Sunday 27 March 2016

Tim Holtz 12 tags of 2016- March goes 3D !

Hello Everyone , 
Hello Springtime and Happy Easter!.
Hope you are all enjoying/ have enjoyed your weekend and are all refreshed for the week ahead . 
If you remember at the end of my Tim Holtz 12 tag of 2016- March post, I said to 'watch this space' as I was going to try and create another version of Tims tag if time allowed. Well,as it is said 'Time waits for no man. - in this case woman so I heeded those words and headed back into my happy crafty world .
So today I am sharing with you my 'Take 2' version of Tim Holtz 12 tags of 2016 - March. I have remixed it by using one of the fabulous ATB dies designed by Eileen Hull .

I cut the ATB from mount board using Eileen Hull's ATB die, gave it a coat of gesso and then painted it using Tim Holtz Ground Espresso distress paint and set it aside to dry.  (Sorry for the lack of photo at this stage but the one I had taken came out all blurry.)

Whilst the ATB was drying I made the panels to cover the sides of the ATB using the same techniques as Tim has for the March tag, which you can find here and as Tim explains the 'how to' so well there really is no need for me to attempt to .

Here are the panels before adding colour ,using distress crayons, and adhering them together . 


I also created a panel for the top of the ATB  in the same way but created a circle aperture rather than a butterfly .
(( see the  photo's coming up )  
I altered a spare wooden door knob I found lurking in my odds and ends drawer by giving it a coat of gesso and a  few coats of Ground Espresso distress paint.  Once dry I added some gold gilding wax as a finishing touch . 

Here are some photos of the assembled ATB  starting with an aerial shot


 and closer

I added a chit chat sticker to each of the sides- 'believe', 'create'


'inspire', 'imagine'.   
'If you can imagine an idea, you can believe you can create it and inspire others to do the same!' 



I do hope you like this as much as I enjoyed creating it !
 I have to say I am really pleased with how its turned out and my thanks goes to Tim Holtz for inspiring and enabling me to take his fabulous March tag techniques and run with them and to Eileen too for designing such a fabulous die. 
Thanks Guys - you Rock !! 

Time now for me to head off n enter this into Tim Holtz 12 tags of 2016- March 
aswell as the following challenge

so I'll love you n leave you n thank you so much for stopping by today  
Have a great week everyone 
 Take care 
Amanda
xxx

Thursday 24 March 2016

Tim Holtz 12 tags of 2016- March

Hi Everyone

I feel i need to start today by apologising for the lack of blog posts over the last few weeks. Unfortunately my good intentions to create and blog more often have been much of a non starter so far this year as 'life' just keeps getting in the way!!
Anyways, how are you all? Hopefully you are all good and looking forward to Spring and the Easter holidays .Seems like only yesterday that the month of March was just beginning and now we find ourselves nearly at the end. So with that said I'm here today to share with you my take on Tim Holtz 12tags 2016- March.

On the whole I have followed Tim's tutorial  to create my tag so this post will be picture heavy with just a few words from myself - hahaha, now there's a first, said I , the 'queen of waffle'!

Although my distress crayons have already had a test run it was great to create with them again. They really are a pretty cool product and a great addition to Tim's distress range. 


All the following photos will show different parts of the altered corrugated tag,  aswell as close ups of the main features.
The Butterfly apertures 


I love how you can use the crayons to highlight the words on the Ideology typed tokens and word bands - so quick and easy !  Due to space I used an Observations word band beneath the butterflies



 and added a typed token tied and looped through the eyelet of the tag  .  


And here is My finished version Of Tim's tag 
that I will be entering into Tim Holtz 12 tags of 2016- March


I always enjoy making Tim's tag and this one was no exception.  It really is a wonderful opportunity to embrace the creativity that Tim is always so willing to share with us all - so 'Thanks ever so Tim.'

If I have time I hope to create a second version, an idea I had this morn that I'm all fired up to try out, so watch this space !! 
Thank you so much for stopping by today and for all the lovely words you so generously leave for me to read each time you visit . I am so lucky to have such kind, supportive , encouraging friends and followers as yourselves . 
Wishing you all a very happy Easter and a lovely weekend 
take care 
 Amanda 
xxx 

Friday 4 March 2016

Di Travel Bag- A Vintage Journey - March 2016 Challenge

Hello Everyone

I don't know about you but it feels like this year is passing by oh so quickly (one blink and I think I may just miss it) as this week saw us move into March with Spring only days away now .
A new month means its not only time for a new Challenge over at A Vintage Journey but its also time to celebrate our 2nd birthday!

So this months theme is a little different and as its Nikki's chosen theme I'll leave it to her to explain :

'For our birthday Challenge we thought it would be fun to challenge you to use the products in our Destination Inspiration Travel bag this month . You've seen how the the Creative Guides have used the products in the past and you will see how they use them this month too.  So join us in using the following products and enjoy the journey!'
Substrate: Board( eg: greyboard, cardboard, coasterboard)
Colour: Lilac or Pale Purple
Technique: Rust effects ( perhaps using rusting powders or rust coloured paints) 
Product: Something Metal .
Of course other products and colours can be used but the project should be focused around these four areas.
 As usual there will be a lucky random winner ,who wins our sponsor's prize, which this month  is a fabulous package made up of 'new release' stamps and stencils very kindly donated by the uber talented Andy Skinner
  aswell as 3 'Pinworthies' selected by the Creative Guides who will not only win a pinworthy badge to display on their blog but be invited to rejoin us as Guest Designer for a future challenge. 
I have to admit the contents of the travel bag did leave me feeling a little challenged but after initially shying away I decided to give it a go!
I'm sure you all know by now that I love 'wall art', especially if it has meaning/carries a message so that's just what I decided to make for this challenge. 


The background 
I began by adhering torn tissue tape to a piece of Manila card cut to size. Then using Tim Holtz Wrinkle Free distress technique and distress inks I added colour . 


Once happy I added more ink using the blending tool and some stamping and stencilling using various Tim Holtz stamps and layering stencils.

I also mixed texture paste with ground espresso distress paint and applied it through the dot fade stencil catching the paste with gilding wax once dry.


I finished off the background panel with a spritz of Perfect Pearls and a few splats of distress paint. I wrapped a length of thin twine around the card three times before mounting it onto cream and brown card stock. (I forgot to take a photo at this stage)
  
The textured Rusty Heart
 This was cut from thick greyboard and given a coat of black gesso then a layer of sand texture paste. Once dry I painted over the texture paste using distress paints and a dry brush. I also used an old store cupboard favourite (in my house anyway) 'cinnamon' sprinkling and rubbing it into the painted texture paste to give kind of a rugged rusty appearance.

 

I embellished the heart with a metal arrow and typed token, accented with two purple gem beads. The quote was highlighted with distress paint, applied and rubbed back with a wet wipe .


The Mount! 
This is a  piece of corrugated card cut to size with the top layer torn away to reveal the corrugation. I blended distress inks over the corrugated lines and distressed the edges.  I then made two holes,set eyelets around the holes and used too loop pins to hold a length of hanging chain.  
All that remained was to bring all the 'parts' together and add a few finishing touches...
....a clip altered with distress paints using my finger


 some hitch fastener screws touched with gilding wax to each of the four corners of the mounted background.



 and here it is
 my finished wall hanging complete with rusty heart and it's encouraging message-
'Never Never Give Up!'



Now its time for me to pack away the contents of the travel bag , neatly of course, and pass the bag over to you so, in Nikkis words , 'you can join us in the challenge and enjoy the journey.! 
We look forward to having you jump on board, as we always love seeing what you create  and appreciate all of your entries.
If you haven't already, be sure to pop by A Vintage Journey  where you can view the inspiring projects made by some of my fellow Creative Guide
and while you're over there be sure to check out the Travelling Instructions and the Written Guide for interpreting A Vintage Journey styles as there have been a few changes introduced

 I would like to enter this into the following challenges 
Anything but Cute- Challenge #10 'Grungy Love'
Craft Stamper- TIMI Challenge : March- 'Anything Goes'
That's Crafty Challenge Blog March 4th 2016- Stencils and Masks
Lovely to see you today and thank you for stopping by- I do appreciate your visits , comments and  follows very much . 
Have a great weekend 
Take Care 
Amanda
 xxx