P for Lavender Penny

I meant to post this a while back, but forgot to...this is the P that I created for "Lavender Penny" (as I refer to her) after she won a giveaway I had offered. I searched through her blog and tried to design something that fit her. It became one of my favorites. You can read what she wrote about it here: http://lavenderhillstudio.blogspot.com/2008/02/give-me-p.html
I had written to Penny after searching through her blog--and panicked because I realized she is a REAL ACTUAL artist, and I thought, what was I thinking doing a giveaway and now I have to create something for a REAL ACTUAL LIVE ARTIST? She's really creative and talented and is published in LIKE ARTSY MAGAZINES! (I hope you can all tell I'm not a real valley girl, just exaggerating for effect!) So, anyhoo, I had written to her and said something dumb like UH YEAH I'm really nervous because I've just realized through your blog what you are (the like real actual live artist.) She so graciously responded with very sweet encouragement,
"Hi Katrina -I am sure whatever you do will be fabulous! Please don't be intimidated! I am just like you. Really.... I am just looking forward to getting this from YOU!
Hugs,
Penny"
Well, those words gave me such encouragement about doing this for her. I felt like she had mentored me in some respect. She wasn't looking for me to do what she does, she was looking for what I do. So...I did what I do without any nervousness and it was such a treat...







It was done with a basecoat of black paint, then a crackle medium--on which I painted a cream-white paint. I then decoupaged the lavender florals that I delicately cut out. I cut out pieces of aqua scrap paper and attempted to emulate mosaics (attempted!) and then bordered them with some cream paint. I couldn't find toile anywhere, so I found some on-line and actually printed it on my own printer, lightly wet it and glued it on...never knew it would work, but I hoped! Last but not least--quite a few layers of mod-podge, some light wet sanding, a varnish--and completed with vintage ribbon!