Cloth, Paper, Metal

Cynara cardunculus

Paper: large tea bag drawn on with a Sharpie. Cloth: cotton fabric painted with textile paints.
Next I collaged more paper images that were scanned from copyright free image sources and a mini Tarot card from wrapping paper. I painted the artichoke by glazing layers of transparent textile paint over the drawing. Then I painted a thin coat of white paint over the flower area before glazing it with purple paint.
I fused the finished collage to Peltex heavy weight interfacing and quilted the artichoke and a few leaves in the background.
Metal: After trimming the finished collage, I lightly scored an outline on a sheet of craft metal.

This is from a new line of metal being produced by Walnut Hollow. The metal is only available in some parts of the country right now but as the supply increases it will be available everywhere. (It is not yet on the website, but maybe soon.)
I measured an inch in from the inside of the scored outline, and cut out the center with an x-acto knife then trimmed the corners with scissors.

I wrapped the edges of the metal to the back and smoothed it down flat with a bone folder.
I set my sewing machine to a wide zig zag and stitched the metal to the collage, stitching through the metal on both sides. This will not hurt the sewing machine, the worst that will happen is dull the needle. Then you can use this needle for other metal sewing projects
I finished the frame by drawing designs on the metal with a pointed tool made for working on craft metal.