Shedding reindeer?

Yeah, this poor reindeer has had enough of the heat so it's trying to escape into December.  It may be that soon before we get much relief.  And hopefully we'll get a measurable snowfall this winter.

This wallhanging is my entry for the 15th CCCv2 challenge hosted by the StudioL3 blog.  The technique Linda chose is Enameled Metals and can be found on pg. 56 in Tim's 2nd book.

The calendar page uses the chosen technique.  I'd already cut the grungeboard reindeer when I decided I wanted to flock it.  If I'd thought this out better, I would have had double-stick tape on the grungeboard first.  Now I'm left with smearing glue on it then dumping on the flocking.  Of which I didn't have enough of any one color and the stuff wouldn't mix so I just did the best I could.  Hence, it looks like the poor thing is shedding or has a skin disease.  Another afterthought was to add a bit of black paint to the feet so you could see the hooves.

The wreath is actually a wired fringe that was tan so I colored it with Peeled Paint Distress Stain.  Perfect!  Added a tiny bow of coordinating 1/8" ribbon and I was thrilled.

The 'Merry Christmas' ticket is from Tim's Odds & Ends stamp set; stamped on scrap paper; crumpled and distressed.  The holly leaves are Tim's mini ones; creased and distressed.  The berries were cut from a a scrap of paper that had been covered with Rock Candy Distress Stickles.  I used a regular sized hole punch then turned them upside down on a foam pad and rounded them with a ball on a stick.  For the life of me I can't remember the proper name for that tool. 

WeRMemoryKeepers green gromlets were distressed with sandpaper and Jet Black Archival Ink.  They hold the calendar page to the green background.  I chose grosgrain ribbon for my hanger.

I'm hoping that by creating works of art that are for upcoming seasons I can think it's cooler than it really is. 

Plaid it is

Not only is my plaid hidden it's also difficult to tell I used Crushed Olive Distress Ink and various purple distress inks to create my plaid tag background.  I followed Wendy's tutorial using tissue tape that was on her blog back in 2010.  The current challenge on the EWV group is to feature plaid on your art.  You can use a plaid technique like I've done or use Wendy's plaid stamp from Be Inspired...Make Art.  You could also use plaid paper but all I had was from Christmas and wasn't in the mood for that.

Once the plaid had been created, I overstamped the circle background (using uneven pressure) in Picket Fence Distress Stain and stamped the small wildflower over that in Milled Lavender Distress Ink.  All stamps are from She Created Art.

The flower was stamped 3 times in Coffee Archival Ink on purple scraps.  Milled Lavender Distress Stickles was smeared over all the petals.  The grungeboard leaves were cut from an old Sizzix die.  Green and brown distress inks were applied, sanded, and reapplied.  Crushed Olive Distress Stickles was smeared over them; curl to finish.

The sentiment was stamped in Jet Black Archival Ink on one of Tim's tickets.  Brown distress ink was applied to the edges; top and bottom were torn. 

Tim's Sizzix Distress Doily die was cut from the Adirondack collection of core'dination paper stack.  It was run through the Sizzix Damask texture fade; sanded, then distressed with green and brown distress inks.  I saved 2 of the punch outs; they are the flower center and the small flower at the bottom of the ticket.  Tiny purple buttons are the flowers' centers.

A scrap of silk ribbon was dyed with Crushed Olive Distress Stain; dampened, scrunched, heat set.  Smear it in a brown distress ink and lightly mist with water to wick. 

Since my garden is losing it's color due to the drought and heat, this is the next best way to have flowers in my life.  Real ones in the house become cat toys.

Looks like fall

around here.  Leaves dropping from the trees.  No rain.  Brown grass.  An Amish columnist in our local paper said it was like walking through a bowl of Rice Krispies cereal...all she could hear was 'snap, crackle, pop'!  Since it looks more like fall than summer I thought I'd use the Gilded Kraft Glassine technique that's in Tim's 2nd book on page 39 on my leaves.  This will meet the criteria for the 14th challenge over on the Studio L3 blog.  This week's sponsor is The Funkie Junkie Boutique and they're offering a $25 gift certificate from their store to a randomly chosen winner.  My fingers are crossed that I win because I already have my shopping list made!

I presume you have Tim's book so you'll know how I created my leaves.  But how about the ghostly effect on the tag?  That's a black tag from Ranger.  I stamped Tim's spiderwebs (Trick-or-Treat) in clear embossing ink; clear embossing powder was used over it.  Once heat set I rubbed Picket Fence Distress Stain over the whole tag then took a damp cloth and wiped it down.  This not only removed the stain from the web but also lightened the tag in places.  I took the distressing tool around all the tag's edges.

Sizzix Branch Tree was cut from corrugated cardboard and smeared with brown and black distress inks.  The leaves were using the Sizzix Mini Tattered Leaves.  I took another black tag, cut '31' using the Sizzix Carnevale strip die and gave it the same white wash treatment.  Heat to dry then apply Sepia Accents.  Multi-Medium was used to adhere it to the felt removed from my alcohol blending tool.  A grosgrain ribbon was smeared with more brown distress ink, frayed the edges, knotted it in the center and glued it to the top of the tag.

Sure hope we get some rain soon...I'm NOT ready to rake leaves or hickory nuts during the heat of the summer!

Spritz & Flick Distress

I just LOVE this technique that Tim demonstrates on page 42 in his 2nd book of Compendium of Curiosities.  It's a quick and easy way to add texture to your art.  And lucky for me, Linda has chosen this theme for the latest challenge, #13, on her blog.  This week's challenge is being sponsored by the good folks over at Simon Says Stamp.  One lucky, randomly-chosen winner, will received a $25 gift certificate for their store.  If I should win, my shopping list is ready!  lol  Lots of new things coming out at CHA and quite a few of them are already hitting store shelves.  Yes!

Only my ingredients will be listed; you'll have to get the instructions from Tim's book.  I did stamp the image twice so I cut make his collar and tie stand out.

*#8 manilla tag
*Stampers Anonymous P4-1088, stamps from Lost & Found
*Sizzix: Alphabetical Die
*Kraft core'dinations scrap
*Bazzill chipboard circle
*Turquoise fibers
*Ranger:  Spiced Marmalade Distress Crackle Paint; Peacock Feathers, Mowed Lawn, Forest Moss, Rusty Hinge distress inks; Aquamarine, Jet Black archival inks; Spiced Marmalade Distress Stickles

The deadline for submitting your art is 8 p.m. MTD on July 19.   Hope you get a chance to try your hand at this technique!

Three buttons

How about starting off with a circular base and adding 3 buttons?  That's the challenge this time on the EWV Yahoo group.  Lori chose this theme based on Wendy's project in book 3, page 33.  Wendy used an Art Part for her base but I knew my idea wouldn't fit on the small one I had in my bin.  So I found a 5" chipboard circle that would fit the flowers I wanted to use on my piece.

I stamped on the chipboard circle then distressed the edges with ink and the paint dabber.  The flowers were stamped on white cardstock with the markers and dampened so some of the ink would bleed.  Cut them out, added brown distress ink the to the edges.  Glued to the chipboard circle; orange buttons with turquoise floss form the flower centers.

'Limited Edition' is stamped on another chipboard piece and distressed with ink and the paint dabber.  The bookplate has chipboard behind it for elevation.  Aged Copper brads attach it to the base.  A few fibers and the piece is complete.

Stamps from Art In Bloom, Speaking Of Art, Remnants of Art

Ranger:  Peeled Paint, Forest Moss, Spiced Marmalade, Faded Jeans, Broken China distress markers; Sienna, Aquamarine, Jet Black archival inks; Old Paper distress ink; Super Fine Detail Black embossing powder; Copper paint dabber

From a Holtzian Garden

Good job Linda gave us 2 weeks to start or finish a configurations box because it's taken me almost all of that time to come up with an idea and then execute it.  The 11th and 12th challenge for the Compendium of Curiosities Vol.2, is to play with the configurations boxes.  To find out how Tim started his, check out pages 33 and 34 in his book.  You must include 2 techniques that Tim used (but with your own flair).  Did you check out Linda's blog to see the awesomest prize package of Tim goodies that Mario sent for one lucky winner???  Wow!!!!!

I did finish the outsides of my inner box so it can be displayed with or without the cover.  I found it easier to make a template for my inner boxes before ruining good paper.  Not all boxes are created equal! 

From the front

I chose the 5.5"x5.5" configurations box and removed 2 of them.  The shovel and gloves have been sitting in a drawer just waiting to be used in a project.  The gloves were inked with green & brown distress inks.  The shovel's handle was sanded and stained (more brown distress ink).  I mixed up some modeling paste and brown paint and dipped the shovel into it...once dry it works as dirt!

From Psychedelic Grunge I stamped the rays in yellow, orange and red archival inks onto shrink plastic.  Once shrunk I dabbed blue archival ink on the back to represent the sunshine needed to garden.  The grungeboard umbrella is from the Iconic Grungeboard collection.  You need rain to garden...wish we'd get some; we're so, so dry! 

The roses were cut from mulberry paper using Tim's Tattered Pinecone Die.  It makes excellent roses!  I used the Tattered Flower Garland and Autumn Gatherings dies for the leaves and flowers (used up lots of scraps).  All were treated to various distress inks.  The Sizzix Leafy Branch die is on the left hand side of the larger opening.  It reminds me of the morning glories that grow wild and strangle my flowers and bushes.

another front view

Using Maya Road chipboard letters (Mini Jonathan) and scraps of grungeboard, I created faux woodblock stamps.  I believe Tim shared this technique on his blog a long time ago.  I love these and make them frequently.

Paper from Tim's Lost & Found Stash covers the outside of the box (also my color inspiration) and paper from Retro Grunge (green pages) was chosen for the insides of the boxes.  Brown archival ink was wiped over all the tissue tape and papers to make them look aged. 

side view

Tip:  burnish, burnish, burnish the tissue tape with a bone folder will make it lie flat and smooth.  A bit of Matte Medium or Glue 'N Seal will hold down any unruly bits that just don't want to play nice.

I'll also be sharing this project on Maya Road's Facebook page.  Each month during the summer (starting with July) you can enter a project and it will be entered into a random drawing for a Maya Road prize package valued at $20.  Maya Road products work well with Tim's papers, inks, stamps and techniques.

Happy gardening!

Time well spent

Like so much of the United States, it's too blasted hot to do anything but stay indoors.  Many communities cancelled their celebrations.  So it was off to my happy spot to see what 'spoke' to me.  Ah, still scraps on my work table from the wood fireworks.  And I knew I still had some chunky ATCs out in the garage just waiting to be used.  This time I stamped the Pledge of Allegiance on the sheet music in red ink.  Instead of pipe cleaners I used the ribbons I'd died that didn't work out for the other fireworks.  On the reverse side is a scrap from Tim's 'Seasonal Stash' on kraft core'dinations.  I also added the number '4' cut from kraft core'dinations using Tim's WordPlay die.  Otherwise I made it like the others.

When Tim shared his July tag for this year I was in love with his idea but didn't want to copy.  Since our trees are so distressed with lack of rain and all the heat, many are losing their leaves.  Hence, fall was represented on my tag.

Tim's Falling Leaves stamp set (Jet Black, Coffee, Olive archival inks)

Ranger:  Lettuce, Butterscotch, Terra Cotta alcohol inks; Walnut Stain distress ink; Old Paper, Tea Dye, Rusty Hinge, Peeled Paint distress stains; Terra Cotta, Gold paint dabbers; Crackle Medium

Kraft core'dinations; Sizzix 'Word Play' and 'Tattered Leaves' dies, unknown leaf charm; Token (Idea-ology); orange twine; #8 manilla tag









We're in this weather pattern until early next week.  Looks like I'll get more time in my art space.  Sure hope my mojo hasn't left for cooler climes...like the Alps or somewhere chilly!

Have a safe 4th!

Like so many other communities, our fireworks display has been cancelled due to dry conditions.  So I made some of my own that I can enjoy and will keep me safe and out of harm's way.  Except for all the ink on my fingers.  Now those were some nasty looking fingers!  lol  Even the Ranger scrubby couldn't remove it all but it did make them at least presentable when I showed them to the neighbor.

You can find my source of inspiration here http://inkstainswithroni.blogspot.com/2012/06/landscaping-timbers-to-4th-of-july.html.  She always has great ideas and it's easy to follow her directions.  Except I didn't.  Not really.

I used a scrap of 4x4 post that my neighbor had in his garage.  He even cut it for me into pieces (roughly 9", 7", 5" and 3")!  He's a gem!  I left them as raw wood.  My mom gives me her magazines to read, then I pass them on or recycle them.  Inside 'Reminisce' there's always sheet music.  I ALWAYS save those!  I tore them into wide strips, adding various brown distress inks to the edges and all over the paper.  Only the edges are glued so I can remove these as sleeves when I want to do something else with the wood.

Stuck away in my patriotic folder was some bold red and white striped paper as well as some medium blue with with stars.  More brown distress inks to the rescue!  Rusty wire was wrapped around the posts so I could attach Sizzix primitive stars cut from grungeboard (patterned and plain).  Once hit with distress stains I heat set the colors then sanded them so I could apply more brown distress ink.  LOVE my brown distress inks!!!

The stars are attached with rusty safety pins (Did you know you can buy them this way?  Except I threw away the packaging so I'm unable to share the brand with you.  Sorry!) and bits of twisted wire.  I found some b-r-i-g-h-t silver & gold pipe cleaners in the top of the closet.  Coffee and Jet Black archival ink to the rescue!  I cut them long, placed 3 in the center, stapled them, then pulled them up and curled the ends.

Voila!  A safe and happy 4th of July fireworks display!

P.S.  I'll be entering this in the Inspiration Journal blog for their 'Red, White & Blue' challenge.  There's a $50 shopping spree just waiting for someone.  The challenge lasts all month and you can have numerous entries.  Hope to see your artwork there!

Walt Disney

Last week was the last blog hop for eclecticPaperie.  I got into the art journaling scene because of them.  Even though there wasn't an album set up for others to share their takes on the challenge of using any Walt Disney quote, I'm sharing mine here with you now. 

Daisy is returning to Disney and is over the moon about her new position.  Sadly, eP will be closing unless she finds someone to take the reins from her.  The design team has had some really great ideas and I'll miss them collectively but will continue to follow them individually.

My page is rather simple.  I just randomly plopped my distress ink tool on the page and just kept filling up the white space.  Not particularly caring for the bright, garish colors, I wiped Picket Fence distress stain over the entire page.  That's much better!

Picket Fence distress stain was applied to an old clear set of alpha stamps from Rubber City River Works.  'Walt' 'Disney' was stamped on the upper and right hand sides of the page.  I drew around some of the letters in black.  Doodled around the blocks where they meet/overlap using various markers.  Don't know who makes the mouse foot prints that I stamped in Jet Black archival ink.  The stamp in the lower left hand corner was also stamped in JBai.  A white pen highlights the mug and sneakers.  An orange pen colors her hair; red on the lips.  I sketched a rectangle around the image and added 'm' to the four corners.  Studio 490 stamps (adventure, happiness) were stamped in distress ink.  My quote was written on a paint chip  in black and white permanent pens.

I think I might just continue this quote idea; could be fun way to try out new techniques or color combos.  And use some new stamps!

Find your style

Every well-established artist will tell you to find your own style.  I never envisioned myself doing grungy stuff yet I look back at my work and it's full of that influence.  Brights aren't my style either, but seeing Dyan Reaveley's work makes me want to at least try them out.  I can see them popping up in my work every now and again so maybe they're not so bad after all.

I'll share my version of grungy brights with you in this art journaling page I created for the 45th MakingArt challenge on the EverythingWendyVecchi Yahoo group.  Looking at Wendy's 3rd book, page 17, Lori (our uber-talented list owner) challenged participants to use the color blue and some green dots in our art.

My journal page was blank except for the Dyan Reaveley alphabet stencil in the middle.  I believe I smeared translucent Dreamweaver's stencil paste on it.  When dry it was shiny and raised.

I used the direct-to-paper approach around the edges with the new Salty Ocean summer distress ink.  Shaded Lilac (spring distress ink) was applied in the same manner to the center of the page.  I lightly misted the page to make the colors more blended.  I smooshed Chipped Sapphire distress ink onto my craft sheet and picked up the color with a dry sea sponge, dabbing it lightly on the corners.  Heat set the page.

Mowed Lawn, another summer distress ink, was applied to Wendy's bubble background.  The stamp wasn't on a block so I was able to roll it on the page haphazardly.  I like the random look of this.  A black Pigma Micron pen (Sakura) was used to draw half circles around some of the bubbles/dots.

I stamped Wendy's leafy branch in Ripe Persimmon (fall distress ink) then stamped again, slightly off-set, with Monarch Orange archival ink.  I used a waterbrush to wash the color across some of the leaves and stems.  The stamped images weren't perfect which is the look I wanted.

A page was torn from my journal so that I could stamp the flowers, leaves and text on it.  The large flowers were stamped in Deep Purple archival ink; the smaller ones were stamped in Chrome Yellow archival ink.  I smooshed Picked Raspberry (summer distress ink) on my craft sheet, spritzed the ink with water and placed the flowers in it, swirling them every so slightly.  Again I was going for a random color pattern.  I highlighted the dots with White Enamel Acccents, edged the outside edge of the flowers with the black pen and the inside border with a white Gelly Roll pen (Sakura).  The smaller flowers were swirled into Squeezed Lemonade (spring distress ink) and outlined with the black pen.  The dots were colored with Black Enamel Accents.  The leaves were stamped in Sap Green archival ink and colored with more Mowed Lawn distress ink.  I used the black pen to draw around the leaves.  The edges of the flowers and leaves were aged with Antique Linen distress ink.

The grass and flower stems were painted on the page using Claudine Hellmuth's Studio Paint in Landscape Green and Sable Brown.  I curled the edges of the flowers and leaves and applied them to the page using Claudine's Multi Medium (matte). 

The text was stamped in Jet Black archival ink and cut apart.  I rubbed the edges on the Ripe Persimmon pad and spritzed the blocks with water.  Heat set.  Inked around the edges with the black pen; more Antique Linen distressed the edges.  Again, Multi Medium was used to adhere the blocks to the page.

Studio 490 stamp sets:  Dreams of Art, Fashion Style and Art, Ticket To Art

Take the time to experiment; you never know when you'll find your style.