Spotlight Designer: Sathya Kala Sankaran | Tutorial

Good morning, folks!

Today we have a Guest Designer showcasing her special project this month.

It is the talented Sathya Kala Sankaran from Paperie Expressions and she has created a Mixed Media Canvas along with a fantastic tutorial for us!

Over to Sathya! :)

Hey, Hi Crafty Peeps!

I am so stoked to Guest Design here, at Lulupu. Thank you so much, Karuna and Lulupu Team for having me here today. Before I share my project and tutorial, let me share a few things about myself.

1. Tell us a little about yourself and your family. 

I am from Chennai, India. I currently residein UAE after my relocation from Taiwan. I'm an MSc., Mphil Toxicologist, and I have a pulsating desire to pursue my Doctoral Research program. I'm happily married to my bestie, who is Asst.Professor & Associate Researcher – Toxicology. I am a SAHM to my son aged 7 yrs, and I'm loving this right dose of balance between my passion of Crafting, Home and Family business at Chennai.

2. How did you become interested in crafts and what inspired you to start blogging? 

I love to try out new recipes, that way I stumbled upon a Food /Art blog that showcased an ancient art form called Quilling. The Researcher in me did some serious search and found Ann Martin’s Blog - All things paper - which directed me to Suganthi Mohan’s blog . I sent to her pictures of my Quilled projects for her opinion and guidance. She is the whole sole sweet reason of this “Paperie Expressions” blog of mine today. She encouraged  me to participate in various blog challenges. Initially, I participated as a Quiller and after my Bigshot purchase, as a cardmaker and very recently, I have started Mixed media projects as well. I'm happy to be a UK Quilling Guild member and continuing my passion of Quilling, with few publications in their Quillers Today magazine. I'm looking forward to my Accreditation In Quilling and it's my own way of dedication to Suganthi Mohan, who is my inspiration into this. 

3. What are some of your "go-to" supplies for crafting?

Modelling paste, Stencils, Dies, Mists/Sprays, Inks, Canvas.

4. What is your favorite crafting technique?

 Mixed Media Techniques, Heat Embossing

5. How would you describe your crafting style? 

Floral and Pastel shades dominate most of my work. More of layering kind.

6. How long have you been crafting? 

I started Crafting from April 2011 after my son turned 2 years. I've been blogging from September 2011 and there has been no looking back after that.

7. My signature style 

Shabby chic, Layering and Floral – mostly with handmade blooms using dies

8. Who are some of your influences? Who has been your inspiration?

I take inspirations from any artists, no matter newbie or accomplished one.

Quillers like Paper Zen- Cecelia, Manuk, Yulia, Suganthi Mohan, amaze me.

MM artists Elena Morgan, Gabrielle Pollacco, Aida Haron  and almost all who do sheer magic using mediums, mists,watercolors.

9. When not crafting, what keeps you busy?

I love to read and pen down poems. Tamil poems, Sydney Sheldon, Robin cook, Paulo Coelho books are my favorites. I keep updating my Research area of interest.

10. What are you currently working on?

Currently working on my DT commitments.

My inspiration here for you all, is a simple Mixed media Layered Canvas.

Took 9.5 by 11.5 inches primed flat canvas.

Took Dylusions Lemon zest in a palette and Peeled paint Distress stain dabbed in craftmat. Using separate wet wipes swipped these mists from top to bottom of canvas. This gives a neat coverage.

Then took a 5”x7 “ white cs and used Sizzix- TimHoltz mixmedia thinlits dies to diecut it diagonally.

Used Wendy Embossing paste (translucent) and TimHoltz  Honeycomb stencil in the diagonal portion of cs.

When the paste is still wet, sprinkled generously Prima- Finnabair Mini artstones on it. Leave it to dry as such.

After drying, smooshed the versafine pad directly on the diecut areas and heat embossed it using Ranger Silver Embossing powder. Then mist the cs with LSG spray – Azure sea asters and sponged the edges with frayed burlap distress ink. And then it was matted with a pp, whose edges are distressed with Rich cocoa momento ink.

Using Sizzix –Pete Magical butterfly die, diecut the butterfly from a white cs. Colored using Metallic Gelatos and heat embossed twice using Ranger’s UTEE clear. Prima junkyard metal zipper – Inspire, is smooshed with Picket fence stain is added as Butterfly body using foam adhesive.

A resin piece randomly colored using Prima Art alchemy paint– Steampunk copper is added on the matted cardstock with  ivory sisal at centre. Butterfly is then topped on it.

Few handmade florals are made using Sizzix- TH Tattered florals – diecut from pp, sponged with Shell pink, edges sponged with frayed burlap Distress ink, shaped and used pink rhinestones for centres.  Sizzix – TH Elegant flourishes die is used to diecut from a white cs, sponged slightly with frayed burlap DI.  

Leaves are from Sizzix Garden greens, diecut from pp, stamped with Bobunny script stamp randomly using Archival ink -sepia, sponged with Frayed burlap DI on edges.

TimHoltz word band is added to cs using natural hemp twine. Flowers, flourishes , leaves are arranged as per pic with few crocheted ribbon and white tulle. Stamped Kaisercraft stamp on a ivory cs and sponged with peeled paint DI and Archival sepia ink, added using foam adhesive.  Negative of leaf diecut is used to stencil at canvas corners using peeled paint ink. Same ink splatters finally on the canvas. Edges of the canvas is smooshed with vintage photo Distress stain for that final framed look. 

Hope you liked the stepwise instruction for the simple Layered MM canvas .Thanks much once again Karuna and Team for having me here.

What a fantastic project that was! Thank you, Sathya, for the lovely tutorial too!

And folks, you have till the end of this month - April 30, 2016 - to play along with our Mood Board Challenge. You can check out more details in the challenge announcement blog post HERE.