What if?....

...I suspect that's how a lot of our creations start, for me this one certainly did. Over on the PaperArtsy blog the current challenge theme is all about grunge paste. One of Leandra's suggestions was to try and carve grunge paste, and this set me thinking.... I decided I couldn't carve it but maybe my icing skills could be put to the test. Grunge paste is a little like royal icing and it certainly holds an impression, much more than any other texture paste. Then when Lucy Edmondson used some cake decorating tools on her post here, 'brush embroidery' suddenly came into my head and I thought I'd just have to try it out with grunge paste. If you haven't heard of brush embroidery, google has lots of images.

The background is on greyboard and there are lots of layers, rubbing back and crackle glaze using stone, taupe & french roast fresco paints.

ooh and some stamping.

Brush embroidery can be done with coloured icing or white and then as you 'brush' the icing out you can add powder colour or my preferred way was always just white or cream. As grunge paste is a lovely chalk colour I wanted a neutral stone background and some crackle, too much texture and the 'embroidery' would be lost.

I needed to use an open stamp and opted for a Lin brown one (Ellen Vargo's tulip would also work) and then stamped it in rough. I stamped in chalk fresco paint and no need to mask off as the paste will cover it.

I'm hoping you can see the steps in the photos below. Once you've piped the outside of the petal, use a damp paintbrush an draw the paste into the centre, then work your way down. You need to keep dampening the paintbrush (not wet) and cleaning off the paste as it accumulates, usually every few brush strokes.

You need to work quickly and it does build up quickly...I also found it quite relaxing.

Now I know at this stage there are some of you saying well it's alright she can pipe...well yes I can but not that well and like everything we do it's just practice. This post was about how I was inspired but there are outline stencils, which may work without you needing to pipe and it was really about the fact that if you brush grunge paste out, it will leave an impression.... so why not have a play?

More familiar ground dry brushing with fresco's, first stone has been added to the flower on the right

Taupe next

Then treasure gold in white fire.

Hopefully you can see the shine and the 'veins' in the petals.

Hope you enjoyed this post and as always thanks so much for stopping by. Have a Happy Easter!