February is red and hearts

Craft barn calendar for February challenge is red and hearts. I like romance as much as the next girl, but I am not the tradional red roses type although Nigel ( long suffering craft husband) can always get me daffs and chocolates. So what to do for the challenge? I came up with the Queen of Hearts and went with something that I hope you think is a little different from the traditional valentines.

I painted on a wash in a quinacridone magenta and violet. Then added some diamonds in gesso and when dry went over with another thin wash to take the white glare off. It was then time for hearts which are texture paste mixed with black gesso though a hand made stencil. I added some treasure gold and red distress ink to finish. The queen was stamped on red and I cut out and decorated a crown and embellished with a skull.  I kept the calendar simple again and black inked around the hearts and crown. I then noticed by chance I had the word heart on the crown what luck!

 Hope you like.