Monday, September 5, 2011

A Lesson in Perseverance

Today is a beautiful day here - a cold front came through and, in Mississippi, that's always a good thing! I decided it was the perfect day to play around with my new Inkssentials Kraft tags and Picket Fence Distress Stain. I dabbed some of the Picket Fence stain onto my craft sheet and then added a few blotches of Worn Lipstick and Wild Honey and swiped my tag through the ink. It looked really cool! Then I embossed it using Tim Holtz's Floral Frame Texture Fade. Very cool! Then I sanded it with my Idea-ology Sanding Grip and added more Picket Fence stain. Suddenly, it was looking like a total mess! I added more stain and arrrrrgggghhhhhh....it looked horrible! I was about 10 seconds from chucking it when I decided to try and salvage it.

I have learned that there is nothing a gesso-covered brayer can't fix! What's nice is that the Distress Stain will bleed through a little, so you get a great texture. Once I was happy with the tag, I stamped the little shrine frame from Artistic Outpost's new Whimsical Melange collection onto a vintage book page. I decided to dab a little Picket Fence Distress Stain over the stamped area to tone it down. Horrible idea! The ink I used smeared all over and looked dingy and...ick! This time is was my Snow Cap Adirondack Paint Dabber to the rescue!. I finally cleaned it up, but it was obvious I was going to have to choose a new focal point (originally I was going to use a little girl stamp). I thought this little Idea-ology Fractured Doll was the perfect solution! I mounted her on top of a chipboard frame that was cut using Tim's Tag and Bookplates die. She has little mica wings that were stamped using the butterfly stamp from Tim Holtz's Papillon stamp collection. I added a little 'love' for today's Sunday Stampers challenge by stamping a portion of the sentiment from Artistic Outpost's Country Life stamp collection and adhering it to her tummy.

When I first saw the clock face in the Whimsical Melange set, I (of course) was dying to try my Faux Crazed Porcelain technique on it. I LOVE how it turned out!! It's secured to the top of the frame using an Idea-ology
Mini Fastener.

Finally, I added some twine to the bottom and popped on a banner cut using Tim's Tattered Banners die. The sentiment is from another new Artistic Outpost stamp release: Typography.

I'm so glad I didn't throw the tag away! I had no idea that this is what I would end up with, but I really love it. Simon Says Stamp and Show's theme this week is 'Anything Goes' so this is also my submission for that challenge!

23 comments:

  1. I am so glad you persevered Shelly, your tag is stunning, the distressed background is gorgeous, I love it and the fractured doll is the perfect touch with a little love on her body. I need that banner die, which is the perfect finishing touch. Fabulous. Thanks so much for joining in the Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge, Tracy x x

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  2. Really lovely - love the delicate muted tones and different layers of white. It has a great French vintage feel and was so worth the battle - gorgeous!
    Thanks so much for sharing with us at the Simon Says Stamp & Show Challenge!!! Sarah.

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  3. lovely lovely lovely. and thanks for sharing how you did. it, I have been looking at that Artistic outpost stamp for a while now... I can feel a purchase coming on !!! thanks

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  4. This is fantastic, Shelly. I would not have thought to put the doll on a tag. And your Faux Crazed Porcelain clock is perfection!

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  5. Wow! I'm so relieved that you decided to persevere with this tag! It's stupendous!

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  6. Your tag looks so marvelous! It is
    astonishing the way you created your background. Even though you had some trials you worked your way through it and won! Beautiful.

    The Stampsmith has "faux techniques" as the prompt for the challenge. I could not figure out what to do because I don't know any, lol, but I am going to do your "faux porcelain technique", if you don't mind, and I will link back to you. Thank you for the technique and your lovely tag!

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  7. see what happens when you decide not to give up! Love It.

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  8. delightful backgrounds -- so pretty. wonderful creation altogether. xo

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  9. Wow Shelly this is stunning. Very insiring tag. Love them.

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  10. Ooh! Lovely tag! I know what you mean about not liking what you've made and wanting to throw it away - but look at how beautiful it is now! So pleased you persevered!

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  11. Good thing you didn't pitch this tag! It's wonderful! Very Shabby Chic looking to me, awesome!!
    Pam

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  12. Love this tag! That little frozen Charlotte is so brilliant on the background. Thanks for joining the challenge at Simon Says Stamp & Show.

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  13. Hi Shelly! Love your tag!!! Love the shabby chic feel of this tag. Love the faux crazed porcelain technique! I'm going to have to try that!!! :) Love the Frozen Charlotte on the tag; and I love the butterfly wings behind her. Thanks for sharing your wonderful art with us at Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge. <3 Candy

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  14. GORGEOUS... loving the vintagey pretty look you have going on... thanks for joining in with the sunday stamper x

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  15. Sometimes it is astounding what length we have to go to get the perfect finished product. You went a long way to get there but the end results look just perfect...glad it didn't end up in the trash!

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  16. for a tag that almost got ripped apart, it's stunning! love the softness yet with such strong accents. i always wondered what a Lord Tim's doll would look like on a tag. But i think you have to be Fantastic Shelly to make it work!

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  17. Looks great, Shelly! Such dimension through the muted layers of gesso and paint. LOVE this look!

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  18. Great tag, Shelly! Glad you didn't chuck the project as it turned out looking wonderful. LOVE the little clock. Have a great rest of the week.

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  19. So glad you stuck it out.. this is such a wonderful tag.. I love it...

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  20. I think it's dreamy...and I can not wait for folks to see your flag banner!!!

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  21. This is so awesome Shelly! Love all the little details!

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Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts. I appreciate your comments so much!