Hybrid Wall Hanging and Some PS Tips.

Today I'm going to share a fun project to create a bit of wall art. This would make a great gift, maybe for a house-warming or, as in my case, to dress up a wall in my own house!  Since I did this as a hybrid project using digi papers, I'm also going to share some Photoshop tips.

To make this project you will need:

• chipboard for backing
• patterned papers
• flowers, trims, gems and other embellishments
• clips or brads
• lace, ribbon or string
• adhesives
• scissors or craft knife

For my backing I recycled the packaging that my Epson Premium Presentation paper came in. I cut it into a bracket shape. 

I used digital papers for my background. The papers are from the collaborative kit Family Branches by Creations by Rachel and Inspirations From Day. I wanted to have several of the papers as my background.  So I created a blank 11x8.5" file in Photoshop.  I then created 1" stripes using the rectangle tool. I colored each stripe a different color to make it easy to see each of them.

Once I had the stripes set up, I opened the first of the papers and dragged it onto my stripe file. Place the paper image above the stripe shape where you want it. Then clip it to the shape below.  To do this hover your mouse on the line between the paper and the shape layer, press and hold the alt key on your keyboard, then click your mouse. Your layers palette will look like the above image with the paper layer indented above the shape layer and an arrow pointed from it down to the shape layer. This means it has been clipped to that shape layer.

Your design will now look like the image above. Notice how your paper layer is only showing where the shape below it allows it to be revealed.  This is also referred to as a "clipping mask".  Continue to repeat the process, placing paper layers above each shape and "clipping" them to the shape below until you've filled the design with all the digital papers you desire. Print this out. Adhere it to the bracket shape that was cut from the chipboard and trim.

If you are using traditional papers, you can simply cut strips from your selected papers and then adhere then aside each other on another piece of cardstock or directly onto the bracket shape background. Trim it to the bracket shape.

I sanded and inked the edges of the background.  Now comes the fun of piling on your embellishments.  I had created the framed word art using elements from the same digital kit in Photoshop, printed and cut it out.  I layered the gems, flowers, foliage, trims, chipboard accents and elements using glue dots and foam squares to adhere.

To create the hanger for this project I threaded some lace through the eyelet on mini clips and tied a knot to secure it.  This made a really simple yet elegant way to display this wall art.

I hope this inspires you to create some awesome wall art for your home or for someone special.