ideas to create interesting works in the future. I don'tthink this project went all the way, but I think this continuous scrolling without breaks will provide you with a lot of ideas to create interesting works in the future. Sara's stamps and stencils are a mixture of abstract and figurative elements, and our thoughts work flexibly, sowe can createfun works, so I like them very much.
Thank you so much for visiting.
Etsuko xxx
