/* */ Beulah Bee: crackle paint
Showing posts with label crackle paint. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crackle paint. Show all posts

November 24, 2022

No. 3 for Christmas, 2022

I took inspiration for this Christmas tag from Paula Cheney and a piece she created several years ago for an Advent calendar (see it here).

I cut the wings from a vintage portrait folder and distressed with paint, sandpaper and crackle medium then mounted on paper, tissue scraps and fabric. The text was made with a Tim Holtz Christmas stencil and covered with Glossy Accents.

The crown was cut from a discarded book then covered with Stickles, Glossy Accents and Nuvo Crystal Drops. I outlined the edges with more Stickles and darkened them with a water-soluble graphite pencil.

The crowning jewel (so-to-speak) is a vintage button from my great aunt's collection.

As always, I hope this post finds you well and happy and I appreciate your visit.

Until next time, take care.

December 18, 2021

Christmas Tags No. 4 & 5 for 2021

I pulled out all the stops with this tag: Crackle medium, bronze metallic paint, Glossy Accents, Liquid Pearls, Stickles, stamping, a die-cut, and ribbon. It has rich jewel-tones and looks better in person (it was hard to photograph). I made it for Simon's Monday challenge which is "Cold as Ice."

Next up, a tag celebrating Old Saint Nick with an unusual technique that warrants an explanation. The background was a Graphic 45 paper of holly and berries and I laid strips of plaid paper on top then edged one side with glitter. I think it adds to the vintage vibe.

I'm hoping to crank out a few more tags before Christmas and you can be sure they'll include some kind of glitter glue. I've discovered the hard way that once the bottles are less than half-full, no matter if you store them upside-down, they eventually dry-out so I might as well use them!

As always, I hope this post finds you well and happy and I appreciate your visit.

Until next time, take care.

February 23, 2020

Tell Your Story


I've got this thing about seeing sky inside a frame so I played around with the idea this week and I'm linking this tag to Simon's Monday challenge, "Frame It."

The girl is a Baseboard Doll (Tim Holtz) that I stripped from her backing and you may have guessed that's a flower cut from the Wallflower paper stash.

The frame is a tiny die cut from Stampendous that I crackled with medium, the text is a Remnant Rub and I used Ranger's Liquid Pearls on the inside edge of the frame.


As always, I hope this post finds you well and happy and I appreciate your visit.

Until next time, take care.

December 02, 2019

12 Tags for Christmas 2019 - Be Good


Underneath the many layers of tints, texture paste and crackle medium is a mixed media die-cut (Tim Holtz) fashioned from brown card stock.

The frame is a Spellbinders die-cut covered with dimensional paint (Scribbles) which was also used on the large text (an image transfer).

Inside the frame is a Photobooth image (Tim Holtz), I used dots of Scribbles and Stickles (glitter glue) for bling and a strip of washi tape to balance out the intentional off-center placement of frame and text.


It will be easy to link-up with Simon's Monday challenge this week as I work through more of my holiday tags. The theme is "Let's Sparkle" and I've never made a Christmas tag EVER without using glitter--it just wouldn't be Christmas without it!

May 12, 2019

The Way


During an evening walk a few weeks back, I found a rusty, gold painted piece of metal (shaped like a wing?) which someone had tucked into a street sign in my neighborhood.

It was happenstance that I glanced-up at just the right time with just the right light to see it's shiny reflection and to know it was there.


And so I used it for a small plaque made with various papers (vintage book, Tim Holtz collage and butterflies cut from Prima scrapbook paper). The flowers are from the new Idea-ology Botanical Layers and the girl is a Baseboard Doll.

I used a bit of crackle medium around the edges, drew some lines and added shading to create a faux border, and trimmed the plaque edges with gold paint. The text was an image transfer.

I began work on this Monday when I discovered the Simon Monday challenge was "Add Something Metallic." Since this metal piece had been laying around my studio for awhile (with no idea of how or what to use it for), this challenge was just the push I needed.

I didn't think I'd get it done in time to enter but sure enough, I did!

December 05, 2018

12 Tags for Christmas 2018 - No. 6 & 7


I'm doing a look-back to Christmas tags of the past (see previous post) and this one was inspired by a crackling technique Tim demonstrated on one of his early tags.

I was probably listening to the Nutcracker Ballet when I thought of the design 😏 and, with a very limited amount of crafting supplies back then, I found a pattern for the ballerina and cut her out of card stock by hand.


The background stamp is the classic Tim Holtz Flourish and I may have hand-drawn the numerals. The snowflake sequins were dabbled with paint and glitter and a ribbon was used for the ballerina's tutu.

I am sharing this next tag for a remarkable feature that looks excellent in person but impossible to capture in a photo. Let me explain.


Santa's face is a clip-art photo that was printed onto a transparency (used with an overhead projector in the "old days" for business meetings). Then I placed the image in front of a sheet of metallic silver paper before I set it into the frame.

The effect is truly astonishing and the image takes on a vintage quality similar to that of mercury glass. It's hard to describe but I highly recommend trying this technique so you can see what I mean.


I'm linking this post to Simon's Monday Challenge Blog ("B is for Ballerina").

April 11, 2018

Ada Again


I have modified a recent collage (see previous post, Ada 1916) by scraping off the photo of my great Aunt Ada and replacing the image with one I like better.

Because the original photograph was a bit thicker than the other collage papers I used, it was pretty easy to get underneath it and carefully peel/scrape it off.


Then I used this image as a transfer and created a mask of the hands and face. I used the mask to apply off-white paint on the background where the image was placed. Since image transfers are inherently transparent, this technique keeps the background from showing through.


The image transfer's darker undertones made it necessary to adjust values throughout the collage using transparent paint (glazing) and I also colored the collage paper flowers.

And finally, I felt the need to contain the composition by adding a border which was made using dots of Scribbles. I think the addition of the black accents helped to emphasize the other black elements in the collage.

April 08, 2018

Ada 1916


My great Aunt Esther wrote on the back of this photo, "Ada, June 1916." I suspect it is a photograph to commemorate her sister's graduation from high school as I have several copies and the year would be appropriate.

I used a wooden panel (10" x 10"), the new Idea-ology collage paper (Botanical), some Memoranda paper stash and an Idea-ology Collector Layer. All the paper bits were made thinner by rubbing the back side with water and I also used damask patterned tissue paper along with some light pink. The circle scroll design was an image transfer.

(Click on the photos to see a larger, lightbox view.)


The wooden support was gessoed, I pasted on a crinkled sheet of light pink tissue paper, added crackle medium, then rubbed on brown wax to bring out the cracks.


At this stage I was thinking I should have waited to crackle the board AFTER I arranged the collage but in the end it may have been the right approach even though most of the surface was covered up.

Here are some close-ups that show how I layered the collage paper.




Working with the collage paper I learned that, if you don't want the white of the tissue to show, it's important that the glue underneath covers the entire surface. In the photo above, the hand-written name has fewer missed areas of glue underneath than the section of tissue just above it.

My glue of choice for this piece was fluid matt medium. I like that you have a longer working time than a gel medium and that it moistens the paper slightly so it lays down easier. You can get all the bubbles out without using much pressure (which might tear a delicate paper).

March 11, 2018

Cool in the Shade

My favorite teachers? The passing of time, experience, practice, experimentation, mistakes. Case in point this tag (made for Simon's Monday theme "Whatever the Weather"):


  1. Learning how to use Photoshop's recompose tool to crop this photo without losing the photograph's border frame.
  2. Experimenting with Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Ink technique on glossy paper with mixed results (too much water, not enough ink?).
  3. Applying crackle medium to paper, the product I use has to be applied really thick--it was too thin this time to show up.
  4. The benefit of delaminating some Idea-ology paper stash to reduce bulk when collaging (text piece is full thickness, report card area was made thinner). Each time I try this, I get better at it. The trick is to gently rub off the back with a little water after peeling away as much as you can.
  5. The flowers (Idea-ology ephemera) were also delaminated because they are easier to refine with cutting when the paper's not so thick.
  6. Proved again that for me, the best way to tint a photo is still using a dab of ink from a gel pen with a little water (the turquoise in the wallpaper behind the teacher, for example).
  7. Appreciating that without adding a little whimsy to the piece an observer might think it too serious and wonder about my mental state. (Perhaps you should anyway.)
The weather connection is in the Idea-ology text from the Memorandum paper stash. I do believe this teacher is cool in her shades. Also note the Red Precipitate Ointment which is a nice touch--don't you think?


By the way, my favorite human teacher was Mrs. Jennings who had the patience to work with me in the 5th grade when I refused to learn multiplication tables and provided comfort from bullies.

December 04, 2017

12 Tags for Christmas 2017 - Peace


One of Tim Holtz's 12 Tags for Christmas 2011 featured Ranger's Clear Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint and I bought some.

Believe it or not, by storing it upside down it's still good! Granted, it is a little thicker than it once was but I just used a palette knife to spread it over the dove (instead of the brush the paint came with).

Once dry, a layer of white Perfect Pearls was added over the top for a little more sparkle.


The background is an Idea-ology Sophisticate Cabinet Card Frame that I separated from it's backing and aggressively sanded down then stamped with text before cutting it to fit my tag.

I cut a piece of Graphic 45 (Botanicabella) paper to fit inside the oval, added a black satin ribbon along the bottom and lots of tiny drops of Liquid Pearls.


The text was clear embossed but looked a little lost on the background so I used a fine paint brush and white paint to shadow the sides of the letters.  I also thought just a hint of color in the background would do some good so I smudged on a little Fired Brick and Forest Moss Distress Ink and Tag No. 4 was complete.

July 31, 2017

Dinner Party



The Monday challenge over at Simon Says Stamp is Food and/or Drink and I thought I'd do something with Idea-ology Silverware.


Well, one place setting led to another and the result was a dinner party in an altered Idea-ology Vignette Box filed with silverware, an ornate plate and a salvaged doll with adornments.

Click to Enlarge Photo

All of this covered in tissue paper stamped with tiny text and black dots plus two altered vintage light bulbs (not to be confused with ice cream cones). The large text is an altered quote chip and the roulette wheel is an Idea-ology Collector Layer.


The outside of the box was "pickled" with a white stain. The crown and scepter were tinted with alcohol ink. Red paper was used in the back of the box. Clear crackle medium and walnut ink helped to age some of the surfaces.


My tiny little box will find it's way to a shelf in my studio and remind me that, in art (and also in cooking), all the things we make are as unique as we are. Bon appétit!

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It's been a real privilege to participate as a guest designer this month. I am so proud to be a part of a community that fosters so much creativity and joy.


Why don't you join us for this week's challenge?

If you upload your creation to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog you'll have a chance to win a $50 voucher at the Simon Says Stamp store!


Here are links to the supplies I used for this project:



November 27, 2016

12 Tags for Christmas - April


This was inspired by Tim's April tag and his faux mosaic/paint resist technique but rather than follow along exactly, I went with my impressions instead.

The background is a page from the Dapper paper stash die cut with a Mixed Media thinlet to cover an entire tag. Purple cardstock was pasted behind it then crackle medium was spread over the cut-out areas and it was sanded and stained with Distress ink to give it an aged, old-world appearance.

The angel (Somerset Studio) and framed text (Kaisercraft's Frosted paper collection) serve as the centerpiece.

The tag border was embellished with Platinum Stickles (distressed with walnut ink) and tiny dots of Liquid Pearls.

October 10, 2016

Science Guy


Made to link-up with Tim's 12 Tags for 2016, this is the 41st tag I've made for the year not counting all the boo-boo's that ended up in the trash (Halloween pun intended).

It's a little plain Jane, especially for Halloween, but I lean towards "less is more" (perhaps just an excuse for not knowing what to do next). However this time, I did summon the courage to add some tiny black splatters and for me that's a step in the right direction.


Tim's technique started with a collage background of paper bits then a covering of crackle medium. I discovered first-hand that a thin application yields tiny cracks (background) and laying it down thick on the frame/tag borders (I used a fine-tip squeeze bottle) changed the look completely.

(Click on photos for a larger view.)


Obviously, my "Science Guy" isn't one of Tim's metallic monster masks but you have to admit this photo is just as bizarre. We can only assume this gent may have been a little impoverished (note the clever way he's buttoned his jacket) and I have no idea what he's cooking but it looks a bit suspect to me.


I used the skull from Tim's Mini Halloween Set #5 and also one of his Vellum Ephemera pieces painted off-white on the back and then distressed by sanding, wrinkling and inking.

To fill in the empty spaces, I mixed some texture medium with paint to match the shade of the medicine label and applied it through Tim's Dot Fade stencil before splattering the tag with watered-down black paint.