Prototype

This week's Monday blog challenge at SSS is to use a stamp multiple ways on the same project or use the same stamp in different colors or ways on multiple projects.

So I read through Michelle's creative stamping tutorial, then chose a stamp to experiment with that's always been hard to use--it's large, not very deeply etched and yes, a bit unusual. I was hoping this exercise might shed some light on how to get more out of it.

As she suggested, I just starting making impressions on all kinds of scrap papers. Then I got an idea to cut various parts out of the image from the many stampings and collage them back together puzzle-style.

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I ended up making a tag which was embellished with a little paint and ink.

If time permits, I like to try another one and will tell you that I like this stamp a whole lot more than I used to.

This was a great exercise and I always appreciate the inspiration I get from the weekly challenges.

Stamp credit: Paper Artsy

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....

Apidae

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This large bee has always been a challenge to work with so I seldom use it. But, on this tag, I've finally produced a result I'm satisfied with.

I stamped and embossed the images on watercolor paper then covered them with masking fluid.

Using a variety of Distress Stains, I tinted the background and spritzed on some watered-down white acrylic paint.

Then I removed the mask and applied watercolor paints over the images.

I did some additional stamping at the base using Archival Ink and made a stab at lettering with fine-tip pens and paint. I felt it needed the heart to help with balance and keep it from looking so serious.

I'm linking to the Monday blog challenge at SSS where this week's theme is the letter B. There's no way I would have missed this one! ☺

On a side note, the geek in me wants to wish everyone a very special Happy Pi Day (a-pi-dae, my blog post title, get it?). This year's celebration is extra special due to the date representing the first five digits of Pi (π), 3-14-15, a confluence that won't happen again for a hundred years. To celebrate I'll be eating pie.

Apidae is the scientific naming classification for many types of bees.

Stamp credit: Violets Floral Fantasy by Stampworkz

Explore Life

Tim's March tag for 2015 is a lesson in masking and using embossing powders with texture paste. I have three tags in the trash that just didn't pan out but believe me, I tried. My failures may be related to not having the right mediums so I just had to do things differently.

I don't usually step-out my techniques but, in this case, I thought it would be useful to demonstrate my process (click on the images for a larger view).

I began by pasting a paper from Tim's Crowded Attic paper stash onto a manila tag. They are images of vintage stamp pads and one of my all time favorites.

Sometimes it's hard to visualize where best to place a stamp so I made an imprint on some acetate that I used to try out different arrangements.

I stamped the image using Perfect Medium and clear embossing powder because I wanted to create a resist.

Then I applied a coat of Seedless Grapes Distress Stain and let it dry followed by a second coat of Vintage Photo stain.

As you can see, the embossed image resisted the stains perfectly!

To remove the embossing, I used a hot craft iron and absorbent paper (newsprint is best). The iron re-melts the embossing and the paper absorbs it. Make sure to pull the paper off immediately after you heat the image otherwise it will cool and the paper will stick.

Tim calls this next technique "stamp-to-stamp." I wanted to fill-in the bird so I stamped a library stamp onto the bird stamp then re-stamped the bird onto my tag (whew!).

Hopefully, the photo will help to explain what I mean.

No rocket science for the next step which was simply a matter of sponging paint through Tim's Burlap stencil.

I went over some of the stenciled areas with Black Soot Distress Ink to provide a variation of color.

Tim always says, "it's in the details" so my final touches include a Remant Rub over homemade tape, a touch of Peacock Feathers on the raven's body, a gel pen for the black dots, a black colored pencil to outline one edge of the bird and a white gel pen to bring out a few highlights.

I admit I didn't follow along very well this month but I really like Tim's composition and the idea of using a large bold stamp along with the stencils. I think part of the appeal of his tag is the strong contrast of lights and darks which I tried to aim for.

The monthly tags always make me push my boundaries and try new things which must be the reason I enjoy it so much.


Here's a link to more information on the emboss resist technique from one of Tim's tutorials that explains it perfectly.

And here's a video from Tim that demonstrates the stamp-to-stamp technique (skip to the 6:45 minute mark to by-pass the embossing folder info). I kind of wish I had watched this demo before starting my tag. I would have done things differently but will definitely try this technique again.

Stamp credits: Stamper's Anonymous Scratched Raven and Library

Rosie Evening

I am happy to share this two-page journal spread with you today thanks to a prompt from Art Journal Journey where this month's theme is things with wings.

I know I should draw more but I just don't enjoy it as much as cutting and pasting. I have to work at it and I guess I'm lazy. But I thought I'd give a go at drawing these birds using a text book as my guide after creating a background from stamped papers.

The white stamped squares were made with acrylic paint using a silicone pot holder similar to these.

The birds look very much like a pair of House Finch that currently enjoy the sunflower seed feeder placed right outside my window. While most of North America is covered with snow right now, many of our avian friends have come to the desert southwest for a visit.

Pinkie

I sure do like to cut out photos then place the subjects in a different background. I guess it's a way of creating more focus and emphasizing the characters. So now these adventurous girls wander through blue green waters surrounded by my own exotica.

Starting with green scrapbook paper that I stamped with leaves, I used flower and leaf cut-outs from another paper along with colored pencils and distress stains for tint.

I'm linking to Simon's Monday blog challenge where this week's theme is just a hint of clover.

Here's what the original photo looks like (click for the larger, light box view). How sad that their story is now lost but what a day it must have been!

Miss Divine

I am in love with Miss Divine.

It's an image I'm sure to use again (and maybe again).

She must have moved a bit during the photo shoot as her clothing is a bit fuzzy but her face is beautiful.

The cameo, the curls, the mysterious hint of red, oh be still my heart!

I collaged some Ideo-ology Tissue Wrap and pages from the French Industrial Paper Stash after transferring the image with gel medium.

I used a gelly roll pen, a bit of acrylic paint and white Distress Stain to bring out some of the paper's scroll work then Black Soot to distress the edges of the tag.


If you'd like to use the image, I found it here. I'm linking it to the Monday blog challenge at SSS--this week's theme is anything goes.

Cactus Ballet

This is a collage piece I pasted in a moleskin journal using magazine scraps and book pages. It's just glue and paper and a bit of fussy-cutting. I'm linking it to this month's challenge at Art Journal Journey where the theme is birds, beasts and humans.

The cactus are Saguaros and only grow in the Sonoran Desert. I have one in my yard. It grows about one foot per year and it takes a very long time before they get "arms." They are protected by the government so they don't become endangered and provide food and shelter for a variety of desert birds. When they die, they leave a skeleton of woody tubes which hold the precious water they need to survive.

My Paradise

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When I was a kid, my family spent every weekend in the summer camping in the mountains of Colorado. But I married a man who doesn't share my love of the outdoors and roughing-it so, that is that.

But when prompted by the Monday blog challenge at Simon Says Stamp to create a piece of paradise, I just couldn't help but paint a journal page about my ideal.

Nothing would make me happier than to pack up a home on wheels and spend the rest of my days traveling round the countryside.

I gessoed a two-page spread in my large Dylusions journal, penciled-in a sketch, went over it with magic marker, and used plain old craft paint for tint.

The only rule I followed regarding color choices is one I always keep in mind--warm colors appear closer than cool colors:

• The moon is white (cool)
• The windows in the camper are yellow (warm)
• The mountains are blue-ish purple (cool)
• The grass is olive green (warm)

It was more than the usual amount of fun to make because it struck such an emotional chord. I have to thank the Design Team at SSS for a great prompt this week!

The Marker

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Almost always, I have several long moments of crazy when working on a collage like this.

It begins with choosing what elements to use then escalates into a madness deciding where to put them.

I move things around over and over until I get a headache and then say to myself, "this is insane."

I think of artists whose work has a random and spontaneous quality that I greatly admire--they make it look easy but IT IS NOT!

When I come across a great photo like this one, however, I have no choice but to subject myself to such torture. Then I add to my misery trying to decide which of the endless Remnant Rub word combinations to use.

I'm linking it to the Monday blog challenge at SSS for one more chance at the $50 prize. This week's theme is red and pink.

And the craziest part of all?

I enjoy it!

Dear Thelma

My dear friend Thelma (I'm Louise), introduced me to rubber stamping a few years ago and, without sounding overly dramatic, my life (and my storage requirements) have never been the same since.

This is the card she will receive from me this year which began as an image transfer on watercolor paper, then resist embossing, layers of distress ink and lacey ribbons added to embellish.

The shiny border dots are Liquid Pearls, a 3-D paint by Ranger that's a bit tricky to apply but creates a great effect when you want some old-fashioned glam.

I'm linking to the Monday blog challenge at SSS where this week's theme is Red and Pink.

Best Day Ever

All the paper bits for this tag came from Tim's Crowded Attic paper stash. His February tag features a collage theme so I cut and distressed the background like he demonstrated.

For embellishments, I used Crackle Accents on the frame edge, an Ephemera Pack label, Remant Rubs, a small Arrow Adornment, a Number Brad, washi tape and some gingham ribbon.

Here's a tip about the Ephemera Pack label: They are made with vellum and are semi-transparent but I painted the backside with white acrylic to alter its appearance.

I also used a touch of gold paint on the arrow and brad and filled in the number with red.

Best day ever? For me it's this Saturday when my husband and I will celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Clouds

Up in the Clouds is the Monday blog challenge this week at SSS. I had a hard time thinking of an idea so I began playing around with bits of book paper and stamp remnants cut in the shape of clouds. Eventually, I found an image that I thought would work and finished it off with some chit-chat text.

In the Balance

I used to love spending time flipping through picture books at the library. I'd grab a few National Geographics, perhaps a volume on a famous artist or some books on travel. Anything with lots of pictures.

Now, thanks to the Internet, I can do almost the same thing right from home on my laptop. And when I find an image that really strikes a cord, I feel I must print it and do something with it. I guess it's a way of savoring it just a little more--becoming more intimate with it.

I altered an image like this one last year (see here) and believe this recent discovery is its mate (I wish I knew who the artist was so I could give credit). It's almost identical and I strongly suspect both images were made by the same artist at around the same time.

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It was cut out and pasted on a tag whose background was made by stomping white paint through a nylon mesh bag, stamping with archival ink and tinting with Distress inks.

I'll be on the look out for additional work by this artist and perhaps, finally discover who created them. If anyone can steer me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it!

Stamp credit: Stamping Bella Eclectic

Buddies

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I've spent a lot of time, lately, working with the Idea-ology Found Relatives.

When I opened my first box I have to admit I was disappointed in how thick they were--a bit like playing cards.

In some applications, a thick photo is good but I use them most for collage and in this case, thinner is better.


But now I know it's SO EASY to modify them and I thought I'd share one of the ways I do it in case you'd like to give it a try.

First, peel off the back covering. Use your fingernail or a knife to get it started then just slowly pull it off (really easy).

Then get out some sandpaper (I use Tim's sanding block) and remove as much of the paper backing as you'd like.

For really thin photos, after sanding, spritz a little water on the back and rub off more paper bits with your fingers. Be gentle at this stage because the water weakens the paper and it becomes more delicate.

I've been able to get a photo so thin you can see through it! These guys are pretty tough and you'd never be able to do this with a regular photo.

It's also much easier to trim the photo after you've thinned it down a bit and I always tint the cut edges with a waterproof ink marker so they blend into my backgrounds better.

My "Buddies" came from the new Occasions series of Found Relatives and I created this tag for the winter theme at Simon's Monday blog challenge. I did some sanding, peeling and rubbing of the background paper, pasted on the boys, then used Simon's Falling Snow stencil with some white acrylic paint.

I didn't intend to create an avalanche but that's what it looks like!

Winter's Past

I haven't seen (or felt) snow for almost 15 years. But I do remember those bright, cold mornings when everything was quiet and peaceful in a frosty blanket of white.

Prompted by Simon's Monday blog challenge which is winter stamping, I've created this tag from watercolor paper, images stamped with archival inks and tinted with Distress stains and ink.

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I used a gel pen to frost the tree tops and a bit of white acrylic paint to blend out the snow drifts in the foreground.

Arches is a well-known brand of watercolor paper and full-size sheets are embossed with the lettering you see in the lower right-hand corner.

Stamp credits: LaBlanche (house), Inkadinkado (trees), Tim Holtz (car)

For Joseph

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Joseph Cornell was a brilliant artist and a pioneer of assemblage. If you are not familiar with his work, it's well worth your time to look him up.

Prompted by a challenge at Art Journal Journey to create something "inspired by the Masters," I collaged a page that mimics his Medici Princess box creation.

I used a frame from a magazine advertisement for a background filled with more magazine scraps, some rub-on letters and numbers, paint, gel pens, colored pencils, and embossed stamping.

I wish I could use symbolism more effectively in my art to give it a strong voice and invoke introspection. This is a skill Joseph Cornell mastered in a subtle, understated way and is what I appreciate most about his work.

Update:  I modified the original journal page posted here. Something was missing! The black vertical and horizontal lines in the original work were left out unintentionally. This simple addition made a difference and now I'm happier with it. (1/21/2015)

Peek-A-Boo

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An ink-resist technique was attempted to create the background for this tag which I later altered for better effect.

I stamped a piece of watercolor paper cut to the shape of a tag with archival ink. I brushed on tempera paint to resist the space in between the squares. Distress stains were used for tint then I washed off the tempera.

While the paint did resist the ink, I decided I wanted the spaces in between the squares black so I filled them in with a fountain pen.

I found an image that, thanks to the photographer, was easy to alter to fit this tag. Now the girls are smiling about more than just a game of Peek-A-Boo.

I'm linking to the Monday blog challenge at SSS where this week's theme is Inky Background.

Stamp credit: #8346 by Dawn Houser for Inkadinkado

CHA 2015

I spent the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas last year creating pieces for the Tim Holtz Idea-ology Booth at the Craft & Hobby Association's 2015 Annual Show at the Anaheim Convention Center in California.

It was not possible to make them public until the show started yesterday, January 10th, so I'm proud and happy to be able to share them now. Click on the images to see a larger view.

I was asked to create a Configurations Shadow Box and it was my first time using this product. I was very impressed with the sturdy construction--it really held up well during my alterations and I had so much fun!

There are many ways to "configure" the box inserts but I settled on a combination of front and back facing surfaces, some whittled down a bit to vary the height.

Found Relatives and the Wallflower Paper Stash were fussy-cut and layered to create a secret garden, some boxes were transformed into windows with rafia curtains, and a stamped and embossed clock and picture frame reside on the walls inside.

Acrylic paint was used on the Foundations Metal Box Feet and I topped it off with a Curio Door Knob and some Linen Ribbon tinted with Victorian Velvet Distress Stain.

Tim's Burlap panels provided the support for the remaining pieces starting with my brave and patriotic heroine who's a Found Relative from the new Occasions series.

The background is a page from the Crowded Attic Paper Stash and I embellished with Industrious Sticker Trim, an Arrow Adornment Metal Charm wrapped with thread, a piece from the Thrift Shop Ephemera Pack and a Curio Door Knob. Small Chit Chat Stickers were used for the text.

I think I found the perfect Small Chit Chat Sticker for this piece which was covered with gesso before applying a page from the Wallflower Paper Stash, a fussy-cut Found Relative and a Nature Adornment Metal Charm.

I call this one "Luigi" (another Found Relative) who was placed on Tim's new Postale Tissue Wrap along with cut-outs from the Wallflower stash, Industrious trims and a Plaquette that was altered with an image transfer.

The Chit Chat stickers come in black and white, the black background worked great for this piece. The border on the top and right-hand side was cut from the pretty background paper found on the back of a Found Relative card.

Gesso was used to alter this panel and then I applied Postale Tissue Wrap, a Found Relative, some fussy-cut Wallflowers (which wrap around the left side of the panel), a piece of Foliage Metal Hardware painted to match and Tim's new Big Chit Chat Stickers.

It was an honor and a privilege to participate in this event. The Idea-ology product line is genius with an amazing variety of quality pieces that are really a pleasure to work with.

Together

"Make New Friends and Keep the Old" is the Monday blog challenge this week at Simon Says Stamp. It's also the name of a song I learned in Girl Scouts which was sung "in-the-round" (like Row Row Row Your Boat). I hadn't given it a thought since I was a Brownie xxx years ago ☺ and now I'm having major flashbacks. For you youngsters out there, here's what our uniforms looked like back in the day:

Imagine girls (of any age) wearing gloves today and why did the Brownies wear a manly bright orange neck tie? Strange, yes, but I liked them. Mom, not so much as they were a pain to iron.

The challenge prompted using something old or new so I grabbed the very first stamp I ever purchased, a vintage sunflower from Inkadinkado. It is based on this original engraving:

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I applied an image transfer of the girls to a blank tag and before rubbing off the paper, I stamped the background. This way the transfer acts like a mask and saves a step or two. I used distress inks and colored pencils to tint and washi tape for embellishment.

The "new" feature on this tag is the Tim Holtz Remnant Rubs text which I recently acquired and used for the very first time.

If you'd like to know more about the image transfer technique, you can find my tutorial here.

Take Aim

Here is my January tag inspired by Tim's 12 Tags of 2015. This month, it's a play on words and I chose mine from the pages of a book. The background is his new tissue paper and I modified one of his index labels to make a bull's eye.

I really like using Tim's tissue paper: It's tough but thin so it's great for pasting, it stands up to abuse and I like that it's barely transparent. But initially, I found it a bit challenging to tint (especially with dye inks) under certain circumstances.

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So I'd like to share a new technique I worked out which you may also wish to try. The tissue colors on this tag are distress stains applied to the back of the paper. Since the paper is transparent, they show through and won't be disturbed when you paste or paint on the top side.

I'm so happy the tag tutorials will continue again this year, it's great to see everyone's creations and it makes me feel part of something really special. And, of course, I love making tags! 

Giselle in Print

Giselle was the name my French teacher gave me in the 8th Grade. All my classmates received a French name and it was the only one we were allowed to use (no English of any kind spoken ever, please). This is why, when it came time to name this piece, Giselle came to mind.

I'm proud to say she's on Page 121 of the January/February, 2015, issue of Somerset Studio magazine, a publication that features mixed media artwork. The call I responded to was the color lilac which may help to explain why there's so much of it!

I've blogged about this work previously (here) where you can read about the techniques I used. I almost hate to mention it because you'll see the drastic difference in the quality of the photos. Granted, Somerset has professional photographers but I REALLY must improve my skills. No more excuses!