Flag Day Banner~Steampunk Style

    Saturday the 14th is Flag Day- so in honor of that- I thought, hey! time for more garden/deck art- Steampunk style!

   What not a better way to go than with Artistcellar's new and may I say-Way Cool- Mini Steampunk Pocket Stencils!

   (yeah, I know this is on the wall inside, but it was pouring out when it was time for photos!)

This is how is how it all began... 

                           I used manilla envelope paper for my substrate
 (found a big pile of it at a garage sale in the free bin! SCORE!)

                                First-a quick coat of gesso 

 Next applied with matte gel medium were strips of pages from a 1926 Groiler World Book Of Knowledge-another garage sale find!

      I used sections of the book from the history of the United States-especially those referring to New York and the Eastern part of the US-just saying...
 Note: I originally scanned the pages into my computer and printed them out to use instead of the originals- as you can see from the above photo- the pages bled and really did not work as well as I expected- so I used all the originals-

                                            Another coat of gesso applied

   then a piece of crumpled tissue paper blotted off the excess gesso.

                        Once dry, I cut my flag banner shapes

 then I sponged Dina Wakley Media Heavy Body Acrylic Paint - Lapis with a makeup sponge. 

 After this was dry,I stenciled using the Mini Steampunk Mini Gears in using FolkArt~ Wicker White. These Steampunk Mini Gears made up my steampunk "stars" portion of my design.

                                      oops! missing photo

  Next, I used the Mini Steampunk Deco Wing Pocket stencil along with Paper Artsy - Fresco Finish Acrylic Paints - London Bus -these made up my stripes portion of my design.
  I flipped the Deco Wing back and forth to make my stripes- making sure to use the whole wing when I could- I love this stencil!

I'm really digging this,but am thinking it needs distressing- so I scuffed up all the edges, and then used - Tim Holtz/Ranger - Distress Ink Pads - Vintage Photo to give it that aged look.

     Now I wanted a bit of texture- so here I used 
Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste-Translucent and palette knifed random stars on each flag,using RetroArts Cafe' Small-Falling-Star-stencil. 
   After this was dry, out came the Ranger-Stickles Glitter Glue~ Diamond Dust which I brushed over the edge's that were raised-this of course was applied with my fingers! 
                        (one of the best tools available! teehee)

   To finish-I added a few grommets and jump-rings along the tops of the flags and strung them on some twine with some beads and knots. Also added was a bitty star hanging off a jump-ring on the point of each flag.

                  
as always- thanks so much stopping and if you feel inclined to leave a comment...I'd be delighted! Jackie ")