Dimensional Flower Garden Girl Mixed Media Shadowbox

Hi all, Wendy here with a mixed media project inspired by our backyard garden. Every time I step into our backyard and see the fresh blooms and lush green, it drives me to create using nature as a focal point! This little box can be used to house a gift or gift card for a friend or just as simple home decor (which is how I intend to use it). Don’t be afraid to experiment and to use products in unexpected ways. Let me show you today how you can create a unique piece like this Garden Girl Box for your home!

Dimensional Flower Garden Girl Mixed Media Shadowbox

ThermOWeb supplies used:

Rebekah Meier Designs Mixed Media Medium
iCraft Mixed Media Sheets Heavy Weight
iCraft Mixed Media Adhesive
iCraft Deco Foil Adhesive Pen
Rebekah Meier Designs Mixed Media Transfer Foil – Old Gold
iCraft 3D White Foam Squares

Other supplies used:

Sizzix Thinlit Die Set Wild Flower #2 by Tim Holtz
Sizzix Thinlit Die Set Flower Jar by Tim Holtz
Sizzix Thinlit Die Gothic Gate by Tim Holtz
Sizzix Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine

Ranger Ink Distress Pens by Tim Holtz
Stencil by Tim Holtz
Small Talk Phrase Stickers by Tim Holtz
Prima Marketing Mixed Media Doll Stamp
DCWV Patterned Paper
Small Wooden Crate
Water Color Paints/Brushes
Acrylic Paint (black and white)
Spritzer
Heat Tool
Water Color or Mixed Media Paper
Scissors
Burnishing Tool (I used a wooden stick)

Garden Girl Mixed Media Shadowbox Instructions:

Cut pattern paper pieces to fit each panel of your box. In sections, cover your box with Mixed Media Medium, apply paper and cover with Mixed Media Medium.

Hint: If you don’t have a wooden box, a cardboard box lid would also work since you will cover it. Don’t be afraid to recycle packaging.

Swipe a bit of white paint over the pattern to mute it just a bit.

Hint: In the end, this step didn’t matter as much because I put more paint over the pattern than I originally planned. If you use less paint in the next step, the white is helpful.

Using water color paints or other watered down paints, paint a blotchy pattern over every panel of the box (I did not paint the bottom). I used a deep teal, a chocolate brown and a lime green.

Hint: The pattern is not terribly important as we will be spraying it with water.

In sections, spritz the painted area with water and and allow to blend together a bit.

Hint: I even tilted mine from side to side to get a more marbled effect.

Once the paint is dried completely, dry brush a bit of black acrylic paint over the entire surface, using a very light hand. This is only to add an aged appearance, too much paint on your brush will cover your color completely.

Hint: Wipe your brush off after you dip into paint and test on the bottom or the back first.

The black paint should dry almost as fast as you apply it. Next, stencil a pattern using white acrylic paint (I used the Tim Holtz Doily stencil).

Hint: Keep your brush vertical and “pounce” with it to avoid getting paint under the stencil.

Stamp your doll image onto water color or mixed media paper using a waterproof black ink. We will only use the top half of the stamp so that is the only portion that needs to be inked. Using Distress Markers or water colors, color your doll (any part other than clothing).

Stamp your doll image a second time onto a Mixed Media Sheet Heavy Weight which has the feel of the fabric but takes the ink and color really well. This was the first time I used the Mixed Media Sheets and I loved that the ink didn’t smear or bleed, even when I added color. Color in the clothing and headband, shading as you go.

Fussy cut your doll and the clothing pieces and assemble. I put just a bit of foam (I cut the corners off of foam squares to round them out) under the bodice to create a more feminine look.

Hint: I always stamp two so that if I ruin the first one I already have one waiting in the wings.

Hint: Add a bit of shimmer to your stamped image using Perfect Pearls by Ranger Ink or a Wink of Stella brush.

Next, die-cut a ton of flowers from mixed media paper and color them using water colors. I went over mine with some watered down white paint once they dried just to mute the color a bit.

Once the flowers are dry, use your Deco Foil Adhesive Pen to add adhesive to the edges of the petals, leaves and stems randomly.

Hint: I did four to five at a time and this worked well.

Once you have applied adhesive, lay your Foil Transfer Sheet over the flowers and burnish to transfer the Foil. The Foil transfers well without burnishing but by burnishing I didn’t have to go back over it or worry that some areas didn’t transfer. Set the flowers aside while we finish up the box.

Hint: If you choose not to burnish, just pounce your Foil sheet over the flowers after the initial application to insure that all sticky areas are foiled.

Die-cut the Gothic Gate from white paper (I used a scrap of mixed media paper) and adhere it to the inside, the bottom of the box. Adhere your cut-out doll to the side of the box using iCraft Mixed Media Adhesive.

Using the Deco Foil Adhesive Pen again, go over corners and edges of the box and scribble some random patterns as desired (do this in sections). Use a Foil Transfer Sheet to apply foil to any area where you have applied adhesive.

Hint: Make sure you adhere the doll high enough so that we have room to create her flower skirt.

Using iCraft Mixed Media Adhesive, begin to adhere your die-cut flowers. You can see in this photo how the bits of foil on the edges of the flowers add that extra pop and shine.

Hint: Start with the longest flowers and leaves and then fill-in with the shorter.