Christmas in July

Today's Compendium of Curiosities challenge is Distress Powder, page 43 from Tim Holtz's book.  I've already seen some of the art others have done and the pieces are wonderful.  If you haven't been able to play along, it's never too late to catch up.  Just having the samples at hand is a nice way to remember to use what you know.

'Christmas Carols' is the image that uses the Distress Powder technique (a combo of Black Soot, Weathered Wood & Walnut Stain).  Around the tag edges I distressed with several browns before scraping the edges for texture.  A bit of black on the very edges and I was content.  The reindeer were stamped in a combo of Sepia & Coffee Archival inks; the music in Black Archival ink.  All the stamps are Tim's.

Love how this tissue tape calendar fits on the fragment; not perfect but close enough.  I ran the Gold Paint Dabber around the edge.  The brown & white ribbon has Fired Brick DI run over it and a touch of GPD.  The Bazzill poinsettia was white but colored with FBDI, Mahogany DI and a touch of Walnut DI with the edges tipped in GPD.  The Bazzill holly leaves have some Peeled Paint DI on them and are also tipped in gold.  A tiny gold brad anchors the two.  The Maya Road chipboard letters have FBDI and PPDI on them.  I ran the FBDI from top to bottom and the PPDI from bottom to top...kind a fade into each other look.  Again, I added GPD to the top and bottom edges. 

It's too hot to contemplate Christmas today but perhaps I can sing (or not!) and get my art spirit to help me along with my next project. 

Hope you have an artistic week!