Memorial Day and freedom to fly

Today is Memorial Day.  We have a 20' flag pole that proudly flies the American flag.  Because we have it lit, we are able to fly it 24/7.  And we do so with great pride.  Many members of my family have served in various branches of the military as did my husband.  Early this morning I lowered the flag to half-mast, as per protocol, then raised it back up at noon, again as per protocol. 

Today was also the day we became empty nesters.  Or rather, the robin's nest on our drain pipe became empty.  I was able to witness the first fledgling plop out of the nest a few days ago.  I missed seeing the second but saw the third and fourth as they took their second flights from our back stoop to the fence.  As big as they were in the nest I have no idea how the four of them stayed in their so long!  And even today they were still showing little wispy feathers around their heads.  See them?  They looked rather comical!

This was the first one to leave the nest.  The vinca vines and mulch helped provide a comfy mattress for his first landing.

Here's #3 on the back fence.  I talked to it quite awhile and explained that it couldn't stick around for long because the neighbor has 2 outdoor cats.  'nuff said about that!  He seemed to be listening, too, but still wasn't sure about this flying stuff. 

So I looked down the fence line and here's his sibling.

He bird-talked to his sibling and in no time they were off!  I look forward to seeing another family grow up in the same spot next year.

So all this brings me to my entries for Claudine's altered puzzle pieces.  The first piece commemorates Memorial Day and the second the robin's leaving the nest.  Perfect timing!

Ingredients:  white/black/red/orange Sharpies; white/black card stock scraps; Dylusions sprays (Postbox Red/London Blue); Hero Arts stamp D2401; archival inks (Jet Black/Potting Soil/Tree Branch); Tim Holtz stencil (Tracks); Tim Holtz stamp (Bird Crazy); Studio 490 stamp (Let Your Art Have Wings); white gelly pen; distress inks (Spiced Marmalade/Fossilized Amber/Tea Dye/Brushed Corduroy/Walnut Stain); Tim Holtz die (Alphabetical)

So enjoy your day of freedom...but remember how it was achieved.

 



 
 



 

Hearts/love altered playing cards

It's week 20...and the theme is hearts/love.  But NOT your traditional red, pink, white, etc.  Huh uh.

 

Ranger:  distress paints (Ripe Persimmon, Chipped Sapphire); Black Fude Ball pen; Dylusions stamp (Around The Edge DYR34421); Jet Black Archival Ink

Sizzix:  Mini movers & shapers heart

Handheld heart punch; security envelope

White Sharpie

Ranger:  distress paints (Mustard Seed, Barn Red); Black Enamel Accents

Idea-ology:  tissue tape

White Sharpie; red card stock scrap

Sizzix:  mini movers & shapers heart die; Carnivale dec. strip die

I don't have spray paints so I just smeared the paint onto my craft sheet, misted my APC then swiped it through the paint.  On the yellow one I created a watery puddle of Barn Red paint and used a paint brush to flick drops onto the base. 

I normally would be bothered by the dots not being the same size but I actually like them as they are.  Go figure.  Likewise the lettering on the top card is a bit busy with the border I chose but again, I kinda like it like that. 

Maybe now that I'm about to put another decade behind me I'm breaking out of my shell????

 

Altered Playing Cards - week 3

I really let my mojo take over today.  I had jotted down all the items Claudine used but really didn't remember looking at her samples.  I prefer to do that after I've created my own.  This week you'll see I've reversed hers!  Happy accident!

Gesso; alcohol inks (Rust, Butterscotch, Meadow, Latte), distress inks (Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Vintage Photo), Potting Soil/Jet Black Archival Ink; Measured Layering Stencil; core'dinations card stock scraps; Hero Arts sentiment (L); Botanical Remnant Rubs; Elmers Copper Leafing Pen; miscellaneous Sizzix letters; Lasting Impressions with Panache sentiment (R); Sakura White Jelly Roll pen; Black Sharpie

So, wanna play along?

Altered Playing Cards - weeks 1 and 2

Claudine recently started an Altered Playing Cards challenge.  She's taking a deck of cards and creating 2 cards per week so this challenge will take a while.  You'll have to check out her blog to see all the rules and regulations. 

The first week she prepped the deck of cards.  Weeks 2 and 3 have been posted so please check her blog for all those details and her samples.  I loosely followed her tutorials.

Gesso; Dylusions sprays (Fresh Lime, Campso Teal); Sizzix Townscape OTE die; Hero Arts JS153 sentiment; Martha Stewart Coneflower punch (sun); Stampers Anonymous Purely Random (text on sun); Jet Black Archival Ink, Glossy Accents, distress inks; Sakura Jelly Roll White Pen; black, yellow cardstock scraps

Gesso; Dylusions sprays (Bubblegum Pink, After Midnight); Hero Arts stars and sentiment; Poppy Stamps (little girl 217C); Jet Black Archival Ink, distress markers; watercolor paper; silver & black cardstock scraps; ekSuccess star punch; silver & black Sharpies; Tsukineko Encore Silver Metallic ink



I think this will be a fun challenge and so simple...at least thus far.  Surely I can find my mojo for 2 small canvases each week!

Happy birthday, little girl!

My Brazilian granddaughter turns 4 today.  I thought it would be fun to create an educational card for her so the balloons are numbered in Brazilian Portuguese.  And who doesn't like seeing their name on a card, front and center (all right, off to the side!  lol).

Products used:  Stampin' Up 'More Kids at Play'; unknown card stocks and decorative paper; Ranger (Jet Black Archival ink/distress ink); colored pencils, Sizzix (Word Play/Alphabetical dies); white and black Sharpie markers

Plaid inspiration

Just the other day Wendy Vecchi posted a tutorial using distress paints to create a faux plaid background.  I won't re-invent the wheel by telling you how I created my piece; just to go her blog post for all the details.

Studio 490 stamp sets: Dressed For Art, Original Art, Vintage Mesh Background
Studio 490 stencils:  Layered Tree, Create A Wreath, 2 Fancy Flowers, Lovely Leaves, Yikes...Stripes, Honeycomb
Studio 490 embossing paste: translucent
Ranger:  distress paints (Barn Door, Wild Honey, Crushed Olive, Rusty Hinge, Salty Ocean, Broken China, Iced Spruce, Scattered Straw), archival inks (Watering Can, Fern, Cornflower Blue, Potting Soil, Red Geranium, Jet Black),  distress inks (reds, oranges and yellows), gesso, Clear Rock Candy Distress Stickles Dry Glitter
Misc: white pearl button, Idea-ology word stick, ribbons, white and black Sharpies, 6" square of watercolor paper, gray and blue cardstock

So why not try to create your own version of plaid?  I admit mine looks more like a regular old quilt...but I know what I did and I'm still saying it's plaid!  lol

Halloween tags in disguise

Since Halloween is all about disguises it seems only fitting that the newest Frilly & Funkie challenge is all about using tags but not letting them look like tags.  Oh, and you need to feature fall or Halloween in your disguise.

I remember making gift boxes from tags way back when.  It took me a bit to remember how to construct them but once I did, disguising the tags was oh-so-simple.  I'll share a few construction photos; dimensions would vary depending on the size of the tags.

Now I'll show you how I disguised those 4 tags.

Side 1

Side 2

Side 3

Side 4

Top of box

Oh, I almost forgot!  There's a $25 store gift certificate to be awarded to a random artist!  Who can't use a shopping spree with the holidays upon us????













Ingredients:  #8 tags

Stamps: Stampers Anonymous 'Mini Halloween', 'Mini Halloween 3', 'Apothecary', 'Calendar 2'

Sizzix dies:  Scaredy Cat, Candlelight Fright, Mini pumpkin, Autumn Gatherings, Mini 31

Ranger:  Squeezed Lemonade, Ripe Persimmon, Mowed Lawn, Seedless Preserves, Gathered Twigs, Black Soot, Weathered Wood, Walnut Stain distress inks; Jet Black archival ink; Black Soot distress Stickles; Picket Fence distress crackle paint; Terra Cotta paint dabber

Misc.:  grungeboard, black bookboard, Plain Jane laser cuts by Laserline, black Micron pen, Clearly For Art (white), white Sharpie, black tulle, black organza, orange silk ribbon

I don't know why Blogger lets you format your page one way only to have them display it completely wonky.  Heavy sigh.

Enameled Stamping

8 p.m. MTD tonight is the deadline for the latest StudioL3 challenge from Tim's 2nd Compendium book - Enameled Stamping and it's explained on p. 44.  I opted for fall colors and a Halloween theme.  The owl piece features the technique, the rest is just ad libbed.  Spider webs were embossed, gone over with white ink and glitter, some stamping done using pigment inks, how about a bit of blood dripping across the top of the tag?  It's hard to see but IRL it looks real!

Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz stamps"  Haunted Mansion, Apothecary, Mini Halloween 3

Sixxiz/Tim Holtz:  Mini black cat movers & shapers, wordplay dies; Mini Spiderweb, Halloween background embossing folders

Ranger:  Black Soot, Spiced Marmalade, Scattered Straw, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain, Seedless Preserves distress inks; Crimson (discontinued), Sepia archival inks; Purple Twilight, Lettuce, Snowcap pigment inks; Watermelon alcohol ink; Glossy Accents

Misc.:  Micron pen, white Sharpie, Sakura jelly roll glitter pen; black, green, purple, glossy cardstocks

I am so ready for fall!!!!

Read all about it

It's Stamptember over at Simon Says Stamp and Shows blog.  One of the challenge themes is reading, words, books, etc.  I chose to alter a fuschia composition book that can be found at most office supply stores for about $1.  In my journal I'll be logging in all the winning moments I can remember...in and outside the art world.  Some of my friends were teasing me about how lucky I was last month, so this prompted me to really think about this.  And yes, I really do seem to be pretty darned lucky, especially when it comes to random drawings. 

The following items were used:

Studio 490:  For The Arts (gentleman); Brick Wall (stencil)

Ranger:  Brushed Pewter d. stain; Sunshine Yellow, Lemonade alc. inks; Tattered Rose, Antique Linen, Old Paper, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, Walnut Stain, Seedless Preserves, Dusty Concord, Mowed Lawn, Iced Spruce, Frayed Burlap, Brushed Corduroy, Peeled Paint, Broken China, Rusty Hinge d. inks; Purple Twilight pigment ink; Pale Ochre, Venetian Orange, Olive, Jet Black archival inks

Tim Holtz:  tissue tape, grungeboard, Idea-ology

Dyan Reaveley:  Around The Edge stamp; stencils

Sizzix:  Leaf stem, shamrock, Holiday Lamppost (TH), Mini Bird (TH)

Misc.:  Lasting Impressions stencil, Dreamweavers embossing paste, watercolor paper, Yes glue, cellophane, Micron pens, olive Sharpie, paint chips, washi tape

By the way, in honor of the blog hop the randomly chosen winner gets a $100 gift certificate to Simon Says Stamp!!!!!   Even if you're not able to meet the challenge deadline (09-09-12 at midnight EST), just by leaving a comment on the blogs within the hop might find you winning a $25 shopping spree!

How can you resist???

That's the name of a challenge issued by the Frilly and Funkie blog.  I chose to use two resist methods on my journal page:  rubber cement and Tim Holtz's alpha masks.  I'm pretty sure I used every medium available by Ranger on this page and quite a few colors in each.  There are some Dylusions stamps and Hero Arts alphas.  Micron markers and a white Sharpie were used for a tiny bit of doodling..a very tiny bit.

I love the brushed look at the end of the swipes when using the rubber cement.  I think I'm going to use that more often.

The leaves look a bit disjointed since they're no longer joined together.  But since we're nearly into fall, I'll just pretend they're dropping off my trees one at a time.

Some other ways to resist are to use resist ink (well, duh), white pigment ink, tapes...I'm sure there are others but at the moment my gray matter just won't churn any more out.  If you haven't played with a resist technique in a while, isn't it about time you did?

Almost forgot..there's a $25 gift certificate at stake and a competition for the best project.  I do believe there's a blinkie for your sidebar if you get this honor.  The challenge closes at 11:59 ET on Tuesday, September 4 so you have a bit of time to try your hand at resist!

It's about time

My neighbor retired Friday afternoon. I hadn't given his retirement card or gift much thought. Didn't take long and the idea was formulated and executed. The brown cardstock base was run through the new Cuttlebug Clockworks embossing folder. Distress ink pads were rubbed over the embossed areas. The stamped image is by Art Impression (P-1557); colored with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol. Again, Distress inks were rubbed along the edges. I adhered the image to black cardstock then tore it for another layer of distress. In a bag of old watch faces I found one from a Rolex watch. Doesn't everyone deserve a Rolex when they retire???? LOL

I couldn't do a traditional type gift for the guy. Thanks to Vippies, I still have some matchbooks with plain paper inside. I stamped tiny lines inside for a 'to do' pad. The outside was stamped with Wendy's houndstooth stamp in clear resist - oops, the stamp was still dirty from a previous use. Oh well, too late now. Smudged green distress inks all over...more distress. The title uses several Hero Arts alphabet stamps. I made the tiny pencil from a round toothpick broken in half. Colored it with Sharpies, even added his name in a very fine Sharpie (yes, I wrote extremely small!!!). Punched 2 holes and tied the pencil to the pad with a bit of black embroidery floss. If someone can write with that pencil on the tiny lines then I think he really should perform the task requested. LOL