Embroidered Collage

I need better names for these 6" pieces and I have no idea what to name the other two either, once they are done.  But here's the eye candy part. :)  I'm pleased with the experiment so far. 

I had embedded bits of the metal sheet into heavy gel medium, which was what you saw in the first group picture.  After the gel had dried thoroughly - I gave it a couple of days - I worked blue and purple fluid acrylic paints into it, brushing across the ridges in some place and dabbing into lower areas with others.  Then I cut the metal sheet so it would fit against the textured area and in the sewable portion of the stretched canvas.  I stitched it on, but decided it wasn't complete, so added the beading, just enough to draw the eye in a little more.

I did very little to this painting.  I added small colored pencil lines in the red area to enliven the background a touch and then enhanced certain central blobs with backstitched lines.  Yet, even at this low level, the mark of the stitch is distinctly different than if I had drawn or painted the lines and including them did indeed add to the painting.  It doesn't need anymore.  Unfortunately I did have difficulty getting the best picture of it.  I think it will show to better effect if I can grab a photo in the sunlight.