Torn Apart

I do a lot of tearing in my projects because I'm useless at matting and layering so torn edges disguise mistakes!

Inspired by Claire Snowdon.

This project came about because of what's been happening to me lately.

I suffer with fibromyalgia plus I've had numerous car accidents that have left me with various symptoms.  I believe the last accident I had in 1999 was the trigger of fibromyalgia. It's a battle everyday but I'm determined for it NOT totally take over.  But recently with the change of weather I've got a constant flare up of symptoms.  Also,  not being able to socialise in the evening with old friends has made me feel torn and ripped up due to my illness.  

This is what my project represents.  I have wrote fibromyalgia on the background which is surrounded by torn paper and tissue representing being ripped apart and fragile.

Firstly I painted the background and randomly stamped in ink.

Prepared watercolour paper with distress oxides mopped up from my craft sheet then ripped it up into pieces making sure I had enough pieces to cover the background.

Distressed the edges with oxides to try and make it looked burnt.  I'm accident prone and didn't want to use a lighter to actually burn the edges!

Arranged on the background. Found that there was some gaps because of curling the edges of the torn pieces! So added some stamped tissue I had done awhile ago.  Which fits in with what I wanted to express with this project.

Coloured some staples with marker pen then stapled the pieces together and to the background.

Wrote fibromyalgia but making sure it wasn't dominating the project.

Then heat embossed a inspiring sentiment, ripped, distressed and stapled to the background .

Also heat embossed a lambretta which is something I absolutely loved but unable to ride or join in with the scooter scene anymore.

I love rust so added rusty cogs, butterfly and flower.

Finally stamped and embossed butterflies and dragonflies representing new beginning and fly free.

Materials used;

PaperArtsy- Fresco Paints- mermaid, south pacific  Stamps- ETS02

Distress Oxides- black soot, vintage photo, wilted violet, peacock feathers.

Lavinia stamps

Visible Image stamps

Cogs, butterfly, flower from stash.

Challenge entered;

PaperArtsy