GR #37: The Wearin' o' the Tim!

OK! Let me just say that it really sucks when your "real life" totally hogs all your "fun Life" time! And it's just cruel that it's the fun life stuff that lets you get through the real life stuff with any patience, grace and sanity! So, being said....I'll admit, these last two GM entries have not been up to my best: when my carefully thought out plans run awry, I only have time to throw a hail mary and hope for the best! (eh, worked for the Giants!)

So, this week's Grungy Monday assignment over at Studio L3 is to create some wearable art, using any technique or product from the creative guru, Tim Holtz! Linda's pocketwatch had me facinated, but I just didn't have one to use. So I did my usual "dumping of the embellishment stash" to see what surfaced...and I had a little jar of these little MahJong tiles! Honestly, I didn't look much further! LOL! They are a very pale ivory, which I applied Rock Candy Crackle over while I looked for other stuff. I found the slide holder frame, and was looking for my slides, when I found Ranger's plastic 3-D inserts. Perfect!

The background paper was colored using the wrinkle-free distress technique using Old Paper and Peeled Paint DI's. Later I hit it with some Fired Brick to try to bring out the red on the tile. After it had crackled (tiny, tiny cracks!) I touched up with Vintage Photo and Fired Brick DI's. I couldn't find any stamped sayings that either fit the tile or fit the size, so I stamped the saying with my tiniest font stamps, touched it with Wild Honey and Rusty Hinge DI's. GLued everything down with Glossy Accents; and then found that jsut plain cardstock was too flimsy for the slide holder, so I cut a piece of file folder, and yay! It all fits together nicely! My Mother is a huge MahJong player; so I think I'll give this to her for her big money nights. So, time is running out, this week's GM assignment ends Sunday night, so go alter something wearable..Tim Style! Have a great weekend everyone!

GM #36:A Holtzian Valentine!

Lets face it: One of the best reasons to Love Tim Holtz is because he doesn't do "cute!" Good, strong, suitable for a guy images....great for guy birthdays and guy valentine's day cards. And this week's Grungy Monday Challenge with Linda at Studio L3 is to use any Tim product or technique and have at it...for Valentines Day! And as an added bonus, this week the challenge is sponsored by Simon Says Stamp, with a chance to win a gift certificate to that wonderful store!!

So, while the construction happened at the last minute (really! with a great dinner starting in the oven for my Honey-planned just to allow stamping time while cooking; time management at it's best!) the mental planning had been going on since Monday morning. I started with Tim's hearts dies and grungepaper. (again; perfect for a guy; not too frilly) I painted them with the Picket Fence Stain, then ran them through his swirl texture fade, with his technique of putting Fired Brick ink on the fade so the red would imbed into the impression...came out totally cool!! The label (again, his alteration line) was cut, and stamped with the saying. Then the problems kinda crept in: assembly...it was missing something; so I cut a layer from his Seasonal paper stack, but it was too dark, so I hit it with the Picket Fence Distress Stain; a few times... Still needed something, so I cut out the Be Mine from the same stack, then edged the top heart with Black Soot DI to try to give it some contrast, which didn't really work, hit it with some more Stain, and once dry, did look pretty good.
Now, as the picture just loaded; it does look like one hot mess; but take my word, in person, it was much better! LOL! But now the baked potatoes were done, ready for stuffing and twice baking; and along with the grilled rib-eye steaks, ceasar salad, sherried mushrooms and green beans, my Honey seemed very happy with it all! And on a week night, on Valentine's day, he had better not said otherwise! Oh, and I haven't confirmed it yet, but he sorta indicated that my Valentine's gift was sorta on pre-order....Distress Markers maybe??? I'll keep you all posted! So have a great weekend everyone! And I know you all made some sort of Valentine's project- so don't be shy....hop to Linda's and share with us all!

GM #35: ATC's Holtz-style

Greetings everyone! Lovely Linda at Studio L3 has given the Grungy Monday challenge as doing an ATC (artist trading card) using either the products or techniques of Tim Holtz, or both!!

So, with time being an issue...again (how many years before I can retire or become independently wealthy? Too Many) I sat at the desk with no preconceived notion: threw down some milled lavender in a wrinkle-free distress style, then added aged mahogany to transmorph it into scribble distress (and again..to heavy with the reinker). But I did like the card...had a scrap of the film strip die, threw that in there...found the face fit, so stamped and cut that in. Added Rock Candy Crackle, then Vintage Photo to age it. Added the Curiousity saying; both from the same Curious Possibilities Visual Artistry's set, then added the pen nib (memoirs..but you can't read it!) I added the gold photo corners, then instead of STOPPING! I foolishly wrote in my grandfather's name, who went to Alaska to find gold...but my handwritting ruined it, but it was too late...Arghhh! Silly Kim! So, I'll hunt for a trinket to hide that part, but in the meantime...here it is...

So, the week is still young...relatively...so go get your own Tim on, and make an ATC! Have a great weekend everyone!

WOYWW #140

Wow, it's that wonderful day of the week that crafters all over the world open up their inner sancums and allow us to peek! Julia over at the Stamping Ground is our tour organizer, so check out all the details there!

My desk...not s0 much going on: the back end of my Grungy Monday project, which will be posted later today...my remaining crackle paints that are still getting watered down and stirred...and on the right, a die cutout that may be textured with the wood background fade...maybe for a birthday card...we'll see.

So, now go over and check out Julia's , and then take a world wide visit of some other great spaces! Have a great week everyone!

GM #34: Cackeling...Crackeling

Welcome to the 34th Grungy Monday assignment from Linda at Studio L3. This week we get to play with Distress Crackle paints, and explore Tim Holtz's Crackle Resist. This is actually funny, as my very first bottles of crackle paint were the antique linen and tattered rose: I felt they were the lightest colors, and I could then ink them after they crackled with the colors I'd actually want! (instead of buying a bunch) I didn't know they resisted inks then! I will say, that even knowing you can re-constitute them, and they will always crack, I am a tad dissapointed in the longevity of them, as I don't go in to remix them monthly, and some were dry solid! Has anyone tried storing them upside down to see if that helps? (Someone told me to do that with stencil modeling paste). Anyway....

As the first one that was useable: I was directed into the Lavender crackle...it was still pretty tough to spread it on, so it ended up on a larger area than I intended. While it was drying, I stamped the Memory Box butterfly in Seedless Preserves (also Dusty Concord and Milled Lavender...but they didnt' make it to the tag.)

Then I covered them with the Rock Candy Crackle. Duh...I forgot the ink would run with the crackle, but not bad!I had made a stamp out of Tim's Small Flourish die, and used that as the accent. I wanted to do a Grunge Block, with purples, but I didn't have a B I liked left, so I used the Salvage sticker..

Here is a detail of the crackle..which is an effect I really love! And I do love the one step convenience of the Distress Crackle paints...I guess I should keep them out, and make a point of mixing them monthly...hmmm, give dog heartworm and tick stuff, mix paints..that should work!

So...there is still some time left...go mix up those crackle paints and give it a go!! Have a great weekend everyone!! And for those in the US....Go Giants!!!

woyww #139

Good WOYWW on a Friday Morning everyone! I don't know whats going on...but I just can't seem to get blogger to behave; either can't get to others blogs, can't upload pictures...just a mess! So this morning..so far so good.

So, this is my Grungy Monday project (which I hope to post next)...which took time as my Distress Crackle paints were just a plain mess! You see those 5 jars up there? The rock candy is new; so no problem. I think I have managed to save the lavender and peeled paint; the antique linen--is on the no heroic measures list, and the blue is in ICU. Little more water and mixing before we decide. I did throw out 3 others, when they are rock solid around the brush, I feel there is no amount of water that will save them. Very annoying! There are two stamps I made from Tim Holtz's dies: kinda fun. I think I'll do the bird cage next! And thats pretty much it. Kinda pleased actually, as I've done quite a few birthday cards and things are actually being put back! It can't be too neat; my Muse sorta needs some clutter, but there is room to work and see things...so 1/12 of a new year resolution down! Yay!

So, now to see other fabulous work spaces, jump over to Julia's Stamping Ground, then go peak around. Havea great weekend everyone.