Hello Maja Design fans and friends!  Nancy Hanttula here, and I’m back again to share another mixed media project I created, this time with the amazingly colorful, Sommartider paper collection.

I know I have said it many, many times, but I do love this paper collection.  Whenever I need a bit of color to brighten my day, I create with this collection. Which leads me to this 12 x 16 inch canvas panel mixed media piece I call, “Nothing but blue skies.”

I am constantly being inspired by my children.  And this piece was inspired by the packaging of a “Barbie” (at least I think it was “Barbie”, all I have is the inner packaging of a Christmas toy) that my 6 year old daughter got from Santa Claus, and by one of her fairy books (hence, the paper doll-like girls).  While I was creating this, she asked me, “Why are you using my stuff for your art?” In my head I was thinking, “really?”…but I just simply explained to her that some things just inspire me, and after all, I was just inspired by the packaging, which was essentially trash and going to be put, and has since been put, into the recycling.  Well, all that did was lay her claim to this piece, which I was making for her anyway….so a win-win situation, don’t you think!

My canvas pieces always start by figuring out the design I am wanting to create on the background…and then choosing the papers to create the scene.  In this case, creating the background “horizon,” so to speak.

I decoupage them down, add some acrylic paint to streamline the design, and add stamping for texture and interest.

For this piece, I created 2 paper-doll girls.

I then dressed them in clothes from other patterned papers from this same Sommartider collection.  In fact, every single piece of paper used for this project was from this particular collection.  (all papers used are listed at the bottom of this post)

The “magic wand” was created with a toothpick and some ribbon from my stash.  I glued the ribbon down to make it look like it was blowing in the wind.

The sunflowers were created using stamps from Heartfelt Creations and the button centers were from my personal stash.

I created the tree trunk, cut out circles for the “leaves” and added doodled details.

This was a fun project to create, and really, it is the fun projects that feed my soul.  What about you?

Sommartider papers used for this project included:  Sky: Sol Och Bad (bs); Hills/Grass:  Lunch I Det Grona, Lata Dagar, & Pathway; tree trunk:  Hallonsorbet; clouds:  Massor Med Glass (bs); sunflowers:  Bad Shorts (bs); Park Benches:  Strandmode (bs); the bodies of the girls:  Lata Dagar (bs); the clothes for the girls:  Massor Med Glass (bs), Hallonsorbet (bs), & Blomsterprakt (front & back);

Other supplies used to create this included:  stamps from CTMH, Unity Stamp Co, Kaisercraft, Heartfelt Creations, & Prima; flower stickers from Sassafras and my stash; leaf punch from Martha Stewart; ribbons, buttons from my stash; white paint pen from Elmers; other pens from Permaball, CTMH, & Sharpie; decoupage glue from DecoArt; heat gun from Tim Holtz; and acrylic paint from FolkArt in Calypso Sky (a true personal fave), Lime Green , & Cereale; and acrylic paint in Bright Magenta (Apple Barrel)

Thank you so much looking at my latest project.  I really hope that I have inspired you to create something today that feeds your soul!