PDCC #53: Black, White & Burgandy

Wow...as week of firsts! I have lurked at the Play Date Cafe challenges done by my fellow Compendium Challenge artists, and this week this challenge broke through a road block I'd been having on one of my Christmas ideas. So.. Ta Dah!! My first PDCC post! This week's challenge, which starts year two for them, is The Color Splash Challenge, where you use black and white, with just a splash of the chosen color; this week, Burgandy! They have a photo for inspiration, which I included left.

Now, how did this unblocked my block, you ask? I had been messing around with this chicadee stamp from Impression Obsession, coloring with pencils, stamping with different inks, etc., but it was either too messy, or too long/chancy an effect to try to do 15 of them. So, while staring at my stamp..again...Wham! The challenge jumped in my mind..for the holly berries!! I colored the berries with pencils, then gave a dot of Distress Stickles Fired Brick for texture, and thought, not bad..but needed something...a word..and the Hero Arts sayings borders came to mind (my fav!!), done in the Ancient Mahogany DI, which oddly matched the fired brick stickles, and almost done. Needed the bearest smudge of soot and ancient page on the borders, then matted on burgandy paper...not bad.

I'm not really liking the white card it's then mounted to...maybe cream would be better? Any other suggestions? So, thanks for letting me have a play date at the cafe!! I hope I'll be able to play along again.

WOYWW

Wow, this is my first every WOYWW blog!! And my desk as in it's usual state of mess! This is the finishing of my Compendium Challenge for week #19. You can't tell, by my table is 6 x 3. It was my old dinning room table that can seat 6 very comfortably! And for some reason, I just can't create unless I'm totally encased in "stuff" and have just enough space to lay down a sheet of paper!!! Yes, I do occasionally reach the point of desparation, where everything gets put away, the table top is clean, and it looks so nice. But then, when I need to make a card, project, etc., no amount of celtic music or incense can get me going until I've gotten eveything back to this state! LOL! So, thanks for visiting...but I gotta go get some work done!

Extreme Masking: CCC #19

OK, I'll admit it: I was worried about this one. When first thumbing through the Compendium, and then once Linda created these challenges. Yup, never had a thought in my head about what to do for this. So, all the credit this week goes to my husband Michael, who when I said "I don't know what to do for the masking challenge" he said "making a mask? Really?" Duh, I have a mask stamp...and it all sorta fell in place from there!

I use Eclipse tacky sheets for my masks, So from the main image, I then cut out the eyes and lips, so with the external outline as well, it was like using 3 masks. While the masks are pretty thin, it was really hard to stamp an image in the eyes and lips. I tried the stampscapes universe field, clouds...nothing worked. Then I used Tim's small definitions stamp, left un-mounted to a block, so I could press my finger into the small openings. It worked! Of course you can't see it in the picture. I had orginally meant to emboss the Dream saying, but used the wrong ink. As it wasn't showing very clearly, I went over the letters with a dark blue Glaze Pen...again, you can't see it it, but they stand up a bit now, and are a bit glossy. Gotta use those pens more!!


And, finally, while grabbing my camera; I passed these two sleeping beauties, so I grabbed a shot. My big orange boys, Ponder and Scratchy...thinking if they sleep in a box, they will be hidden from the fox (Dakota) LOL!

Blog Candy Giveaway

Wow...Everyone needs to stop over at Scrap wtih Stacy's blog! She is being very generous wtih a HUGE stash of Tim's goodies. She will be closing it on the 31st, so hop over and check it out! All the details are over there!

Daubber Resist--Week #18!

Hello all! We are half-way through the Compendium Challenge at Studio L3; can't believe it! This week is the Daubber Resist Technique. I love that I now have three techniques that give me almost the same effect as stamping in white ink...which I have yet to get to work-no matter what the brand! (Well, 2, as 1 uses my arch enemy, the nefarious iron).

This technique also needs a bit of practice to get it right. This image was my first attempt. I loved the vintage-y effect of the image on the corners; but found you can rub too hard in step#6. and then I blew it with the image-that tag really needed something more open and elegant. I wasn't sure how this would stamp over either; happy to see there is almost no problem with the images at all! So, on to tag #2~

This one I think I really got the daubber resist down...I really liked the snowflakes, and stamping Tim's deer in blue didn't overpower the image like the one above. But in true Kimmy fashion; I had to just add "one more thing"..and sprayed a hit of Tattered Angels Glacier Ice over the tag, then let it dry while getting some paper to shoot against. When I turned back!!! The tag had curled a bit, and the mist made the reindeer run!!! Erghhhh!!! One more thing to remember if this becomes a Christmas Card. And yes, from here on out, you will probably be seeing Holiday Themes...I better settle on a few designs soon...time is quickly running out!! Have a great crafting week all!

Charmingly Fragmented

So over at Studio L3 we have made it to week 17; Fragment Charms, which is on page 64 of Tim's Compendium of Curiosities. I have found playing with these fragments much more fun than I originally thought I would...but as much as I LOVE the "touchiness" of beads; the raw attraction of natural stones and crystals...beading and jewelry making are just not for me! My stubby, non-nimble flute playing little fingers just won't allow me to relax and enjoy anything involving a jump ring! To the point that while you can't see it; the alcohol ink on the bees was not diluted with the extender; but instead with the glossy accents; which made the felt very hairy..and sticky..and, well, generally quite messy! And does anyone care to guess how quickly I was able to realize that I had picked up the wrong bottle??? Anyone??? All from attaching 6 little jump rings!! Though I will say; Tim's jump rings are by far the easiest I have ever worked with! They stayed in my pliers mouths, and closed pretty nicely; plus they come in such great colors...all my others are just too shiney...and small...and stiff...

Speaking of shiney; I thought the chain was a bit bright as well, so went in with some latte, ginger and espresso alcohol inks on those, but you can't really tell. Those are also the same colors I used on the fragments, with the addition of glossy accents to the felts...of course!

Oh, and another weird realization..this is my second stamping challenge piece that didn't involve one stamp! The images are from my fave Graphic 45 paper! So, while my blog-hopping has been seriously curtailed by work pretty much cutting all non-work related computer activity out, and dial-up being way too slow for enjoyable viewing, I will try to get to Linda's to see what fabulous charms everyone else has come up with! Have a great creative week everyone!

Wrinkle Distress #2

Good morning all...



I just can't go a week without making something for Linda's Compendium Challenge...I might loose my momentum, and then who know what would happen! So, while playing around a bit working out some Christmas ideas, I came out with this...



Originally the dove/earth was all in blue ink, but looked like it needed help, so this was an experiment with black embossing on the dove, and silver embossing on the earth...and Distress Embossing Ink dries just a little too quick to change powder colors...had a few issues. But I thought it was ok. Then, I just couldn't leave well enough alone, wanted to make the silver stand out more..and added green on the continents...I think that sort a killed it...
So, what does everyone think? Could this adapt to a card? And it seems the tags work best with this technique, and my white paper isn't working with this at all...anyone having luck with white cardstock? And what brand is it? I love this technique, and would so love to have it work on cards!