A Forgotten Post

We were challenged to make projects with Shrink Plastic for the Inspiration Emporium.

I hurried and did mine, but forgot to post it after the IE blog did the roll out....so here from Minnesota comes the Shrink Plastic Card....Girls Rule!

This was really a collaboration of several products, but it turned out very different than what I'd been doing.

The card itself is sprayed with Turquoise Spray Ink.

It's stamped with a Dylusions stamp, a dotted background stamp, and Archival Ink...white dots are added with a Posca pen.

The black tag is embossed, sprayed with Perfect Pearls, and trimmed. Then more white penwork is added.

The white doily is painted with acrylic paint then Vintage Photo Distress Embossing Powder is added. Lastly I spritzed with more Spray Ink.

Then the black pen adds some markings for contrast.

The Shrink Plastic pieces are lightly coated with Gesso, dried overnight, and then stamped, cut out, and shrunk with a heat tool.

You can punch a hole before shrinking or use Drill Punch after to add the jumpring for the butterfly.

Add markers or inks with a brush for a hint of color.

They're all layered onto the card and a pink Crinkle Ribbon bow is added to the top of the tag.

Vintage card....done!

Linda

Products Used:

• Tim Holtz - Stamper's Anonymous - The Girls,  and Papillon
• Tim Holtz -  Alterations Texture Fades Embossing Folders - Burlap and Swirls
• Tim Holtz - Distress Embossing Powder - Vintage Photo, Crinkle Ribbon, Drill Punch
• Dylusions Spray Inks - Black Marble, Vibrant Turquoise
• Dylusions Stamps - Bordering on the Edge
• Ranger - Jet Black Archival Ink, Clear Shrink Plastic, Black #8 tag, Perfect Pearls Mist- Heirloom Gold
• POCSA - pens/white and black

Trying to Keep it Simple - A Simple Tag

I like to make what I call a "simple tag"....layers of colors, stamps, pen ink...and a couple of 3D pieces.

 

So I started with a new #12 manila tag. Sprayed with Dylusions Inks.

 

The cool thing was, I sprayed these colors over a piece of paper I'd previously sprayed with Copper Perfect Pearls....hence...when I flipped it over to blot it....a bit of copper adhered itself to the tag. LOVED it!

 

 

 

 These are some of my FAVORITE stamps of all time that are again available from Stamper's Anonymous.

 

Priceless TREASURES!!!

 

 

 

I used Black Soot Distress ink and embossing powder on all these images.

 

 

Different parts of the tag before I added the white pen marks.

 

I loved it without anything else....but I had to add a bit of white.

 

I glued it to a piece of black chipboard for stability.

 

The 3 pieces of laser-cut gears are from Paper Whimsy. The top one is Distress Stained, the other 2 are painted with Liquid Pearls. Then stamped with Archival Ink.

 

The colors are bright...and perfect when they run together.

 

White pen marks are so much fun to add here and there to break up the color.

 

 

 

 

The green gear is a bright eye catcher in the corner breaking up the white pen marks.

 

I have always loved this stamp...I'm so glad I finally got to use it. Classic!

 

Be Well and Be Good to each other!

 

Linda

 

Products Used:

• Ranger - #12 Manila Tag, Jet Black Archival Ink, Liquid Pearls Hydrangea & Key Lime
• Dylusions Spray Inks - Fresh Lime, Crushed Grape, Vibrant Turquoise, and Squeezed Orange
• Tim Holtz - Distress Ink - Black Soot, Distress Stain - Broken China
• Tim Holtz Stamps - Classic Favorites SCF 01
• Paper Whimsy - Fancy Cogs 01
• Uni-Posca - white pen
• Fine Black Embossing Powder - Unknown
   

Watercolor Technique with Stamps and Inks

 When I saw these great stamps drawn and designed by Mario Rossi III. at CHA, I KNEW I loved his style.

 

Drawing your own stamps makes you truly an Artist  ..IMHO.

 

So, to do my part to help a thriving Artist....I bought a set that is all about my favorite time of year...

 

FALL!

 

 

 What could be more about fall than the Fall colors in Dylusions Spray Inks...and mixing and playing around with them on watercolor paper was just WAY too much fun for me!

 

 

 

 

They are bright, they are concentrated, and they are gorgeous.

 

Spray your paper with water, here a Pentalic Watercolor Journal, and then load up the sprays. I did NOT blot them, I just dried them with the Heat It Tool. I wanted the intensity.

 

 

Then I stamped with Archival Jet Black ink using Dyan's Word Love and Mario Jr.'s Autumn Blueprint.

I'm not good at taking pics as I go, so this is a bad light shot, but I wanted you to see how the brown and green run together and make a very dark color.

 

This is the BEFORE.....

 

These inks have the great quality of a watercolor paint that can be lifted with water and a brush.

 

Here I'm adding puddles of water with a brush and lifting the color wherever I want to lighten.

 

 

 

 

 Using a paper towel, I lift the layers of color to lighten within the stamped image.

 

 

Just continue to take the color off in sections wherever you like.

 

I completely covered the area with the words to take lots of color out around them.

 

 

 

 

This is the AFTER.....you can see the backruns of the water created that I really like.

 

 

This detail shows the white and black penwork. And lots more stamping using the rolling technique from Dyan.

 

I used white paint on Basic Background dot stamp and colored over with the Broken China Distress Marker. Where I added some random circles with it over the Lemon Zest spray...it turned green.

 

Pretty cool...but on the white paint it remained blue.

 

I went back and took the tops off the sprays and just painted intense color back into the leaves where I wanted more color.

 

 And here you can see the drops of water that I flicked here and there...and blotted off to reveal the lighter underside of the paper.

 

These Inks are so great for this technique....

 

So if it looks way too dark, just wait, lift the color with water, high-light, and stamp some more.

 

Layers, and Layers, and Layers create depth into which you look at your painting.

  

 The Broken China over some of the white dots was the last thing I did. It just needed a bit of different color here and there to break up all the warm colors.

  

 

 And this is the last shot to bore you with of the book completely open.

 

I have to try some more of this ..... not enough hours in the day!

 

Linda

 

Products Used: 

• Dylusions Ink Sprays - Lemon Zest, Squeezed Orange, Black Marble, Postbox Red, Melted Chocolate and Fresh Lime.
• Dylusions Stamps - Word Love, Background Love, Bordering on the Edge, and Basic Background.
• Tim Holtz Distress Markers - Broken China
• Tim Holtz - Stampers Anonymous- Autumn Blueprint
• Ranger - Snow Cap Paint Dabber and Jet Black Archival Ink
• uni-POSCA - White and Black pens

 

 

Collage on Wood

So, I had the great pleasure of meeting and talking with Ania Dąbrowska aka Finnabair. She is as brilliant and kind as she is beautiful.

 

My friend Lin Brown from the UK was lucky enough to take one of her classes and told me I had to try her wonderful techniques....long story short....this is my attempt at a Finnabair Collage.

 

(You MUST visit Lin's blog and see what fabulous pieces she made in Ania's class)

 

It was a real treat to dig out old hoarded treasures from the past to randomly cut and glue to this hanging plaque I got for a song at HL a long time ago.

 

I used the new Tissue Wrap Melange Tim sent me as the base...how could you go wrong starting with such a gorgeous base???

 

 

 

I loved how the Crinkle Ribbon took the Distress Inks and Stains. That stuff is just so amazing.

 

 

The little girls are on a clay button I made years ago. The image is from JVO's Collections.

 

There's a real snap, the innards of a watch, a Vintaj piece and a button with a crown all sprayed and layered with Multi-Medium.

 

This gold frame was perfect to go around a piece of paper with at 7 on it, and a metal embellishment.

 

The little bits of computer pieces are here and there.

7Gypsies gaffer tape and a Vintaj butterfly.

 

 

 

This is a Jenny Bowlin button, I think....not positive...and some metal piece from long ago on top.

 

I love the Mini Lightbulb I just got from Time Pieces.

 

The computer glass fit perfectly into the Spocket Gear.

 

Sadly the mica sparkle doesn't show up well in the pictures...but you get the idea.

 

 

 

The nylon netting created a cool affect under the butterfly.

 

 

 

I added a few stamps here and there to fill up space under the trims that were glued on and sprayed.

 

I used Perfect Pearls Turquoise and Perfect Copper on the KaiserCraft flowers and all over.

 

The flower has a Grungepaper and Metal Foil base that was embossed. It gathered some of the spray as well.

 

This is by no means anything near what Lin or Ania created, but it was a fun project, and that's all that matters!

 

 

 

Tonight we had a great Birthday Dinner with my son Jeff and his family. This is his oldest Erin.(she's 11!)

 

The food color dye is slowly coming out...I think we're doing Blueberry next time!

 

Have a great week.

 

Linda

 

Give-Away Winners and Jewelry FUN!

 This is for my dear granddaughter Britta Haifa, who made her plea "I hope some of that Halloween stuff you're making is going to come my way!"

I'm paraphrasing, but, she loves Halloween...she's my little Ghoulie.

 

 I used the new Mini Halloween  and Apothecary stamp sets from Tim Holtz here.

The skulls are stamped onto gessoed Shrink Plastic and colored with Frayed Burlap Distress Stains using my Transdermal Applicator..my finger. (love using that term)

The little bottles have Poison stamped on white copy paper with Seedless Preserves and embossed for the label. Espresso and Rust Alcohol Inks are swirled inside for color.

Then Ripe Persimmon and Vintage Photo Distress Inks make it more grungy.

I bent wire to make the hangers for the Light Bulbs and added Butterscotch and Lettuce Alcohol Inks.

They're all added with Jump Rings onto a Link Chain.

Pretty easy stuff here. I made the ear wires and used silver jump rings for the earrings.

Last night I took the most wonderful class at Pumplin Glass Gallery in Morton, IL.

We learned to etch with Etchant onto copper and wire wrap around pearls. These round ear wires were very cool to make. Something quite new for me.

Then we dumped them into Liver of Sulphur to age them.

It's hard work, but very worthwhile. Wonderful newer techniques made it easier. Teresa is a great teacher!!!

This shot is taken with my phone because it got the least glare. This pendant is also etched and colored with the Liver of Sulphur.

The disc earrings are NOT antiqued with the L of S. I left them shiny.

Different type of ear wires here and more wire wrapping on both pieces.

YOU CANNOT GO WRONG IN TAKING A CLASS HERE!!!

The classes are so reasonable and small for all the help you need. Go there if you can!

AND NOW

And the winner of the Ladies' Diary Paper pad is Karen Conner who said:

Love what you did with this! I love altering things. G45 is perfect to use. Adding the canvas is genius!
I agree-a little distress ink never hurts anything! LOL

 

And the winner of the Cloth Paper Scissors is..... hey....it's Candy Colwell!!!! She said:

 

Linda...where do I start? OMG...that Graphic 45 Halloween piece is just jaw dropping! Girl...you must sit up nights thinking of this stuff! It's absolutely incredible! I love every little nook and cranny of it! Congrats on the publication in such a cool magazine! I would love to win your extra copy! Fingers crossed. If not, I'll have to go get one...that magazine looks too cool to not have! And, I'd love to see your layout. I also love your art piece donated for breast cancer. A beautiful piece for such a worth cause. Congrats on all of your work!!



Fun to see someone I know win.

So send me your addresses ladies...and I'll get them out to you next week.


Be Well and enjoy this WONDERFUL weather...it's so welcome here.

Linda

Happy Haunting...a Halloween Centerpiece ~ and a new Publication

I had sooooooooo much FUN making this project!!!

It's got a little bit of everything in it from wooden dolls on the roof to a blinking light-up pumpkin for a skeleton to perch on.

This is the front view of the piece. It's on a wooden platform I was going to use to make an encaustic project.

This is a birdhouse, of course, with the holes covered up.

Strips and layers of paper go on after the house was painted...wait for it...wait for it....BLACK!

OF COURSE!

This is the left side with the skull beads heads plugged up using Liquid Pearls...kind of a reverse lobotomy so to speak.

Here's the right side, more layers, chipboard, and all the images have been enhanced with pens. Especially the figures. Add shadows for depth.

I found the Pumpkin lantern and little items at Gordman's and the skeleton at Michael's.

These are wooden pieces painted with Pumpkin, Key Lime, and Daffodil Liquid Pearls and black pen.

This top piece is made from chipboard that I learned to make at Gentleman Jim's blog here!!! Thanks so much to Jim. I had to make the top ridge flat in order to add the little wooden ghouls.

It's nothing compared to what he makes, the man is brilliant I tell ya,  but it worked, and for that I am thankful to him!

A little vial of Arsenic has Rust Alcohol Ink in it to color.

Tim Holtz bats from the Bewitching Hour die  are seen here and there cut from chipboard.

The little toothpicks have holes drilled into the base to hold up the sign.

Glittery Spiders add a bit of Glitz!

This is the base with the 4 layers of paper just to show you how it started.  (night shot)

I painted the base with Claudine's Landscape Green Studio paint, then added a black glaze to dull it.

Crushed Olive Distress Stickles are added before the Halloween paper strip is inked with green pen and glued.

The fence posts are made with Cracker Barrel toothpicks. You can see the cool tops on the one by the lantern best. They really were perfect to hold up the fence.

I've added lots of pen to change or add colors to the papers wherever I needed contrast, and dots to fill up space on the front doorway.

Otherwise, the Graphic 45 Happy Haunting Paper Collection is what's used here...and one piece from Communique Collection.

Their papers are always PERFECT!

*Today was a great day.*

 I got my new Cloth Paper Scissors Magazine.

Now, I know I'm a bit biased, but this issue is AMAZING...if you love Assemblage Art, it's a must!

I'm just sayin' there are some great projects in here that you'll LOVE.

Having said that...I am thrilled to say, I have 5 pages of instructions, pictures, products and tips so you can make a piece like the one below.

NEXT, they have 30 Artist's that donated 5x5 and 8x8 works to auction off for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

You can purchase them at etsy.com/shop/CPSmagazine later this month.

Anyway, mine is a 5x5 roughly framed Acrylics and paper on canvas using images from Graphic 45's Steampunk collection.

It's pictured in this publication along with lots and lots of other pieces you can have for your very own...while giving to a great cause, as well.

SOOOOOOOOOO, since I get a subscription anyway, and they send me more, I think someone out there might want one of these magazines for FREE, too!

Just leave a comment, and we'll draw for a winner.

And if you already have subscription, hey, just say so, and we won't put you in the drawing.

Or just say hi!

And we'll take comments for a couple more days to win the Ladies' Journal paper pad, too.

Be Well,

Linda



Time for Halloween Projects?????

Last week I got a great package in the mail...from the Master....Mr. Holtz.

I guess I've been a good girl, heh?

Anyway, I was never crazy about Halloween before I started stamping. I guess it was just a "kid" thing that usually had me hopping for costumes at the last minute.

But now, it's more of a ghoulish thing and I know not everybody likes that, but hey, life's too short. Just play around and have fun.

After visiting New Orleans and seeing how they celebrate a funeral...it's just a part of the process.

So here's my take on the Apothecary Stamp set from Tim and a couple of techniques thrown in.

Some pictures are taken in the Studio and some on the Sun porch...hence the difference in some colors...the shiny parts are hard for me to photograph...so I just do my best.

First let me say, the Specialty Stamping paper was used here, and it is AWESOME!

If you've not tried it, you're missing the boat.

For the background I randomly globbed Brushed Pewter Crackle Paint on the top of a piece of paper from the Crowded Attic Paper Stash.

Then before it dried, I sprayed Black Marble Dylusions Spray Ink around on it. Then held it up to let it drip down the page.

As it cracked, it really left a very cool background that you see here.

It's then mounted on a 7 1/2 x 7 1/2 inch piece of black chipboard.

Then I stamped the Spider Web from Mini Halloween set and embossed with Seafoam White embossing powder.

 The web was extended with a white Posca Pen. Then set with a fixative.

Here is a good shot of how the Pewter color shows through.

Each Skull was stamped onto the Specialty Paper with various Distress Inks.

I like to use more than one color to add interest.

Then they were embossed with Super Fine Detail Embossing Powder.

Next just cut them out....there's bits of the EP that came up on the Skulls that add GREAT effects!!!

The 1st of many happy accidents, so to speak.

I dabbed Distress Stains onto my Craft Sheet and picked up the color with my "Digital Applicator or Transdermal Applicator." (A fun phrase borrowed from the extremely talented Kelsey O'Mullane for "your finger.")

The one on the left has Fired Brick and Vintage Photo for the stamping inks.

I added White Uni-Posca Pen on the teeth as well.

The center one has Vintage Photo and Black Soot.

The one on the right has Ripe Persimmon and Vintage Photo.

This happy little Spider added a spot of interest....it also covered up a tiny spot of sprayed ink that somehow found it's way over to my ALREADY COMPLETED Skull..

Works for me!

I used 4 pieces of chipboard to raise the middle Skull and Happy Halloween.

Two pieces are used on both the Skulls on the right. The Autumn Tinsel Twine is glued around the edges for a bit of sparkle.

You can really see the embossing on the phrase here! LOVE it.

This is how it looks on Instagram...really like it here, too. What do you think???

The power of technology!

Have a great one.

Linda

Products Used:

Tim Holtz Stamp Collections - Apothecary and Mini Halloween

Tim Holtz Distress Inks - Fired Brick, Black Soot, Vintage Photo, Ripe Persimmon

Tim Holtz Distress Stains - Many various colors

Tim Holtz Idea-ology - Autumn Tinsel Twine

Tim Holtz Crackle Paint - Brushed Pewter

Ranger - Specialty Stamping Paper, Super Fine Detail Clear Embossing Powder, Seafoam White Embossing Powder,

Dylusions - Black Marble Spray Ink

Uni-Posca - Ultra-Fine Tip White Pen