Enjoy the journey ATC

This is an atc I made earlier this summer.  The background is left-over ink (Dylusion's I think) printed onto Ranger's manila cardstock - meaning I took a piece of manila cardstock and layed it on the left-over ink, probably more than once with different colors, and then cut it up into atc sized pieces (I have more left to use).  The border image across the bottom is a Dylusion's stamp as are the leaves in the top left corner.  The bird is from gg designs'. A white pen was used to add highlight to all images including drawing in the bird wing and eye.  Black pen doodles around the edge.  An Ideology word band across the bottom; white paint in the letters.

When all else fails.... a quick tag

Ranger has issued a challenge on their blog to share a project using Distress Inks.  I have many projects on my blog that use Distress Ink but I thought I'd make something new to share.  I die cut the tag from Ranger's Specialty Stamping Paper using Tim's tag and bookplate die. I used Distress Inks picked raspberry, salty ocean, and squeezed lemonade for the background.  I rubbed each color on the craft sheet next to each other, sprayed the tag and the ink with water, smooshed in the tag, dried it blotting as necessary, dipped it again and dried it blotting as necessary.  The lady eating chocolate is a Stampsmith Image called Chocolate Lover.  I stamped her with Archival jet black.  The leaves are a Dylusion stencil and I sponged DI mowed lawn through the stencil.  'When all else fails eat chocolate' is a new Quietfire Design image; stamped and embossed in black.  The edges of the tag are sponged with mowed lawn, distressed with Tim's paper distresser and rubbed right on the edge with picked raspberry.  The color where I stamped the lady was darker than I wanted so after making sure the black ink was dry by using my heat tool I added water in all the light area using a water brush and then blotted up the color and repeated.  I worked very well.

We cannot tell....

I knew I wanted to try and make another card using one of Quietfire Design's new companion sets but I also had a new (to me) set of Spellbinder's dies (Bitty Blossoms)  that I was itching to try out so I started by making the flowers.  I grabbed a piece of cardstock that I had used in the past to pick up excess color off my craft sheet... this color can be from whatever - Distress Inks, stains, Dylusion sprays, other sprays, etc so I can't really say what's on this sheet - but I liked the colors.  I die cut the shapes and twirled them into flowers using Golden's heavy gel medium to glue them.  This was the first time I'd tried the heavy gel for flowers and it worked great!!!!  I put a blob on the circle shape at the end of the spiral that you set all the bottom of the petals against, adjusted my petals, and set it down... they did NOT come lose from the gel and just sat there and dried fabulously.  I loved that it allows you some wiggle time but you don't have to sit and hold it or weight it down.  AMAZING!!!  

So I had my flowers and next I needed to stamp my main piece.  I first stamped it on a scrap of the same paper I made the flowers from but it just seemed to busy for the words to really stand out so I grabbed another left over piece of paper that was mostly yellow and stamped the saying on that.  Die cut it with Spellbinders scalloped oval die and then sponged just a bit of Distress Ink mowed lawn around the edges.  The next layer is white cardstock embossed with Tim's folder Regal Flourishes and edged with Distress Ink seedless preserves.  The leaves are from the Bitty Blossoms die set and are cut and embossed from some scraps of green pick-up-extra-color paper and then I lightly sponged Distress Ink peeled paint over them to bring out the embossing.  The accent strips of paper are cut from the same paper as the flowers were die cut from.

Some people.....

This card uses one of Quietfire Design's new companion set of stamps - Some people come into our lives... you can see all the newest QF stamps Here (they've been out a while and this page will probably change soon as she comes out with new Christmas stamps).  To make this a very quick card I used one of the gorgeous Kanban papers Bella Damask - Mocha... it has all 3 of the decorative papers I used on this card.  I stamped (Archival Ink jet black) onto the non metallic highlights side of the paper, lined up the Spellbinders beaded oval die, cut it out, and sponged a little Distress Ink brushed corduroy to the outside edges using the ink blending tool.  The gold layer between the printed paper and the red cardstock is white cardstock edged with tarnished brass Distress stain.  The red cardstock is from my stash.  The heart is the smallest of the Sizzix primitive hearts cut from the same red cardstock.  The stamped-with-Archival-ink-jet-black footprints is a mini stamp from Stubby Stampers. Gold embroidery floss tied around the heart.  Flat-backed black gems added to the beaded oval.  On a couple of layers, I lightly used Tim's distressing tool on the edges.  You can see the metallics better in this tilted picture.

Making Art Challenge #51

A very quick tag for the current (almost over) challenge on the Everything Wendy Vecchi Yahoo Group.  The challenge issued by our most fabulous list mom, Lori, is to make something using the technique Wendy shared in a video for the Simon Says Stamp's Stamptember event... see the video HERE.  I used all Studio 490 stamps on this tag.

Happy First Day of Fall

 An ATC.  Dylusions sprays in the background and on the flowers cut from watercolor paper and to color in the Dylusion stamp along the bottom.  White pen in the image at the bottom, black pen around the edges. Studio 490 stamps used in the background and on the flowers.

Tag #3

#8 manilla tag
Dylusions sprays
Gesso sponged through border image of Dylusion stencil
Dylusions number stencil in background
Dylusions word image stamped on white cardstock and cut out
Leaves - Sizzix die - cut from cardstock and sprayed with Dylusions
Flower cut from water color paper, sprayed with Dylusion sprays and Perfect Pearls mist, crumpled, dried, and lightly inked over the ridges.  A silver brad in the center colored with alcohol inks.
White enamel accent dots

Tag #2

I was reminded of this lady image when the new releases for summer CHA were being shown.  She was coming out in one of Stampers Anonymous's classic sheets but I have her as a wood mount. I just had to get her out and use her!!  Again I started with a #8 manilla tag.  The background is Dylusion sprays.  If you look along the right side you can see a "ghosted" image of the word Dream.  I used Tim's movers and shakers Dream die and cut it from plastic packaging... layed it on the tag, sprayed water, took off the die-cut packaging, blotted up the water and dried it.  All stamps used on this tags besides the lady (Stampers Anonymous) and a grungy background image (Tim Holtz) are Wendy Vecchi Studio 490.  Around the top of the tag is a partial stamp of a flower stamped 3 times and embossed with green ep.  The flourishy weed image is stamped with Adirondack snow cap pigment.  The script and grungy background images are Distress Ink.  The lady, word Dream, and sentiment are all stamped with jet black Archival.  A white pen highlights the dot in the eye.  Red ink on the lips.

Back to those tags

Those tags being the ones I made and took with on my trip to Ohio over Stampaway weekend.  If you don't know what I'm talking about scroll down a few posts.  This is one of the tags I made (I'm scheduling the other 2 over the next 2 days) to take with and swap. A very cool technique that was mentioned to me at our last local in-person atc swap by one of the new people that come to the swap, Alexis.  A technique using paint and 91% rubbing alcohol.  She mentioned it was in the book Surface Treatment Workshop which rang a bell and when I got home I checked and, yep, I had the book.  I really need to work through all the techniques in this book... very cool  Anyway this particular one is found on page 86.  For my tag I used a #8 manilla tag from Ranger.  I painted it with Paint Dabber lettuce and let it dry completely.  Then I used Paint Dabber colors raspberry and sunset orange... these need to be watered down... you paint them on and then drip on the alcohol while the paint is still wet.  What I did was use a pipette, made lots of drips and then blotted with a paper towel.  It made the most wonderful variegated color on the tags... totally awesome.  You could do more controlled drips and you don't have to blot leaving a more defined pattern but for these tags I loved how it turned out with the blotting.  After it was dry I used an alphabet stencil (Dylusions) and Archival ink in the background.  Stamped the border image (Dylusions) along the top and bottom with jet black Archival.  Added the white in the borders with a pen.  Stamped laugh with jet black.  "Stamped" all the white circles with white paint and various lids or items sitting around.  The larger black dots were done with a pencil eraser and jet black.  The little black dots are an old stamp.  "laugh" didn't stand out as well as I wanted so I went around the edges with a black Glaze pen.

Making Art Challenge #50

It's very hard to believe that this is the 50th Challenge issued by our most fabulous list mom, Lori, on the Everything Wendy Vecchi Yahoo Group!!!  Our challenge this time is to take the techniques Tim Holtz shared in the Stamptember video on Simon Says Stamp's Blog HERE but use at least one Wendy stamp or as in the video, stamps from one set.  So I took a bit of time this afternoon and made a tag.  I used stamps from one of Wendy's new stamp sets, Art For You.  This is a fabulous set with insects, a honeycomb background and two word stamps, one of which is the "Be You" that I used.  For most of it I followed the video but then added a couple of other techs too.  I started with a manilla tag and the Distress Stains I used were spun sugar, scattered straw, and picket fence because I don't own the metallics yet.  Distress Inks used in the background are picked raspberry, ripe persimmon, and vintage photo.  Distress Inks used on the main bee are peacock feathers, and seedless preserves applied with a water brush.  After following along for the background and stamping I then used the water brush to put just plain water in the wings and body of the main image bee, let it sit a bit and blotted it up.  This lightened the color in the bee and then I went back in and added color.  The heart is one of Wendy's blossom bucket pieces colored with Archival Ink and then I rubbed Distress Stickles spun sugar on it.  Also around the bee and the heart I added a line of Distress Ink pumice stone with the water brush to give a little shading for depth.  It was great fun getting inky as I haven't had much time for that lately.  Thanks to Wendy Vecchi for her fabulous products and wonderful inspiration on her blog and to Lori for taking such good care of use on the Wendy group!!!

Chunky Time

We just finished a swap on the Everything Wendy Vecchi Yahoo Group of Chunky ATCs and this is the chunky I made and sent to Susan.  I received an incredible chunky from Anita.  She has pics on her blog Here and also another somewhat similar chunky on her blog Here that is awesome.  

If you don't already know, a chunky starts as a piece of 2 x 4 wood cut to 2 1/2".  A 2x4 is actually only 3 1/2" wide and 1 1/2" thick so by cutting a piece at 2 1/2" you get a piece that is ATC sized and 1 1/2" thick; therefore, a chunky.  Our only requirement was to use at least one Wendy Vecchi Studio 490 stamp but I used many.  I also got my order of Wendy's new stencils and some of her stamps and art parts in time to to use them on my chunky.  So all stamps and stencils used are Studio 490.  

I started out by painting all sides of wood with Distress Crackle Paint weathered wood and broken china... I just poured some each onto my craft sheet and picked up the colors randomly letting them swirl together on the wood.  Once everything else was done to it you can't really see how they swirl together but I'm sure it must have made a different in my finished project :-))  After it was dry and crackled I stamped with the background image from the set Material Art using Archival Ink Manganese Blue on all sides.  Next I brushed watered down snow cap Paint Dabber over a side, let it sit just a few seconds and wiped it off, and then continued until all sides were done.  This toned down the stamped a bit and emphasized the cracks more.  Along the way I did some pieces flake off here and there but not too much and it just added to the distress of it all.  I stenciled dots on the front and back with purple twilight Paint Dabber.  Around the top edge I stenciled on the stripes with espresso Paint Dabber... it sometimes bled under the stencil but that was ok too... and then I used a white pen to bring out the design more.   

The bird nest is just wadded up raffia.  I also sprayed a little brown Dylusions on it, blotted it and let it dry.  The bird is cut from grungeboard - I cut 2 and glued them together.  

The big flowers on the front and back are modeling paste through a stencil, let it dry, colored roughly with Tombow markers and then blended with water, let it dry, put the stencil back on and stamp the flower with a background image.  The center pieces are a couple of Wendy's Blossom Bucket pieces, the colors altered with Sharpie watercolor paint markers (one with regular color and the other with glitter color).  

The flower on this side is an Art Part and matching stamp.

The leaves and flowers were stamped on grungepaper, cut out, inked, leaves stamped with a background image, leaves and flowers highlighted with a white pen.  

The piece around the bottom is Ranger's sticky backed foil cut with a Tim die, colored with alcohol ink, and then coated with matte Glue 'n Seal to tone down the shininess.  

Long Time No Blog!!!! And Stampaway!!!

 The weeks have just  flown by!!!  Life has been busy... work, family, company... but it is all good!!!  Now that school has started I think things will be their more "normal" busy rather than crazy busy, lol!!!

I have lots of cards and atcs from the summer that I haven't shared yet and will hopefully be getting to those very soon but first my trip to Ohio over Stampaway weekend, the first weekend in August.  Several of us from a small online group had been planning for months to meet up that weekend and I'm so glad I was able to go.  I had an absolutely fabulous time!!!!!  I made the 10 hour drive over on Thursday and drove back on Sunday.  I took one class while there.  It was an art journaling class.  We each received a spiral bound book and then we spent time using several different mediums in different ways to create backgrounds (or the beginnings of backgrounds) in the book.  We used white gesso, black gesso, black gesso with aluminum foil, acrylic paints, tape, various inks, sprays.  It was a lot of fun!!!!  Now to turn all those started pages into finished pages.

We all had tickets to the Stampaway preview party Friday night.  It was wonderful to browse and shop without all the big crowds.  I got to meet Cheryl of  TENseconds Studio.  She was demoing VerDay paint and patina in the Marco's Paper booth.  Here is a pic of her and I.

Some of us, including me, bought the VerDay kit because it's just way cool what you can do.  After I got back to the hotel room I had to have a play.  The night before I had picked up a large sheet of 300# watercolor paper (there was a Hobby Lobby and a Michael's not far from where we had supper) as I was planning to make a book and had already torn it down into pieces about 7 1/2" x 11".  I decided the VerDay would make a way cool cover.  I did make a mistake as I somehow missed the fact that you are supposed to let the first coat of paint dry for at least one hour... I painted the first coat, dried it with a heat tool, sponged on some of every color over it and then sprayed on the patina.  Then went to bed so it could "cook" all night.  In the morning... way cool!!!  But I think I would have had a bit more rusting if I had done the first coat of paint properly.  But I still like it!!!  This is a pic...  the pink you see is from spraying the other side with Dylusion sprays... didn't plan for it to get on the VerDay side but I'm messy and it's all ok!!  

Here is a close-up of an area.  

While at the preview party we decided to get our pics taken with Tim and Mario.  In the pic are Mario, Michael, Trent, Nancy, Tim, Me, Lori, and Deb in the front.  

On Saturday Michael had arranged for us to use the studio area of Stamping Buddies, a stamp store that had just opened this year.  The owner was super sweet and it was so much fun to just play and visit with everyone.  The first thing we did was get out our VerDay so we could do up some things and they'd have time for drying and patinaing while we were there.  I did this manila tag... it is so cool!!!! ... I haven't done anything else with it yet but will although I don't want to cover up too much of it's awesomeness.  

I also started working on my book.  I took each piece of watercolor paper and sprayed it with Dylusion sprays, dried them, and then did Dyan's ghosting technique with various stencils on each one.  Here are just 3 as I've already started finishing pages and hadn't thought to take pics of them all beforehand.  Each of these pages gets folded in half ... they'll all be nestled together and then bound.  I'll share the whole book once it's finished.

Another thing I did was try my hand at Zentangling.  Nancy gave Lori and I a lesson.  I started with a stencil of a flower, just traced the design with a black pen and then went on to fill in all the areas.  Then free-handed with white pen around it and added the words with black pen.  I chose those words because as I was working on the flower I would find myself holding my breath trying to get things "right" and then all of a sudden take a big breath and Nancy would tell me to breathe, this was supposed to be relaxing and fun, lol.  And it was fun... so much fun that the 3 of us are having a little swap of strings and tangling them and sending them back (I'll share all that when we are done).  I did this flower on the inside cover of the book I started. 

Something we had planned ahead of time was to have a tag swap.  We all made tags to swap.  I totally messed up!!!  I forgot that we were supposed to make a tag related to either where we live or where we grew up.  But I had fun making the tags I took and have promised to make Iowa tags for everyone later.  I made these first 3 tags, a few of each, and let everyone just choose which one they wanted.  (I'll share each one separately with info on future blog posts)

These are the tags everyone else made.  Left to right - Trent, Lori, Micheal, Nancy, Deb.  Aren't they all fabulous!!!  These are all going in my book.  

And here is a picture at a Mexican restaurant (can't remember the name) where we had supper Saturday night.  Good food, friends, and fun!!!!