Destination

Inspiration can come from anywhere and, sometimes, it's only after I make something that I realize what the probable source of my creativity was.

This tag is most likely the result of my recent binge-watching of an HBO series which aired some years ago and focuses on human mortality and the lives of those who deal with it on a daily basis.

I used gesso with Tim's Scribbles stencil to create a background that was tinted with Distress inks.

My muse picked the three images: a gravestone, banner and woman, which I printed in smaller scale then cut-out and collaged.

Some tissue paper and scrapbook paper bits were added for balance and the tag edges were roughed-up and inked.

The TV series features a lot of dream sequences which must explain why I chose to use this particular sentiment from Tim's Remant Rubs.




I'll close this post by sharing a link to this Ted Talk on inspiration and creativity from Elizabeth Gilbert which I discovered via Seth Apter's blog, The Altered Page.

It seems appropriate to share it with this tag and I believe you may enjoy it and find it as useful as I did.

Dotty

dot·ty  (dŏt′ē)

adj. dot·ti·er, dot·ti·est

Mentally unbalanced; crazy.

Amusingly eccentric or unconventional.

Ridiculous or absurd: a dotty scheme.

Having a feeble or unsteady gait; shaky.

Obsessively infatuated or enamored.








The Monday blog challenge this week at Simon Says Stamp is the color coral and that's where my "dottiness" all began.

I found some paper in my stash that I used for the background and then a vintage photo and butterfly that paired well together. Embracing the pattern of her dress, I embellished the tag with washi tape and black and white gelly roll pens.

Her full name is Dorothea, but everyone calls her Dot.

Devil or Angel?

My entry for Tim's May tag features a snapshot from the Idea-ology Photobooth strips along with pieces from the vellum Expedition ephemera pack, a metal number brad and the School House stencil.

I thought I'd share a few tidbits regarding my distress techniques rather than provide a step-out since Tim's got that covered.

Click to Enlarge

I distressed the photo by peeling off the back so it would be thin enough to scrunch then flattened it out, pasted the backing back on and inked the edges.

A liberal amount of water was used with red brick and iced spruce to tint the texture paste and background. Naturally, the tag warped a bit so I flattened it out with some heavy books overnight.

There's adhesive-backed metallic mesh behind the photo and I used text rub-on's for the question marks. I also wanted the hole reinforcement on the tag to show so I cut my background papers around it.

I used a typewriter for the text on the shield. To insert it into the machine, I used washi tape to temporarily fix it to a larger piece of paper.

I distressed the shield with sand paper and tinted the edges with colored pencils.

I removed the tabs from the number brad then flattened it out with a rubber mallet. I darkened the numbers a bit with a fine permanent marker.

To tone down the color of the arrow which was originally a very bright orange-red, I used a colored pencil in a complementary color, blue-green (which is opposite orange on the color wheel).

This is a good trick to become familiar with when going for a distressed look because adding a color's complement is a proven way to tone down the original hue by reducing it's intensity.

To paste the arrow, I marked off where it would be then scraped away the stenciled letters underneath so it would lay flat on the background.


Well, I think that's everything and once again, I enjoyed the challenge of this month's tag.  Tim sure did pull out all the stops this month and I hope you are inspired to create something too!