No. 526713

I'm a Guest Designer for April at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog and if this is your first visit here--hello and welcome!

This week's challenge is to use a Butterfly and my idea for this tag started with one I found in my Wallflower Vellum paper stash.

I cut it out and cropped it to fit inside an Idea-ology Journaling Ticket stamped with some background text (Ledger Script) using archival ink (Ranger Potting Soil).

I built a box for it by scoring 1/4" from the edges of a rectangular piece of heavyweight cardstock then folding up the sides and securing the corners.

The box was lined with a vintage dictionary page and I attached the ticket using my sewing machine. A Small Talk sticker was tinted with Antique Linen Distress ink and placed on top. 

The stitching made me think of using a textile background so, after tinting the tag edges with Walnut Stain Distress ink, I cut a piece of fabric (Eclectic Elements) and stitched it to my tag.

In case you're wondering, sometimes I peel off the reinforcement paper around the tag's hole punch before adding background papers, etc., then reapply it (which is what I've done here).

After a few practice runs on some scrap fabric, I stamped the tiny butterflies on a string (Prima Noble Darling) using, of all things, ink from a Fude Ball pen. I needed a real juicy application to get a good image on the fabric and this pigment ink pen did the trick.

To create more visual interest, I intentionally offset the placement of my tag elements including the Lace Trimmings along the bottom edge of the box.

I stitched on a button (that matched the coloring of the vellum butterfly) as well as some string tinted with Black Soot Distress Ink to help draw the viewer's eye up and over the box and match the playfulness of the tiny butterflies.

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I do hope you'll join us for this week's challenge--

what kind of butterflies inspire you?

And don't forget when 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's a list of the products I used for this challenge which can be ordered from Simon:

Tim Holtz Fabric Eclectic Elements 16763 FABRIC CRAFTING PACK 6X6 8PC	Prima Flowers NOBLE DARLING Royal Menagerie Cling Stamp Set	Tim Holtz Cling Rubber Stamps Ledger Script CMS241	Tim Holtz Idea-ology 12 x 12 Paper Stash WALLFLOWER VELLUM	Tim Holtz Idea-ology LACE Trimmings TH93216	Black Soot - Distress Ink
Antique Linen - Distress Ink	Walnut Stain - Distress Ink	Tim Holtz Small Talk Stickers	Idea-ology JOURNALING TICKETS	Ranger Archival Potting Soil Ink Pad	Ranger Fude Ball 1.5 Pen In Black

Dreamer

This tag began as a happy accident. I received a new stencil (Tim's Blossom) and it was tossed on my tabletop. Later, I noticed that an unused cut-out of this lady had landed on top. Somehow, they seemed to go together and so I ran with it.

I used paint to stamp tiny text over a tinted background then applied blue, grays and greens through the stencil. The lady was put into place and I stamped then overpainted a few birds (Tim's Birds on a Wire). A few of his Big Chit-Chat stickers seemed right to explain the scene.

I'm linking up to Simon's Make Your Own Background challenge.

Life Mind

This month I worked through a blog challenge presented by A Vintage Journey where participants were asked to incorporate Tim Holtz techniques, style and/or products into their art journals.

Using the large format Dylusions journal, my first page was completed a few weeks ago and features a stamp from Tim's Flower Garden stamp set. It coincides with an online course I just completed on the subject of Mindfulness.

For the second page, I used only Tim Holtz stamps and if you don't count the Remnant Rubs text and some paint, I stayed true to my goal. I'll admit that the subject matter might have been a bit more interesting if my stash were larger but it was great fun just working with what I had.

And so, I'm also linking this post to Simon's Monday blog challenge--this week's theme is Throwback where you make something from a previous challenge. I picked the first challenge from July, 2013 called A Little Stamping which is what gave me the idea to use only stamping on my journal page.

To see more detail as you browse my images you can click on them to open the larger, lightbox view.

Journal Page No. 1

Journal Page No. 2

Carousel

Click to Enlarge

Today I'm sharing a journal page made with vintage images, a stamp (the carousel) and stencils which I'm linking to Simon's Monday blog challenge.

This week's theme is love this technique and in this piece, I primarily used sponging and stenciling which I enjoy because it's a fast way to get results.

And since I live in a very dry climate it's almost impossible to apply acrylic paint without leaving brush marks. So, more often than not, I'll apply paint with a cosmetic sponge because paint daubs seem easier to blend. I also use sponges to apply paint through my stencils.

One of the stencils I used is a tree but it's a positive shape (photo left) so I had to trace it with a pencil then fill in my lines with a paint brush.

I would have preferred the reverse version but ordered the wrong kind by mistake and I have learned to live with it.

The photo above is the full-page, uncropped view and you'll see an image transfer of the moon in the upper-right corner along with some stars made with a stencil. Stamp credit for the carousel goes to Tim Holtz--it's from his Tiny Things stamp set.

And speaking of techniques we love, I'll close by sharing an artist who I thought of while working on this page. Her name is Maggie Taylor and I first discovered her work during the opening credits for a TV Series called Ghost Whisperer. Her dream-like artwork is made digitally and she's a Photoshop expert. Her website is a lot of fun and if you're not familiar with her work, I think you'll enjoy it.

Escape

A bonus from mucking-out the craft room last month was discovering long-forgotten goodies like the wooden birdcage die-cut (from Kaisercraft) that I used on this tag.

And since this week's theme at Simon's Monday blog challenge is stamp and punch/die-cut what better time to use it?

A background was made with old book paper, paint and stamping then I tinted and stamped the birdcage and used an image transfer for the text. Yes, that's a bit of washi tape for the shadow and I used a black Fudi-ball pen to ink the edges.

Click to Enlarge

I have yet to invest in die-cutting equipment and only have a few, very small paper punches so I was happy to find this birdcage in my stash--otherwise, I'd have to sit this one out!

Stamp credit: Kaisercraft Dictionary Meanings

Pronouns

My take on Simon's Monday blog challenge?

First-person singular pronouns, of course!

The letter i is this week's theme and yes, it made me think of them.

I altered a favorite image (previously used here) which I think may be of triplet sisters.

Their expressions are so serious, their outfits so plain and my, such severe hair-do's!

It was time to lighten the mood.

Myself went crazy with new Souffle Gelly Roll pens and there's a scrap from the Wallflower paper stash along the bottom.

Me thought the word amusement was a good fit.

The bird cage is a stamp from Tim's Tiny Things set.

I also used a strip of Industrious Stickers but they are hard to recognize since me covered them with Gelly inks.

(Scroll down to see the tag in full view.)

Tea Zen

The day I discovered the Irish Breakfast variety and learned to add a spot of cream to it, was the day I fell in love with tea. Mind you, I still take in my two or three cups of Joe every morning but there's something about an afternoon tea break that's every bit as satisfying.

So here's my tribute to favorite beverages inspired by this month's 12 Tags of 2015 by Tim Holtz.

The stripes on the bottom-half were created with a hand-made stamp and acrylic paint.

The top half was stamped with an image from Stampers Anonymous called Math Border using Ranger's cobalt archival ink.

The paper bits were cut from Tim's new paper release called Correspondence.

The tiny teacup is another Tim Holtz stamp from a set called Tiny Things that was cut from paper along with a teapot (maker unknown) and tinted with Distress inks.

I used Picket Fence Distress stain to lighten-up several areas and created shadows with a colored pencil.

I added a bit of burlap ribbon for accent along with some Remant Rubs text and used a white Gelly Roll pen to bring out highlights on the flower in the foreground.

I tried to create a sense of depth by using larger images in the foreground along with light and dark colors (value) and diagonal stripes. This bit of "fooling the eye" is a challenge I really enjoy. Along with my favorite hot beverages, of course!

Thanks

For Simon's Monday blog challenge, where this week's theme is thanks, I thought I'd share a design I've used on many occasions. It's quick to put together (especially when I need more than one) and eliminates any excuse for putting off a thank-you that's due.

I stamped (and embossed) the PaperArtsy bottles (tinted with Distress inks), an assortment of tiny flowers (tinted with colored pencils) and the sentiment. The stems and the border were made with a fine line permanent marker. That's it--done! No cutting or pasting either, since I stamped directly onto the card front.

I really like the details in the bottle stamp and it's fun to try and mimic the old glass effect. I use this stamp quite often. Did I mention I collect old bottles? Perhaps that has something to do with it. ☺

Life is Good

Spring in the desert means the state tree, called a Palo Verde is in full bloom and covered with a blanket of tiny yellow flowers. Yellow is practically the only color you'll see anywhere this time of year and it's pretty but also rather monotonous.

So I guess that's my excuse for creating this tag inspired by the pastel theme at Simon's Monday blog challenge this week.

Using watercolor paper cut in the shape of a tag, I painted the trunk then used a variety of small flower and leaf stamps.

Most were tinted with watercolor paint along with the background. Some I left white.

To create the pastel shades, I mixed white with my colors.

The bunny was hand-drawn on scrap paper and pasted to the tag. This way, if I didn't get the drawing right, I could just start over and not worry about erasing marks on the tag.

To frame the tag, I ran some Black Soot around the edges and bled the color using a wet brush.

Polka dots were made with a gel pen along the deckled edge and a Remant Rub was applied.

There are lots of bunnies here in the desert and they feast on the flowers that fall from the trees but I think life is real good for a bunny under a pastel flowered tree.

Happy Easter!

Collection

Animals.

That's this week's Monday blog challenge at SSS.

So I took an inventory of my stamps.

While I did have a few that would work, they were all a bit on the tiny side.

No matter.

So I pasted.

And stamped.

Embossed.

Stained.

Painted.

Drew.

Fiddled.

Rubbed.

Erased.

Licked.

Cut.

And pasted some more.

I was going for a Cabinet of Curiosities look.

I ended up with something rather silly instead.

But I should get high marks for my enthusiasm, don't you think?

Maybe I should have started out using something other than a tag....

Take Time

I made this to commemorate the first Tim Holtz tag of 2014, where he reminds us to take time to do something creative.

While I lack all the nifty die-cutting equipment and assorted goodies, I did receive a collection of miniature Tim Holtz stamps for Christmas that I was happy to use on this tag.

The background is from the French Industrial Paper Stash that I enhanced with Distress inks, a bit of colored pencil, and rub-on text.

Taking time to create is how I escape from daily stress and all the problems in our world that I feel powerless to fix.

I am so grateful to have this time and wish it for all those who seek it.