Saturday, June 25, 2011

Twisted Sketches Card #65

Hi!  Thanks for stopping by!  The twist for "Twisted Sketches Card #65" is fabric!  Please click on the link to see the card sketch and while you are there check out the awesome projects my teammates created!

Here is the card I created using the sketch:

I hand stitched a scrap of red fabric on a rectangle taken from a pair of old jeans. After I stamped an Inky Antics elephant on some sticky backed canvas and colored her and the background with Prismacolor colored pencils, I used a Spellbinder Nestability circle die, then I hand stitched the piece to the jeans.  I machine stitched the jeans to the card front and added a flag with Studio Multi-Medium Matte.

For the record - no political statement is being made - she's just a cute elephant that I thought would be perfect holding a flag in her trunk to get ready for the 4th of July.

I created a 2nd card following the sketch with scraps of Tim Holtz' Shabby Vintage Paper Stash, an Idea-ology Ornate Plate, some Sakura Glaze Pen for faux stitching to give the impression of fabric,   a sentiment from Tim's "Odds & Ends" set by  Stamper Anonymous and just a quick pass of my black blending tool.


Hope you found a bit of inspiration and have time to play!   If you play along be sure to leave a comment on the Twisted Sketches blog with a way to get to your card.  I will try to get by sometime during the week, but blogger is up to it's fun and games and not always letting me leave a comment.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Linda

Friday, June 24, 2011

At the Mall - Gingersnap Creations GC105 - an experiment

I love challenges as it allows one to try things one might not ordinarily try, such as altering the color in a photograph.  

When I saw the Gingersnap Creations' theme for their Chestnut Challenge, I KNEW which stamp I HAD to use.   Since I chose a "photo" stamp, I didn't want the "mall" to be black and white too. Sooooo, using a ghost town image from Altered Pages "Ghost Towns" collage sheet, I stepped outside my box and changed the color using one of my photo software programs!  I am not sure I will employee this technique lots, but it was fun to try something different! 


Have a fabulous weekend!

Linda

Products used:

Stamped image- Inkadinkado
Ghost Town image - Altered pages
Sentiment - MS Word
Sizzix Alterations Texture Fade - Checkerboard
Distress Ink - Mustard Seed

Monday, June 20, 2011

Grungy Monday 12

WOW! It is Monday and I have the current challenge posted.  Well, I guess it helped that the awesome Linda at StudioL3 asked me to be a guest designer this week!  So I HAD to have my project done and posted!  Thank you Linda for the honor of being a guest designer!

Be sure to check out my fellow guest designer, Alison Hall's awesome project too!

If you LOVE all things Tim and you haven't already, be sure to check out the All Things Tim Yahoo Group!  It's a great place to ask questions, find inspiration and see fabulous projects in the picture gallery!

The idea behind Grungy Monday is to create something using a Tim Holtz technique as "assigned" by Linda at StudioL3 using supplies from your stash, NOT spending a fortune trying to get everything, unless of course, you have an extra fortune laying around.  So with that and thinking it was a good time to start making Christmas gifts in mind, I began my adventure in creating my "guest designer" project!

Challenge 12 involves going to Tim's April 2008 Technique Challenge.   Step 1, hmmmmm I don't have the paper he used, but I have tons of paper and decided on my favorite piece from Tim's Lost & Found Paper Stash. Next step, harlequin stamp?  Shocking as it may sound, I don't have it. (OK Chris, get up off the floor from your shock, lol!)  I have some background stamps, but not with the lots of "negative" space.   After some pondering some or maybe it was after hearing the pop-pop-pop of bubble wrap in a co-worker's cube, it hit me!  Use a piece of "large bubble" bubble wrap.  With the major hurdles behind me, I was on my way.

I used a 6 x 12 canvas as my base.  I embossed and painted the paper before adhering it to the canvas.

I really like how the bubble wrap worked as a stamp.  This was the first time I tried this technique, think I will try it again. I followed Tim's instructions until I got to the part about using "Crackle Accents".  Again something I don't have, but I did have some Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint and used that on the butterflies.


I added a few more finishing touches and ta da -


It even comes with options of what to hang from it. . . .

the calendar (see my Grungy Monday 11 post

OR 

a note "pad"

The note pad was creating using the challenge technique too.  Here's a close up


 I used tissue tape that I inked with Alcohol Inks around the edges of the canvas and had a piece left over , so I "altered" a mechanical pencil.




Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you enjoyed your visit and will be back soon!   And thank you again Linda for having me as a guest designer and a BIG thank you to TIM for all the inspiration he continually gives us!

 Have a fabulous week!

Linda

Products used:
6 x12 canvas
repurposed bubble wrap
RANGER INK
Pitch Black paint dabber

Stickles
   Icicile
   Burgundy
   Waterfall
   Black Diamond


Distress Ink
   Chipped Sapphire
   Stormy Sky
   Wild Honey
   Brushed Corduroy
   Walnut Stain
   Rusty Hinge
   Black Soot
   Clear Embossing
Perfect Pearls
    Heirloom Gold
    Sunflower
    Blue Patina
Alcohol Ink
   Wild Plum
   Cranberry
   Stonewash
   Lettuce
Distress Stain 
   Faded Jeans
   Broken China
Glossy Accents
Craft Mat
Studio Mat Medium
Blending tools



Lost & Found paper stash
Grungeboard 
   Nature pack
   Plain sheet

Tissue Tape
Hinge Clip
Word Key
Philosophy Tag
Lavish Trim
Link Chain
Hero Arts clear embossing powder

Sizzix 
   Alteration die -Caged bird
   Doodle Block Alphabet
Prima - Say it with Studs
Miscellaneous stuff from my stash
Crown
beads
gem
screw eye
picture hook
bubble wrap
staple gun





Sunday, June 19, 2011

Grungy Monday #11

Does anyone have a way to SLOW down time?  It seems like I blink an eye and a week has passed by.  So here it is Sunday, again, and the final day to post for Grungy Monday 11. . .

Last Monday Linda Ledbetter posted Grungy Monday #11  on her StudioL3 blog.  We were to create something using Tim (Holtz) January (2008) Technique Challenge.  I decided NOW was a good time to start working on Christmas presents.  So I made a calendar, of sorts. . . it's not quite done yet.  The pages are but it needs to be mounted on something or bound or . . . I will be sure to post a picture of the completed calendar when it is complete.

Check out Tim's blog for the directions.  I used clear distress embossing ink instead of the color and 8.5 x 11 paper.  After I finished step 11, I jumped to step 14 but instead of stamping I ran the paper through my printer.  (I created the calendar in Printmaster, then used the image in MS Word and re-sized to get 2 calendar pages on one piece of paper.  I created the calendar in Printmaster, then used the image in MS Word and re-sized to get 2 calendar pages on one piece of paper.)   Then went back to step 12 after cutting the calendar to the correct size.







The fabulous Linda (Ledbetter) will post a new challenge tomorrow (Monday) so make sure you drop by her blog and see what the challenge is so you can play along.  I KNOW you don't want to miss the fun!

Thanks for stopping by!  Happy Dad's day to all the dads out there!

Have a fabulous week!

Linda

Supplies used (by month):


  All months used Old Paper & Walnut Stain Distress Inks, Distress Embossing Ink, Hero Arts clear embossing powder and White Diamond paper.
  January - Stampers Anonymous (SA) Mini Holiday 2, Distress Inks (Tumbled Glass, Stormy Sky)
  February - Visual Artistry (VA) Urban Grunge, Distress Inks (Spun Sugar, Milled Lavender)
  March - VA French Market, Distress Inks (Bundled Sage, Pine Needles, Shabby Shutters)
  April - VA French Market, Distress Inks (Peeled Paint, Pine Needles, Crushed Olive, Brushed Corduroy, Stormy Sky)
   May - VA Flights of Fancy, Distress Inks (Tumbled Glass, Stormy Sky, Broken China, Faded Jeans and swipes of oranges and yellows blending tools)
   June - VA Flights of Fancy, Distress Inks (Tumbled Glass, Dusty Concord, Wild Honey, Bundle Sage, swipe of orange blending tool)
   July -  SA Rock Star, Distress Inks (Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire, Barn Door and Fired Brick)
   August - Hero Arts Antique Engravings, Distress Inks (Frayed Burlap, Stormy Sky, Broken China, Tumbled Glass & Spun Sugar)
   September  - SA Pen & Pencil, Distress Inks (Stormy Sky, Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, & Brushed Corduroy, I think)
   October - SA Trick or Treat, Distress Inks (Pumice Stone and Weathered Wood)
  November - SA Falling Leaves, Distress Inks (Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany, Dried Marigold, Rusty Hinge, Mustard Seed, Forest Moss.
   December - SA Holiday Wishes, Distress Inks (Pine Needles, Forest Moss, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany)



Sunday, June 12, 2011

Grungy Monday #10 with a "Nellie Knot" tutorial

On Monday when I went to Linda's Studio L3 to learn what the latest challenge was, I found that was simply "Distress Ink".  Now don't get me wrong, "simply" does NOT describe Distress Ink as there are multitudes of ways to use it and looks to get, in fact Distress Ink is my "go to" ink unless I need a waterproof ink.  Our challenge was to create something using Distress Ink any way we wanted!  Oh what fun this will be!

Tuesday evening I was a bit stressed, so I did something that "de-stresses" me.  I "Smooshed"!  Smooshed? What is "Smooshing" you ask?  Perhaps you know it better by what Tim (Holtz) calls it, "Wrinkle Free Distress"!  You can find the directions for Smooshing, I mean, Wrinkle Free Distress on page 33 of Tim's book A Compendium of Curiosities.

I used every color of DI (not all on one sheet) and created 10 sheets of background paper!  I had great fun and felt much better after I finished!

I used part of one of the background pieces for this card:



A while back I took a class at Stamper's Corner (Elk Grove, CA) where Nellie taught us a nifty trick for bows/knots on our cards.  What is nifty is the bow/knot will stay exactly where you put it!   With her permission, here is how to make a Nellie Knot.



1) Decide where you want your bow or knot.

2) Punch a hole in the chosen spot. (Note: If the card is vertical like mine, then just put a hole in the top layers before you adhere it to the card.  If the card is horizontal, then you can adhere the layers, then punch the hole  the layers and card.)



3) Cut a piece of fiber 2 1/2 to 3 times as long as the width of the direction the fiber will go.

4) Fold fiber in half.

5) Push fiber from front to back through hole.



6) Put ends on either side of hole and loop the fiber from the back over to the front (making sure there are no unwanted twists in the fiber).





7) Tie the bow or knot!




8) Voila!  A bow or not that won't move or fall off!  Pretty nifty, huh?



Hope you enjoyed the tutorial!

Be sure to check out Linda's (Ledbetter) blog on Monday morning for Grungy Monday 11!

Have a fabulous week!

Linda

Products used to create:  Craft sheet, White Diamond paper (from Stampers' Corner), Distress ink (Broken China, Tumbled Glass, Dusty Concord, Peeled Paint, Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo), Art Glitter Mist (copper), Ace Hardware multi-purpose twine, Idea-ology Muse Token, Tim Holtz "Odds & Ends" and "Nature's Discovery" stamps, Ranger Ink Pearl Blue embossing powder.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Twisted Sketches Card #63

Hi and welcome! This is my first ever post as a design team member!  It is such an honor!  I am super excited and perhaps a bit nervous too!   

If you haven't been to the Twisted Sketches blog yet,  when get there you will find a sketch with a "twist". Every Saturday, there is a new card sketch with a twist and every Wednesday there is a new scrapbook page layout sketch with twist!  I hope you drop by and visit!

This week's card twist is metal and here is my take on the sketch:


and because I had so much fun making the first card, I made this one too!


For more inspiration on this week's card sketch and twist, be sure to check out the other cards created by my talented teammates at Twisted Sketches.  

Have a fabulous weekend!

Linda

Material list: 
      Graduation card: Star Dream Folding Cards, DeNami Design Stamp (cap), Inkadinkadoo Stamp (sentiment), Hero Arts silver emobssing powder, Ranger Ink Distress embossing ink (weathered wood & pumice stone), Viva Las Vegas mircale tape, Making Memories charm plaques, Zig 2 way glue and gray paper from my stash.

      Baby card: Bo-Bunny Back to Basics "buttercup dot"; Scrap Ease Rub-on (sentiment), JoAnn's craft Essentials metal frames "tiny toes". The bears, lace, button and embroidery thread are all from my stash and I don't know who made them!


Saturday, June 4, 2011

The secret is OUT!

I am so excited!  It was really hard not to say anything before now! But now I can!   I applied to the Twisted Sketches design team and I was accepted!!! Woo Hoo!!!!

I owe it all to Paula (WhatSpeaks2myHeart), she was on the design team and posted the link about the call for the new team.  THANK YOU Paula!

This is the card I submitted (it was right around Easter) with my application


the twist was glue.  I used my roasted fish technique, only I used a roasted bunny! (the link will take you to the roasted fish tutorial.)  Check out all the details and see the other fabulous cards created by the new design team on the Twisted Sketches blog.

Hope you will join us each Saturday at Twisted Sketches!  (Be sure to go back to the Twisted Sketches blog next Saturday for my first design team assignment!)

Have a fabulous week!

Linda

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Grungy Monday #9

HI!

The challenge Linda over at StudioL3 chose for this week is from the technique Tim showed us on Tag 10 during the 12 Tags of Christmas 2007!   Hop on over to Tim's blog for the directions to try this fun and easy technique.

 
When I saw what the technique was,  I knew exactly what I was going to do!  By the time I got to the studio, though I had changed my mind and made this instead:


I used Black Pitch, Snowcap, Aqua,  Stream and Copper dabbers, Shell stamps from Hero Arts' Antique Engravings set, letters are cut from grungeboard using Sizzix Doodle Block die on my Vagabond, swivel clasp, miscellaneous charms, adage ticket, mini paper clips, sea glass (with a light coat of glossy accents over the top to make them look wet and shiny), Ranger clear embossing powder, a random shell and miscellaneous fiber.

Did you see what  I mentioned? Did you catch "vagabond"?  I am so excited, I just got my birthday present (my birthday was a couple weeks ago)!  A brand new beautiful awesome so much fun to play with gift!   The first time  I played with it was last night and I didn't want to stop. lol

Can you tell I was just a little excited?



Hope you are having a fabulous week!  Stay safe.
Linda