AGATHA - a scrapbook canvas for Imagination Crafts DT

This one is a bit different - I've done a canvas, but as a scrapbooking project, as part of my DT for Imagination Crafts. A little tongue in cheek (I used a rat trap and part of a poster for The Mouse Trap), this celebrates the wonderful Agatha Christie.

I've used a 10in x 12in canvas and a rat trap!

The first step was to add Crackle Glaze to the corners of the canvas and the trap (which I dismantled before working on it - the mechanism nearly had my finger off!)

Next, I painted over both with Starlight paint in Topaz, mixed with a little white gesso to make a chalk paint. Then I added some Rusty Patinas in strategic place.

After that, some rice paper: 'Post Card' title, phrases and rose (use a damp paintbrush to 'cut' these out of the paper - the feathery edges will then blend invisibly).

Next, I stencilled the tex and postoid portion from the Fly and Dream stencil, using Structure Paste and a palette knife. I stenilled the diamond shapes from the Diamond Key stencil using Sparkle Medium in Ruby Gold. I stencilled the word 'Imagine' from the Fly and Dream stencil using more Ruby Gold Sparkle Medium - again, using a palette knife.

I used my trusty Structure Paste to create lace using a cake mould - see my post here on how to do it.

Once I decided exactly where the trap was going to go, I marked the position and then glued down the lace using Magi Bond glue. Next, I added portions of rice paper on top, using my brush to press down into the indentations (Decoupage Plus glue) then glued down the rat trap with glue gel.

I went online to find a copyright free picture of Agatha, the poster and some tickets, printed these off and used Distress ink to age them. I cut letters from a couple of newspapers to create a ransom note style of title (glued down with more Decoupage Plus).

Finally, I painted an old suitcase key and some Magi Kutz keys from the Ornate Keys sheet, and painted them with Starlights paints in Topaz and Rich Gold. I tied some with ribbon and glued the others on the left side of the trap.

Last of all, I added shadow to the keys and the rose with a dark grey watercolour paint.

All materials from Imagination Crafts.