A RAVENSCAPE - THE RAVENS CHALLENGE AT GINGERSNAP CREATIONS

I haven't entered a challenge for ages and when I saw the Rogue Redhead Ravens Challenge over at Gingersnap Creations  (http://gingersnapcreations.blogspot.com) well I just had to play!  Do go and check out the marvelous creations!

I admire my crafty friends who can sit down and plan out their projects ahead of time..sigh  I never quite know what I am going to do until I spread out a good pile of stuff and just dig in!  My friend Marilyn split a paper mache witches hat with me so that is where I started...along with the silhouette of a raven that she sent me.  That woman can cut a template or stencil like no ones business!  I took the easy route printed the silhouette out on card stock, backed that with another piece of black card stock and fussy cut it.

I painted the hat orange, mostly covered it with some Soot Crackle Paint and then all of that with Rock Candy Crackle Paint.  Considering how the raven would show against the dark background is how I came to the idea of cutting out a witchy Halloween tree (MME) and using that as a major part of the background.  Added subtle texture with lots of opaque black glitter on globs of Glossy Accents, some Straw Distress Ink and then dimension with bits of Halloween floral trim.

I built up the forest floor first with a ragged strip of cheesecloth misted a pale orange and dabbed with Orange Crackle Paint and some green acrylic paint, then topped that with a row of grey Bloomers (these came on a card with other colours, honestly I never thought I would use grey! and it a mouldery mummy grey to boot), dabbed a bright lime green acrylic paint here and there which I topped with green glitter (MS) while wet and finally a bit more of the Orange Crackle Paint.  I also used that green (with glitter) to sponge in a bit of foliage around the tree.

The raven has one foot upon a tiny pine cone.  Behind that I layered together a big orange flower - really just to create some contrast. The glittery net, paper flowers and button were part of the Bella Creations Halloween Embellishment kit.  I couldn't resist cutting out a crescent moon, adding a bat and wiring that above!  I didn't set out to do a Ravenscape but I do think it is fun!  A bit of a diorama on a hat - who would have thought LOL