Let's see your hands!

Raise your hand if you're participating in the Simon Says Stamp & Show blog this week.  Super!  The more, the merrier!

I had all sorts of ideas run through my head but this is the one that worked best (remember see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil?).  I think the hardest part was creating the background and waiting for all the inks and adhesives to dry!  My tryptych (first ever!) uses 3 #8 tags that I hinged with gold wire.  Note to self:  use a larger dowel to coil the wire! 

The background's first layer is Distress Ink (Scattered Straw, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade) and water.  Layer 2 is a smear of Snow Cap Pigment Ink.  For Layer 3 I smushed Broken China & Pine Needles DI onto my craft sheet, lightly misted with water but picked up the color with a dampened sea sponge.  Love the mottled effect!  Tim's sentiment (Stuff to Say) was stamped in Sepia Archival Ink.  Around the edges with Vintage Photo and Black Soot DI then around again with the Gold Paint Dabber.  The tags were then misted with Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls.

The face (Wendy's Art Rules) was stamped on white sticky backed canvas in Jet Black Archival Ink and colored with a light watery wash of Tattered Rose DI; cheeks and lips got a touch (okay, a heavy handed one!) with Fired Brick and a nib.  All the hands (Wendy's Art Fit For A Queen) were stamped on grungepaper and embossed with Antique Gold EP by Ranger.  No, she doesn't have stamps of both the left and right hand, I just turned the grungepaper over.

The scrolls and letters (Maya Road Jonathan Mini) were coated with Watermelon Pigment Ink, edged with Walnut Stain DI (a bit heavier on the lower left side for depth/shadow), then edged the same area with the Gold Paint Dabber.

The flowers are Table Confetti (bridal aisle at Michaels) that have been colored with Bottle and Stream Alcohol Inks.  The centers are Hero Arts Metallic Decor gold dots.  The trim was sent from a friend.

So, you can have hands across America, offer a friendly hand, play the hand you're dealt, hand-to-hand combat, Second Hand Rose, and so many more but my fave is 'Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art.'  Thank you, Leonardo da Vinci!