Salute

 sa·lute  /səˈlo͞ot/ a gesture of respect, homage, or polite recognition or acknowledgment, especially one made to or by a person when arriving or departing.  Growing up Fourth of July was a big event.  The fireworks, the parades, the cookouts, but most of all recognizing the salute.  And when Heather Collins saw this 'When I Grow Up Collection: Military' stamp I knew I had to do a project with it.  When my son was in preschool he became friends with a group of boys.  I come to find out two out of the three of these boys had Moms that had served in the US ARMY.  Thank you, ladies! 

 To get started I had a piece of corrugated paper that I coated with clear gesso.  Then I had some printed tissue paper that I bunched up and some packing material that was attached and also coated with the clear gesso.  I put some art stones and pebbles to make it look more grungy.  Then using 'Jurassic', 'Sage', 'Terracotta', 'Wagon', 'Raven' and 'Alabaster' reinkers by Brutus Monroe, in combination with a water spray bottle I created a background. 

I had found a wooden 'my HERO' sign at a big box store attached some 'army men' from the Dollar Store using Brutus Monroe craft glue.    I coated it in black gesso and then covered the front of the lettering in iCraft Decofoil Transfer Gel. Then using a brayer and a heat gun I layed some iCraft Decofoil Transfer Sheets Pewter.  On the Army Men figures I used some Finnabair Art Alchemy Silver Magic Wax.

Using some Brutus Monroe Alabster Cardstock I stamped the 'When I Grow Up Collection: Military'  using Embossing Ink and Raven Embossing Powder.  I used a variety of the 'Stylefile Markers' to get the stamp to just the right look. 

To finish my project off I added an American Flag that one of my kids had used in the last 4th of July parade and some buttons that I added to a little chain to look like dogtags.  So this holiday, Thank you to the brave men and women that have served.