"Eternal Calendar" tutorial (introduction series - 1)

Hello everyone! I want to do something different today, for awhile I was admiring the beautiful art works of crafters overseas, then I had an idea to introduce them to my readers here, because when you share something to others you yourself enjoy it twice as much. My dad used to say that when I'd got some extra candies on my hands.
So I want to introduce to you the Russian master of decoupage Natalia Bliss, she did a great tutorial on how to make this amazing calendar that lasts forever (translation and art supply suggestion (by analogy with russian ones ) are mine):

You will need:

• Half finished product for calendar
• Acrylic paint (brown, ivory)
• Candle
• Palette knife
• Images for decoupage (numbers, months' names, roses)
• Patina or distress paint (author uses "bitumen")
• Water base clear finish
• 3-D gel like "golden gel mediums"
• Desire to create

Here is the half finished product and the product with edges painted with brown acrylic paint in the places where you want  it to be distressed later:  

After that rub the brown edges with candle:

Then paint the whole thing with ivory acrylic paint, when dry, rub the places where candle wax is with the help of palette knife, [I guess you can do it with sand paper too]. 

Next step is to glue your image to the surface, that is decoupage. 

Print the months 'names and numbers on the paper as shown on the picture below: 

First cube 0-1-2-3-4-8, second cube 0-1-2-5-6-7

Glue them to the cubes, make sure the numbers are in the right cubes. 

Now back to the roses: with the sand paper rub the edges of paper to make it look more smooth and even with the wood. You can add a bit of colour around the image then it looks even more like one piece. 

At the end with the help of sponge apply patina or distressed stain to the work, so it looks aged like this:

Next use water based clear finish to cover the work. The last step - apply 3-D gel to the roses: 

Here you have it! 

Thanks to Natalia for the wonderful tutorial. If you like this calendar, please come and check her other works. Also you even can buy some masterpieces from her online store - NATALIA’S STORE 

Leave a comment, please, if you liked this kind of "introduction posts" and would you like to see similar tutorials in the future!

Bottle decor and a bit of spring in a bowl

Hi, everyone!
Spring is here, calendar spring I  mean, I can complain a lot about our minus thirties, but it won't make it warmer, so I just show you some other bottles that have been made during last 3 months here. Also I've made the "spring bowl" today, I do one every season, I thought it is time to send my "winter bowl" in archive.
Here is my apothecary set:

Here is the jar decorated with yarn and twine:

And this is my first mason jars trial, pretty simple: 

I think I showed you all the bottles in my house, I guess I have enough jars around, but you never know, never know :) 

And here we go, "spring bowl":

I did warned my children: "Don't eat my EGGS"! :) 

... Actually I have one more jar set to show: 

Ignore the others here, I'm showing you the "fleurs" set

I bought it at Michaels, they are cute, couldn't resist. 

Have a beautiful day!!!