Catching Up

Here is a little catch-up post that I have been wanting to get done for a while. Back in March, my mother-in-law asked me to make a card for her neighbor's mother. A Happy 100th Birthday card... I was like OMgosh, she knew someone who was turning 100!

So I set forth to make a very special card for a very special lady... I did case this idea from someone but for the life of me can't remember who (my apologies in advance). I used Tim Holtz's rusted enamel technique for the card background, along with lots of brown distress inks... some feathers and some pearls. The photo is printed on vellum cardstock and aged with Vintage Photo ink. I inked the edges of the flower with some Distress Ink in browns as well.

I made a lovely box in matching cardstock with a clear acrylic lid to hold the card, which was a little bulky with the feathers and flowers and such.

The birthday girl?  LOVED IT!!

Now that I've caught up, I can enter this in the following challenges:

The Sisterhood of Crafters - The Good Old Days

The Inspiration Emporium - Bring On the May Flowers

CC2 - Week 7

Set sail on the SS Holtz! I really had a lot of fun making my project for the Studio L3 Compendium of Curiosities 2 - Week 7 challenge. Thanks Daisy and the eclectic Paperie for sponsoring this week with a chance to win a $25 gift certificate!

This week's technique, found on page 49 of Tim's book, is called Brushless Watercolor. I used the technique on the ship stamp, with Pumice Stone stain, and then I added some highlights with Black Soot and Chipped Sapphire Distress Markers and a white gel pen.

I made the ship's wheel from Tim's mini cogs die and added a few Vintaj starfish charms to my netting. The netting was made from a mesh bag I picked up at the dollar store and dyed with Walnut Stain Distress Stain. One of Tim's corked vial's worked great for my message in a bottle and I made a few gold coins from embossed grungeboard circles to complete my scene on the beach.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

Studio L3: Compendium of Curiosities 2 - Week 7

Simon Says Stamp: Simon Says Stamp and Show ... A Summer Holiday!

May Flowers

Had a chance to make a "hello" card for my friend and as I have been playing with some Vintaj metal stuff--embossing, patina'ing, and making some jewelry as well, I decided to add the little dragonfly to the card.

Vintaj makes a complete line of brass jewelry components--chain, charms, findings, etc. But what I found most fun is embossing (yes--embossing) their metal blanks with their Sizzix DecoEtch or Deco Emboss dies. You use your Vagabond just like you would to emboss paper--so cool! Check it out on their website here, and their blog here.

Sizzix makes the Vintaj dies, and Ranger just came out with a line of patinas (paints) to color the metal with, and a sealer also. In addition, you can use Alcohol Inks and Adirondack paint dabbers to color the metal as well--the Vintaj blog has tons of ideas, tips and videos if you're interested.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Inspiration Emporium - Bring on the May flowers 

CC2 - Week 6

AAghh! Well, here is my entry for the Compendium of Curiosities Week 6 Challenge. And NO MATTER how I tried (20+ photos) I could not get a decent picture of my work... phooey!

This week's technique, found on page 38 of Tim's book, is called Tissue Wrap Collage. We are lucky enough to have the Funkie Junkie's Boutique as a sponsor this week as well - thanks so much to Linda Coughlin & co. for sponsoring! And Linda at Studio L3 for continuing the fun and all the lovely comments each week!

I used the mini cabinet die to make a window from grungeboard and then followed the technique to complete my window. I was trying for a "looking out the window from a window seat effect"... oh well, there's always next week, LOL.

I had to add some of my extra faux enamel flowers from Tim's May tag, and I made a little terra cotta pot from a wooden one I found at Hobby Lobby (love that store).

I am entering this in the following challenges:

Compendium of Curiosities Challenge 6

12 Tags of 2012 - May

Howdy bloggers! I have been crrazed the last week--had my hands in many projects, including some jewelry projects, and finally had a chance to get inky!! Made this tag for the 12 Tags - May edition and I have to say I love the faux enamel flowers Tim introduced us to! I made a bunch using the new Spring Distress inks--what fun!

Whenever I have the materials, I like to copy Tim's tag exactly so as to really cement the techniques in my mind (and hands) and also to see how I measure up to the master, heh heh.  More to come next...

CC2 Challenge, Week 5

So this week's challenge over at Studio L3 is from page 48 of Tim's book. It's a technique called "Shattered Stains." And it is one of my favorites!! I really wanted to do something a little different with it this time, though. Whenever I have used this technique in the past, it was with flowers or leaves or hearts--smaller accent-type pieces. This time I thought I would try using it for the entire background.

So... I cut a piece of grungepaper from Tim's tag die and gessoed it first before I added the Rock Candy Crackle Paint. I was a bit impatient, so I dried the gesso AND the Rock Candy. It came out with lots of fine crackle, which was fine with me. I added some Distress Stains and I really like how the door came out looking like an old, weathered peeling door!

This week, the wonderful SimonSaysStamp is sponsoring Linda's challenge--thanks to them and of course, Linda, for another inspiring week!

I am entering this in the following challenges:

Studio L3: Compendium of Curiosities 2, Challenge 5

Simon Says Stamp: Simon Says Stamp And Show... Anything Goes

CC2, Week 4

I have been very busy doing non-crafty stuff the last week... took my new horse to our first horse show and placed in four out of five classes! Not a bad beginning to our show careers :-)

Anyways, I am getting my CC2 Challenge entry for week 4 in under the wire. The technique is found on page 43 of Tim's book, and it's called Faded Layers. I know we did this technique during CC101, and now that I've used it here again, I really like it. Thanks again to Linda at Studio L3 for another fun week--tomorrow will bring the next challenge--whoo-hoo!

I used Pumice Stone, Broken China, Vintage Photo and the new Squeezed Lemonade and Shaded Lilac Distress inks. Wowee--do I like those Spring Distress colors!! I had a new Lattice template (love it) to try out, and after I stamped the balloon, I added some Glossy Accents (not sure it shows in the photo) to the balloon, a piece of burlap for the balloon's basket, some hand-dyed ribbon, and an "Enjoy The Journey" Idea-Ology wordband. Sweet!

I am entering this in the following challenges:

Studio L3 Compendium of Curiosities 2, Challenge 4