How does Your Garden Grow?

Greetings!

Original mixed media canvas at ElvesInTheAttic.etsy.com

For about a week I've had a 6" x 6" canvas sitting on my desk that has gradually been transformed.  I started it with a prompt from the SDC challenge to use text on a project.  Acrylic paints dripped down and became a forest.  Paper scraps were doodled upon and metamorphosed into flowers.  Modeling paste, spray inks and little metal pieces from my stash were sprinkled about and finally I ended with this:

Can you still the bits of text from the Japanese book I used?

 

 

 

 

The flower stems are pieces of chain that came from various necklaces my daughter had when she was little.  I KNEW I'd find a way to use them some day!

 

Thanks for stopping by today and best wishes for a fun-filled, happy weekend (that's my plan for the weekend!).

 

 



PDCC and PaperArtsy Inspiration

I have so many other things I should be doing - laundry, general housecleaning, weeding - but my muse has been very chatty lately.  Today's tag brought to you by the PDCC Nauti-Cool colors of Navy, School Bus and Grass and Carol Quance, the guest designer over at PaperArtsy last week.  See her creation here.

I used Distress Paints(Mowed Grass, Mustard Seed) for my background over a grey shipping tag.  The fish are from a Stampin Up set that I've for...ever.  I colored them with copics and my Signo Uniball pen.
The 'seaweed' was cut using my Festive Greenery die by Tim Holtz/Sizzix.  (Pssst...see that little bit on the bottom I forgot to poke out?  Taken care of...)

Ribbon was dyed with Mowed Grass Distress Stain.

From Carol I borrowed the idea to use UTEE to accent the edges of the tag (base ink is silver pigment), and the fish (base ink VersaMark).  On the seaweed I used silver pigment ink topped with midnight blue embossing powder.

Okay.  I *really* need to go do something outside of my studio now...

Thanks for stopping by!

Tag Swap - August

I mentioned in an earlier post that somebody recently pointed me in the direction of swaps on SplitcoastStampers website.  I went a little overboard and signed up for a bunch of them.  My art journal is buried someplace in my studio right now so my participation in the swaps in getting my creative mojo back in gear.

I took a couple of spots in a "Tim Holtz-like" calendar tag swap.  I had in mind using some laser cut wooden shapes on my tag, but it morphed as I worked on it to turn into this:

 

I started with a #8 manila tag.  Rubbed on some Faded Jeans and Dusty Concord DI, then Barn Door, Wild Honey and Squeezed Lemonade DS. 

When dry I stamped the flourish with Versamark ink and embossed with clear embossing powder.
Next I went back over the colors with the same inks - all DI - except for the Squeezed Lemonade. Flung a bit of water about and randomly stamped a script image with Walnut Stain DI.
The quote is by Wallace Stevens (printed on copy paper and colored with Wild Honey DS).

On the bottom of the tag is some tissue tape that I colored with Barn Door stain and crumpled up ruffle-style. I added some staples to help it stick and because it needed a little something extra.
The flowers are a Memory Box die.
One of the requirements was to add the month somewhere on the tag.  I used a Sizzix bookplate die that I've forever and cut it out of grungeboard which I then covered with Tarnished Brass and Antiqued Bronze DP.
The brads were really shiny gold so I toned them down with a mix of Wild Plum and Watermelon alcohol inks.
Last is the ribbon at top which is seam binding that I dyed with Dusty Concord and Faded Denim DI.

And there you have it.  More than you could possibly ever need to know about my August tag.  ;)

Mini Albums!

I love making mini albums.  I get distracted with making cards and mini albums take a back seat for a while but then an excuse comes up to make one (in this case the auction for the preschool I teach at) and I wonder why I don't do this more often.  I had a lot of fun with these.

This first one is a library pocket album.  I tried a new type of binding on it (concertina) and really like it.  I may need to tighten it up a bit more next time, but as it is it definitely allows enough room for added photos and such.

I picked up the enclosures at a teacher supply store ages ago.  The pockets themselves I cut with a die out of patterned paper and solid cardstock (alternated them in the book).  I like the whimsical designs - reminds me of summer.  They are by Colorbok

The next mini album started out for the auction but I think I may end up either keeping it for myself or putting it in the shop.  The more I worked on it, the more I fell in love.  Lots of texture and little added bits in this one.  I love the teal, black, grey and red color combo too.  I bought the paper pack, Celebration by Authentique, a while ago.  So glad I finally put it to use.  (UPDATE: I decided to put it in the shop.  You can find the listing by clicking HERE.)

 

See the little charms on the spine?  One is a camera and the other is a word charm that says 'Laugh'.

Love the bumpy texture and the red rhinestone on the star.  I attached the sentiment so that a photo can be slipped underneath it.

I used a few of the grey shipping tags in the album.  The size is 2 3/8" x 4 3/4" which makes them a great place for small photos or some journaling.

The page on the right is one of two pages in the album that are not 6"x6".   I designed it to fit the tag comfortably; it is 4 3/4"x6".

The page on the left is one of my faves.  I think it's because of the bumpy clouds.  :)

The left page is the second one that is not 6"x6"; it measures 4"x6".

Now I need to go crack the whip on the elves (as in Elves In The Attic) and get to work on some orders.  Thanks for stopping by today!

12 Tags of 2013 - May

Greetings!

Today I've got my tag for May.  I borrowed Tim's use of bright color and rub-ons from his tag.  It's funny to me how my original ideas morph into something completely different. I knew I wanted to use my new Movers & Shapers dies (mini clock and camera) so was thinking something vacation-ish.  After I added the cityscape to the bottom 9-11 immediately popped into my head.  I remember watching the events unfolding that morning very pregnant with my youngest (he was born 2 weeks later) and wondering what kind of world I was bringing him into.  All that to say, strange how things morph in the process.  Onto the tag...

I started with the same process Tim did - rubbing on a few rub-ons.  Next I swiped some Distress Stain (Broken China, Barn Door, Peeled Paint, Mowed Lawn and Walnut Stain) on my mat and ran my tag through.  It was a little lighter than I liked so I followed that up with some blending of the same colors in the inks.  Misted a bit of water over that.

The cityscape stencil started with a base of Picket Fence DS sponged on with Walnut Stain over that.  The stamped images were stamped with Versafine ink and, thinking it neeed a little something more, I stamped a little more on the background using bubble wrap and Pumice Stone DI.

The clock is layered with a grungeboard base, cardstock that I attempted to patina-ize with Distress Paints (Salty Ocean, Mowed Lawn, Antiqued Bronze and Tarnished Brass).  (I ended up wiping a little Inca Gold graphite over some parts).  Barn Door DP and Tarnished Brass finished off the outside.  The clock face is cardstock that I crinkled and distress with Walnut Stain.  A layer of Crackle Accents with more Walnut Stain DI rubbed over it finished that off.  The agony of waiting for that stuff to dry!  Yowza...

The ribbon is dyed with Pumice Stone DI and Walnut Ink DI.  I was thinking a smoky color for this.

And that's my tag.  Thanks for stopping by!

Mothers Day Card

Mothers' Day is right around the corner.  In typical Julie fashion I have procrastinated a wee bit.  This morning I realized I had to get a card in the mail today or it would likely not arrive on time for Mothers Day.

I recently bought the Chloe Stem die from Memory Box.  LOVE this die and have seen so many creative uses for it out and about in my blog wanderings.  The background splotches were created using Distress Stains which I enthusiastically smacked against the cardstock.  I debated cutting the flowers out of black cardstock rather than white so they'd show up more.  Maybe I'll try that next time.

To all of you moms out there, Happy Mothers' Day!