Eroded Metallics gone Buggy!

Or...bug swap meets CC3C challenge 29-wow, we've gone far! I have a 4x4 swap coming up with the theme of bugs, insects, etc. and I saw this as the perfect opportunity to work it in with the eroded metallic technique by Tim Holtz. Check out p. 44 in book 3 for all the details. Tim and Mario and Inspiration Emporium are the very generous prize sponsors. Be sure to check out all the inspiration over at the challenge.

I played with a lot of colors and papers to make up a sample of backgrounds using this technique, and I have to tell you, I ended up pretty messy! Here are some samples...

I had a lot of fun trying out different color combinations. Then I used these as backgrounds to stamp my bugs on.

Since I had so many colors to work with, I stamped the images several times and fussy cut and popped some up for some layering. I hand lettered "dragonfly". I just love the eroded metallic look with this theme! What do you think?

Materials: Distress Paints and Inks, Ranger Archival Black ink, Dragonfly stamps by Magenta, Beetle Collage by A Stamp In The Hand

Ombré, Ole!

New challenge over at Compendium of Curiosities with Linda Ledbetter and the great crew of designers. Turn to page 57 in CC vol. 3 for all the details on this fun and easy techñique. Be sure to check out all of the great DT projects, prizes from Tim and Mario and this challenge's sponsor The Funkie Junkie Boutique! So much generosity!

We are working on an ombré technique, and here are my backgrounds that I began with, playing with some different colors and ideas.

I need some birthday cards, and was inspired by the hot weather we've been having to go with a beachy theme.

Stamping, charms, glittery sequins, distressed ribbon, stenciling with paint, layers, what more do we need?

Here they individually...

Love this set of stamps from Tim Holtz!

 

 

I am liking the soft cool look as well as the bright and fiery one. I have a few little gifts to make to go with these, and they will be ready for a birthday party next week!

Hope you join us in the fun!

 

Happy Earth Day!

April 22, 2015...Earth Day, a time for us humans to reflect on this planet we call home and how our actions affect it. There are a lot of great things happening here on the third rock from the Sun, and a lot of work we need to keep doing, kind of like in our own homes. I remember the very first Earth Day in 1970...I was a teen, and I remember us walking in celebration that day. I think for me it was one of those defining moments. I chose to go into forestry and resource management, worked in environmental conservation and education, and then taught earth sciences for 30+ years. I still am in love with the natural world.

So, what better way to approach the Compendium of Curiosities challenge, than focusing on Earth Day? This is a super easy techñique from Tim Holtz, and can be found on p. 42 of volume three. It's called smudge stamping. You can get all of the challenge details here. The Funkie Junkie Boutique is sponsoring this challenge, as well as Tim and Mario! What great sponsors!!

I started with a giant tag from Ranger, and inked up the background with Cracked Pistachio and Mermaid Lagoon Distress inks.

 

Next I did some smudge stamping with the Earth (Tim Holtz) and butterfly (Stampin Up), using Abandoned Coral Distress ink and Walnut Stain. Then a bit of stenciling with my inks and Tim's Honeycomb and Tracks stencils. I'm having fun playing with the new inks and stencils!

W

More stamping on the tag and on tissue, using Tim Holtz and Finnabair's stamps.

Big, bold numbers for today...

Dancing on the world...Finishing the top of the tag with knowledge and a leaf...

 

Here's the tag in it's entirety.

Do something good for the Earth today, and celebrate!!

 

CC3C Challenge: Remnant Rub Resist!

The next challenge by the Compendium of Curiosities fantastic crew is using Tim Holtz's remnant rubs, and the technique in Volume 3 on page 51. Let me tell you, you will LOVE this one!! If you don't have Tim's book, you can get it here. This challenge ends tomorrow, but you have time to join in the fun here. There are great prizes from Tim and Mario, and the Funkie Junkie Boutique. Thanks to all the generous sponsors!!

Ok, on to my project using the remnant rubs, a tag.

 

I started with the rubs and distress inks...cracked pistachio, abandoned coral, and peacock feathers. Sprinkled a bit of water over it to add some texture...

I wanted to bring out more color, so next I added distress stains in some of the areas, cracked pistachio and abandoned coral (had to play with my new colors of course!).

Stamped the Paris skyline with Tim's new Cityscape stamps. Added some metal trinkets, wooden people and frame...lovely!

 

I will definitely add this to a mini book or scrapbook page of one of our travel adventures.

Come, join in the fun with these challenges, if not this one, the next one! Hope to see you there!

 

Butterflies and Bird Crazy

The best days are the ones I get to play in my "studio". Even a dark, cold day brightens up when playing with paints and inks and color! I just got some happy mail this week, and my "bird crazy" stamp set by Tim Holtz arrived..I love these adorable birds with the big eyes!

 

Aren't these the cutest little birds? I used Tim Holtz's distress watercolor technique in CC Vol. 3 (p.40) Here is the full piece in its entirety. Looks like a twitter fest.

A bit more on the background later, but I colored these sweet birds following Tim's technique, and then placed them into the collage. Of course, I had to have them "tweet!" I will be entering them into the CC3C challenge #20 here. Funkie Junkie Boutique is sponsoring the challenge and I can say from personal experience, what a great online store! I even got some little gifts with my order! Tim and Mario generously donate a prize package for each challenge also, and you can still join in the fun!

I am also entering these little birds into Simon Says Stamp challenge Winter Stamping. It is most definitely winter in upstate NY, I am stamping these cute little birds looking out over a snowy field, and I always love seeing the winter birds, especially a bright red Cardinal.

I am participating in Creative Jumpstart with Nathalie Kahlbach. This year is by far the best!! I love all the great ideas the artists are sharing using Liquitex products. One of the artists in week 2 is Catherine Scanlon who shared a technique, I just had to try. I created both background using her technique, Liquitex acrylic paints, pen, and an everyday item. My butterfly collage follows her idea most closely. So much freedom in it!

 

I may end up adding these pages into my art journal, or use in a project.

What a great play day!! Stay crafty...and warm!

 

Frayed Fabric Challenge: CC3C

The new challenge at Compedium of Curiosities is Tim Holtz's frayed fabric techñique. In Volume 3, you can find this on page 66. To get some great inspiration for this technique, travel on over to the CC3C site here. Tim and Mario sponsor each challenge with great prize packages, and Inspiration Emporium is donating a $50 gift certificate for this challenge - Yay!! I decided to try this technique out for a couple of projects, and here are the four that I made.

I layered the fabric and sandwiched a piece of green inbetween to add some sturdiness. Played with different stitches, painted with acrylics, doodled with my white pen, added some distressed letters, and Voila!

I must be thinking Valentines? And with the third, thoughts of spring were in my mind as we headed to about 30 below! Brrrrr!

These three are headed to a 4x4 art exchange with the theme of sewing...I just decided to sew!

My final piece I created with the steampunk challenge "lucky 3" over at SanDee and Amelie's Steampunk Challenges here. My favorite number is three, and I always consider it my lucky number. I've echoed the three, 3x...the number, the word, and the three gears.

Oh, what the heck! The challenge at Simon Says Stamp is "make new friends but keep the old"...one is silver and the other's gold (song from my Girl Scout days), so I am going to enter these also. Old fabric, well, I've had it quite awhile and had not done anything with it, and new technique-painting the fabric with acrylics.

I must say, these challenges make me work with materials in new ways, and are a great incentive to dig into my stash and pull out those long hoarded items like the fabric. I am loving this creative journey!

Curiosity Challenge: Cabinet Cards

The challenge right now at CC3C is using Tim Holtz's book and cabinet cards. This challenge is sponsored by the Inspiration Emporium - thank you! More challenges are coming, so there is still time to dive in!

With an impending snowstorm heading our way, I got inspired by this little snowman.

Playing with the distress inks, card, watercolor paper, hand dyed ribbon, stickles...

A bit of detail...

And, all done! Ready to turn into a card or topper for a gift.

Now, the only question remaining is how many inches of snow will really fall!

Parisian Adventure, Steampunk Style

I recently took a class with my friend Doris, to make an accordion fold book from scratch. Once I had the bones of my 6x12 book, I had to decide how to use it. I knew I wanted to work in a steampunk style and use my Tim Holtz "french industrial " papers, and I thought I was going to turn it into a gentleman's photo book, maybe take black and white photos of my guys, and use it to highlight past projects I personally made, or received in an art swap. It would be a great place to put them all together. I found a couple of old photo books of NYC that would give some realism to the Victorian time, and figured I could "pretend" they were from Paris, and I would end up with this cool photo album.

I also wanted to make this project meet these challenges: Compendium of Curiosites 3 - colored crackle, sponsored by the Funkie Junkie Boutique, following the directions using Tim Holz's book; SanDee and Amelie's Steampunk challenge - Steampunk Destinations; and Simon Says Stamp challenge - Good Ol Days.

Well, then the muse visited! As I looked through the steampunk pieces I gathered and the old photos, a story began to emerge. Off I went, grabbed a pad of paper and started scribbling out my steampunk adventure (I have not written like this in years, and I mean years!) Talk about!

So off we go...

Covering the book board, inking the pages up with Distress inks, water drops, drips, stenciling...yes, it is going where I want it to. And back into the book anchored with brads.

What better way to get to Paris, than by airship, so getting that crackle started...And set aside to dry.

Digging deep into my stash of gears, embellishments and previous steampunk projects, I began to lay it out. It all started with the cover.

Some details...

I had so much fun playing with this and adding more layers and fun items, like the filmstrip and perfume bottle. Guess I can rate how much I enjoy working on something by the mess on my desk. Snapped this before it got too bad, and you can see one of my crafting musts - coffee!

With my story written and the pages in the book, time to play with the photos and collections of steampunk tags, atc's, cards...made by myself or friends. Now, I have them in one place to enjoy!

How about we open the book, and read the story? "The Most Amazing Parisian Steampunk Adventure or the Clockwork Adder Case", and our heroine, Major Louisa Rawlin-Grudgings, and our hero, Duke Lewis Byfield Pursglove.

Travel arrangements, and the renowned scientists on the Clockwork Adder Case.

Major Louisa's adventures on the airship...

The Major and Duke in Paris...

Adventures around Paris in search of the Clockwork Adder...

Solving the mystery...

Time to finally enjoy Paris...

Cast of characters...

Well, I certainly had fun! Hope you enjoyed the book, and if you took the time to read the story, you get a 13 aether gun salute off the port side of the airship!