Tuesday 30 August 2016

Twelve Tags of 2016 ~ Technique Remix ~ August 2016

Hi everybody ! It's Tim tag time. It's been a great month for crafting with Tim Holtz's Creative Chemistry 103. After following this brilliant online course, I've now got a lovely pile of tags showing loads of different techniques. I've still got to photograph and post my Alcohol Ink tags and amongst this group are some of my favourites. Watch this space ! There is of course always room for one more tag and this is it, my offering for Tim's Twelve Tags Remix Challenge. This month Tim combined 'brayered stain' and frameworks'. Both lovely techniques which work so well together. I've followed Tim quite closely for this one, as quite frankly my brain hurts after all the tag making I've done this month! I did, however, use some Distress embossing powder on my die cut flowers. This has given them a lovely texture. You can find Tim's tag here, and if you haven't signed up for The Creative Chemistry Classes, it's not too late as there is lifetime access. Whoopie ! x

Thursday 11 August 2016

Creative Chemistry 103 ~ Day 3 Distress Mediums ~ Day 4 Distress Crayons

Well I'm still way behind but I'm loving the intensity of Creative Chemistry 103. Tim has put together some amazing techniques for using his new Distress Mediums and Texture Pastes. I'm resigned to not being able to catch up, but I'm going to keep going until I've finished at least one sample for each lesson. First up, are my sample tags for day 3, using Distress Mediums and Texture Pastes. Lovely to see our very own Jenny Marples getting a mention and inspiring Master Tim, with her brilliant Texture Paste Resist Technique. My tag inspired by this, is the second to last, on the bottom row of this set. Way to go Jenny ! here are some individual pics from day 3.......

Layered Collage

Texture Paste Embossing

Texture Paste Resist

Distress grit Paste

Day four.....
Next up, are my samples using Distress Crayons, what can I say, these crayons are just fabulous! I've had them for a while now and have only used them tentatively, so it was really great to get down and dirty with them and I mean dirty ! Lot's of smudging and finger painting with these luscious crayons.
Distress Crayon Smudge.

Distress Crayon Gesso Fresco Technique

Distress Crayon Textured Resist

Distress Crayon Watercolour Resist

Distress Crayon Blended Background

Distress Crayon Layered Colouring Technique.
So, I have just Day 5 and Day 6 to complete. Just hoping that the postman arrives soon with my Yupo ! x










Saturday 6 August 2016

Creative Chemistry 103 ~ Update.

Just a quick update so that I can add my pictures to the CC103 Gallery. Here are some of my finished tags from day 1. Some fabulous techniques amongst these. I love the offset stamping, and the two different ways Tim showed us how to use Micro Glaze. Here are my tags from day 2........
I thoroughly enjoyed making this set with loads of colourful techniques. I haven't invested in Tim's Mica Sprays ....as yet.... So I improvised with Tarnished Brass Distress Spray, which didn't work in the same way but gave quite a nice effect. I'm working on day 3 now and will be doing another short post when I've finished. X




Thursday 4 August 2016

Time To Take Flight ~ Stamps and Stencils ~ New Challenge


Hi everybody! It's time for a new challenge over at the Stamps and Stencils blog. Time To Take Flight ~ Stamps and Stencils ~ New ChallengeSue is our very talented  host for this month, and she has chosen the theme, 'Time To Take Flight'. Wow! so much scope with this one. This is what Sue has to say......

For this challenge I would like to see anything relating to flying, so this could be a bird or a butterfly or it could be an inspirational quote that includes words relating to flying ! As always, please remember we are a mixed media challenge and you must include either stamping or stenciling or both !

I was about to reach for my birds and butterfly stamps,( sounds like I'm quite organised !) when a little sketch book caught my eye. I like these soft backed, A5 size books. They're very cheap and have quite good quality cartridge paper. I think they're ideal for doodling, or trying out ideas and not so precious to use, as some of the more expensive journals. They're also nice and lightweight, so are great for travelling with.......see where I'm going with this....? That's it my idea was born, a travel journal.
This is the book before I got started...

It has a Kraft card cover and I think, it's by Derwent. As the cover was pretty inoffensive, I decided to just make a panel which I could attach to the front cover. This speeds up the 'altering' process and also ensures that the inside pages and back cover remain nice and pristine. Rather than following my usual 'go to' techniques, which generally involve gesso, matte medium, book page etc, I decided to have a little Alcohol Ink fun. It was quite fortunate that the paper I use with my Alcohol Inks, happened to be just the right size for the cover.
I applied various  shades of blue Alcohol Ink using a blending tool. I then placed a 'sun ray', Layering Stencil, over the top half of the paper and used a clean felt pad with Alcohol Blending Solution, to remove some of the colour....
 I also applied some yellow ink, to suggest the sun bursting through the clouds. I forgot to photograph this stage though. I then proceeded to stamp some images onto the background. Initially, I didn't want to add any dimension to the cover, so that it would be easy to travel with, however, after playing around with my stamps and adding on some rub ons, I thought it was lacking a bit of Oooomph, when I had a little brainwave......
I die cut this wonderful globe, It's by Tim Holtz for Sizzix, I gave it a coat of Flitter Glu, and added Mega Flakes to the surface. Unfortunately I couldn't capture the lovely glisten of the silvered surface, in my photos. I also stamped the airplane with black Archival ink, onto a piece of silver card and embossed it with clear embossing powder. I cut it out carefully and started to layer up the design, securing everything with Matte Medium.
To finish off, I used my sewing machine to stitch around the edge before attaching the panel to my book with Matte Medium.
This was a fun project to do, and proved to be a relatively quick way of transforming a simple journal, well, that's if you take off the time for making cups of tea, day dreaming, looking for misplaced stuff, and tuning into the craft channels! Hey ho, I'm still getting used to this retirement malarky !
Now, we would love to see what you can make for our latest 'Time to Take Flight' challenge. Just hop over to the Stamps and Stencils blog, where you'll find some wonderful inspiration from the rest of the team. Follow the instructions for up loading your mixed media project and who knows, you could be a winner or one of our fabulous top three. Look forward to seeing you there. x

Tuesday 2 August 2016

Creative Chemistry 103 ~ Day1

Day 1.
Oh happy day! Creative Chemistry 103, started yesterday. It's great to get back in the classroom with such a brilliant teacher as Mr Tim Holtz. There was so much content to yesterday's class, that I'm afraid to say that I didn't finish everything. It's a good job there is lifetime access to the lessons. Here are a few of my samples  featuring two techniques, Ombré and Highlight Stamping, there will be more pics to come as I have to complete my samples for Off Set Stamping, Washed Watercolours and Micro Glazing......when I can get back in the craft room ! x