View Finder

I misplaced a very useful, home-made tool today and had to make another one. I thought I'd share the idea as you may find it useful too!

I call it a view finder and in the example above, I've placed it over a paper with a random design to see what might look best and where I should cut it.

It's made from a transparent sheet of plastic (I used a printer transparency but clear plastic packaging would also work).

I drew lines on the plastic in the exact dimensions of my tag with a permanent marker.

But it could be any size.

Maybe you make a lot of 4" x 6" cards or work with a particular size of canvas panel.

Just draw lines for the dimensions you need.

I find having a neutral border really helpful so I place masking tape around the edges next to the lines.

Scrapbook papers with many design areas can make deciding what section to use a bit difficult.

So I just use my handy-dandy view finder and play around with all the possibilities and, when I find the right spot, I know just where to cut.

Besides framing the view, this tool is good for holding small bits in place while you make up your mind where to place them permanently.

I'd love to hear from you if you decide to make one--let me know what you think!

Observations

Do you ever have this nagging feeling that you want to be creative amd make something but you just can't get started, you don't know what to do and you lack direction?

That's been my dilemma lately, it appears my muse has taken a vacation and some say when that happens, the best thing you can do is just show up and begin without her.

So I hoped that making this tag (an exercise in image transfer) would help and I suppose it did.

My paying job was always fraught with pressure and deadlines and some say they work better under these conditions. It's hard to accept but I think this may also be true for me.

Lady Huron

Liquitex light modeling paste, Distress clear rock candy crackle paint and shiny black Scribbles were the mediums used to link this tag to Simon's Monday blog challenge where this week's theme is cleverly named don't cut, just paste.

I haven't combined a paste layer with crackle medium before but it worked out well here because it created a uniformly flat surface for pasting on collage elements.

Let me explain.

First, I took a plain manila tag and covered it with several layers of victorian velvet Distress stain to get a rich, dark background.

Then I used a Prima damask stencil and modeling paste which absorbed some of the stain, tinting it to a lighter shade of pink.

Next came the crackle paint which I applied with a palette knife. It settled into the recessed areas of the damask at a perfect thickness for crackling and was enhanced by working in thinned-out white acrylic paint after it dried.

The banner was cut from scrapbook paper and distressed to match the photo. The black, dimensional dots applied to the photo and tag borders were applied using a 3D paint called Scribbles.

Why Lady Huron? She was named in honor of new music I listened to while making this tag. The CD, titled Strange Trails, by a group called Lord Huron was very inspirational and I had to give due credit!

Happy Day

I never realized how much I love
(and miss) plants until I moved
to the desert.

I know I've said it before
but I'll say it again.

I miss green.
I miss my garden, I miss grass.
I miss Spring and Fall.

Living where it never gets cold
was not a good trade and,
if I could, I would move
in a heartbeat.


But for now, I will embrace my cactus (avoiding the thorns) and make art to channel my passion for all things green. Since Simon's Monday blog challenge this week is for the love of plants, I've created this tag to celebrate.

It was an opportunity to use a stamp set I just found at a local rummage sale (without its packaging so I can't credit the maker) and an unusual technique which you may want to try.

I began by stamping and clear embossing the images on a plain manila tag then staining it (liberally) with Distress.

After removing the embossing with an iron and some newsprint (see resist technique step-out and links to tutorials here), I colored the designs with gel pens and a water brush.

I've posted about this painterly process before, here's the link.

I think the stamp design worked well with this technique and it has a kind of batik-like appearance. It was fun to try and I did end up having a happy day making it. My inner-crank about all things desert has disappeared (for now). Thanks Simon!

Royalty

One of my favorite pursuits in childhood was playing dress-up. Grandmother gave my three sisters and I many gowns and high-heeled shoes to play with and there was no end to the performances we would put on. The backyard picnic table was our stage.

Those are the memories inspired by the making of this tag which I'm linking to the Monday blog challenge at Simon where this week's theme is royal.

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An altered photo and a bit of stamping on a background from the Wallflower paper stash is how I put this one together.

The tint came from colored pencils but I also used a touch of white from a Gelly Roll pen and a bit of Distress ink.

The hardest part?

Making a teeny-tiny crown for the kitty cat!

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. ☺

XYZ

When I was a kid, I remember my parents used to say XYZ when I'd walk into the room during a conversation not suitable for young ears. And then there was that other reason for saying XYZ during a particular state of undress. Needless to say, this caused a bit of confusion on my part whenever I heard this expression. Anyway ...

I've created this tag for Simon's Monday blog challenge using paper from Kaisercraft called Basecoat and Idea-ology's Destination Paper Stash.

I cut-out the stencil areas and placed a stamped and tinted piece of tissue paper behind them.

A white Sakura gelly roll pen was used to make the dots.

This child reminded me of a Teletubbie and I was tempted to paste a square over his/her belly. ☺

The challenge was a lot of fun, I don't think I'd ever make something like this otherwise and what a great excuse for just being silly!

Gingham

I'm not always open to whatever comes next except, maybe, when it comes to crafting. I'm the type that likes to make lists and always have a plan. But since surprises and happy (?) accidents are part of making art, I am learning to embrace them.

The photo I used is a Found Relative and since Fido seems to be anticipating something, Tim's Small Talk sticker seemed appropriate here.

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Mostly, this was an experiment with my Simon Says Stamp stencil called Gingham which I used in several layers to create a background with Distress inks.

After altering and pasting on the photo, I created a border with the stencil and texture paste that I tinted with black gesso.

The butterfly (left over from another project) has a layer of clear crackle and provides a touch of sparkle.

I'm linking to the Monday blog challenge at SSS where this week's theme features Simon brand products.

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.

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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!

All the Flowers

A day spent gardening has produced this journal page

made with stencils, stamps and paint.

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It was good exercise, too. Each time I placed an image, I had to go to the sink to wash the paint off my implements and, as you can see by the number of impressions, I made a lot of trips!

The lettering was done with Sakura gelly roll pens which work well over acrylic paint and I highly recommend the Bright White 0.4 mm (medium) point.

One thing's for certain, this type of garden won't ever need water again and my blossoms should last a lifetime.

I'm linking to Art Journal Journey where this month's theme is favorite poems and quotes.

Due Date

... and I'm running out of time.

I'm linking this to Simon's Monday Blog Challenge where this week's theme is due date (stamp credits: Tim Holtz and La Blanche).

Here's how I added the text:

I typed the statement in Photoshop, reversed the image and printed it on plain paper. I cut it out, covered it with gel medium, then laid it face-down onto the tag. I let it dry then rubbed off the paper to reveal the transferred text.

For more information on my image transfer techniques, see this post.

Freestyle

I have finally tried out the last of the six flowers you get in the Tim Holtz Flower Garden stamp set. I think it's another Peony and it's been altered somewhat (more about this later).

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I call this tag Freestyle because that was the attitude I had while making it. I had no plan--I just starting doing stuff.

A bigger bottle would've been better (to keep the proportions right) but it was the only one I had and, anyway, a bigger bottle might mean a bigger tag and then where would it end?

I rather like the overall appearance though and discovered some interesting techniques that are sure to be useful in another project.

I thought I'd share exactly what I did so fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy ride!

1. I covered the tag with a page from an old dictionary.
2. I stamped the bottle, flower and stem with black archival ink keeping ink off one of the large petals near the base to make the flower smaller.
3. I used colored pencils to create a rainbow-effect in the background.
4. I used off-white to paint over the text inside the flower petals with a tiny brush.
5. I stenciled some large script on a piece of deli-paper with black paint.
6. I laid the deli-paper over the tag, traced the outline of the bottle and flower, cut it out, then pasted the remainder on the tag (leaving the bottle, etc., exposed).
7. I used a harlequin stamp and archival ink on the background by using the cut-out scraps from my deli paper as a mask.
8. I softened the edges of the impression with a bit of hand-sanitizer (which works great as an archival ink eraser on non-porous surfaces).
9. I tinted the flower with dye ink and a water brush and added a light wash of white to the bottle and stem.
10. I used black and white gel pens to make dots for accent. The black ones didn't dry so I used clear embossing power on them to speed things up and keep them permanent.
11. I used my Exacto-knife to scrape the edges of the tag, wet them with a brush and then applied black dye ink.

Perhaps a word about deli-paper is in order. I use it for all kinds of things and it makes great paper for collages because it is thin and durable. It reminds me a lot of the same type of paper Tim uses for his tissue wrap.

Now that I've used all the Flower Garden stamps individually, I guess it's time to plant a garden but I'll definitely need to use something larger than a tag. I think I see a journal page in my future!

I'm linking to the Wednesday blog challenge at SSS where this week's theme is make your own background.

Middle Ground

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mid·dle ground

noun

1. an area of compromise or possible agreement between two extreme positions, especially political ones.

2. the middle distance of a painting or photograph.





I have a journal page for your perusal today made for the express pleasure of experimenting with a new stencil. As you can see, I got a bit carried away but what better way to see just what it can do?

The ladies were cut and pasted down first, then I painted the sky and ground and added the stenciling last. I went back in and adjusted some of the values to try and give it more depth which included adding the lake and mountains in the distance.

This lovely little glass trinket was my inspiration for the slightly unusual tint. Yes, I could have used more traditional landscape colors but I wanted the challenge of trying something different.

I'm linking to Simon's Monday blog challenge where this week's most excellent theme is in the middle.

Blue Butterfly

I still have one more Flower Garden stamp to go but, after making five in a row, I needed a break!

So I played around with another new toy instead. It's an adhesive silkscreen from Martha Stewart and it's pretty awesome. It's like a stencil but with way more detail.

I began the tag by using acrylic paint to apply the fern design right smack-dab in the middle. Then I envisioned adding figures on either side, found a photo that would work and did an image transfer. Since image transfers are transparent, I went over the darkest areas of the ferns with some additional green paint to make it more opaque and stand-out better.

I painted in a blue background and added some black lines with a gel pen. I stamped a butterfly with white, then embossed it and painted the insides blue to match the background.

Martha probably didn't expect her stencil to be used this way but, nevertheless, it was good practice and great fun. If anyone's interested in seeing how these work, up-close and personal, let me know in the comments and I'll put together a demo for a future post.

It's pure coincidence, but I'm linking to the Monday blog challenge at Simon Says Stamp because this week's theme is in the middle and that is exactly where my fern ended up!

Asteraceae

Here is tag number five in my Flower Garden stamp set series.

The flower is probably in the Asteraceae family, which is huge, and because it starts with the letter A, I can link it to Simon's Monday blog challenge.

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I stamped the flower on to some Ranger specialty stamping paper and used distress inks to tint.

Then I cut it out and pasted it to a scrap of watercolor paper along with some stamped tissue paper. Gel pens were used to add lines near the base.

My watercolor paper scraps are from old paintings that didn't pan out.

Since the paper is expensive, I save them because I can always use the backside for testing colors, etc. Who knew one would become the background for a tag?

Asian

Some flowers have a strong connection with southeast Asia, such as cherry blossoms, chrysanthemums, and peonies. So I opted for an Asian-inspired look when using the peony stamp from Tim's Flower Garden stamp set.

This also worked out nicely for linking to Simon's Monday blog challenge where this week's theme is the letter A.

Other Asian items used in this tag include the printed mulberry paper background and washi tape. The peonies were stamped on bamboo paper which, because of it's color (bamboo), was lightened with Picket Fence distress stain. Unfortunately, I lost some of the stamp's line detail when I did that. (Note to self: Lighten first, stamp second.)

I wonder if it's fair to count the "Broken China" distress ink which was used on the right side along with a little "Tea Dye"?

This becomes flower number four in my quest to experiment with all six flower types in this stamp set before the week's end. To take a look at the others, just click on the label Flower Garden at the very bottom of this post.

Coneflower

Another day, another flower. So glad to have time-off this week to play! I am still experimenting with Tim's new Flower Garden stamp set and I've created tags with three different flowers (three more to go).

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I pasted book paper to a tag then stamped my flowers with archival ink.

I used acrylic paint again and polished it off with some Black Soot around the edges and some white splashes.

I'm linking to Simon's Wednesday blog challenge where this week's theme is April Showers/Spring Flowers.

B or Z

Bachelor Button or Zinnia? Or perhaps Marigold or some other flower?

I really wish I knew. If there's a flower expert out there, could you please advise, or even better--maybe the designer (Tim, are you listening?) can give me the answer.

These beauties are one of the six different flower blossoms you get with the new Flower Garden stamp set.

I am having so much fun with these, they have amazing detail and I appreciate the fine lines.

This tag was made using a page from the Wallflower paper stash, some acrylic paint and distress inks.

My technique was to stamp the flowers then fill them in with paint and a tiny brush. I enjoy detail-oriented tasks so this was no bother. I just put on some good tunes and get into the zone.

I'm linking to the Wednesday blog challenge at SSS where this week's theme is April Showers/Spring Flowers.

In the desert, any flower (even Summer annuals) can bloom this time of year. But the heat will have them dead and gone by June.

Under Cherries

I was blessed with some really good fortune last month as I won a gift certificate from Ellen Hutson which I used to order Tim's new Flower Garden stamp set (it was love at first site).

My luck improved even more when Tim used this stamp set for the April Tag of 2015 and I'm so happy that I have one to use!

I stamped what I think is a cherry or apple blossom on some watercolor canvas that was cut out and pasted to a background made with Tim's Kraft Resist paper. 

I altered the paper background using paint and stamps.

My hand-lettered text was made with a gel pen and comes from this Haiku poem (translated by Asataro Miyamori):

Under cherry-flowers,

None are utter strangers.

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I have to say a word about Ellen Hutson because this was my first experience ordering from their site.

I really like their fast shipping policy. They strive to fill your order and ship it within one business day after you place it.

They use USPS Priority Mail so you get it in three days and it comes in a nice sturdy box so nothing gets smashed.

Thanks Ellen (for the gift) and thanks Tim (for what may be my all-time most favorite stamp set ever).

Sacred Objects

As my regular visitors know, I make a lot of tags. I don't always post them here because I'm not linking to a challenge and there's nothing special in the technique I used to warrant an explanation. Instead, I just file them away on my other blog, Manila Guerilla.

But this particular tag is kind of special. It will become Tag #100 on the MG site. I've read bloggers' posts when they reach an anniversary and it's only now that I can truly appreciate their mentioning it.

A milestone to be sure, when you begin blogging you often question why you should continue but after awhile the benefits begin to show. I like having a record of my work and a place to go to admire them. And it's easy to go back and revisit techniques that I want to try again.

But the very best part is the feedback and encouragement I've received and the friendships I have made.

I used to say, "I make a lot of stuff no one ever sees." Even though it was just to entertain myself, I began to question the validity without an audience. Since I enjoyed and was inspired by the work of so many others, I decided to jump in as well.

I can hardly believe how many of us are out there on the web sharing what we make. It makes me think that there are a lot more creatives in the world than anyone could have imagined.

So, with this post, I guess it's official--I am standing up to be counted and today it's one-hundred. In honor of the day, I want to celebrate by offering my readers an opportunity to receive one of my tags. Just visit Manila Guerilla and browse for the one you'd like then leave a comment here (make sure it includes an email address). I'll contact the winners a week from today (April 10th).

(comments closed...)

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!

Stop Writing

This month's theme at Art Journal Journey is a favorite poem or quote and I made a page to show how the words of a poem can say one thing but really mean another.

The poet is not writing about laundry or woman's work. She's writing (as if talking to herself) about the pain of losing her husband.

To illustrate, I pasted the real meaning of the poem in tiny white print over the images and since my photos are hard to read, I've written the poem below along with some of the tiny text:

I Stop Writing the Poem

to fold the clothes. No matter who lives

or who dies, I'm still a woman.

I'll always have plenty to do.

I bring the arms of his shirt

together. Nothing can stop

our tenderness. I'll get back

to the poem. I'll get back to being

a woman. But for now

there's a shirt, a giant shirt

in my hands, and somewhere a small girl

standing next to her mother

watching to see how it's done.

Something very serious has disturbed the poet's life (she's stopped writing). Someone close to the speaker has died (no matter who lives or dies). She uses busy work to keep from thinking about it (has plenty to do). Death won't stop them from being close (brings the arms of the shirt together).

She senses that her creativity and expression, as well as her sense of being a woman will eventually return, even if they are altered by the experience (I'll get back to the poem/being a woman). There may be a pause in her writing, but his departure is forever. The size of the shirt (giant) equals her vast sense of loss.

Her strength comes through because she knows how to regain her confidence. She needs a mentor and will find someone to lead her out of her misery (a small girl standing next to her mother watching to see how it's done).

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It's amazing how so much is said in just a few, well-chosen words!

Poetry is an elevated art form I have always appreciated and it was fun to create using paper and paint to compliment it. I hope you will journal about a favorite poem or quote this month and link up with Art Journal Journey so I can see what inspires you!