Mardi Gras:Dare To Be Unique

 It's that time of year again...Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday (Carnival for some).  The overindulgence of eating or other festivities, held before the fasting Lenten season, and heralded by the masses in New Orleans, and now in smaller stature in so many other places. People get all dressed up in costumes and masks and party down until the sun comes up for several days on end. I've never been or ever even partaken in any of these festivities, but I love to see the beautiful attire worn by the women. The sparkle, the color, the texture, the beading, are all wonderful! Once again, the J. Peterman Owner's Manual has inspired me, and I have found myself searching the TV guide for reruns of Seinfeld.

I've been sick most of the week, so it took me awhile but, I made this tag "dare to be unique" to reflect the over the top celebration using Wendy Vecchi Art Parts and stamps, and a few Tim dies. The current challenge on the Everything Wendy Vecchi Yahoo Group, is to make a "custom epoxy embellishment" using a memo pin. I made two using gold foil from a doily. One is in the top of the mask, and the other is the actual grip to the mask. I have never used the image of the eyes and mask before...hard to believe as it is super fantastic...but I will be utilizing it more after this. I had so much fun making this mask and creating Jade's face (yes, this is her name). The pictures are not showing this well. I tried all sorts of different lighting, locations, etc, and just couldn't manage to capture this the way I wanted.
I will be submitting  this tag to the Simon Says Stamp & Show challenge of "anything goes".

I think I have had this paper over 15 years...honestly! I adhered this ancient paper to a jumbo sized tag (my fav because there is more space to fill up) I stamped Wendy's dots in Mustard Seed Distress Ink and heat embossed it with the same color.

All the Art Parts and die cut Grunge was painted, sanded, and inked with Pumice Stone. I punched holes in the lamppost's iron handles for a filigree look and also to hold a braided sash. I adhered yellow vellum to the back of it were the glass would go and covered it with Crackle Accents. The picture so do not do it justice.

Here is the background before I gaudied it all up. I love Wendy's parts!!!

The former plant/leaf/fern parts are now feathers. I wanted a more metallic and shiny look, so I also gave them a coat of Smooch Ink then Rock Candy Distress Stickles. Mr. Enamored was coated also.

Jade started to come to life, first with flesh color. After a coat of Snow Cap Acrylic Paint, I ran one coat of Tea Dye Distress Stain followed by Dried Marigold. The eyes and nose and mouth combination were stamped with Jet Black Archival Ink.The crown and wings were painted and then coated with Rock Candy Distress Crackle, then inked with Pumice Stone. I used the foil scrap to cover her head, give her a collar, and make the 2 epoxy embellishments (the cross is in the very center). I love that stuff! Her mask was covered in green rhinestones. I didn't have purple, so I used the Purple Twilight Alcohol Ink to color larger rhinestones for the mask, as well as the ones in the 2 black flower, AND the beaded chain for her necklace. The black flourishes are left over scraps from another project, and I coated them with Rock Candy Stickles. I added a swivel clasp to the watch handle, the stamped and handwritten sentiments, and some ribbon.

 

 

Supplies:
Wilton: Gold Doily
Petaloo: Dazzlers Florettes
From My Stash: ribbon, rhinestones, patterned paper, white cardstock, eyelet

Wendy Vecchi Art Parts Timely Pocket Watches Large	Wendy Vecchi Art Parts Leaves	Wendy Vecchi Art Parts Mustaches, Men, & More	Alterations On The Edge Iron Gate Die	Holiday Lamppost - Alterations	Alterations Weathered Clock Bigz Die
Heart Wings Bigz Die	Seriously Art Stamp Set	An Eye For Art Stamp Set	Picket Fence Distress Stain	Peeled Paint Distress Stain	Tea Dye Distress Stain
Dried Marigold Distress Stain	Pitch Black Acrylic Paint Dabber	Paint Dabber - Gold	Snow Cap Acrylic Paint Dabber	Gold Mixative Alcohol Ink	Adirondack Purple Twilight Alcohol Ink
Clear Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint	Clear Rock Candy Distress Stickles	Maya Road Chipboard Wings	Maya Road Chipboard Crowns	Idea-ology Memo Pins	Glossy Accents
Pumice Stone Distress Ink	Ink Blending Tool	Grunge Paper	Uniball Signo Gold Pen	Uni-ball pen - White	Idea-ology Bead Chain
Idea-ology Swivel Clasps	Jet Black Archival Ink	Mustard Seed Distress Ink	Mustard Seed Distress Embossing Powder	Watercolor Pencils	Grape Soda Smooch Ink
Green Apple Smooch Ink

I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!

The Family Valentines

You might be glad that Valentine's Day is over, so you don't have to see anymore of my cards, but I have four more to show you, and then that is it until next year...well, except for Tim's 12 Tags of 2012 monthly challenge Valentine tag, but that is for next week!!! These four tags are the ones I made for my own family this year (thought you might like to see the fam), and simultaneously for Our Creative Corner's color challenge theme of "black and white with a splash of another color", hosted by Tui Nathan. Through your hat in, and create something that follows the color challenge and link up. You can visit the other OCC designer's gorgeous creations as well, and drop them a comment. They would so appreciate that.

Linda Coughlin- The Funkie Junkie

Vicki Burdick- It's a Stamp Thing

Sue Butler- Scrumplescrunch

Ann Marie Hile- Stampin' Anne

Wendy Janson-  It's All About Stamping
Marcy Kaminski - En Papillote Arts
Holly Kean- Kean On Paper
Irena Kowalczyk (aka Rudlis) - Love, Life and Crafts
Meihsia Liu- Simply Paper Crafts
Tui Nathan- Stampin Time
Lori Rider- The Diva Stamper
Kristin Tierney- Lilly Beth Boutique
Sharon Wheet- Designs by Sharon

I am also submitting this to Grungy Monday's challenge of "a Tim style Valentine", and the Sunday Stamper's challenge of "love".

This is Hubby's.

The black tag was first misted with Perfect Pearls, and then stamped with Tim's Love Definition image in Silver StazOn. The sentiment was also stamped with the silver. Red velvet fabric is backing the sentiment, and then backed again with a white doily.  Flourishes, rhinestones, an accoutrement button, lace (paper and foil), and wire adorn the tag.

 

These are the kid's Valentines. I love these stickers from Tim's Seasonal Salvage Sticker Book. The initials are backed by a white doily that I cut out and misted with Forever Red Perfect Pearl Mist.

 

 

Supplies:
Wilton: doily
32 Degrees North: Dresden Foil Lace
The Paper Studio: Spare Parts Metal Sticker Letters

From My Stash: red velvet material, wire, rhinestone hearts, metal scrap, white cardstock

Surfaces Black #8 Tag	Love Struck Stamp Set	Vintage Lace Die	Alterations Elegant Flourishes Die	Idea-ology Seasonal Salvage Stickers	Forever Red Perfect Pearls Mist
Perfect Pearls Mist	Black Soot Distress Ink	Silver StazOn Ink	Accoutrements - Buttons	Ink Blending Tool	Winter 2011 Distress Ink Pack

I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!