Luggage Tags for CVC

Welcome everyone, I am sharing my second DT project for the Country View Challenges July theme of  'on your travels' and I have made two luggage tags.

I began by using the wrinkle free distress technique on two tags using frayed burlap and antique linen DIs. Using black archival ink I stamped various images using Tim's 'documented' set

I made up two small tags and used Artistic Outpost stamps from two or three sets to create these minis to go over the larger backgrounds. I used a water brush and DIs to colour both the images and the backgrounds.

A couple of words to add to the mix.....

 ..... and we have two luggage tags for the journey. 

I hope you can join us at CVC this month - the theme really fits the holiday season in the northern hemisphere.

Have a great weekend and hopefully enjoy some creative time.

hugs Brenda xxx

Stencils and Texture for Frilly and Funkie

I was so surprised and pleased that my Valentine tag was chosen as a winner at Frilly and Funkie and that gave me the chance to be a Guest Designer for their new challenge – Stencils and Texture.

So here is my multi-layered collage that includes both of those requirements, lots of it in fact :0).

I began with a piece of white card, dictionary and music score paper and tore pieces of both and adhered to the card. I heat dried it and then added borders in both black and white to add some texture. I had already ‘planned’ the layout in my head so I knew where I wanted some of the borders to create part frames round the images. Once the borders were in place I painted a layer of gesso over everything to bring some conformity to all the pieces and heat dried it.

I stamped and painted my images with distress inks and then cut two pieces of paper roughly the same size so I could use them as  markers for where the images would go, and then I didn’t have to keep handling them as I began to build the layers further.

Next I began adding the block pieces of patterned papers’ cutting them to size and edging them all with walnut stain. I always like to do this as I feel it frames each piece and makes them stand out as part of the composition really well.

Once I was happy with the way the design was developing I began to add some tissue tape and then got out two of Tim’s masks and ‘painted’ decoart modelling paste through them, going over some of the patterned paper too.

I also used distress inks through one of Tim’s new masks – Lattice work …….

… and I used walnut crystal ink to splatter all over and drip over some of the textured areas.

The borders weren't stuck down fully so that I could tuck some other pieces beneath them if I wanted.

Then I glued in the images, adding more borders, lace and tape where I felt it was needed.

Now I started to gather metal trinkets to add as embellishments and I added a couple of little flowers from Linda’s shop. Once happy with where they were all going I lightly painted the metal pieces with gesso and stuck some of them together to layer up. I then adhered them into place and brushed treasure gold white fire over them all, this brings some conformity to them as they were all different metals.

Finally I stamped some Artistic Outpost words and used one of my own chatty words, a button, ticket and a glass dome over the #35 to finish off.

I made this piece on white card so that I could start a collage journal. I did a lot of collage oil paintings when I was at college (many moons ago now) and a couple of years ago I did a Claudine Helmuth on-line course in learning more about how collage works. Last year doing a 2 day workshop with Finnabair really ignited my passion for it all over again, so I am going to keep my samples and notes to go with them all in one place.

Thanks again to the fabulous team at Frilly and Funkie for choosing my tag and enabling me to be a Guest Designer, I have really enjoyed creating this. The Artistic Outpost stamps, Tim’s masks and the lace all come from Linda's Funkie Junkie Boutique, if you haven’t explored it yet as somewhere to buy from I recommend you go take a look at the fabulous products and competitive prices.

hugs Brenda xx

Happy Halloween tag

Well the sun shone today and we had a beautiful warm afternoon, just like yesterday but the rain has set in this evening, I'm glad I'm tucked up warm indoors.

I loved making this tag because it includes some simple stamping and then embellishing, two of the things I really like doing.

This uses mostly Artistic Outpost  Gothic 1 plate stamps for the main images apart from the crow which is from the Tim Holtz mini halloween set.

This spooky lady has been given an orange gem for her eye, she looks very medieval (not evil) in a way. Ken says she looks more like Queen Borg (Star Trek), as I don’t watch it, I can’t comment on that. I love the frame around her, I seem to have a thing about frames at the moment.

The top of the tag has some twirly wire (cut from the flowers at the bottom – waste not, want not as they say) and also one of Tim’s wishbones with Onyxite treasure gold over it. Ken kindly drilled a hole in it so I could hang it (a trick learned from Tim on the workshop day in August).

Finished at the bottom with flowers, metal leaves, green feathers and some green twine.

I do like making things for halloween, I don’t know why because I don’t really decorate the house or anything.

It's Halloween! It's Halloween!
The moon is full and bright
And we shall see what can't be seen
On any other night.
Skeletons and ghosts and ghouls,
Grinning goblins fighting duels,
Werewolves rising from their tombs,
Witches on their magic brooms.
In masks and gown we haunt the street
And knock on doors for trick or treat.
Tonight we are the king and queen,
For oh tonight it's Halloween!

Author unknown

I am entering this into the Artistic Outpost referral theme for September where the theme is anything goes.

I hope it’s not too scary. Enjoy.

hugs {brenda} x0x

Famous Quotes at Country View Challenges

There is a new challenge starting at CVC today and we are looking to see quotes of some sort used on your project. I managed to get some more Artistic Outpost stamps recently and I have used these two lovely ladies from the Generation Redux plate and my quote comes from the Paperboy set.

The background to the focal image was made with the wrinkle free technique and distress inks with some of the small stamps from the Generation Redux collection. I watercoloured the ladies with DIs too.

I had picked up the 6x6 prima Engravers Collection paper pad and thought this black and white text fitted perfectly with some Docrafts printed kraft card.

I had a few things laying around that hadn’t been used on other projects that fitted well and so the collage began to come together.

I love this quote, it reminds me that in our everyday lives we can be the ‘hero’, be it to our family or friends or other people we meet and help along the way.

I will enter this into the Artistic Outpost referral theme for August.

I hope you are having a good week.

hugs {brenda} x0x

Pocket Card Workshop

I designed and created this card for a recent workshop, it can be used for a special occasion or as a little gift for someone.

When you open the card there are two pockets made to hold tags and these could be a greeting for a friend, messages for a special occasion or photos that can be given to someone as an unusual gift. In fact I made one for a very good friend and one her daughter who has just had a baby and inserted an M&S gift card.

I used a new (to me) Artistic Outpost stamp from the ‘Generation Redux’ plate and watercoloured it using distress inks and mounted this onto dark green card. A simple border and strip of patterned paper ground the image and some dip dyed DI string and a key charm are the only embellishments. The sentiment is computer generated.

Inside I used the same pattern paper for the background as I used on the front and two triangles of blue card make the pockets.

Again some simple embellishments using music score and cut out printed images.

The tags were given the wrinkle free distress treatment and some stamps added leaving spaces for messages and/or photos.
I'm entering this into the July Artistic Outpost Referral Program with an anything goes theme.

I hope you are enjoying this wonderful heat wave if you are in the UK. We have the BBQ on, the garden decorated and the umbrellas and gazebos up, the paddling pool is out for the little ones and now just awaiting family and friends to join us, including Joni and Leo from California.

Have a great day.

hugs {brenda} x0x

Tag Time for FSC

It's Sunday and another new challenge at FSC today and this time we are asking you to use a tag on your project.

I have made a little tag book and am so loving the rub-ons technique that Tim showed us on his blog last month, I have used that again for this project. I have used all Artistic Outpost stamps and will enter this into their June Referral Program.

Supplies -

Distress Stains - wild honey, pumice stone, antique linen, crushed olive, tarnished brass, rusty hinge

Distress inks - iced spruce, dried marigold, walnut stain,

Remnant Rubs - Tim Holtz - words, numbers, elements

Stamps - Artistic Outpost - Route 66, Diesel Punk

As the rub-ons resist the ink and leave some white on the card I have again used my white pen to highlight some areas on the stamped images to lift them and to balance the white areas on each page.

I didn't think this needed many embellishments, I think the stamps speak for themselves.

Hope you are having a lovely weekend. Doing anything nice? I shall be at the Craft Barn today for their Extravaganza weekend going to catch up with some friends. I will let you know who I saw when I get back.

hugs {brenda} x0x

Extra! Extra! Read all about it.

Yay my Paper Boy stamps from Artistic Outlook arrived  and I couldn't wait to have a play. So Terry you have totally inspired me in using these stamps and here is my project using them.

This week I have again been inspired to play at Simon Says Stamp and Show where they are asking us to use a background stamp in some way, shape or form on a project and of course the text one on the paper-boy set of stamps was perfect for me this week.

I have used a gelli print design but have scanned it in and printed it out then layered dried marigold, aged mahogany and walnut stain DIs over the pieces after I had cut them to size for the pages. Over that I used picket fence distress paint through a mask, but it is too fluid to give a solid shape but gave wonderful mottled effects. I finished by stamping the newsprint background stamp in coffee archival.

All the other stamps were stamped onto a textured cream card and colours were added using the DIs and Inktense pencils. Sets used are Paper Boy, Secretary Pool, Steampunk, and Apothecary.



Each of the characters have their own story - the young lady who is big news for being a hero,  another young lady who is on the run, taking the train to get away, will she be caught?  The three friends who are visiting the newspaper building and enjoying their day out and of course the young lads who deliver the papers and stand out in all weathers.

This shows the front and back cover of the book .......

... which is tied with ribbon.

I am entering this into the Artistic Outpost Referral Program for this month which is anything goes with AO stamps. 

Other challenges to have fun with -

Get stamping with Visible Image

Sugar Creek Hollow - Stamp It

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you are having a great week. I am off to a Governor's meeting in a while but will be back later to see what people are doing.

hugs {brenda} x0x