Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Color Me Happy

I love inks, sprays, and all that yummy color goodness.  For those that know me, I am usually covered in it.  Thankfully I work in an attic, because most of my clothes have been blessed with the gift of color.  For those of you who have participated in my swaps, know I am a huge Lindy's Stamp Gang lover and tout their goodness every chance I get.  Color me happy when I found out they were have an open design team call.  (Check out their link to the call here.) Woot Woot.  Sounds like a match made in heaven to me. 

The project for submission had to be within the guidelines of the July 2013 color challenge.  The goal was to incorporate at least two of the four colors: Red, white, and two shades of blue.  To check out the challenge and see the amazing entries....click here.




I started to panic when I saw the color scheme at first.  I am a grungy girl ....how on earth could I incorporate these colors into my style?  I contemplated choosing a project fitting the color scheme or using just two of the colors....but decided to embrace the challenge head on and use all 4. I have to say I was pleased with the results.

For my project I decided to do an altered paint brush.  My favorite projects tend to be those that I make something new out of something old.  I also wanted to try different techniques with the sprays to see what more I could get out of them.



For the ribbon I dyed seam binding with the over spray of the various inks but using Danny Zuko's Denim as the main color.  There are hints of the other colors in the ribbon.

For the handle, I base coated it in brown.  Once dry, I stamped with a script stamp and embossed with extra fine embossing powder.  Then came the fun part.  I used Jumping Jack Frost, Danny Zuko's Denim, Ocean Breeze Blue, and Caribbean Blue to create a mottled look.  I love how it came out. 

To add a little brightness, I sprayed some Tim Holtz tattered trim with the sprays as well. 

Instead of using the metal cuff on the brush, I discarded it when I took out the bristle block.  I found that in the last brush I did, I loved using grunge board instead.  I coated with gesso then sprayed and blotted until I got the desired look.

A close up of the handle.  I love how some of the brown shows through and the text becomes very subtle, but gives it some interest.
To finish off the brush handle, I added a TH Ideology numeral piece, a Prima light bulb, and a flourish rub-on.  The buttons on the side of the piece are to secure the metal wire that holds the tags inside of the brush.

On the cuff I also stamped with a script stamp and embossed the edges with embossing powder to give it some definition.

I died some lace with the sprays and tucked part of it to the inside of the cuff.  Over the top I added a quote piece from TH that I added white gesso to.  It is secured in place with dyed twine in none other - Lindy's sprays.



Saturated this tag with the sprays.  When It was completely dry I added drops of the Jumping Jack Frost.  I had taken the spray nozzle off and just added the drops.  I wanted more of a blotchy effect.  I heat embossed the edges with chunky embossing powder and then layered onto patterned cardstock for the border.

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On this tag I sprayed my craft mat with the colors and then dipped the paper into the ink until I got the look I wanted.  Then I sprayed the red onto my craft sheet and dipped the stamp into it.  It worked beautifully.  Then I stamped in archival ink the butterflies
This tag was a lot of fun to do.  The little banner tag on the front is from the same piece.  I used molding paste and mixed with the Red spray. I didn't quite like the look after I was done and took the template and patted it onto some blue card stock - so loved the look then.  I added some grunge stamping with the red spray and fine lines as well as in black archival ink for the dots.  I added a Th rubon  and then embossed the edges of the tag. 

For the key I painted it with gesso and then sprayed with the stains.  I dyed some seam binding ribbon and attached to the key.

This piece is cut from the one above.  I added a rubon, mini paper clip, and some bling.

 I found a technique on YouTube using metal and alcohol inks.  I wanted to see if it work withLindy's.  It does, it does.  :)    I embossed a piece of metal HVAC tape with an embossing folder.  Then I painted the metal with gesso.  After it was dry, I took the lids off of the inks and painted in the sections of the tag with the sprays.  Once dry, I added some archival ink to grunge it up a little and then sanded so that some of the metal would show through.  I finished it off by embossing the edges.
 I took a piece of grunge board and embossed it with a ruler embossing folder. Then I gave it some brown yummy goodness then embossed the edges and stamped with a script stamp.  I embellished it with a TH Ideology piece and an altered crown.  I had painted it with gesso then sprayed with good old Danny Zuko.

For a little bit of texture.  I added a strip of bling and then some punchinella.  I had painted the punchinella with some texture paste then sprayed with the Danny Zuko.


 

I distressed all of the edges and dipped into the sprays to give it some grunginess.  I coated the tag in rock candy distress crackle.  I added some punchinella, bulldog clip, bird cage, and metal piece that I had altered with gesso and sprays.

This tag I went nuts on and just played.  I love it.  I used texture mediums, crackle mediums, stamps, sprays, you name it.  I sprayed brown ink on the matt and dipped the edges of the tag in it.  I love the funkiness of it. 


For this tag, I kept it simple as I love the pattern.  I did a light spray of the brown sepia spray and added a little of the blue.  I dipped the edges in the brown ink in order to frame it.

This tag is a tad bit funky, but I love it.  I dyed some corrugated card stock with the Danny Zuko.  Then layered over it some natural corrugated stock.  I went over my image with drips of the different colors of blue sprays then covered it with the Rock Candy.  Once Dry I saturated it with more spray.  I added some brads that had been embossed.  Love the distressed look.
 
Go Check Out Lindy's Store and you will be addicted too. :)  Here is a link to the colors I used:






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Sunday, July 14, 2013

Grungy Goodness: An altered paintbrush (Super pic heavy :) )

I made an altered paintbrush back in April for a paintbrush swap.  I had quite a bit of fun doing it.  For another swap on the CMB, my partner had requested an altered paint brush because she had really liked the one I had made.

Have you ever made something, and then attempt to go back and replicate it and don't quite have the same luck?  I was feeling that way in the beginning.  For my first brush, I had one in my stash that I used.  After that swap, I had picked up a few from the dollar store.  I was able to take of the metal piece easily so that I could pull out the brush block.  The problem came in putting the metal piece back on.  I tried for about an hour one evening and then an hour the next.  I had gotten it on, but the seam was all mangled and I was crushed.  I didn't want to send something looking like that. 

I don't know about you, but sometimes I get so committed to plan a, that I forget there is always a plan b, c, d, e..... and so on.  I had glanced over on my craft desk and saw a piece of grunge board and all kinds of things just went off in my head.  I had found my answer.  I cut the piece down to the size of the piece I took off.  I embossed it and painted it with gesso along with the handle. Rusted both  and then rubbed a little black ink over the embossed areas.  heat embossed a script stamp with ultra fine embossing powder on both pieces.  Heat embossed with chunky powder on the top and bottom of the faux metal piece then adhered the two together.  I am really pleased with the results.












 
 
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Thursday, July 4, 2013

Happy 4th

Happy Independence Day!!!! Here is a little  patriotic atc I made.  Not traditional, but not my usual grunge. Even for simple projects don't forget the details.  Inked edges, layered cardstock, and some bling.  For my grunge/steampunk lovers I will be posting a project I love soon.


Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Patriotic Wall Hanging

We live in such a great country.  Time to get a little patriotic.  Using the Tim Holtz rosette die (my most used).