Catching up with some crafting....

Hi Everyone,

It has been a busy few weeks for me, getting my house ready for a holiday party next week.  Sometimes it's good to have a reason to stop crafting and do some much needed home care, but this girl needs to find a least a little time to craft!

After missing out on Tim Holtz's October tag, I made sure to get the November tag in before I start my hard core Christmas crafting.

Here is Tim's tag:

Click here for his tutorial.

 

 

I love that pumpkin, and the cork text element is totally cool!  What I love best though, is how keeping the embellishments simple allows the amazing background to shine.

 

Here is my version of the tag:

 

As I usually do, I followed Tim's instructions for the background closely.  Isn't the foil applied with t glue stick a genius technique?   I chose a brighter palette, as I wanted this piece to stand out from the brown tones in my display boxes.  I don't have the pumpkin blueprint stamp, (although after seeing Tim's neat technique this month, I surely do want it!) so I used this lovely little girl from my collection of vintage advertising cards instead.  I made a copy, matted it, and popped it up over my background stamp with foam tape.

 

I attempted to cut a cork sheet that I purchased years ago at a dollar store with my Silver Bullet digital die cutter.  It didn't work out so well, not that it wouldn't cut, but because the cork was so old and dried out, it crumbled as I removed it from the mat.  That's ok, chipboard made an ok substitute, especially when I inked it with Distress inks to match the background of my image, and edged it with Distress paint.

 

 

Here is one last shot of my November Tag of 2015.  As always, I am displaying it in my wall of boxes.  I like the nice touch of autumn color that it adds. 

 

Thanks for stopping by! 

 

Elizabeth

Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of 2015 Week 3...

Hi Everyone!

Hope you all had a terrific weekend!  I got crazy busy in the craft room, and got a ton of things done, including this week's version of the 12 Tags of Christmas Funkie Junkie Style Challenge. Click the link to learn all about this challenge.  You still have plenty of time to join the fun.  If you are short on crafting time, you should at least take a few minutes each week to check out all of the entries.  There are some amazing artists taking part this year! 

The challenge is sponsored by the marvelous Funkie Junkie Boutique.  Be sure to click on over to see all the yummy supplies available!

This is Linda's week three inspiration tag.  I'm a knitter, so I of course I love anything with a knitwear theme.  My daughters both knit, too, so I knew as soon as I saw this which element I would be featuring!  I have a bit of glitter fear, but I decided to get over it, at least for this week.

I chose to work with a small space in the printer's trays again this week, so unless you are looking at this on a smart phone, it is way bigger on your screen than it is in real life!  The deer is less than an inch long!  I chose to copy Linda's glittered background for my knitwear cut out, which I cut with my Silver Bullet Cutter.  To keep the glitter in check, I ran my background cardstock through my Xyron, and then used a method I learned from Tim Holtz, placing the piece on one half of a piece of copy paper, sprinkling on the glitter, and folding the paper over and pressing the glitter into the adhesive with it.  It makes it really easy to pour the glitter back into the jar, and I didn't end up with glitter and glue all over my fingers.  Win!

To add some extra interest to the knitwear cutout, I stamped it with Wendy Vecchi Watering Can Archival and a grid like stamp from the Tim Holtz Mixed Media set.  I finished it off by sponging it with Aged Mahogany Distress. 

I used my all time favorite Christmas Stamp, the simple but beautiful "Merry Christmas" by Tim Holtz ( it's part of the Christmas Time set.)  to make a banner, which I curled before adhering to my background.  I used Wendy Vecchi Red Geranium Archival Ink, and added some Vintage Photo Distress Ink to the edges. 

I loved the stamped and inked leaves on Linda's project, but wanted to add a deer as well.  Rather than making an impossible choice between the two, I combined them!  I cut my tiny deer, using my Silver Bullet,  stamped it in WV Tree Branch Archival with a Tim Holtz text stamp from one of the Christmas collections, inked it with soft green Distress Inks with touch of Vintage Photo Distress on the edges.   I thought it was fun to pop it onto the banner, so it looks like it is flying!

And here is how my week three project fits into the printer's tray.  My two projects are identical this week, so I didn't take photos of both. 

I'm starting to get really excited about this project!  I can't wait to give them to the girls! 

I spent a lot of time in my craft room this weekend, watching a Harry Potter marathon and making Christmas cards.  Two of my very favorite activities!  I hope to be able to share some of them with you later this week.  The cards that is, you're on your own for Harry Potter!

Thanks for stopping by!

Elizabeth

Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of 2015 Week 2

Hi Everyone!

Today, I am sharing my projects for week two of the Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of 2015 Challenge.  (click the link to get all the details).

First, I'll show you Linda's lovely week 2 inspiration tag:

Isn't it beautiful?  There is so much to love here!

I was immediately drawn to the gorgeous gilded text and the trees (Christmas trees are my favorite Christmas symbol!)

Here is how I chose to interpret this week's challenge:

I used my Foil Master to do the lettering, as I don't have the Remnant Rubs.  I added lots of other gold elements with other products in my stash, including Gold Alcohol ink on the Idea-ology Mirrored Stars, splattered a shimmery spray on the background, and used Perfect Pearls medium with a stamp and Perfect Gold Perfect Pearls to add a touch of shine to the trees.  I colored the trees with a variety of green Distress Inks. 

I decided to alter the largest of the spaces in the printer's trays this week, and these pieces make ideal "titles". 

Please stop by the The Funkie Junkie Boutique for all of your crafty needs.  You will find a terrific selection of Tim Holtz, Wendy Vecchi and Graphics 45 products, to name just a few, not to mention a beautiful range of unique embellishments to make your shabby chic/vintage dreams come true!

Thanks for stopping by today to see my week two makes!   Stay tuned for week three, in which I discover a way to tame my old nemesis, glitter!

See you soon!

Elizabeth

Yay! The Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of 2015 Challenge has begun!

Hi Everyone,

Hope everyone had a good weekend!  It was beautiful here, and a terrific reminder of why I live in New England.  The fall color here in New Hampshire is absolutely glorious!  Equally exciting is the start of the Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of 2015 Challenge.   In my craft room, it is never too early to start Christmas crafting!

This is Linda's week one inspiration tag:

 

Click here for all the details on this amazing challenge!

There is so much to be inspired by here!  I love, love, love the background with the Wendy Vecchi gold embossing paste and the beautiful green inks!  And the poinsettia is incredible! 

As I did last year, I am going to be altering a 7 Gypsies printer's tray.  Actually, I'm doing two of them, one for each of my daughters!

 

The spaces I will be filling are quite small, and I discovered last year that it is helpful, especially for the smallest spaces, to be very selective when choosing my elements.  That is very hard to do when Linda's tags offer so much beautiful inspiration! 

Here are my first two pieces:

I was inspired by Linda's soft blue-green inked background, and the red text.  Rather than make a really tiny poinsettia, I cut a multi layered holly motif.  I used my Silver Bullet cutter to make my die cuts, and inked them with Distress Inks (Iced Spruce, Evergreen Bough, Pine Needles and Vintage Photo for the background, with some water droplets; Barn Door for the text, and Peeled Paint and Mowed Lawn for the holly leaves). I sprayed the background with some shimmery Maya Mist that I've had in my stash for ages.  For the text, I added a layer of Glossy Accents to add some, well, glossy accents. ; )  The holly berries are Distress Stickles. 

Have you checked out the Funkie Junkie Boutique lately?  There is a fabulous selection of crafty goodness, all at 20% below retail!

I will have to save my Wendy Vecchi gold embossing paste for another time.  It made a really beautiful background, but was too busy for my small spaces.  These pieces are just slightly less than 1.25 x 3.75 inches. 

I wanted to make these pieces level with the fronts of the trays, rather than being recessed, so I made  dimensional "beams" from a scrap piece of cardstock, and used them as fillers before adding my art pieces.

I hope you stop by often to see how my printer's trays progress.

Elizabeth 

Monochromatic - Guest Design Spot for Frilly and Funkie...

Hi Everyone!

I was thrilled to be chosen as a guest designer spot for the Frilly and Funkie blog.  The current challenge is " Monochromatic - make a project that uses basically one color and its various hues and tones - a little white or cream can be added but unless that is the main color, it needs to be just an accent".  I couldn't wait to get started!

I decided to alter this bottle, a recent thrift store find:

 

I added layers of crackling with a combination of Wendy Vecchi Crackle Medium and Rock Candy Distress Crackle over a layer of Mod Podge.  As soon as my green bottle was white, I started making it green again.  This photo shows the crackle and sponged Old Paper Distress Ink.

 

Next, I added a layer of green micro beads. 

 



 

I toned down the contrast by brushing some Bundled Sage Distress paint over the beads.

 





 

I added to the green color by brushing on my newest Distress Paint, the gorgeous yellow green Twisted Citron.  I added the color at the top of the bottle, and sprayed it liberally with water so it would run down.  I repeated this process a few times until I was satisfied with the color. 

 



 

Time to add embellishments!

 

 

I painted a Funkie Junkie Boutique metal filigree square with Distress Paints in Bundled Sage and Twisted Citron, and adhered it to my bottle with hot glue.  On top of this, I glued an alcohol inked Idea-ology Fragments charm embellished with a Remnant Rub.  I used beads from my collection to make the dangling charm. 

 



 

 

The top of the bottle got a Distress Dyed seam tape bow, and lots of leaves, cut with my Silver Bullet cutter, colored with Evergreen Bough Distress Stain, and over painted with Bundled Sage and Twisted Citron Distress Paints, dabbed on with dabber tops. 

 

As often happens when I take photos of what I think are finished projects, I realized that I wasn't quite done yet.  My bottle needed a top!

 

 

I found the pierced metal beads in my collection, and although they were almost the right color to begin with, I dabbed on Bundled Sage and Twisted Citron Distress Paints.  A head pin holds all of the beads together to form a "stopper".  The previously unpainted top ring of the bottle also got a coat of Bundled Sage Distress.

That's better!  Here's is the completed project:

Thanks for stopping by today.  And a huge thanks to the Frilly and Funkie gang for the opportunity to be a guest designer.  It sure made my crafty heart happy!

 

Elizabeth



Guys from the Attic Mini Album - A project that makes me Happy, Happy Happy!

Happy Tuesday, Everyone!

I hope you are having a terrific day!   I am finally ready to share the project with which I have been teasing you with sneak peeks.  The project itself was very time consuming, but oh so fun to create!  It is a Playful Pocket Flip Mini Journal honoring the guys in the attic.  (Full disclosure:  These guys aren't really in the attic; just their photos and little bits of their stuff.)

This is the completed front of the album.  When working on the album, I found the giant washer in a parking lot. With some Remnant Rubs, it makes the perfect grungy charm to hang from my Idea-ology measuring tape ribbon "belly band". 

 All of the papers are from the Tim Holtz Idea-ology Lost and Found Collection.   Rather than uploading the 30 or so photos I shot and edited, I decided it would be more effective to share a video.  This is my very first craft video, so judge accordingly!

I kept things really simple, so that the photos and ephemera would be the stars.

Here are a few photos of the highlights:

 These guys like cars.

 

These guys are serious about their farm business.

 

These guys like rusty numbers.  (No wait, its me who likes rusty numbers!)

 

These guys like fishing. (I love my Wendy Vecchi Crackle Paste and Distress Ink.)

 These guys love their girls. 

 

These guys love train travel.  (I love that this album has pockets for extra ephemera, like this Distressed TH bingo card!)

 These guys love a road trip.  ( The atlas is a copy from an original from the attic. I shrunk it a lot to make it fit.)

 

 These guys love each other! They are brothers, cousins, friends, and it is clear that they love spending time together. 

 

These guys love looking spiffy!  The razor blade it is a bit less dangerous in its new custom holder than it was in the bottom of the vintage sewing basket I found it in.  (The ads are from the internet.)

 

These guys love their pets! ( I love this 1955 dog tag that I found in a button box.)

These guys love mail.  (I loved finding a spot for this pen nib  and stamps that I found in the attic.)

The theme of the current challenge over at the Frilly and Funkie blog is Happy, Happy, Happy!  Here is hostess Georgie's description:

So this is the theme :) This could be a project you love doing, a product you love using, or something that makes you so happy that it just gives you the inspiration to create something beautiful. It really is an anything goes kind of challenge, but remember to make sure you have fun!!
Oh boy!  This theme perfectly describes how I feel about my Guys from the Attic mini album.  From the surprisingly rewarding hours I spend sorting and organizing my family's attic, to combining the junky little bits that I collect there with my Idea-ology and Distress products, to making up stories for my own personal "found relatives", this is the best crafting "happy" I can imagine. 


I made the mini album base by following this video tutorial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9C6YAqjUvw

It's really quite simple to assemble, but it takes a bit of a commitment to fill all of the pockets and pages. 

Thanks for stopping by, and sticking with me (if you're still here!) through this rather long post.  I wish you all a beautiful week!

Elizabeth

12 Tags of 2015 - May

Happy Sunday, Everyone!

Hope you all are having a fabulous weekend.  Today I am sharing my Tim Holtz inspired May 2015 tag project.  First, here's a peek at Tim's inspiration tag:

I'm pretty sure that this is my favorite so far.  (I'm also pretty sure I say that every month.  They just keep getting  better and better, as impossible as that seems!)

Here is my take.  I finally got around to adding some paint to the second "frame".  I painted a layer of Gathered Twig DP, and dry brushed on touches of Walnut Stain.

I used a mix of ephemera cut from Tim Holtz Idea-ology papers, and copies of my personal attic collection, along with Idea-ology, random bits and pieces, Chit Chat stickers, and Remnant Rubs.  My tiny roses and buds were cut with my Silver Bullet Professional cutter, colored with Distress Stains, and assembled.  

Some close ups:

 

I used a charcoal pencil to ground my ephemera on the burlap backing.  The mirrored star was alcohol inked and then rubbed with a bit of Gathered Twig Distress Paint.  (The brown circles were punched from sandpaper. I can't recall why I did that, but I sure am glad I kept them in my "junque" box!)

 

The rhinestones on the frame received the same treatment as the mirrored star; Alcohol ink followed by a bit of Distress Paint.  I didn't want anything to be too bright and shiny. I don't know who the lovely lady is, but since she was in the family attic, I'm claiming her as a relative.   You can see my stenciled and inked embossing paste peeking out from behind the elements on the left side.  I added many layers of Distress Paint to the metal label frame before adding the Remnant rub label.  It started out shiny, believe it or not! I tied it on to my tag with a simple Distress dyed seam binding bow.

I love my Penny Duncan Creations rose SVG files.  Being able to cut them in any size (less than 1/2 inch in diameter for these ones!) with my Silver Bullet and SCAL software gives just the flexibility that I crave as a crafter.  The foliage cut is also one of Penny's designs. 

Here you can see the custom charms I made using alcohol ink and a Remnant Rub on a glass charm, and alcohol ink and Distress Paint on a gumdrop in an Idea-ology Type Charm base.  I find that the Distress palette of products coordinates really well with my collection of attic ephemera, as well as Tim's  Idea-ology ephemera, which makes creating matching, custom colored bits and pieces really simple and fun. 

Creating this month's tag was a rewarding process of combining personal and reproduction ephemera, and creating custom coordinated embellishments using my collection of Tim Holtz products.  What a pleasure!

I hope you find time to have some fun playing with Tim's ideas for the May tag of 2015!

Thanks for stopping by!

Elizabeth

May Flowers..... and a fun new challenge blog....

Hi Everyone!

Happy Monday!  Spring is finally here in full force in New England, and I have a May Flowers challenge project to share today.  I'm sure I'm not the only one who was really happy to learn that Pamellia Johnson, whom I discovered through her design team work for Frilly and Funkie, (and have been stalking through blog land ever since, shhh!), has started a new challenge blog of her own, Anything but Cute!.

 I waited with great excitement for the first challenge, and was thrilled when I saw that it would be Vintage Garden!  You have to go check out the design team inspiration!  Total Gorgeousness!! 

Along with Christmas projects, flowers are my favorite crafty make.

It seems that I just couldn't stop making flowers!  I purchased these little milk glass jars from a favorite local antique co-op, and filled them with Distress stained and inked paper flowers. 

I inked the edges of these flowers.

These flowers got Distress Stains straight from the foam applicator on the bottles, and Distress Ink applied to the edges with a foam applicator. 

I dyed seam binding with the same green Distress colors I used for my greenery, and tied bows onto my jars.

I spritzed these violet roses with Distress spray after assembly. 

While contemplating the plain white jars, I had my best "Aha" moment of the year, and added a Tim Holtz Remnant rub to each of them.  Voila, just the lagniappe this project needed.  (Hey look at me, with two French words in one sentence: my high school French teacher would be so proud!)

Now I'm off to ogle the other beautiful entries in this challenge.  Believe it or not, there are 42 of them already!  How fun is that!?!

Enjoy your week!

Elizabeth

Feeling Bravely Experimental.... (Updated with a 'before the experiment photo")

Hi Everyone,

Happy Sunday to you!  It is a beautiful sunny day here, and I should really be outside planting, but before I go out and get my hands dirty, I am going to take a moment to share a recent project.

The current challenge over at  Frilly and Funkie blog is Snap, Crackle, Crackle.   It was just the push I needed to get out my Wendy Vecchi crackle paste and do some playing around.

This product creates the most amazing crackling in the simplest way of any of the crackle mediums I have tried.  I find the chalky finish to work very well with my vintage projects, and I love the way it takes paint and inks.  For this piece, I combined it with bead gel for a super texture-y background.

I found this sweet little tray at the thrift store. I painted over the dated brown and white polka dots with matte white spray paint.  Next, I randomly scraped bead gel and Wendy Vecchi Crackle Paste onto the tray with an old gift card.   I made sure to get some of each product on the edges of the tray.  After letting this dry over night, I added Frayed Burlap Distress Ink to the cracks and beads to highlight the texture. 

I cut all of my paper flowers and leaves with my Silver Bullet Professional digital cutter.  The flower files are all from Penny Duncan Creations.  She makes and shares the most beautiful SVG cut files on her blog,  I like to cut all of my paper elements from white paper, and use Distress Inks and Stains to add custom color. I  As you may know, I love using vintage text, and added some curls of book paper to "fluff out" the floral.  I added a printed garden quote, and a custom dyed seam binding bow, and thought I was finished.  After a couple of days of looking at the project, though, I just wasn't completely satisfied with it.

I guess I was feeling bravely experimental, because I took the project outside and sprayed the whole thing pretty liberally with the same matte white paint I had started with.  Voila!  It was the perfect way to tone down all of the bright colors from the flowers, and blend them into a much more vintage appearance.  I added just a touch of brown Distress Inks and Sprays, and stamped a Tim Holtz stamp in Tree Branch Archival over the previously  printed tag. 

Big thanks to the Frilly and Funkie gang for keeping me hopping with fun challenges this year!  And in case you didn't know, Linda is having a big sale over at the Funkie Junkie Boutique.  Almost all of her terrific products are at an additional 10% off her already discounted prices!  Thanks to a gift card from my hubby and recently being chosen as a random challenge winner, I have been able to fill my "shopping cart" with new goodies to use in future challenges. 

Now I'm off to plant those flowers!  Hope you have a wonderful rest of your day!

Elizabeth

While editing photos of another project, I found this photo:

Here you can see the original brighter colors of the project.  Of course the Distress colors are all beautiful, but I like my choice to shabby the project up by toning them down with the spray of white.