Have A Heart For Christmas!

I love it when a project comes together very easily, that you design around several challenges. I made this one in about an hour and a half yesterday, and that rarely happens. It usually takes me much longer, and I find myself being indecisive at every turn. I think the Christmas theme makes projects easier for me...although I don't know why, aside from the fact that I love crafting during this time of the year more than any other time. Most everything is sparkly yet vintage and full of tradition this time of year, and I love that!

Anyway, back to the challenges. I originally started this piece for the Everything Wendy Vecchi Yahoo Group's, Making Art Challenge. It's from Wendy's Book 4, pg. 30 for "Using Gesso For Texture", but once I got going, I decided to incorporate The Compendium of Curiousities II Challenge from Tim's Book (same name) pg. 65 for "Reflections Stamping", which is being sponsored by Simon Says Stamp, and the Sunday Stamper challenge for "Birds". However, this morning brought the Simon Says Stamp & Show challenge, which  is "Stamping With No Ink", and it just so happens that a lot of that is used here, so I am throwing my hat in that ring too. And, that's enough!

The base heart was painted with Ranger's Pearl Paint Dabber.

I stamped Wendy's ticking image in Silver Paint Dabber.

When everything was dried, I taped down Dyan's Snowflake Stencil and pounced Claudine's Gesso into it. I did this all over the heart. And just so you know, I am a bad stenciler...very sloppy!

I painted the corner piece parts with Silver Paint Dabber...

...the stars with Pearl...

...and the flowers with Stain.

I also stamped the flower's with Barn Door Stain.

Gold Stickles were added to the centers of the flowers, and Rock Candy Crackle Paint to the Stars, followed by Pumice Stone Distress Ink  when they dried.

I stamped the numbers in Pearl onto the corner pieces.

The leaves were colored with Mowed Lawn Distress Ink straight from the pad, and then misted with Sour Apple Perfect Pearls.

Then they were stamped with the dots in Pearl.

I stamped the White Clearly For Art with the Stampers Anonymous Newsy Bird. I cut it out, and heated it with my heat gun to soften the parts I wanted to shape!

I used Tim's technique for the Reflections Christmas Words Image, and adhered it to the back of the heart. I used Silver Stickles to dress up my Gesso'd snowflakes, and then added Dresden Foil, the Art Parts, and Baubles, along with the plumber's chain.

 

 

Supplies:
From My Stash: acetate sheet, bell, plumber's chain


I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!

A Walk In The Autumn Woods

Gratitude and thanks are usually on the minds of people during the beautiful season of Autumn. We have so many people to thank and blessings to count and be grateful for. I know I do...especially for all of you, and of course to my family. So when Inspiration Journal's challenge this month was to show "Gratitude and Thankfulness" by giving a gift to our Thanksgiving guests, I knew that a packaged ATC containing my kids school photos this year,  was what I would give to my table mates, or rather my mother and brothers, but I needed a theme. So further inspiration was taken from the All Things Tim Yahoo Group, where the ATC challenge this month is "A Walk In The Woods", and we are to use colors from the forest floor. BAM! I knew my ATC would be a scene from that walk, an Autumn scene...one with warm rich color, and why not throw in a waterfall and a turkey too! ;-)
I also created a tag as well to give to a blogging friend I am swapping with. And, so the rest of you aren't left out, I included the steps for making the layered scene using lots of Ranger goodness.

I don't remember where I purchased this paper from, but I thought the Argyle print and colors would be okay showing through the scene. I painted a little more than half with Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabber in Pool.

I applied Red Pepper, Sunset Orange, and Sunshine Yellow Alcohol Inks onto a felt cover applicator, and dabbed the color onto the bottom portions of the paper. The yellow and orange turned various shades of green on the blue paint...I loved the look.

Using Bottle and Espresso Paint Dabbers and Tim's tall timber trees, I stamped the images about three times across the horizon part.

I mixed some of Claudine's Landscape Green Acrylic Paint with the Bottle to make a new lighter shade of evergreen, and used it and the Espresso to stamp the full fir tree image of Tim's below the horizon. When this was dry I mounted the cards onto chipboard to sturdy them up.

Since I am from the mountains of New Mexico, I thought my scene really needed color, so Aspen trees needed to be in here somewhere, but I didn't have a stamp for one. So I made my own using Tim's sprig of some sort of fir tree. I stamped in Snow Cap, and added a white tree trunk as well. I ran Pumice Stone Distress Ink over the trunk to make some shadow areas.

Distress Markers and Red Pepper, Sunset Orange, Citrus, and Sunshine Yellow Paint Dabbers were used to make the leaves on the trees and on the ground.

Juniper, Meadow, Lettuce, and Bottle Alcohol Inks were pounced onto Glossy Cardstock.

This was die cut using the Mini Pine Tree Movers & Shapers die. I used Espresso Alcohol Ink to recolor the lower trunk of the tree. I inked the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink, and affixed a tree to each card.

Using Mudd Puddles Sea Glass, Rock Candy Dry Glitter,  and paint color swatches, I tried to mimic water and a waterfall. When dried, I cut them into the shape I wanted and adhered these to the cards using Glossy Accents, which I also filled in the bare spots with.

I found these cute turkeys on Graphics Fairy. I inked the edges and then adhered them onto the cards. They were covered with Glossy Accents.

I colored these charms with Sunshine Yellow Alcohol Ink, and then cut them in half. I adhered them to the cards to mimic the sun. I edged each card with Tarnished Brass Metallic Distress Stain to finish them off.

I just love the In The Bag Die, and it's perfect for ATC's. These will house the pictures of my children along with the cards. I used it with the argyle paper. Once folded and secure, I stamped the leaf image on using the Paint Dabbers. I outlined the border and the leaf using a Vintage Photo Distress Marker, and then used Antique Bronze Distress Stickles for the veining. The whole thing was inked with Walnut Stain.

 

 

Supplies:
From My Stash: Argyle Paper, Chipboard, Turkey Image, Paint Swatches, Thank You Charm


I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!

Joyeux Anniversaire!

First, thank you to the new followers and new commentors! It truly means so much!

It was strange to deviate from an Autumn or Christmas theme, and I have leaves and snowflakes all over my floor, but to fulfill a few challenges, along with making a birthday tag for a friend, I dug deep into the stash and pulled out all the Parisian goods I think I have. Simon Says Stamp & Show's challenge this week is "Inspiration Francaise", the Sunday Stamper wants to see "Blue", the Compendium of Curiosities II Challenge is "Alcohol Ink Palette", based on page 52 of  Tim's book by the same name, and Unruly Paper Arts Reader Art Quest 1 is "Gift Tags".

 

I traced the oval from Tim's Embossing Diffusers onto a scrap of paper, and then stamped this beautiful Face from Stamper's Anonymous into it and onto the metal tag underneath using Jet Black Archival.

Using the same Diffusers Set, I embossed the Harlequin image onto the surrounding portions around the Face. I colored her and the tag in using Tim's technique of an Alcohol Ink Palette.

I also used the technique on the Idea-ology Key Hole and brads. Gorgeous lace  and seam binding from The Funkie Junkie Boutique and Idea-ology Tinsel was added.

Using two pieces of Ranger's Inkssentials Glossy Cardstock, I applied more Alcohol Ink, and then stamped several of Tim's Parisian images in Jet Black.

I embossed both of the Glossy Cardstock pieces.

To reenforce the paper, slightly broken from the embossing, I applied a nice layer of Glue N Seal to the backs of each and dried them. They were nice and sturdy after.

I lightly ran the Snow Cap Ink pad directly over the raised embossed portions. I gave that a dry and then highlighted them with a little Brushed Pewter Metallic Distress Stain. I adhered these back to back on the sides and bottom with Tissue Tape and Glue N Seal, leaving the top open to insert the tag inside. More lace and tinsel were added, as well as some metal pieces and Baubles. Voila!

 

Supplies:
From My Stash: Cuttlebug Script Embossing Folder, Happy Birthday Metal Tab


I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!

A Christmas Tic Tac Toe

This fortnight at Frilly and Funkie, Linda, of The Funkie Junkie, wants to play. Her challenge is "Let's Play Tic Tac Toe". Make any kind of paper craft or mixed media piece using three in a row...down, across, or diagonal. 

You still have a week left to participate, and if you need a little inspiration or even a lot, please visit the other Design Team's blogs.

Linda Coughlin - The Funkie Junkie

Marjie Kemper - She Who Stamps and Scraps 

Teresa Kline - Paperie Blooms

Terry Horrall -  Terry's Work In Progress 

Sue Carrington - Stamping Sue Style 

Rebecca Deeprose - Paper Primrose

You are probably expecting a little funkieness here today, but you are sort of getting a little more frilliness. I hope you aren't disappointed! I used all of the Tic Tac Toe requirements. Is that considered a blackout??? ;0)

I love Tim's new Bottle Brush Trees. I dyed two of these with Dylusions Ink Spray. The ivory one was one I bleached that was previously dark green, purchased from a craft store.

I also sprayed this piece of chipboard and the wooden base with Dylusions.

I covered the chipboard with sheet music, inked that with Pumice Stone Distress Ink, added a blingy frame, and some Silver Stickles. 

The wooden base was first distressed with Claudine's Traditional Tan Acrylic Paint and Brushed Pewter Metallic Stain, then given a coat of Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint.

I adhered the chipboard to the wooden base, and then added lace trim.

A bottle of vintage buttons, metal pieces, and pearls (From Tinsel Trading) was rumaged through to adorn the trees. The metal stars and pearl buttons were given a little Alcohol Ink to color them up perfectly. I glittered the red and black trees, and the ivory one was dressed with glittered ribbon.

 

 

 

I am also submitting this to Unruly Paper Arts Reader Art Quest 2 for "Home Decor", and The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog Challenge for "Anything Goes".

Supplies:


I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!