Hi, crafty friend! I love altering paper and cardstock with art mediums. It can create custom looks that take your craft projects up a notch. 

In this tutorial, I use both effect paste and wax to alter patterned paper and cardstock. I used Buttons & Keepsakes, plus other Prima paper collections along with the Finnabair art mediums to create this project. The full supply list is below, so let's get right into this tutorial!

Start by tracing a 6x6 round canvas onto the back of the pink bow paper from the 6x6 Buttons & Keepsakes paper pad. Cut out the traced circle and then distress the edges with a blade from your scissors or a paper distressing tool. 

Use Finnabair's Soft Matte Gel to attach the paper to your canvas. I used a palette knife to apply a thin layer of the gel on the canvas and then pressed the paper into it. Pro Tip: Use a brayer to help smooth out any wrinkles and remove any air bubbles.

To alter the patterned paper, we are going to add a hint of texture and sparkle. We don't want to cover any of it up, but just add a little something to it. Place a Finnabair stencil over the canvas and use a silicone brush to apply the her Crushed Ice Effect Paste through the stencil. Remove the stencil and set your canvas aside to dry. 

Cast the swan that faces left in either Casting Mix or Resin from the Buttons & Keepsakes Mould. Also cast the Astrid frame mould that measures about 3.5 inches and one of the large bows from Timeless Ties. If you used resin, prime the mould with Clear Gesso--I like this gesso best because it's thinner and you don't lose the details of the mould cast. 

Using Pastel Dreams watercolor palette, paint the bow on the swan light pink. Then mix a bit of the yellow and orange to create the perfect color for the beak of the swan. Paint the beak. Then use the black in The Classics watercolor palette to paint above the beak and the eye. 

Paint the Astrid frame mould with the light blue in the Pastel Dreams watercolor set and the Timeless Ties bow light pink. Set these moulds aside to dry. 

Did you know that if you apply Finn's Pearl White Wax to cardstock, you can create custom pearlescent paper? Die cut the Keepsake Swans Spellbinders Coordinates for Buttons & Keepsakes using Spellbinders cardstock. I used Blush, Tutu, Chiffon, Classic White, Raven and Beeswax. I also cut the bow layers twice to add more dimension. 

Glue the layers of your swans together--if you apply the wax first, the glue may not stick. Once the swans are glued together, apply the Wax to the swans using a dabbing/stenciling brush. Be sure to get between the layers of the bows so that when you look at them from the side, the lower bow layers are also shimmery. Then add the same wax to all of your moulds. 

Now we can glue it all onto the canvas. I used 2 of the Enveloped Roses from the Buttons & Keepsakes collection, Parisienne roses from Miel (to add more pink roses), In Another Lifetime and Perfect Emotion flowers from French Blue and a pink flower from Avec Amour's Charming Afternoon flower pack. 

Start by hot gluing 2 large French Blue flowers to the bottom right of the canvas then add in the Miel and Buttons & Keepsakes roses plus a smaller blue French Blue flower to create a half moon shape. 

While adding flowers, you can add some of the bows from the Love Notes Lace Trim. I like to cut the bows apart and then rip the bottom and top layer of the bow apart. Layer ones without a pearl under flowers and then save one with a pearl for later. 

Hot glue the Astrid frame to these flowers. This should float the top half of the frame above the canvas while the flowers at the bottom provide strength and stability. Use Finn's Heavy Body Gel to glue the Timeless Ties bow to the top of the Astrid frame. 

Next, glue the die cut swans onto the frame. I used a combo of foam adhesive to help pop them up and Finn's Heavy Body Gel. If they overlap any flowers, you can use a little hot glue there too. Add on a pink rose and smaller blue flower to the bottom right, overlapping the die cut swan. Add the swan mould on top, then the Avec Amour flower over that. 

Add a lace bow with a pearl to the flower cluster too. Then add some Memory Hardware Pearls to the flowers using liquid or hot glue. 

And that's it! This shimmery coquette style mixed media canvas is ready for gifting or hanging on your wall. Because who doesn't love bows and swans?! Until next time, happy crafting!

Adrienne

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Below are products that I used for this project.