CC2C No 15: Enameled metals

Challenge: The StudioL3 Compendium of Curiosities volume II Challenge, technique 15

Technique: Enameled metals, page 56

Main products used for this project: Metal foil tape, tea dye distress ink, red pepper acrylic paint dabber, dot matrix embossing folder and various fiber stuff.

Project observations: Have I previously explained that my introduction to Tim Holtz was through Linda's StudioL3 Compendium challenges?

Yessire, I knew nothing of Tim Holtz or idea-ology or grungy goodness before I created this piece, for Linda's first Compendium challenge.

Back then I owned three distress ink colors, one applicator tool and a package of polka-dotty grunge board that I found at a discount store.

Now I have ... well, let it suffice by saying that My Guy, for my recent birthday, build a storage system into my craft room to hold many of the Tim Holtz inks and tools and bits that I've acquired since June 2010.

The point of yammering about all of this stuff, which honestly I've mostly come into ownership of through the kindness and sharing of others and my Fairy Godsister, is to say that although I could barely keep up with the first set of Compendium challenges, today's second Compendium challenge piece was finished months ago.

You see the minute I received Tim's new Compendium I sat down with it and read the entire book, then flipped back to page 56 because I had to try this technique Right This Very Minute (for the first Compendium challenges ... I got the book the same week as the first challenge).

So, I'm not some sort of Super Artist who creates glossy accent filled memory pins and enameled metal ATCs in a matter of minutes.

I'm only a very impatient artist who finds herself endlessly intrigued and inspired by Linda and Tim!

Flip open your Compendium and go here to show us where inspiration leads you!

CC2C No 14: Guilded kraft glassine

Challenge: The StudioL3 Compendium of Curiosities volume II Challenge, technique 14

Technique: Guilded kraft glassine, page 39

Sponsor: The Funkie Junkie Boutique

Main products used for this project: Kraft glassine, distress stain, paper stash-kraft resist, alcohol ink and idea-ology chit chat stickers.

Project observations: This technique always results in an amazing finished piece!

We begin with a sheet of strange looking and smelling waxy paper and end up with something that resembles a deep, colorful and shimmering mineral deposit.

This technique even inspired me to finally jump into creating a domino book!

After all, what else is more beautifully matched to our pseudo-mineral deposit paper than a domino marbled with the same alcohol inks you've just used on the glassine (thanks to Lynn for confirming that her beautiful dominoes are covered in alcohol ink!)?

Nobody can limit themselves to domino books, though! So, with the leftovers I made a small rosette!

It's attached to a metal tag (roughly 1 1/2 by 3 1/4 available from this Etsy shop) that I stamped with Tim's "LOVE, WISH, DREAM" stamp, then used Martha Stewart's ladybug red to emboss.

For your own information, if you try this red on rusted metal embossing thing: My camera sees it as bright red on dark red ... my eyeballs see it as bright, shiny on dark, dull.

It's cool in person, just not as bright and happy as my Olympus is pretending. My Guy describes it like this: In person it's leather, not rose petals.

Isn't that funny? That's how I could describe him!

The Sunday share with Frilly and Funkie stuff

Linda Coughlin is the owner of The Funkie Junkie shops on Etsy and Zibbet, and wow does she have great stuff at great prices with the zippiest shipping in the world of art and craft supplies!

She also hosts the Frilly and Funkie Sunday Share that is bi-monthly during the summer, weekly the remainder of the year, and features creations made using products from her shops.

I'm a sucker for Linda's white corrugated board and couldn't resist finally creating a white-on-white tag that has been swimming in my brain for some time!

When I've shown up for this event in this past I've used the very same white corrugated board cut on the Tim Holtz tag L die (yup, Linda even has some of Tim Holtz's coolest dies at great prices). However, today is the first time that you can actually see that the corrugated board is white -- look here to see what I usually do with blank spaces!

The remainder of my project components include three white, powdered lilies from Alpha Stamps, a philosophy tag from Tim's variety of idea-ology products, some ribbons and strings, and an edging cut with Martha Stewart's iron fence border punch (the edging and raised corrugations on the tag are clear embossed).

Maybe I'll come back before the end of this installment of Sunday Share with something that is not white corrugated cut with the tag die!

Until then, check out Linda's shops (note that she'll be on vacation after the 16th) and then drop in with your own Sunday Share art made with Funky Junkie ingredients!

A birthday tag fit for challenge

Linda Coughlin's current Frilly and Funkie Wednesday challenge is texture with a "fabric twist" while Lily Chilvers at The Octopode Factory Friday challenge has asked that attendees bring a tag to her party.

It's been ages since I've found time to participate in either of these wonderful ladies' challenges, so I couldn't deny such simple and fun requests!

My tag's first stop of the day was in the spray booth where it received a decent coat of homemade perfect pearls spritzer in crushed olive.

After drying, the tag's edges were inked with crushed olive distress ink, and a corner was stamped with perfect medium (can't remember where the stamp came from) and embossed with pearl carnelian.

I love adding texture with heated embossing, so I decided to take up Linda's fabric twist challenge with a bit more heat embossing: This time on a chunk of fabric that was run through a Vagabond with a mini labels die.

Lettuce dimensional pearls adorn the edge of the label.

Colored on a computer and embellished with Zakura stardust pens, our Whimsical Going Somewhere Girl Jolee, is attached with mounting tape so she's got a lot of depth (as all girls do).

Finally, we've got a few pieces of ribbon on top of the tag that is ready to adorn the birthday gift of someone special!

Thanks for dropping by and don't be shy ... leave a comment!

Inspiration Journal July inspiration

My first ever Inspiration Journal challenge piece was so fun to create!

Starting with the challenge theme of red, white and blue I was inspired to create paper and toothpick bottle rockets, paper rosette bunting, a basket of roses (although I bought those) and one or two additional bits of Americana-esqueness.

Also in honor of America, where we've been known to do whatever the hell we want, I'm making up my own words.

My base cabinet is a light pine piece that we found at a garage sale last summer. It's spent the past year on a shelf in my craft room, whispering taunts: Nyah, nyah, you don't know what to do with me.

I hate it when projects talk.

Anyhow, at first glance the work from the inspiration team was so amazing that it was hard to dig up the courage to join the challenge. Then I relaxed with a couple of pints of Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy.

Who knew that alcohol lowers inhibitions?

OK, on to the project specifics: The cabinet is painted with Claudine Hellmuth's wonderful semi-gloss paints and the edges are inked with Tim Holtz's tea dye distress ink. I found the paper roses HERE on Etsy.

The bunting is made using plain old dime store card stock in red, white and blue (does anyone younger than GenX know what a dime store is?), cut from Tim Holtz's rosette and mini rosette dies.

The calendar, too, is a Holtz thing (paper stash) as is the wee glass bottle.

I spelled USA with vintage Scrabble tiles that are colored with alcohol ink (and aren't nearly the clever idea I'd thought since you can see on the Inspiration Journal link that I stole the idea from Linda Cain -- Linda, I swear I didn't intentionally copy you!).

That's all I can think of that's interesting, but if you have questions or comments I'm happy to respond!

12 Tags of 2012: July fireworks

Tim Holtz's July tag for his 12 tags of 2012 is so beautiful and patriotic! Bright sprays of blue and red on a field of white with a Lady Liberty even!

Obviously I didn't go with the patriotic style, but I do have a piece that I think works well with Tim's alcohol ink fireworks and core'dinations layers.

My piece is intended as an invitation for a group that has long supported Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, the organization for which I toil.

We're involved in the Northern Nevada AIDS Walk in August and want to reach out personally to this group to thank them and invite them to continue supporting our goals, including providing free or low-cost STD testing and medically accurate sex education.

I don't know how a hat pin style embellishment, alcohol ink fireworks or sanded card stock relates to HIV/AIDS awareness, but I'm confident that this unique card will communicate our grateful feelings.

If not, I'm optimistic that at least you will like my card!

And, I'm anticipating your participation in this months' 12 tags series! Dig out your gloss stock, a few favorite colors of alcohol ink, and a can of compressed air, then go HERE to see how Tim can help you turn those into a fun day in your art studio!