Woodland Gnome Hideaway

     Mixed Media Mania!  I love mixed media and I love to recycle in my art.  Hi!  This is Joyce Shaulis here today to show you how to make a cute gnome woodland hideaway using an ostrich egg shell and Susan's fabulous mini POP inks and her adorable gnome stamp set. 

To begin, I used the mini POP ink from Clearsnap, in Mystery and Susan's co-branded stamp set,
What's up Gnomey?  I stamped out multiple pieces on white cardstock.

For the background of the hideaway scene, I smudged Ice ink on a half of sheet of rice paper.  I then smudged Sky over top of the Ice.  On the other half of the rice paper, I smudged Fresh ink and then Cocoa on top of that.  Neutral or white tissue paper could be used as well if no rice paper is available.

 

 

I then used the mini POP inks like watercolors.  I pressed the ink pad onto a foam palette and then I was able to paint with a watercolor brush.  For this project, I used Ice, Sky, Fresh, Cocoa, Mystery, and Shimmer. 

  

Next, I brushed Decou-Page on the inside of the ostrich egg and smoothed out the inked rice paper.  I overlapped to cover all areas.  Wrinkles give a nice textured affect.  I then brushed overtop the adhered paper with more Decou-Page.

 

 

Using the back side of the "Live in Color" scrapbook paper, I cut small pieces in geometric shapes approximately 3/4" x 1/2".  I used modeling paste and a palette knife to smear small sections of paste and then I directly adhered the cut paper pieces.  I applied the paste about 1/8" thick or less.  I covered the whole exterior of the egg with the paper mosaic.  I allowed it to dry overnight, then I coated each paper piece with the Decou-Page.  I let this dry and then I sprayed the whole exterior and interior with a matte acrylic spray. 

  

 

 

I cut out all the gnome stamped and painted pieces.  I edged them all with the Mystery ink.  Then with hot glue, I glued wood picks to the back of all the pieces for stiffness, allowing about 1/4" of the pick to stick out from the bottom. 

  



 

 

I stained three wood balls with Ice, to be used as feet for the egg.  I adhered the balls to the bottom of the egg with modeling paste.    

 



  

 

 

With natural items like bark, wood, alder cones, acorns, I started hot gluing them inside the scene working from the back to the front. 

  











 

  

I continued to decorate the woodland hideaway, adding natural pieces and putting in my gnome.  I used reindeer moss and glued all around the edge of the egg, adding acorns and the painted leaves. 

 

 

 

I glued in the painted mushrooms and flowers.  I then embellished with tiny dried straw flowers. 

 





 

 

I hope you enjoyed my mixed media piece.  I am sure you can be creative and find other items to use for a woodland hideaway if you don't have an ostrich egg available.  Thank you for visiting and feel free to leave a comment. 

 

 

Joyce Shaulis     Susan K. Weckesser Creative Design Team Member

 

 

Susan K. Weckesser Products: 

 

What's Up Gnomey?  https://www.unitystampco.com/

Mini POP inks https://ww.clearsnap.com/  Mystery, Kiss, Fresh, Shimmer, Fresh, Cocoa, Sky

Live in Color  scrapbook paper

 

Other Products:

Decou-Page https://decoart.com/

hot glue and glue gun

rice paper

empty ostrich egg

3  1" wood balls

straw flowers

modeling paste

acrylic matte spray

nature findings: wood, bark, acorns, alder cones