Tutorial for MDF and mandala stencil

- MONDAYS WITH GILL -

Our homes should be our most beautiful thing - they are as individual as us and are a place of solace, of joy, of relaxation and partying and so an idea was spawned and my project began.

I took two of the large MDF tenement houses and covered these with Dream Shadow papers from Craft O'clock. Having covered one side of each piece I then did some creative cutting - the panel for the back I left intact placed some chipboard off cuts under the bottom arch for support and then covered the remaining surface thereby creating a solid piece.  For the front panel I carefully cut out some of the windows sanding the edges for a neat finish and then adhered another piece of paper cutting out the same panels I had for the other side creating little windows. 

I then joined my two pieces with little hinges before adding texture paste through a Mandala stencil to all surfaces. When this was dry I added some more texture using a brown distress oxide ink and a crackle stencil.

I added some extra details using a red distress oxide and brick stamp. Followed by using brown ink and a crackle stamp.

On the inside I created an assemblage using pieces of paper from the pack and some of the fussy cut extras also from the pack - my idea is that this can be used for a photograph of the recipients choice so the clock at the bottom and the face at the top are glued down creating little flaps that the photo can be tucked under.

For the front of my piece I fussy cut lots of birds from the Craft O'Clock birds extra sheet. I filled my "closed" windows with some moss and some twiggy bits from a floritsty wholesalers l I tucked some skeleton leaves behind where I wanted to adhere my cut out birds and finally added lots of Little Birdie flowers. I love the fact that the packs have shades of flowers and that they are so small so they are perfect for adding that special something.

I hope my girlie but practical project brings you much pleasure and can't wait to see what you create.