The Detail is in the Details..or something like that

Wow, the final challenge from Tim's Compendium of Curiosities, organized by lovely Linda at Studio L3. Iwish to thank Linda for running this wonderful challenge. It started me blogging; opened my eyes to a whole new world of blog hops and challenges, and I've "met" many new friends along the way!

So, here we are at Challenge #35, Design Details. And because it is the last challenge, I didn't want to substitute, so I actually bought Tim's cool ruler. Now, the stitching put me off; I'll throw out a shirt that needs a button and replace it (really, ask my husband-who is always losing buttons!) than thread a needle! So I wasn't looking forward to this one, particularly as the last one! But, it wasn't all that bad, once done. Just don't look at the blood stains on the back! LOL!(what's really sad--my first "real" craft-leatherwork, and I had no trouble stitching wallets, purses, etc. ) I also wanted to work in as many different techniques as I could--which of course caused muse overload! I swear, the only piece I envisioned was the copper brick piece-which even then I put in the texture folder backwards! LOL! The rest literally fell in place piece by piece! I'm going to put this in a frame (total size 5" x 7") for my new wall.

Now the photo is really dark...not sure why as it was fine at home, but I have an "e" sticker for the work Journey, and there are pearl brads on the top right corner. The fragment is over the "admit one" ticket stamp from one of tim's mini sets, and I used a Glaze pen to highlight the words in the creativity quote. I also used the dabber resist under the bird, but that is all but invisible! Really too bad,as I was really surprised how cool this one was once I stepped back (no, really! I had absolutely no expectations for this one!)

I hope everyone else enjoyed this journey as much as I did, and I hope to see you all again on the next StudioL3 Challenge!

Altering with Paint: Metal, Walls, some carpet....

Greatings everyone!! If you don't follow the "What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday" series from Julia at The Stamping Ground, then you have missed my most exciting news (you could jump to my previous post, though): I have finished (almost) converting my Step-sons old room into my new craft studio! Good bye only one-outlet, ceiling light, no heat drafty space over the garage; hello bright yellow walls, an "as clean as Stanley Steamer could get it-it should be torn up" carpet, and a chance to actually get a place for everything, with everything in, err, yeah, so that part may not happen. I do have to leave a corner for a guest bed, small dresser and tv stand, so I am having spacial issues, and haven't figured out where to move my stamps, much less my photography items and music. But it is great fun! And, this is my first official piece of art that has come from my new room!

So, on to the Challenge; this week, Linda at Studio L3 (oh, I need a studio name!) has given us Altered Metal with Paint, page 48 of The Compenium of Curiosities. I think I'm going to put this in a frame, and start my wall of art pieces. Grungy brown frames, etc., will look great on the bright yellow walls! So, back to this piece. I didn't like all the blues or dark brown paints I had...this is the Lifetime muse token from Tim, and it was already a nice brown, so I went with the Lemonade, which was, eh, so then I added some Lettuce dabber, and finally toned it with some espresso. Still not thrilled with it, as I had already done the umbrella man and saying with a really cool EP I found while moving: Jasper from Judikins. A red-brown-coppery mix. I can't believe I don't have a raisin or current dabber!! Anyway, I need to figure which side is "up" with the embossing fades; I think I did this one backwards, which made it really hard to stick everything down. After trying double tape, a glue stick, and finally CH's matte gesso, it still didn't like sticking to the grunge...which was covered with Ancient page, antique linen and tea dye DI's. Any ideas? So, I better get back to work...so I can afford some of the new releases from Tim...very exciting things out there! Have a very crafty week everyone.

Rusty Grunginess!

Welcome to the new year! No real resolutions--just to make the most out of everything that happens! But we do have great plans...hopefully that will be unfolded in the upcoming weeks!! So Stay Tuned, as they say..

So, to get back in the swing of our Compendium of Curiosities Challenge, Linda at Studio L3 has chosen page 45, Rusted Grunge. And I have to say: This technique is AWESOME!! How very cool! To get the details, you will need to get your own book, but you definately need to check this one out!

Because of my lack of time, and the fact that my studio is freezing, and it sort of fit..I went with one of the tags I was playing with from the last challenge, the scribble distress (this one worked out better). Since I have to turn off my space heater to use the heat gun, I confess, I went bare bones on this one, but I really like the way it came out. I just can't believe how this technique changes grunge into faux rust...I'm ready to rust up all my scraps! You'll see this embellishment a lot from now on! Here is a detail of the key...

So, go get rusting; there's still a bit of time; and check out everyone else's cool effects as well! See you next week.

Doubly Distressing-Not!

Wow! Week 23! That is were we are at Linda's Studio L3 and the Compendium of Curiosities Challenge. And this week, page 40, Double Distress. Now, the horder in me just can't run amok with the grunge stash--you just never know when you might not be able to get more! but I did practice on a few pieces, and they came out just fine-I guess there really is something in reading directions twice! (note to self--make sure you do that with the pumpkin trifle recipe!) So ready to boldly step forth--I fan through my few texture screens and then..there it is....the Peppermint Swirl that came with a giftcard die!! Eureka! (You see--I have a thing for peppermint swirls--oddly enough not to eat them-but my Christmas Tree would be covered in swirls and candy canes--except that my husband has some say in decorating)

Now, from the batik challenge, I learned you have to think color backwards--see, I can learn! And here, as with all my great ideas, things went awry! To get the white I started with the pearl adirondack dabber; can't imagine what could go wrong. Step three with Barn Door DI, still good. Next step, with aged mahogany, also still good. And then the next step---oh boy. Edging with foam smudged the ink and the dabber together, leaving not a nice dark border, but a pink smudge!! (hmm, just like challenge #4) Ah well, The dark was nice, but the effect is quite cool!

So, with my fav mice (Stampendous) colored with Prismacolor pencils (and I am amazed how the white one can even stand out against white paper) we are set to go. Now, if only this could be done a tad quicker, but I still have 23 cards to make--and the clock is ticking! And I'm still typing! Yikes---oh, and to see a humorous challenge that came up while working on this--visit my previous post--WOYWW...I swear--not staged at all! Thanks for stopping by, and sticking the ranting monologue out! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

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!

Distressing-ly Wrinkle-Free!

Welcome to Week #16 on the Compendium Challenge at Studio L3. This week: page 33, Wrinkle-free Distress. And, OK, I have a confession: I have, er sorta done this one already...I just couldn't help it!! It looked so inviting, easy, promising...

So, yes, you have seen this as a background on a few of my past entries. However, in the spirit of discovery, and the challenge, I have taken one of my first tags that I tried this with, and used it as my entry. (because, yes, practice really does make this better, smoother, more controlled)

My colors were Peeled Paint,Barn Door, Wild Honey, and Mustard. All the stamps came from Rubbernecker Stamps: I just love the poem by Robert Frost! And even though it is like-high 70's and humid as hell today (yeah, upstate NY...What the..?) this tag is almost like looking at all the leaves that have fallen in the driveway. I really do love fall! And the iced pumpkin latte from Dunkin' Donuts! Which is almost empty, and I just started work...might need another Dunkin' run...

Week #12-Chipped Enamel

Wow! I've made it through week #12! I don't think I've been 100% on anything this long! Well, ok, I don't think I've ever missed a concert in 15 years in the Lower Cape Concert Band; but I did miss more than a few rehersals! But, I digress;

So, this week we're delving into Chipped Enamels over at Studio L3. Now, while I found this technique extremely easy, and very cool (well, we won't talk about the 3 attempts to do the brad...2nd degree burns at the least! LOL!)...I just couldn't experiment with my limited stash of metal items...so I kept it pretty minimalist..to say the least! But now I know what to expect and will go boldly forth on projects that scream for this texture! And, I'm also going to look for all those cool numbers everyone else is using! Oh, and I did find a new fav color combination: Ancient Linen, Tattered Rose and Victorian Velvet! It looked really cool on a tag I started, then totally botched with the black embossing, it came out close here...

So hop on over to see Linda, and delve into the Compendium of Curiousities, Page 44. Have a great rest of the week everyone!

CCC #11-Blended Batik

Happy week 11 everyone! Before I go too far in this blog; I have a few disclaimers: 1. I have an active dislike of irons (I will not say irrational fear...) 2. My girlfriend Julie was to come over and have a play-day; but she's sick. 3. Since I had planned for a party, and my husband will be golfing all day, I felt it only right to partake of the menu; I've had 2 pineapple mojito's; I just realized I probably shouldn't be driving to meet my SIL for dinner; and 4. I have a brand new digital SLR; these are the 8th shots from it: I don't know how to work the software that came with it' and am giggling too much to read the manual-you'll just have to live with what is coming out. I think they still look better than the little olympus that died last week; but I should refer you back to #3.

So, this week was page #36 in Tim Holtz's book for the challenge at Studio L3. (pretty cool; finally figured out this link stuff..sorry, refer to #3) Aside from disclaimer #1, I was looking forward to this challenge; I can't find a good white ink; and this is a great substitute; as long as you know you want to do something thats paler than your background--before you do your background. So, how did my image not turn out pale?? I don't know; somewhere between during my first tag the checkboard popped into my head; and of course I started it backwards. So on take 2 I did the red first, then the black over, then continued with the instructions--can't share them here! LOL! I tried to go back to the original celtic knotwork in green; but now it looks really boring; and busy; and way too pale- But this one---I'm really liking it! And since I wanted to show the technique in a more normal fashion, I also used it on the little tag. Now, because the clip was increadbly shiney, I used some alcohol inks to tone it down, and took a close up (because I can! LOL!) to show that detail, with some of the batik effect.

Now, as if one challenge in my time-deprived life isn't enough, Simon Says Stamp and Show also has a weekly challenge. And since this is an item inspired by Tim, and this tag is darker than I usually do, a tad grungier, so to speak, I'm sorta cheating by sending it to both places. I will try on future challenges to not have one piece do double duty!

And lastly, some good news; it has taken 1 hour 22 minutes to load the photos (and yes, I start those first; and you wonder why my blog can ramble...); in which I've had 2 ice teas (normal ones..Sheesh..) and feel that I can safely drive to dinner in the next half hour. So have a good weekend everyone! Julie; I hope you feel better soon, and you can get your challenge done! See you all on week #12!