Tim’s tag for September–a note book cover

This is my first effort and because it went totally wrong I guess I’ll be trying another one soon. To see Tim’s tag and all the details as to how he made it pop over to his blog to be amazed. Once you’ve seen the process for the background then you’ll understand what went wrong and what I’ve done to this to salvage it.

This is Tim’s tag.

I used Willow for the first layer and then blending solution and Lettuce through the stencils. Although it isn’t what I set out to achieve I do like the results  and carried on using it to make a cover for a sketch book.

The leaves were given the same treatment as Tim’s butterflies.

Stamps used – Bird Feather, Thankful Silhouettes, Classics #17.

Strip die – Autumn Gatherings

Another great tag from Tim and more techniques to add to our tool box to use.

Thanks for stopping by today, have a great week.

hugs Brenda xxx

With a Flourish for A Vintage Journey

For some reason when looking to start this Creative Guide piece for AVJ I got to thinking what ‘flourish’ means, things like – to thrive, prosper, be at the peak of condition, to make bold, sweeping movements and looking at the interpretations helped me to focus in on what I wanted to show through my project, which is the boldness of the curves in flourish shapes; the similarity in some of the beautiful flourished fonts we use and a beautiful lady at the beginning of her adult life.

Our host for the new challenge at A Vintage Journey says - 

‘Have you ever noticed that much of Tim's packaging includes that fabulous flourish? It has always been one of my favourite Tim images, so for this challenge let's see what you can do with your flourishes!  You might not have the "actual" Tim flourish but I am sure we all have a flourish die or stamp in our stash which can get the shabby/vintage treatment’.

So off we go on another route of this Vintage Journey, let’s see where we get to then.

Stamp  ( Fabulous Flourishes) in walnut stain over the tag. Using the flourish text from the Merchantile stamp set ink with embossing ink and stamp randomly over the top, cover with clear embossing powder and heat set.

When cool ink over tag with chosen colour (I used Victorian Velvet) and edge with brown (I chose Brushed Corduroy).

Add collage elements, the photo is of my grandmother when she was a young lady. Finish with embellishments, including a couple of flourishes from the festive greenery strip die and some ribbon. Can you see there are even flourishes on the strip of patterned paper I added?

And there we have it ….

I hope you will join us this fortnight for Jennie’s challenge at A Vintage Journey, you do not have to use Tim Holtz products but tell us what inspired you of his to make the project. My Tim inspiration this time round are the stamps, flourishes from the spring greenery die, ephemera and heart embellishment.

I hope you will join us on this leg of the journey and share a project that has been inspired by Tim in someway. I’m looking forward to seeing what you share.

Have a great weekend and hopefully some time to create and make.

hugs Brenda xxx

PaperArtsy Mini printer Tray

Hi everyone, I have a guest project over on the PaperArtsy blog tonight.

I used a Tando mini printers tray and had great fun creating a little scrapbooking project which turned out completely different to what I had imagined, but there goes my creative muse with a mind of her own and taking me off in a different direction, but that’s what so exciting about creating your own art isn’t it?

 

Here are some of the photos, but do go across to the PA blog if you have for more details.

 

The photos are of my children, Ben and Maddie when they were much smaller and of my dear Mum and Dad.

 

Thank you to my new Followers for taking the plunge to see what I create, I hope you find some inspiration along the way and thanks for taking the time to stop by today.

hugs Brenda xxx

Nautical

The new challenge at Country View Crafts has a wonderful nautical theme to it, chosen by our lovely Jennie who loves to be on the sea. I also love the sea and always thought one day I might live on the coast somewhere but it never happened but that doesn't stop us going down to the coast as and when we can. In fact I was in Portsmouth on Saturday night for a walk and a lovely meal at Jamie Oliver's restaurant.

For this project I chose to use the back of a deep canvas to make this shadow box effect display and began with some white paint, torn strips of patterned paper and texture paste with stencils.

I added a couple of the canvas stretchers first of all to provide me with something sturdy on which to add some of the elements and bring them nearer the front. I painted the inside of the frame with white emulsion and when it was dry I adhered some torn strips of patterned paper.

I rubbed some gesso over the paper with a dry paper towel and then using texture paste and a palette knife I added the textures around the edges of the frame.

For the background I chose a piece of Tim Holtz paper and added some bubble effects with the texture paste and used a few blue distress inks over it. This gave me the base to add the elements I had chosen to use. You can see I had great fun with the rusting powder and alcohol inks to give the metal embellishments a really aged look.

I also used Tim’s crackle paint and distress paints on this little bottle and found a video on the internet and learnt how to make this Celtic Plait.

Whilst I was making this I knew I was going to see some friends on Saturday night on the way to Portsmouth and they have a lovely beach hut and the colours I was using reminded me of it, so I decided to add the name of the sea-shore abode ‘Y’ Knot to the label pull and take this with me for them.

Did you see the little battleship on the top of the letterpress? It’s from an old Monopoly set and given a bit of an alcohol ink treatment and I don’t have an anchor so I used some old jewellery to add the hanging ball and chain.

When Ken saw this he thought it would be very apt for Jill and Dave, our friends, as the old liner on the tag is like one that used to come into Southampton and the battleship is a reminder of the naval presence at Portsmouth and our friends live between the two.

I hope you’ve had a great weekend and if you have the inspiration and motivation to make something Nautical, we would love to see you over at Country View Crafts. Do go take a look at all the wonderful inspirational projects by our amazing team.

Thanks for joining me today.

Have a great week and a wonderful September.

hugs Brenda xxx

Ranger Dina Wakley Media - White Gesso Ranger Texture Paste Tim Holtz Idea-ology - Expedition Ephemera pack Tim Holtz Idea-Ology Found Relatives Tim Holtz Letterpress Tim Holtz Locket Keys Tim Holtz Idea-Ology Plaquettes Tim Holtz Idea-Ology Hinge Clips Tim Holtz Idea-ology - Label pulls 7Gypsies Apothecary Bottles - clear Tim Holtz - Idea-ology Gears Broken China Distress Ink Tim Holtz Distress ink - Stormy sky Tim Holtz Distress ink pad - Weathered wood Tim Holtz Distress paint dabber - Broken china Tim Holtz Distress Paint - Evergreen Bough Tim Holtz Distress Paint - Crushed Olive Tim Holtz Idea-ology - Cabinet cards

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Tim’s tag for August

Well it's lovely to be home and this is my first non-scheduled post for three weeks, what can I say? I wanted to keep my blog ticking over but I haven't been able to comment in all that time as the resort wifi would grind to a halt very quickly and my Ipad decided to be temperamental leaving me unable to access the internet for most of the time. But I will make up for it next week. I just have to get some projects finished for almost immediate deadlines and I will be out enjoying crafty days on Saturday and Sunday, so hopefully I will catch up with all of you who have been so kind to stay with me asap.

On to my Tim tag, amongst these DT and workshop deadlines I have managed to get my Tim tag completed this week. It follows his guidelines fairly closely but I have also followed my muse, as he said to do, and made changes as I was going along.

I love Tim’s film strip and using the mini portraits in it, to me it creates such a great embellishment and focal point, adding more interest and detail. I collect and cut all the portraits from his paper pads to use this way.

You can see it’s a very busy and textured background and the elements sit beautifully over the top.

Can you live simply and seek adventures? I think so, I think we should seek new adventures every day and for me many of those are by experimenting with ideas, styles and techniques so that I can grow and be excited by the projects I produce.

What adventures have you had lately?

I’ll be out both days this weekend, a day with Andy Skinner tomorrow and a PaperArtsy day on Sunday. Lots of wonderful ‘play’.

Stamp sets I used are – Merchantile, Classics #2, Classics #3

Thanks Tim for another inspiring tag, I look forward to seeing your creative make every month and of course September is not that far away now is it?? I’m off to link this up to Tim’s blog.

Take care , my love and hugs to you all and have a great weekend..

Brenda xxx