The Monster Mash

I have been blogging about 10 1/2 months (Blogiversary is soon!) now, and I have never let a week go by without posting. I have a two good reasons though. As you can see, I've changed up the blog some. That html language stuff and editing my pictures to fit the blog can be hard business, but I hope you like the changes. I've also been busy closing out last year for our taxes...yuck! I am super late getting to that game, but can you blame me?!?

However, I am waaayyy early in finishing these ATC's for the All Things Tim Yahoo Group Monthly ATC Swap of "Fun Halloween or Fall". They are not due until September 20th, but since they qualified for a few challenges I figured now is the best time.

Linda at Studio L3 has chosen "Kraft Resist" as the technique for Compendium of Curiosities II Challenge, that we are to do this week from Tim's book. Hels at Ink On My Fingers has chosen "Green" as the challenge for Sunday Stamper. And, The Blogger's Challenge is "Black, White, & A Splash Of Color".

After I finished doing Tim's technique on this music notes Kraft Resist, I embossed the skeleton. I think he is dancing...dancing to the Monster Mash.

I stamped the 31 in Mowed Lawn Distress Ink onto Inkssentials Specialty Stamping Paper. Then I stamped Tim's sentiment in Jet Black Archival on top of the 31. I cut it out and inked the edges in Dusty Concord Distress Ink. I love this sentiment.

I distressed the edges of the ATC and inked them in Dusty Concord. I adhered it to a black piece of cardstock that I doodled on with a white pen. I attached the sentiment to finish it off.

Supplies:
From My Stash: black cardstock

Idea-ology Kraft Resist Paper Stash (FJ)	Summer Seasonal Distress Inks (FJ)	Ranger Inkssentials Ink Blending Tool-With 2 Blending Foams	Mini Halloween Stamp Set	Ranger Jet Black Archival Ink (FJ)
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Embossing Ink	Ranger Seafoam White Embossing Powder	Paper distresser	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Dusty Concord	Specialty Stamping Paper (FJ)
Mini Halloween II Stamp Set	Purely Random Stamp Set	Uni-ball pen - White

I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!

Imagine The Kite & Key

Hello everyone! Most of you know my love for Jumbo Tags, but now Ranger has Giant tags!!! Woohoo! Love all the space, and I sure needed it with this colossal tag, so this might be my new favorite size.

Over at the Inspiration Journal the monthly challenge is "Go Fly A Kite". I instantly thought of Benjamin Franklin, and his fascinating quest to prove electricity from lightening with a kite and a key, that I learned about so long ago in grade school, so I knew I wanted to create a kite piece using him. He would definitely be on my top 10 list of significant people from the past. For some reason though, Benji always invokes in me thoughts of Steampunk, not because he had anything to do with the steam engine, but because he had so much to do with the electric engine, and thoughts of cogs and gears enter my mind as well as electricity (Electricpunk???). He was a tinkerer and inventor among many other things, and his ideas way back then lead others to think he was strange. He wanted his works to be used for increasing efficiency and human improvement, and that they did. Life would be different had he not been around, and these two quotes that I used here on the tag really describe him, and they are certainly worth pondering for the rest of us. 

I printed an image of Benji from the web, made him an extended arm, and stamped 2 of Tim's hands in Jet Black Archival, one for the base and one for the top layer. I colored them in with Distress Markers.

I used Wendy's Art Parts for my house. I had to cut the window a little larger so Benji's hand could stick out. I stamped the two Steampunk images on the house in Jet Black Archival, and painted the trim and roof with Pitch Black Acrylic Dabber.  Everything was inked with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.

I stamped the first Tim sentiment on kraft in Sepia Archival Ink. It was used for the wall of the house. Everyone needs an inspiration wall...right? Lots of Idea-ology (See the lightening rod?)and metal parts were used to embellish the house.

I used Tim's Guilded Kraft Glassine technique for the tree, and then die cut it with the Sizzix Branch Tree Bigz Die. I also used this die to cut a piece of Inkssentials Metal Foil Tape to be used for the lightening. I think it looks pretty good as lightening, although my son did not...critics!

My new favorite....the Giant Tag! I inked it with Broken  China, Stormy Sky, Peeled Paint, and Walnut Stain Distress Inks.

Then I flicked water on it for the rain drops. I love Tim's classic technique of Blended, Spritz, and Flick...another fav!

I added Tissue Tape to kraft paper along with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. I attached some gears and spinners, and cut it into the shape of a kite. Chain and more Idea-ology finished the kite, and of course the key was added. However, my son (again) said the key should be above his hand...CRITICS!!! I adhered everything to the tag, along with another quote from a Tim set, that was stamped on kraft in Jet Black, distressed, and inked in Walnut Stain.

 

 

I am also submitting this tag to the Sunday Stamper's challenge of "Steam Punk", and Simon Says Stamp & Show's challenge of "No Rules, Anything Goes".

Supplies:
From My Stash- wire

Inkssentials Surfaces #12 Giant Manila Tags	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Broken China	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Stormy Sky	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Peeled Paint	Ranger Inkssentials Ink Blending Tool-With 2 Blending Foams
Inkssentials Water Mister (FJ)	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Walnut Stain	Wendy Vecchi Art Parts Residence	Scallops Art Parts	Ranger Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabber - Pitch Black
Ranger Archival Ink - Jet Black	Steampunk Stamp Set	Warehouse District - Stamp set	Urban Tapestry Stamp Set	Core-dinations TH Kraft Core Paper Stack
Adirondack Silver Acrylic Paint Dabber (FJ)	Distress Markers (FJ)	Alterations Branch Tree Bigz Die	Inkssentials Foil Tape Sheets	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Kraft Glassine Paper Stash
Sunshine Yellow Alcohol Ink	Adirondack Alcohol Ink In Citrus	Adirondack Alcohol Ink In Sunset Orange	Gold Mixative Alcohol Ink	Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Ink Applicator, Stamp Handle and Felt
Idea-ology Tissue Tape In Commute	Idea-ology Clock Keys	Idea-ology Sprocket Gears	Idea-ology Long Fasteners (FJ)	Idea-ology Locket Keys
Idea-ology Findings Spinners	Idea-ology Adornments - Regal Charms	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Mini Gears	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Miniature Light Bulbs	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Findings Philosophy Tags
Idea-ology Timepieces	Idea-ology Corked Vials	Jump Rings - Idea-ology	Idea-ology Mini Fasteners	Idea-ology Washers
Lace Chain	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Pen Nibs	Mini Pins	Idea-ology Label Pulls	Mini Ornates Stamp Set

I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!