Live life well

This 6" chipboard piece was made for someone's birthday.  The background paper was distressed and stamped with Wendy's new script stamp.  The #8 tag was embossed and inked.  The flowers are all from Wendy's collection, stamped with archival ink on grunge paper then overstamped with various background stamps and inked up with distress inks.  The rose leaves are also Wendy's as is the new 'Fly' butterfly (both grunge paper).

The flourish is grunge board and distressed with various green and brown inks.  The chipboard initials were  inked then distressed with more ink, especially on the side to create more dimension.  They needed a landing spot and when I saw a punched piece of card stock that was on my desk I fell in love with how it worked with the color scheme as if it was planned! 

Wendy's new stamp 'Wish not so much to live long as to live life well' was stamped with black archival ink.  I created a coiled wire hanger and added a small rusty coil to the left side.  A Maya Road bingo piece forms the center of the flower.  Today is kb's special day! 

KB, enjoy your special day!  Live it well!

Showing off my grunge

As I said yesterday, I just LOVE the grunge products!  Fortunately the theme for this week's challenge on the Simon Says Stamp & Show blog is also grunge.  Woohoo!

Here I've chosen a small ivory moire silk bridal place card holder found in the clearance aisle at Michaels.  These make such nice little frames for your art...not just for place cards or photos.  The corner piece isn't Tim's but one I found in my lss.  The grungeboard flourishes were from one of Tim's packages and colored with various yellow and green distress inks.  The larger leaves are grungepaper cut with a Sizzix die - more yellow and green distress inks, then finger distressed.  The fern punch outs are courtesy of Martha Stewart and some patterned cardstock scraps.

Tim's Tattered Florals and Wendy's rose stamp make up the grunge flowers, using various red distress inks (front and back) then overstamped with several of Wendy's background stamps (front and back).  Tim's washers are underneath the small buttons and are threaded with gold wire (more specifically, I cut up a Christmas tree ornament hanger) then attached to the grungepaper flower.

Wendy's tattered houndstooth background was stamped on ivory cardstock for the oval opening in the center.  Her sentiment was stamped in red & brown archival inks for more depth and a bit of a shadow.  The red oval was a die cut from a large box I bought at A. C. Moore's a very, very long time ago and fits this opening perfectly!

Tim's memo pin with Wendy's Glossy Accents technique is tucked in behind the larger rose.  I did have to resort to a Hero Arts alpha stamp and black archival ink for the initial.

Faux stone

This week the technique over on the CCC is Alcohol Ink Agate on Grunge.  This is such a neat look!  I started out with my prerequisite #8 tag, inked it up with lots of yellow, orange, and brown distress inks, overstamped  with Tim's Nature's Moments dried floral stamp (green &  brown archival inks), then spritzed with water. 

My version of the technique is on the center piece of grungeboard, cut using Tim's Styled Label.  After doing the technique I edged the label with the espresso paint dabber.  The sentiment (from the same set) was stamped in black archival.  The piece is elevated with grungeboard scraps.  Two Making Memories antique copper brads accent the top and bottom of the label. 

Tim's bird (again, same set) was stamped on grungepaper, then ink distressed before applying rock candy crackle paint.  Once dry, I smeared some black ink over the cracks.  It's also elevated with grungeboard scraps.

I use this set quite a bit, it's so versatile.  I'm trying to keep from purchasing too many item-specific sets yet I seem to be overly drawn to Halloween this year.  And all of them Tim's.  That's not a bad thing, is it??? 

More grunge can be seen tomorrow when I'll be sharing what I created for the Simon Says Stamp & Show blog.  Love, love, l-o-v-e grunge products!

Open wide for c-h-u-n-k-y!

Remember that candy bar?  An unusual combo of chocolate, peanuts and raisins (in the newer version) and in 4 squares instead of the larger one (hence, the name).  Zagnut?  Ever hear of that one?  White coating on the outside, blue wrapper.  Okay, I've got a hankering for something sweet, can you tell??????

So how about a chunky ATC instead?  Over on the EWV group I signed up to make a chunky ATC.  Mine will be headed to NYC on Friday...how appropriate since the Chunky is better known there than almost anywhere (thank you to the show 'Seinfeld'!).  When I participate in a swap I always make one for myself.  Other than the initial, this is what the recipient will get next week.  Her own mini bulletin board, complete with a reminder to take her camera on the upcoming TH cruise!

I started off with a 2"x4" piece of lumber and cut off a 2 1/2" piece.  You now have an ATC-sized piece of wood because everyone knows a 2"x4" isn't really 2"x4"!  If you didn't, lesson learned!  LOL  

After a light sanding I coated the entire ATC with my own version of Claudine Helmuth's Traditional Tan paint.   I distressed the edges with one of the brown distress inks.  I added thick cork board to the front and back, but did pre-stamp Wendy's ATC Art stamp label first in black archival.  Behind the one panel is Tim's File Folder label and Wendy's word 'Remember' in olive archival, distressed around the edges.  I stamped a few of Wendy's newest stamps on white shrink plastic then glued them to push pins.  The flower was stamped on grungepaper, cut out, then met up with the plaid stamp (coffee archival) before having several yellow and orange distress inks applied.  Black Enamel Accents was applied at the intersections.  A clear button with text on the back (thank you, Lori!) is the flower center.  The leaf is also Wendy's and saw lots of green and brown distress inks.  Curled some of the edges then both of these are glued to the cork board.

 

Wendy's number strip was stamped with sepia archival ink on a narrow strip of cardstock, distressed with red, roughed up the edges, then distressed with black.  The crowned lady (another new stamp, mini version) was stamped on grungepaper and colored.  Her crown is 3 different layers, all colored with red distress ink and stickles.

Another of Wendy's new flowers was stamped directly on grungepaper with distress inks, cut out then colored again with a brown distress ink.  The flower has 2 layers, White Enamel Accents and a snap as the flower center.  This was glued down as well.

Another strip of cardstock was stamped with Wendy's arrows (coffee archival), sentiment (black archival).  I used Tim's ruler to perforate the edge then distressed the edges with green and brown distress inks.  The tiny key was a charm.

I bought some mushroom shaped birch buttons from the hardware store, painted them, and they're now feet for the bulletin board.  Ta da!  So, if you've got some old lumber sitting around collecting dust from a previous project, why don't you try your hand at making a chunky ATC?  They're lots of fun!

Fall, a time for migration

Leaves and birds, both on a southerly migratory path.  For the 14th CCC we're learning about the basics of making masks.  My masks are Martha Stewart leaf punches that were punched out of Eclipse tape.  Yellow, orange and red distress inks color my #8 tag.  The birds and sentiments are Tim's, 'seriously' is one of Wendy's new stamps, albeit part of a larger image.  To complete my tag I've added a snippet of Tim's calendar tissue tape, filmstrip ribbon and more MS cardstock leaves colored with yellow, orange, red, and brown distress inks affixed with the Tiny Attacher. 

Holiday Fun on the 'Stamp'tember hop

Super big hop over on the Simon Says Stamp and sister blogs.  Check it out!  Lots of goodies to win on each team members' blogs as well as a super prize of $100 at Simon Says Stamp. Any project goes as long as it features Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas. 

Okay, so I couldn't make up my mind and did all three as a tag booklet.  So many details on each page but I'll do my best to give credit where it's due.  The cover features 3 of Wendy's new circular stamps in several distress and archival inks.  The edges are distressed with browns and blacks.  The Tim sheet of paper was stamped on grungeboard with black archival ink.   
Yes, I did punch out each hole on the left side!
The grungeboard flourish was covered with Tarnished Brass Crackle Paint then smeared with brown and black archival inks.  Tim's embellishments are at the top (tag, game spinner, memo pin).  The title is a combo of Tim & Wendy; 'holidays' was stamped on scrap cardstock, distressed, then adhered to a fragment.  3 gems accent the months.

The October tag saw a lot of distress ink, water droplets and a Provocraft spiderweb embossing folder.  The embossed area was hit with the black distress ink.  Wendy's spider was heat embossed with black superfine embossing powder.  The witch and cat are punches.  The grungeboard skull and numbers were colored with white and orange inks, distressed with black.  The pumpkin is a Wendy flower, cut & glued in layers, distressed with yellow, orange, red, and brown distress inks then Mustard Seed Distress Stickles.  A broken toothpick inked in brown is the stem and floral wire forms the tendril.  The old calendar page was distressed with yellow, orange and brown DI and glued to an old optometrist's card.

First I used the Ranger Watermark Ink pad to stamp several of Wendy's leaves all over the November tag.  Then I brayered ink from a fall-colored Kaleidacolor pad.  More leaves in distress yellows, oranges, reds and browns form the 'turkey' tail.  On a scrap I added y, o, and br DIs then stamped Wendy's houndstooth stamp in sepia over the top.  'Happy Thanksgiving' (Hero Arts) was stamped in black archival ink.  I adhered a fragment over the top with Glossy Accents.  The acorn is a Sizzlits die, the pumpkin a Sizzix embossing folder and the pear a Spellbinders die.  All met up with various distress inks as did the calendar page.  The numerals are grungeboard, and yes, saw more distress inks. 

I cooled off the project with blues for December and Christmas.  I used blue distress inks on the tag then highlighted the embossed part and edges with pearl and silver paint dabbers.  The Martha Stewart snowflakes were punched out of pearlized paper.  The wings are grungeboard, covered with white pigment ink then overstamped in pearl with one of Wendy's floral flourishes (new set).  A face from another of Wendy's sets was stamped, colored and adhered to yet another fragment then edged in silver.  The grungeboard Sizzix tree was colored with distress inks then the branches were topped off with the white paint dabber to give the look of being kissed by snow.  The numbers are also grungeboard with distress inks.  The calendar page was distressed with reds and brown DIs.

I used Tim's File Folder Alterations die to make the monthly tabs.  I don't know the manufacturer of the monthly stamps (black archival ink, brown distress inks).  All the tags have decorative paper on the reverse sides.  Looks better and provides much needed stability.

This was a fun project to work up; I'm so glad that Simon Says Stamp put up the challenge.  It gave me a chance to work with my favorite tools, products and inks.

Happy New Year!

or L'shana tovah! to all my Jewish friends!  As you know an apple and honey are symbolic of sweetness so they are usually the focus of my new year's cards.  I love eating apples as much as I love coloring them, especially with watercolors.   However, being the big Wendy fan that I am I wondered if I could take any of her stamps and make them fit my theme. 

Yes!  (Thank you, Wendy!!!)  Her tree (Mail Art) is perfect!  I colored the tree using green, red and brown Tombow markers then stamped over the hills created with 2 masks colored with green distress inks.  The message on the card is in my own handwriting, something I don't do often as it usually doesn't look very nice.  I stamped 'Shalom' at the bottom using the same brown marker.

May the new year be a good one for all of us!

I ADORE grungepaper flowers!

I 'labored' over this piece for the CC challenge (week 13) more than I should have perhaps but am really pleased with the end results.  And I just now noticed that right below the grungepaper flower is the word 'flower' - serendipity!

I smeared several brown distress inks on my craft sheet, spritzed with a mini mister then kept dipping my tag and heat setting the color until I was satisfied.  Next I embossed the tag in a QuicKutz embossing folder and carefully highlighted the embossed portion with green distress inks. 

The text on the left hand side is one of Wendy's new stamps (in Coffee archival ink).  Love it!  Several colors of alcohol inks were applied to the neon green (way too bright!) slide frame before one of Tim's tickets (distressed, naturally) was glued behind it.  Two grungeboard hearts were smeared with red distress inks then topped with Tattered Rose distress stickles.  Of course, the edges of the tag were distressed with red and brown distress inks.

Tim's Tattered Florals die was used for the grungepaper flower. 

Hope you've enjoyed your Labor Day!

Simply create art, Studio 490 style

I recently hosted a tag swap on the EWV Yahoo group.  There were 22 participants from 14 states and 3 European countries.  Everyone was assigned a tag (3 sizes, vertical or horizontal position) and asked to make 12, 11 to swap and 1 for the super designer, Wendy Vecchi.  Her displays are being mailed today.

The inspiration for this swap came from one that Tim Holtz and Jennifer McGuire did earlier this year.  I also opted for 12"x12" canvas for my display.  First I treated the canvas to a coat of my own version of Claudine's Trad Tan.  After many, many swipes of various distress inks and archival inks I stamped several of Wendy's images (from the newest release) on the base and sides.  I glued on Tim's gold corners before I started arranging the tags.

Once the tags were arranged I made a diagram of the layout, the artist's name and their location.  I slipped the corners into photo corners then glued the whole thing onto the back of the canvas.  I also added a picture frame hanger so it was wall-ready.

Behind each tag is foam tape.  I really liked how it made the tags pop out on the lighter background.  It also made it easier for some elements to flow into the adjacent tags. 
I didn't feel I need many embellishments but I did add some Maya Road chipboard words that were inked with several distress inks, then pen-stitched around each letter so you could easily read the words.  A TH muse charm and 2 small frames hold the computer-generated words '490' and 'style'.  Glossy Accents were applied to make them pop. 


Hosting this swap was a lot of fun and I hope to do it again when more artists have managed to snag a few of Wendy's latest stamps for their collections.  Thank you everybody for such inspiring work and to Wendy, a super designer of red rubber!

I really wish that in the preview it looked the way it would look IRL.  All this reformatting just gets lost in the final version.  Sigh.

Sew Many Layers

The challenge this week on the Simon Says Stamp & Show blog is all about showing your layers. I don't know how many layers are on my 12"x12" canvas.  The project started out with 2 colors of paint dabbers on the base then added a bit of green and brown distress inks.  The edges were touched with a brown archival ink pad.  There are also 2 colors of distress crackle paints smeared randomly on the canvas.  The scrapbook papers (My Mind's Eye-So Sophie 'Pretty Girl') are a layer, the letters another and the embellishments yet another...at least as far as I'm concerned.

The 1931 letters were scanned and reduced to 5"x7" and are from a NYC dressmaker to a local central IL clothing shop.  When I purchased the letters, the lady in the antique store was very familiar with the local store and shared a few interesting tidbits.  I love knowing the history behind stuff like this.

Wendy's stamps are used exclusively (Fashion Style & Art and Art by the Number).  The clothing was stamped on muslin with archival ink.  The labels were stamped on muslin and twill tape.  The 4 corner pieces were stamped on the backside of the cardstock.  After I cut them out I distressed them with Brushed Corduroy DI then applied Glossy Accents.  Once dry, Coffee archival ink was rubbed all over them for more distressing. 

Tim's Tattered Florals die met up with Twisted Paper ribbon for the posy with an antique button for the flower center.  The layers were touched by several distress ink pads.

The leaf flourish was cut with a Sizzix die on Bazzill cardstock.  The flourish around the photo is grungeboard and has several pigment inks and distress inks used on it.

A bit of lace (also touched by distress ink), buttons and a ring with coordinating ribbon remnants complete the layered look.  Once again I've gone with a color combo outside my box (red-orange, pink and blue-green) but I fell in love with the paper anyway.  Color-wise it will clash in my sewing room.  Oh well.