Grungy Monday #9 + My Favorite Stamp!

I was so excited to sit down and create something for two great challenges today. First, there was the always-fabulous Grungy Monday challenge, where we reinterpret one of Tim Holtz's creations. This time it is the Shabby Chic technique from the '07 12 Tags of Christmas; one of my faves that I don't use nearly enough. Next, I couldn't resist the Favorite Stamp challenge from Simon Says Stamp and Show blog. Finally, I just had to make another Telescoping Card from the latest issue of the Technique Junkie newsletter. If you didn't see my first one, check it out here.

My favorite stamp was actually what I used for the technique. It's from Oxford Impressions' French Script collection and it is gorgeous. I have used this stamp so much it's practically worn out! I also used a couple of my other favorites from OI. The little girl (can you believe that's a rubber stamp?!) and 'Paris' are both from their April in Paris stamp set.

The middle panel was created with more stamps from April in Paris, along with a very cool stamp from Prima that I stamped using aqua paint.
 

The bottom panel was stamped with white paint using a foam stamp I cut using Tim Holtz's Elegant Flourishes die. On top of that I stamped a chandelier from Prima. On the bottom I added an Idea-ology Plaquette, tied with ribbon. To frame the panel, I added a crepe paper ruffle.

I added a thin layer of Rock Candy Stickles, which you can barely see here. It adds such a nice shimmer!

This is what the card looks like when opened. If you haven't seen how these open, I posted a little video here (go to the bottom of the post) of the Steampunk card I made a couple of days ago. It's very cool!

For an extra bit of femininity, I added a few layered flowers to the front. The clear ones were made with the Acetate Flowers technique (from the Technique Junkie newsletter) using clear packaging and Tim Holtz's Papillion stamp set. They were layered onto flowers I made using the technique posted on the Inspiration Emporium blog - you need to try this! They were attached with brad that I covered in black Sparkly Fluff.

Speaking of packaging - there is still time to create something for the Inspiration Journal monthly challenge. Check out all the details here. Think of all the awesome stuff you could get with a $50 gift certificate!

I Made the Coolest Thing!

My fellow Inspiration Emporium DT member and fantastic artist, Linda Cain, recently replied to a comment I'd left her. She wrote, "It's always fun when the pieces come together and make you smile." I knew exactly what she meant and, to myself, lamented that it had been a long time since I'd done a project that made me feel that way. This ended up being one of those projects - I am madly in love with it!

It all started when I was perusing the latest Technique Junkie newsletter online. I spotted the bonus online technique - Telescoping Cards - and immediately thought of gears and Steampunk! I had recently bought the Spellbinders Sprightly Sprockets die set, but hadn't had the chance to use them. I had a feeling they would work perfectly with Tim Holtz' Weathered Clock die, and they did. I love it when a plan comes together!

The sprockets and gears were all given a metal look using my Faux Tarnished Silver technique. I experimented with using gold embossing powder for a brass look and it turned out better than I'd hoped! For the center section, I created a small beeswax collage using a variety of Tim Holtz rubber stamps on top of vintage dictionary paper. Love the way the text from the back side shows through.

The is the piece opened up. How cool is this technique?! The Weathered Clock was cut from chipboard and painted with a black Adirondack Dabber. The Dabbers are so perfect for projects like this. The back is covered with an embossed piece of Idea-ology Kraft Glassine. I love the way this lets the light through, yet is strong enough to hold the other elements. The sentiment was embossed on a Journaling Ticket and attached to the base, along with a pair of Idea-ology wings.

I'm planning to send this to my dad for Father's Day. He's a retired machinist and this will be such a perfect card for him!

Here's a little video I did showing how it opens:



The supplies I used can be found at Amazon and Simon Says Stamp via the links below.

Spellbinders S5-048 Nestabilities Dies Mega - Sprightly Sprockets Beesworks® BEESWAX PELLETS, YELLOW, 1lb-Pesticide Free-Chemical Free-Cosmetic Grade-Must Have For M Tim Holtz Sizzix Die WEATHERED CLOCK Bigz Alterations 657190 Tim Holtz Idea-ology TIMEPIECES Metal Watch Clock Face TH92831 Tim Holtz Idea-ology LONG FASTENERS Brad Hardware TH92703 Tim Holtz Idea-ology 24 METAL GAME SPINNERS with Brads TH92717 Tim Holtz Cling Rubber Stamps STEAMPUNK CMS107 Ranger Paint Dabber BLACK TIE RAD43683 Ranger Ultra Thick Embossing Powder CLEAR 1.5 Oz Jar EPL45700 Ranger Embossing Powder GOLD EPJ37354 Ranger Embossing Powder SILVER EPJ37361

InLinkz.com

Theme Thursday: Texture and/or Layers + a Mini Tute!

I have been meaning to post this for the past week and the Theme Thursday challenge gave me the perfect excuse to get off my lazy arse and do it! I created it as a birthday gift for Gloria, our fantastic, fearless leader over at the All Things Tim Yahoo group. Unbeknownst to my fellow birthday club members, I often use them as guinea pigs for things I want to experiment with! ;-)

For this piece, I was trying very hard to come up with a decent looking substitute for mica. Did I? Not too sure about that, but it is pretty cool looking! On top of my 'faux mica', I layered some Grungeboard gears that I rusted using Tim's technique from Compendium of Curiosities, along with one of the new Idea-ology light bulbs and a length of Idea-ology Film Strip Ribbon. The men from the Steampunk stamp set were stamped on some heavy cardboard-ish paper, trimmed, and glued on top of everything.

The sentiment (from the Stuff to Say stamp set) was stamped on an Idea-ology Journaling Ticket. I attached it to the base with my Tiny Attacher. The hanger was inspired by the wonderful Nancy Crissinger. I spotted it on her blog and knew I had to find somewhere to use it. Thanks so much for the inspiration, Nancy!

I shot a quick and dirty tutorial with my iPhone - I hope you enjoy it! OH! One of the reasons I was inspired to try this is the awesome Packaging Challenge going on over at the Inspiration Emporium blog. Have you entered? If not, what are you waiting for? You could win a $50 gift certificate! Go! Now!

Faux Mica (kinda)

1. Begin by selecting a large piece of plastic packaging (or whatever size you need for your project).

2. Using a piece of real mica as a template, cut your plastic into a rough, 'organic' shape.

3. Using various Adirondack alcohol inks, color the plastic to mimic the look of mica. I decided I was going to try to get the look of darker mica, like you'd find on a Mission-style lampshade. When complete, sand the plastic lightly to dull it down (this is optional, I just didn't want it to be shiny).

4. Once it was dry, I adhered a piece of paper from Tim's Lost and Found paper collection to the back, using Claudine's Studio Multi Medium. I also inked the edges a bit with black Stazon ink.

This gives you a nice, sturdy base to layer on anything your heart desires. I hope you're inspired to look at your packaging in a whole new light!

Supplies used:
Tim Holtz Alterations Gadget Gear Die
Tim Holtz Alterations Mini Gears Die Set
Idea-ology Journaling Tickets
Idea-ology Grungeboard Basics
Idea-ology Philosophy Tags
Idea-ology Charm Clips
Idea-ology Swivel Clasps
Idea-ology Light Bulb
Idea-ology Film Strip Ribbon
Idea-ology Tiny Attacher
Idea-ology Lost and Found Paper
Studio Multi Medium - Matte
Tim Holtz Steampunk Stamp Set
Tim Holtz Sayings Stamp Set
Tim Holtz Take Flight Stamp Set
Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Inks

Theme Thursday - Numbers

My submission for this week's Theme Thursday challenge is a beeswax collage piece that I've worked and reworked about three times. I think I finally got it right this time! The great thing about using beeswax as an adhesive is that you can easily remove and rearrange your elements until you get it right. This was originally something I was going to submit for a Stampers' Sampler challenge, but I have just gotten too lazy to submit anymore - all that instruction writing, ack!

The base of my collage is a piece of corrugated cardboard. I layered various torn papers, and then added stamped images from Oxford Impressions and Tim Holtz. I finished it off with embellishments from Tim's Idea-ology line.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I want to remind you to check out the packaging challenge over at the Inspiration Emporium blog - you can't win if you don't play! ;-)

Supplies:
Oxford Impressions rubber stamps
Tim Holtz Steampunk rubber stamps
Melt Art BeesWax - natural
Idea-ology Plaquettes and Lightbulbs

Grungy Monday #7

This week's inspiration for Grungy Monday is a Distress Ink color blocking demo by Tim Holtz that can be found on the Ranger Ink site (have you seen all the fantastic videos they have? There are tons!). I just got some new goodies from Inspiration Emporium and couldn't wait to incorporate them into my tag.

I have been obsessed with the Mini Bird and Cage die since I first saw it! I gussied it up with my Faux Tarnished Silver technique and attached it to a die cut panel (I also used the same technique on the reinforcement circle). The bird was given a crackled effect with Picket Fence crackle paint. Finally, I added a sweet little flower to the corner of the panel. BTW,  I will be posting a tutorial VERY soon on how to make this flower - stay tuned for more info!!

This stamp is part of a new set from Tim Holtz called Stuff to Say. I thought it would be the perfect stamp to use on a Faux Enamel tag (click the link for my tutorial). This time I cut the tag from Tim's Tag and Bookplates die - the oval piece is from the center of one of the bookplates - and used thick white mat board. It came out really sturdy and looks exactly like a porcelain tag to me! I attached it with ribbon that I dyed using Bundled Sage Distress ink.

Oh! I totally forgot to mention the background! I wanted to keep it simple and light so, after doing my color blocking, I took a piece of corrugated cardboard, brayered it with gesso, and used it as a stamp. I stamped over the whole tag in a crosshatch pattern. When it was dry, I brayered gesso over the whole tag again, to soften it even further. When that was dry, I stamped the wildflower from the Nature's Moments stamp set repeatedly, using Bundled Sage Distress ink.

Speaking of packaging (which I made into a stamp!), don't forget about this month's challenge over at the Inspiration Emporium blog. You could win a $50 and, so far, only ONE person has entered!!

Grungy Monday #6 Plus a NEW Challenge!

Last week's Grungy Monday challenge ended up being a total bust for me - I made something so bad I couldn't imagine sharing it with anyone! This week's challenge was to reinterpret Tag #8 from Tim Holtz's 2007 12 Tags of Christmas. Much easier challenge for me! I love this technique because you can change it up and get different results every time.

This is the first time I've used my new dress form stamp from Tim's Haberdashery collection - it is such a cool stamp! After I'd created my background, I stamped the dress form with black Adirondack pigment ink and embossed it with Ranger's black embossing powder. Aren't those flower centers cute? I covered my brads with Eyeliner Black Sparkly Fluff. I love the extra texture and sparkle it adds!

Oooh, love this bit! Who would think that a little paint from a Dabber could totally change the look of a Philosophy Tag? It really helps to tie it in with the rest of the tag.

I created my flowers using a modified version of the Acetate Flowers technique from the Dec/Jan '11 issue of the Technique Junkie Newsletter. Instead of acetate, I used some clear plastic from a package of Grungeboard. Which brings me to the challenge!! This month, the Inspiration Emporium team is challenging you to create something using any type of packaging. One lucky participant will receive $50 Emporium Bucks to spend at the online store. How awesome is that? Start digging through your recycling and see what you can come up with!


Supplies used:
Haberdashery rubber stamps (dress form) by Tim Holtz
Papillon rubber stamps (background) by Tim Holtz
Take Flight rubber stamps (flourish) by Tim Holtz
Idea-ology Trinket Pins
Idea-ology Swivel Clasps
Idea-ology Long Fasteners
Idea-ology Jump Rings
Idea-ology Philosophy Tags
Adirondack Paint Dabbers - Pool and Snow Cap
Distress Ink - Tumbled Glass
Adirondack Pigment Ink - Pitch Black
Ranger Archival Ink - Jet Black
Sparkly Fluff - Eyeliner Black
Ranger Embossing Powder - Black
Sizzix Tattered Florals Die