More Than Words March challenge

The challenge at More Than Words for March, is to be inspired by gesso and the word bliss:

Now as much as I love to do mixed media scrapping, this one threw me. I guess I was overthinking the challenge. Did the gesso have to make a big appearance on the page, or could the gesso be disguised? These are the questions I pondered as I thought about this challenge. I scrolled through the DT pages for inspiration, amazing art, all of it, but the gesso made a feature in so many of them. As I kept reading, I realised the gesso certainly can be used in many ways, not just as a feature. Then the idea for my page came to me. 

I decided to get some scraps of patterned paper, and make a crazy patchwork design onto some cardstock:

I then painted the background with gesso, got a wet wipe and smudged it around the page. 

The next step was to get some old dress pattern paper, apply this with clear gesso and position it roughly over the background. I applied more clear gesso over the whole surface to seal it. 

Then I added some extra colour. with gelatos, which I applied using a wet wipe. 

The last step, was to add some stamping, I used 2 different stamps. 

I then applied some more clear gesso and some cotton thread, before the final stage. 

I completed the layout, by layering the photo of my niece and her son, onto some more scrap paper, adding some chipboard frames, that I coated in white gesso and then applied glimmer glam to.

 I used some Charms Creations music paper embellishments, along with die cuts, wood veneers, flowers, and a handmade "lollipop" flower that I had in my stash. 

I really love the end result of this layout. I loved the creative process, and being able to apply things that I have learned along the way, just needed to get over the hump. 

Thanks for looking at my process and layout, and for any comments you may leave. 

Bliss