In flight on a spring morning

I have plenty of birds at my feeders and lots of butterflies on sunny days.  They provide a lot of entertainment in my backyard.  This is my entry for this week's Compendium of Curiosities v. 2  challenge that features the Marbled Stains technique found on page 46.  I don't know about you but I had a terrible time with this technique.  This was my 3rd attempt and my marbling skills leave a lot to be desired.  Oh well, with a bit more practice perhaps I can get the hang of it yet.

Distress stains:  Picket Fence, Faded Jeans, Tumbled Glass, Weathered Wood, Tattered Rose
Distress inks:  Old Paper, Milled Lavender, Gathered Twigs
Adirondack inks:  Lettuce, Sunshine Yellow
Archival inks:  Jet Black
Distress stickles:  Rock Candy
Stampers Anonymous:  Nature's Moments
Sizzix:  Tall Grass embossing border folder (Springtime Background & Borders set), mini butterfly die

This week's sponsor is eclectic Paperie.  Daisy is offering a $25 shopping spree to a randomly chosen artist.  I could use some new art toys, couldn't you?

Create a faux patina

The chance to spend quality time outside and medical appointments made it absolutely necessary to combine the challenge over at Simon Says Stamp & Show (use your favorite word) and the challenge on Linda's site from the Compendium of Curiosities Book 2 (Faux Patina on page 58).  And what a giveaway Linda has in store this week!  A super friend of hers has graciously donated an autographed (by the man himself!!!) Idea-ology messenger bag for toting all your tools to class, shopping goodies, etc.  Woohoo!

My tag is a bit darker than I would like but I kept playing and playing and finally said 'enough'!  I used Ranger's Snow Cap Mixative (and boy was my shaker ball stuck in the muck at the bottom of the bottle.  Yuck!), Lettuce, Sailboat Blue and Stream alcohol inks.  The Blending Solution came in handy a few times.

I covered some of Tim's fragments with Ranger's metallic tape sheets and added the technique to them as well.  The tag and the fragments were placed on slightly larger pieces of black cardstock so they'd show up better.

The letters for 'Create' are from Ma Vinci, called 'Codex' I believe.  Earlier this year I chose this word to symbolize in my art as much as I can.  The other stamp is from River City Rubber Works, I omitted stamping the 'create' at the beginning of that stamp.  All this stamping was done using Jet Black archival ink.  On the tag I also added a feathery flourish (Nature's Elements) in Cobalt archival ink.

I could sit and play with this technique all night.  And nearly did since my Snow Cap mixative wasn't cooperating. I ended up taking the top off, removing the stuck solution gunk and really moving the shaker ball around. 

What a fun technique to do!  I wonder what's up next, since Linda isn't going by the book, so to speak?

Compendium of Curiosities - on the road again!

I was so glad Linda brought back this challenge but even more glad that it will be following Tim's new book, Version 2!  I love this book as much as the first and it's great to have it at my fingertips whenever I want it.

The first technique involves creating custom foam stamps (see page 66 of the book). I used the Pine Tree die as well as the Snowflake on the edge die for this awesome idea.  Another new idea for your to try - cut the '25' out of the tag and back it with colored paper or another tag.  Sure looks like it's on top of the tag, doesn't it?

Stampers Anonymous:  Tall Trees stamp

Sizzix dies:  Pine Tree, Snowflake on the edge, mini 25 and mini reindeer

Ranger:  Peeled Paint, Forest Moss, Stormy Sky, Broken China, Chipped Sapphire, Tea Dye and Weathered Wood distress inks; Snow Cap paint dabber; Picket Fence distress stickles; Jet Black archival ink

Techniques:  Custom Foam Stamps, Wrinkle Free Distress

Misc.:  brown fun foam (deer), thread, white card stock, #8 manilla tag,  snowflake punch

I love the depth created by the layers on this tag!  The base (1st layer) is Wrinkle Free Distress, second layer - stamped image, third layer - custom stamp images, fourth layer - torn cardstock, fifth layer - deer.

Now what technique will Linda choose next?????  Inquiring minds want to know NOW!  lol

PS - How could I forget to mention that Simon Says Stamp is offering a shopping spree to a randomly picked lucky winner?!?!?!?  

12 tags of 2012 - April

As much as I enjoyed the flurry of activity creating the 12 tags of Christmas, the slower pace that Tim has set for the 12 tags of 2012 is more to my liking right now.  Too many other things going on in my life to dedicate daily art time.

Here's my version of the April tag.  Once again, I've gone off season with my art.  But fall is my favorite time of the year so I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise that the 'Thankful' texture fade is the basis for this tag.

Stampers Anonymous:  Reflections (numbers)

Sizzix:  Thankful texture fade; mini leaf, acorn bird branch dies

Ranger:  Peeled Paint, Mustard Seed, Fired Brick, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain distress embossing powders and distress inks; Glossy Accents; Lettuce, Espresso paint dabbers

Idea-ology:  token, harlequin grungeboard, jump ring, charm clip

Misc.:  ribbons, string

Collectibles

You know how it is, most of us collect art supplies so we have them on hand for that 'perfect' project.  I've decided there is no 'perfect' project and am starting to use my stuff while I can enjoy it.  I'm not getting much enjoyment seeing it stashed away.

That being said, I've found another party guilty of collecting art supplies.  He doesn't look like the average collector, does he?  That's why I had to add 'seriously'.  I love this Studio 490 stamp to enhance my piece and reinforce the fact that he doesn't look like a collector of art supplies. 

This small frame is actually covered in moire silk and was found in the clearance aisle of Michael's; it's from the bridal department originally, and could have been used for place cards or small photos.

I stamped the fellow (He Ruled It Art)(Jet Black archival) on white cardstock and watercolored him with  distress inks.  The woodgrain background (Stampers Anonymous) was stamped in Coffee archival ink.  All other stamping was done using JBAI.

Studio 490 supplied the art supplies (Tools For Art, Speaking Of Art, He Ruled It Art) and the clear shrink plastic is from Lucky Squirrel.  Wendy's hand is an Art Part and was covered with JBAI.  It's holding a text stamped image on vellum that was crumpled before being glued down.  A bit of Martha Stewart ribbon was tied around the arm.

This piece is being entered into the challenge on the EWV Yahoo group.  Wendy's inspiration piece can be found in her 3rd book on page 38. The focus should be 2 eyes and a hand.  Guess now I can go look and see what she did - lol!

Multi-tasking tag

I'm hoping I can win a set of Tim's Distress Markers with this tag.  Absolutely Everything issued a challenge to the ATT members to create a piece of art with a focus on any of Tim's techniques.  This tag incorporates two of Tim's techniques (Wrinkle Free Distress and Water Stamping) as well as one of my own discoveries.

I have quite a few magnetic business cards or ads on hand and wanted to make some refrigerator magnets for my neighbor.  As you can see, this one had the mini bunny cut from it.  But before the die met the magnet I coated the ad with Claudine Hellmuth's white gesso, dried it, then smeared Espresso paint dabber over it...the bunny was going to have brown felt over it and wanted to make sure the edges would be dark.  Well, lo and behold, the paint dabber crackled and I loved the effect so much I didn't use the felt at all.  And of course I rarely throw anything away so the negative image became part of the focal point of this tag.  Cool, huh?

If you look closely, some of the water stamping follows the rabbit's outline, including the line between the ears.  Neat and not planned!



*Stampers Anonymous:  text (Artful Things), flourish
*Sizzix: mini bunny die, Collage texture fade (leaves), tattered leaves

*Spellbinders: floral die

*Ranger:  Espresso paint dabber; Jet Black and Saffron archival inks; Caramel, Meadow and Gold Mixative alcohol inks; Glossy Accents; too numerous to mention distress inks

*Misc.:  Martha Stewart ribbons, magnetic advertising card, brads, soda can (leaves)

Rusted enamel

This week's challenge on the Simon Says Stamp & show blog was to show a Lord Tim technique.  When I think of Tim's technique 'rusted enamel' it makes me remember previous antiquing trips, pawing through boxes of old graniteware cooking utensils.  I love the white with red trim and the beige with green trim.  And I have a few pieces of white with black trim but most of them are outside.  I've even seen a few white pieces with turquoise trim...hence my color choice for this technique.

Sizzix: mini key & keyhole dies, keyhole dies

Stamp (Jet Black archival ink) from Curiosities

Ranger:  Broken China, Tea Dye, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain distress inks; Antique Bronze distress stickles, Latte, Ginger, Copper Mixative alcohol inks

Sophisticated Finishes:  Rust Antiquing Solution, Iron Metallic Surfacer (used on the lock - irl it really looks like an old rusty lock)

Miscellaneous:  screen scrap, ribbons, brads

Inspiration Studio 490

and another two-fer!  Hot ziggity, over on the Simon Says Stamp & Show blog this week's theme is to show your love for Wendy Vecchi's art style and products.  So simple, even a cave man could do it!  LOL  AND, on the EverythingWendyVecchi yahoo group the theme is also to feature Wendy's art style and products (duh!) but you need to include a hinge in your project (see Book 3, page 25 to see Wendy's inspiration piece).

1 - Let's start with this

2 - get to this

3 - add this...

4 - wind up with this


Blogger, you are the most unfriendly design product I've ever used!  Drats and double drats!  Your formatting stinks!

So, I took the green paper, cut it to be a #12 tag.  Colorized it using the Wrinkle Free Distress technique.  At the bottom I embossed Tim's Scrollworks border and hit the embossed area with the Gold paint dabber.  Added the sheer net that has gold glitter all over it. 

I covered the Art Parts pieces with a light coat of Picket Fence distress stain.  Using pinks and browns I added a bit of color to the face (okay, she looks rather diseased, I know).  The large face from It's Face Art was stamped in Jet Black archival ink on the coordinating Art Parts pieces (face and additional crown) and immediately covered the pieces with clear embossing powder.  There was too much embossing powder so I couldn't color her eyes and mouth with distress ink as I had planned.  Plan B...use archival ink...will paint the same way.  The crown was sprayed with Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls Mist.

Using Tim's Iron Gate on-the-edge die I cut a small piece from grunge board and covered it with Tarnished Brass distress crackle paint.  Once dry I covered it with red and brown distress inks then a quick dab of Walnut Stain distress stain and wiped it off.  My hinge has been instantly aged!

Love the new mini frames art parts!  Both pieces were colored with yellow and red distress inks.  I wanted the center to be a bit lighter so I dabbed some PFDS over it.  I left the frame and inside piece intact and stamped the lace background from Material Art on it in JBAI.  The frame was also sprayed with HGPPM.  The sentiment was from Art Fit For A Queen was stamped in JBAI and covered with clear embossing powder.  Around the frame I carefully ran the GPD.  Gold photo corners were broken in half, hit with Red Pepper alcohol ink and JBAI.  They were glued on with Claudine Hellmuth's Multi-Medium.

I really hated to cover up my tag with the lace but the color combo just wasn't working.  Sigh.  And I love how the embossing looks at the bottom.  Gotta try this again!

**Tip of the day:  you know how heating grungeboard can warp it?  Never fear, turn it over and apply a bit of heat and voila!  It will flatten back out!  Even with all the crackle paint on it.  Woohoo!

It's been fun just sitting here playing with Wendy's stamps and Art Parts.  I wish I could have added some Clearly For Art item but my mojo wasn't having any of that.  Oh well.