I Love It Because Challenge

Welcome back to the Frilly and Funkie Challenge.  This week the challenge is "I Love it Because" and is hosted by the talented Jenny who has asked us to share a project inspired by things we love.  Here is her description:

"How often do you create something just for you that makes your heart sing? Doesn't it feel great when you do! My challenge to you is to make a vintage or shabby chic piece of art, be it a journal page, a tag, a card, a home decor project etc, that fills you with happiness and makes you smile - don't forget to tell us why you love it so much."


I have so many different things I love to do while creating but I know there are a few I tend to use or techniques I love to use.  I don't always love the end result but I always love the process of creating or trying something new. 

I have always been drawn to color combinations of neutrals.  I am fascinated with the idea of the old vintage gold leaf pages and how beautiful the stark contrast between a white / ivory backdrop with black and gold and brown.  A natural color palette with touches of grunge and metal. 

The reason I started paper crafting was for the stamping. I can use images provided in the stamp sets and use them in a variety of ways so my happiest place is using stamps and inking them up.

 

I started with layering stamped images using masks and black archival ink over top of brown inky splatters. 

I stamped a sentiment (another thing I love to use in my art) in the bottom right corner.

I used a versamark ink pad and pen to draw a line over the ruler and around the inside of the circle and around the edges of the paper.  I then sprinkled with the embossing powder and heat set  and added a few touches of gold around the edges and on the edges of the bug.

I cut slits around the edge of the stamped circle to insert the bug and the metal clip. 

This is my favorite way to mix images with touches of gold and layers of stamping. 

Come join us in the challenge and show us what you love about your art!

The winner will earn the chance of a Guest Designer spot here at Frilly and Funkie, and everyone who enters and follows the rules will go into the draw for the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique. And there are Top 3 Badges for three further outstanding entries, chosen by the Design Team.

Thanks for sharing your time with me!

Suzz

Products:

Stampers Anonymous - The Professor
Stampers Anonymous - Entomology
Stampers Anonymous - Fragments
Prima Marketing - Finnabair - Wild and Free
Yvonne Blair - Impression Obsession - Dreams
Ranger Distress Ink - Gathered Twigs 
Ranger Archival Ink - Jet Black
Versamark Watermark Ink
Versamark Watermark Ink Pen 

Ranger Embossing Powder - Gold
Idea-Ology - Clasp Fasteners
Bronze Jump Ring Set

Time

Hi!  I am hosting the Saturday Showcase over on the Frilly and Funkie Blog today! Pop on over to get the details behind all the clocks in this collection:

 

Have a happy Saturday!

Suzz

Let me Count The Ways

Howdy!  Time for the Funkie side of the Frilly and Funkie Challenge!   The talented Sara Emily is hosting the challenge and her challenge this time is "Let Me Count the Ways".

She is explains the challenge:

"Since it's just a day away from Valentine's Day, the opening line of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's famous love poem "Let Me Count the Ways" (Sonnet 43) comes to mind. "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways." For this challenge, I would like to see your vintage or shabby chic project that includes three of something. This could be three colors, three words, three stamps (you get the idea); just be sure to tell us what those three elements are."

Using an odd number of elements is something I learned early on in designing my cards and other projects.   One of the classes I took the instructor said it helps the eye follow the design when you use three (or odd) number of elements.  

I decided to use three of one die cut image and layer them to give depth.  I also followed the idea of three with my brads.

 I started with a brown kraft bag given to me from a local merchant when I purchased something.

 I painted the background with a coat of white gesso.  I then stenciled with crackle embossing paste a pattern on the top and bottom.

I let that dry and smeared with distress crayon and dye ink pad.  Added a spritz of water to soften the effects.  Let that dry.

I then die cut the bird multiple times in white cardstock and cardboard.  I wanted some depth so the cardboard birds were used to stack and layer 3 times.  I painted all the cardboard birds with white acrylic paint.  I cut out a bird from white cardstock which I used to stamp the script and the flowers.

I attached the stamped bird to my top layer.  I then cut out the clock frame and attached it behind the bird with the filmstrip and my 3 brads.

 I added the quote chip to give a little punch to the top of the bag.  Now I have a cute gift bag for someone who love to travel and take the journey!

Come show us your groups of three!  The winner will earn the chance of a Guest Designer spot at Frilly and Funkie, and everyone who enters and follows the rules will go into the draw for the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique. And there are Top 3 Badges for three further outstanding entries, chosen by the Design Team, because choosing just one winner is so hard!

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz

Sizzix Bigz Die - Bird Silhouette by Tim Holtz 660231	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Etcetera	Ranger Archival Ink Pad - Jet Black AIP31468	Prima Art Extravagance: Texture Paste White Crackle 8.5 fl. oz.	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Layering Stencil - Nordic THS070
Ranger Tim Holtz Mini Distress Ink Pad - Salty Ocean TDP40132	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Crayon - Vintage Photo TDB49678	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Marker - Black Soot TDM32458	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Long Fasteners TH92703	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Mini Fasteners TH92790
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Quote Chips	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Remnant Rub - Tiny Text	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Remnant Rubs Life Quotes TH93120	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Wildflowers CMS253	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Ground Espresso TIM43270
Dina Wakley Media Acrylic Paint - White Gesso, 1oz Bottle	Prima Art Basics - Heavy Gesso - White 17 fl. oz.

Winter Blues

We have certainly having the winter blues!  The weather dumped about 8 inches of snow and then dropped to negative degrees temperature and now we are getting warmer! 

The extremely talented Kathy is hosting the challenge at the Frilly and Funkie this time around.  She challenges us with the "Winter Blues".   Here is how she describes the challenge:

"January is the longest winter month and lots of us get the "winter blues." Let's take the winter blues in a positive direction by creating a mostly monochromatic vintage or shabby chic project done up in shades of blue. You may use a bit of white, beige or grey for contrast, but I would like to see the blues to be front and center in this project."

I love a good monochromatic color scheme and blues are beautiful especially in the winter time!  I decided to create a vintage valentine montage with shades of blue.

 I was playing with my Distress Stain Sprays and salt.  I love how it pulls the ink into an intense color where the salt absorbs the color. 

I thought it would be interesting to create a shape with the salt and then add the color.  And this is where I ended up:

 How did I get there? 

1. Draw a heart.  Cut it out.  (Use a heavier piece of paper)
2. Place the heart onto a sheet of mixed media paper. 
3. Sprinkle table salt around the edges of the heart and onto the mixed media paper. (I made sure there was a pile of salt all around the edges.)
4. Arrange the salt to the outside edges of the heart onto the mixed media paper.  Smooth the salt to allow it to flare out towards the edges of the paper. 
5. After the salt is arranged to your liking.  Spray with your desired distress stain spray color.
6. At this point I realized the salt was absorbing the ink completely. (Which make sense. :) So I pushed it around and added some more salt.  
7. Let dry and then scrap off the salt. 

I think I would have only done a few things differently. I would have either:

• Sprayed the heart mask around the edges first with a pool of ink.  Added the salt while it was wet and let it dry. 

or

• Sprayed another sheet of paper and sprinkled the salt into it.  After it dries used that around the edges of the heart.  Re-activated the ink with spraying water or more distress ink. 

Things to try in the future. :)

Other pieces to this project included:

• Painting the metal gate
• Adding a touch of feather with the heart on her hat
• Sponging blue distress ink over the paper doll
• Painting the chain with white paint and sponging on some blue die ink and accenting my numbers with bits of chain

Come share your shades of blue with the team!  The winner will earn the chance of a guest spot at Frilly and Funkie, and everyone who enters and follows the rules will go into the draw for the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique. In addition, the Design Team will select three further outstanding entries and those creators will receive a Top Pick badge to display on their blogs!

 Thanks for hanging out with me!

Suzz

Products:

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Botanical Layers	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Stain Spray - Salty Ocean TSS42457	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Stain Spray - Faded Jeans TSS42266	Ranger Archival Ink Pad - Cobalt	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Metal Gate
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Ball Chain TH92675	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Paper Dolls	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Paper Dolls, Ancestors	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Merchant	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Layering Stencils - Valentine THS033
Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Stain Spray - Broken China TSS42174	Prima Art Extravagance: Texture Paste White Crackle 8.5 fl. oz.	KAISERCRAFT Pearls - Self Adhesive - Bliss	Dina Wakley Media Acrylic Paint - White, 1oz Bottle	KAISERCRAFT Pearls - Self Adhesive - Champagne
Prima Marketing Vintage Lover Watercolor Pencils	Prima Watercolor Brush-Pen Set	Deep Ivory Mulberry Paper Aster Daisy Stem Flowers SAA-378	Heartfelt Bigz Die

Saturday Showcase - Floral Frenzy

Hi!  Just dropping in to share one of my projects that is being showcased over on the Frilly and Funkie blog today!

I walk through a variety of different backgrounds highlighting pretty floral dies and stencils! 

Hop over to the blog to check it out!

Suzz

Knock on Wood

This time around I am hosting the Frilly and Funkie Challenge and my challenge is to "Knock on Wood".  

I decided to challenge everyone with adding a touch of wood to your art this challenge. For this challenge you need to dig through your crafty stash and look for some type of wood to incorporate into your art. This can be any kind of wooden object like a wood spool, a wood button, a mini ruler or even a branch.

The winner will earn the chance of a Guest DT spot here at Frilly and Funkie, and everyone who enters and follows the rules will go into the draw for the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique. And there are Top 3 Badges for three further outstanding entries, chosen by the Design Team, because choosing just one winner is so hard!
I wanted everyone to dig through their creative stashes and pull out the wood elements / bases to use in their art for the challenge.  The Frilly team has shared their projects last week and this week the funkie side of the team is sharing their art.

I definitely have a stash of wooden objects that I had fun digging through.  This whole project started with the wooden rulers and wanting to frame out a shadow box with them. 

I decided that I wanted to create a box effect.  To achieve that I measured the rulers and cut strips of cardboard to layer under the ruler to create sides.  I cut a piece of cardboard for the bottom and then attached the sides using tape.  

I added a coat of white gesso to the inside edges and the inside of the shadow box. I cut a piece of paper to go inside my box.  The paper was distressed around the edges. Sponged with antique linen oxide ink.  I then stamped the ledger onto the background.  After all that it went inside the shadow box.

Next I spritzed my wooden rulers with a mix of antique linen and tea dye sprays.  I smudged white paint over the surface and left them to dry.  After they dries I attached them to t he cardboard edges.

Next up was just stamping the cow on an antique linen inky background using black archival ink.  I cut him out and traced him on cardboard. I cut three layers of cardboard to give him depth.  I then attached him to the background.

The rest of the pieces were gathered and distressed with some ink to soften the white colors with antique linen.  I splattered everything with white paint at the end.

Don't forget to check out the challenge  and all the beautiful inspiration from my teamies!

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz 

Ranger Archival Ink - Jet Black Pad #3	(APRIL pre-order) Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - On The Farm	Tim Holtz Ideaology Paper Dolls TH93555	(EARLY MARCH PRE-ORDER ) Graphic45 - Botanical Tea Deluxe Collector′s Edition	(February Pre-order) Tim Holtz Idea-ology Ruler Pieces
Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Stain Spray - Tea Dye	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Stain Spray - Antique Linen	(JULY PRE-ORDER) Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Pad - Antique Linen	Ranger Tim Holtz Mini Distress Ink Pad - Antique Linen	Floral Decorated Wooden Buttons - 15/16"
(FEBRUARY PRE-ORDER) Tim Holtz Idea-ology Adornments Foundry	(February Pre-order) Tim Holtz Idea-ology Adornments, Star Adornments	(February Pre-order) Tim Holtz Idea-ology Bouquet Findings	Ivory/White Jute Twine	Tim Holtz Ideaology Clippings Stickers TH93583
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Findings Game Spinners	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Alpha Dice TH93293 (February Pre-Order)	(LATE SEPTEMBER PRE - ORDER) Tim Holtz Idea-ology Tiny Bells	Dina Wakley Media Mediums - White Gesso