Cheerful and Optimistic

 

Hi There!!!!  Life is always better when we are cheerful and optimistic.  For me, as long as my focus is where it should be - on God - then cheerful and optimistic happens!!

I recently got some Viva Signature Cloth paper towels.  These were mentioned during the Tim Holtz demos this summer whenever he shared a technique that he wanted a smooth paper towel for.  One technique he shared is Eroded Metallics.  This is a technique done with Distress Paints.  I did the technique after the demo but only had regular paper towels and it does pick up the texture of the paper towel.  That wouldn't always be a bad thing but not something I would want all the time.  After the demo I tried to get some of the Cloth paper towels and couldn't find any in stock.  Last week I checked again and was able to order some from Amazon.  Now that I have them I wanted to do the technique again to really see the difference.  

I painted a piece of Distress Mixed Media Heavystock.  I just had to use the newest color, Crackling Campfire, and combined it with Peacock Feathers.

After drying I added stamping with Crackling Campfire using one of the new release Background Images from the set Tapesty (Stamper's Anonymous, Tim Holtz).

That was dried and next comes the metallic.  I used Tarnished Brass, painted it on, splattered on water getting more in some areas and just drops in others, let it sit a few seconds, laid the Paper Towel on letting it sit just a few seconds and took it off.  Worked great.  In the areas where the water was the paper towel picked up the metallic paint without leaving a pattern behind, just an open area.  So Cool!!!

Instead of just putting the paper in a pile I used it right away to make a card for the current challenge on the Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog which is Birds.  

Leaves were stamped along the top and part way down the sides with Archival Ink using an image from the Nature's Wonder set (Stamper's Anonymous Tim Holtz).  The edges were distressed and messy stitching added.

The bird is a die cut from watercolor paper and colored with Distress Oxide Ink.  A fibery ribbon and torn papers were glued across the paper and twine wrapped around it.  The speckles (from the Tiny Toadstools set) were stamped with Oxide Ink.