Mixed Media Tag Art Journal

Saturday I took the most amazing class taught by Wendy Vecchi up at The Scrapbooking Studio in Bloomington, IL.  Using Wendy's new archival ink colors, distress paints, distress inks, distress stains, distress markers, Clearly For Art, art parts, Blossom Bucket pieces, Idea-ology, Studio 490 stamps and stencils we created these luscious tags.  I learned a number of new techniques that I'm anxious to apply to cards and tags in the future.

Front cover - exterior

Front cover - interior

Back cover - interior

Back cover - exterior

It was a long day (9-6) with an hour's drive each way but well worth it.  Over the lunch break I did a bit of retail therapy and did my part to stimulate the economy.  There are still some things on my wish list...the first night of Chanukah is November 27....aka Thanksgiving eve.  Eight nights of gift giving should complete my list.  Or maybe not.  lol

Thursday afternoon is my first cataract surgery.  Hopefully Friday afternoon I'll be able to post after my first post-op appointment without too much difficulty.  But if you don't see me posting right away, don't worry.  It might take a few days to see clearly.

Fun and funky art

Under the tutelage of the ultra fab Wendy Vecchi, I made the Three Star Crayon Box (constructed from Art Parts and metal edges) and the Funky Art Angel (lots of Art Parts and Blossom Bucket items).  Lots of Ranger ink mediums and loads of Studio 490 stamps were provided.  Other than general construction advice, the class used whatever color combos and stamps we wanted to put our own spin on the project.  It's too bad we didn't have an angel fashion show; there were loads of great looking gals!  And one was created by a guy who'll be teaching a neat class at The Scrapbooking Studio early next year called the Four Seasons Tower.  Can't wait!

Here are the 2 projects from Saturday's class.

Lady Luck was with me...I won the door prize during the first class!  The package consisted of a package of Ranger's Specialty Stamping Paper, a package of plain alpha grungeboard letters in 9 complete fonts, a large bottle of Glossy Accents and a set of Curio Knobs from Tim Holtz' Idea-ology line.  It was all tied up with a beautiful gold mesh bow.  The fella in the class not only won the 2nd door prize but the store's door prize.  Talk about luck!

Wendy will be teaching this class next Saturday in the Moline location.  Hope you have as much fun as we did getting inky!

Got to see Wendy's art journal...she'll be teaching a similar class at the store November 3rd.  It sounds like it will be very informative and lots of fun. 

Chunky medium*

I used to love creating ATCs but after 7 3" binders were filled with art from around the world, I decided to cool my heels for a bit.  And then along comes the idea of making a chunky ATC.  A what?  It's a 2"x4" that really isn't 2"x4" at all.  It actually measures 1.5"x3.5" and if you cut a 2.5" length you have a chunky ATC.  I don't know who thought this up but it's lots of fun...4 sides and the top to decorate.  Guess you could include the bottom as another surface but since it's usually hidden from view I just use that space for my name and other pertinent info.

This month over on the EWV Yahoo group I am hosting a swap for this newer medium.  They needed to be received by the end of the month but I was waiting to get my hands on Wendy Vecchi's new brick stencil so I could create mine.  I was super lucky and won it on Wendy's blog last week so today I had to get my act together and get busy.

Without further ado, here is the one I will be mailing Deb.  The young lady in the window (from Tim's 'Lost & Found' paper stash) reminds me of Deb.

Front

Side 1

Back

Side 2

Studio 490 stamp sets:  Ticket To Art (leaf stem), Seriously Art (eyes), The Essence Of Art (side view, sentiments), Art Of Inspiration (woodgrain); brick stencil, Outdoor Art Art Parts (fence cut into sections), Scallop Trim (cut into sections)

Blossom Bucket:  door, window

Ranger:  Lake Mist, Sandal, Pebble paint dabbers (grout); Walnut Stain, Peeled Paint, Black Soot distress inks; Olive, Jet Black archival inks; Vintage Photo distress marker (used on door and window frame); Sticky Back Canvas; Picket Fence distress stain; clear embossing ink and powder; Antique Linen distress stickles (shingles); Black Enamel Accents; Matte Multi Medium

Tim Holtz/Sizzix:  mini butterfly die; Damask embossing folder

Ten Seconds Studio: periwinkle metal sheet (butterfly)

Misc.:  DecoArt Country Red Texture Magic (bricks), flower, shrink plastic (eyes, leaf stem), colored pencils (leaf stem), clear packaging (window on door, floor plans on side view), black cardstock, house number

This was the first time I had played with the Blossom Bucket pieces and it won't be the last!  They take color from Tim's distress markers so well...no need to leave them the original color.

It was hard to hold the stencil on the wood block so some of the brick paste got under the stencil - I'd make a poor bricklayer if this was my only opportunity to share it with the world.  Like using any other stencil, you need to apply it carefully.  The red really stands out if there's an 'oops'.  Heavy sigh.

*chunky medium sounds like a contradiction in terms, doesn't it?  oh well.