Beautiful Greetings

Hello Everyone and Welcome

I have a couple of cards to share with you today that I have made using one of Tim Holtz new 3D Texture Fades. So which one have I chosen to work with? No, its not 'Foundry', 'Mechanics' or 'Lumber' as you would probably expect from this grungy gal, it is infact 'Botanicals'. 

The card design is the same for both cards just the colours and sentiment differ.

Card 1

I used black cardstock for the embossed panels 

I dabbed a distress oxide ink pad over the embossed panel to colour the raised embossing. Then using my finger I rubbed the applied ink into the recesses. Can you believe the DOX I used was fossilised amber !! 

I then ran an old Black archival ink pad over the inked embossed panel and applied gilding wax to accentuate the fabulous embossing. these 3D folders sure do create an incredible impression!

So not really wanting to cover any of it up I simply added a word banner.

Now for Card 2

This was created in exactly the same way as Card 1. This time I used Picked Raspberry Distress oxide,

the same old black Archival ink pad, 

silver gilding wax instead of gold  

and again simply finished off with a word Banner so as not to cover much of the deep, rich 3D embossing! 

I hope you have enjoyed my double offering of 3D embossing today. Thanks Tim for 'enabling' with such an amazing product! Keep them coming ....... :)

I would like to enter these cards into the following challenges:
Frilly and Funkie 'Letter Perfect' Challenge 

Thanks too to all of you for stopping by today. As always your visits, follows and kind words are very much appreciated . 

Hope you have a lovely weekend 

Until the next time, take care 

and

 keep on the happy side 

Amanda 

x

The Magic of Three- A Vintage Journey April 2017 Challenge

Hi Everyone and Welcome

Hope you have all had a great start to this month- April already and time to kick start our New Challenge Over at A Vintage Journey . This month Annie is our host and her challenge is
'The Magic of 3'
Here's what Annie says: 'It is said that using 3 of something adds interest and power whether its a conversation , art or numbers . Let us see how you use three of something in your challenge project- numbers, techniques, stamps, colours, words, products the list is endless. Let us know your magic three components and ensure your project is in our vintage, shabby, mixed media. art journalling, industrial , timeworn or steampunk styles we favour '.

For my 'Magic of 3' project I have made an art panel working with a few variables of 3. If you're ready to find out what they are lets make a start

To create the art panel itself, excluding all the elements and embellishments I used 3 substrates: Mountboard - that's the main panel and cardstock and canvas- they're the smaller central panel.
I have also worked with three colours - Black Soot, Picket Fence and Twisted Citron distress paints/distress crayons.
The central panel is cardstock covered with canvas with Ranger texture paste applied through Tim Holtz 'Stripes' layering stencil down the centre and in both the top left and bottom right corners.
I used Black Soot distress crayon to colour the canvas applying it lightly to the canvas and blending with a dampened finger to create lighter tones. The stencil lines are emphasised using Black Soot distress paint.

I love how the crayons pick up the grain of canvas- instant detail! Have you noticed how many stencil lines are in each of the corners .....

Some subtle stamping using Jet Black Archival ink and some splatters (of course) using Picket Fence and Twisted Citron distress paint added a touch more detail.
This panel was then adhered to a panel of Mountboard with a tissue tape border.

how fortunate 3 forms part f the numbers on the tissue tape .

Now for the focal feature.
Again I have used three substrates - metal wire, cardstock, wood. The wooden heart is stencilled using texture paste through Tim Holtz dot fade stencil and painted with Black Soot distress paint. The dots are highlighted with a paint mix of black and white paint.

The butterfly is one of the beauties from Tim Holtz new release stamp set 'Flutter' simply stamped on cardstock and painted using Twisted Citron distress paint.

All the embellishments come in threes too - the butterfly is embellished with an ideology game spinner attached with a brad topped with a gem dot

and 3 hex nuts topped with 3 gem dots embellish the top and bottom edges of the canvas.

So that's at least 6 variables of 3 used in creating my 'Magic of 3' art panel.

and I have to say I am pleased with it - hope you like it too.

I hope my art panel along with all the fabulous projects created by my fellow Creative Guides, which can be seen here at A Vintage Journey ,will inspire you to go create yourself and join in our 'Magic of 3' challenge. 
At the end of this challenge there will be one lucky winner chosen by Random Org who will receive our Sponsors prize which this month is a $50 gift card kindly donated by Emerald Creek Craft Supplies.

The Creative Guides will also choose 3 Pinworthy winners who will not only win a Pinworthy badge to display on their blog but will also be invited to join us as a Guest Designer for a future challenge . We look forward to seeing your creativity and appreciate all your entries and participation.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges 
The Craft Stamper TIMI Challenge: April - 'Take a Stamp'. 
Creative Artiste Challenge Blog- Challenge #25 
Altered Eclectics: Anything Goes as long as its altered/ MIxed Media, NO Cards / ATC's 
 
Thank you for stopping by today. 
As always your visits, comments and follows are welcomed, truly valued and mean alot.
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend
Take care and until I see you again
keep on the happy side
Amanda
xxx

Monochromatic- A Vintage Journey- July 2016

Hello Everyone and  Welcome

Hope you are all doing ok  and are all set for the start of a new challenge over at A Vintage Journey. Yes, believe it or not, another month has passed ( the clock just seems to be ticking so quickly this year) and its time to launch July's theme 'Monochromatic' hosted by Tracy. Heres what Tracy has to say

'I love Monochromatic themes in my artwork. I love the balance dlook it gives to a design. If you ever struggle with knowing what colours to usethis should be right up your street, one colour alone or hues of one colour(plus black and /or white- simple! Please just check that your entry is vintage, shabby, mixed media, art journalling, industrial, or steampunk to be in with a chance  of being a winner or a pinworthy mention .'

For my Monochromatic project I have drawn initial inspiration from a painting by Belgian Surrealist Artist Rene Magritte, The son of man and created a piece of wall art using some of Tim Holtz 2016 CHA new release products.

I have remained true to my love of the classic monochrome palette of black, white and grey/ silver. Admittedly my finished piece is more 'real' than 'surreal but that's where my creative muse led me- this time... 

Unfortunately I forgot to take a comprehensive set of step by step photos but I can provide you with the details of techniques/products used. 
So lets begin

I created a mask for the moon using a circle die. This was positioned and adhered to a pre-cut white card panel and remained in place until the background was complete, after which it was removed to reveal the moon.  

 Tim Holtz Wrinkle free Distress technique using Distress inks provided an initial layer of colour. More colour was then added using the distress inks with a blending tool.

Now to add some detail

That included some background stamping and whilst the jet black Archival ink was to hand the Evolution Man(as I am calling him) was stamped onto a separate piece of white card stock and cut out ready to position in place later

and some distress ink stencilling aswell as gesso stencilling for some added texture.

With the products and techniques covered time for some photos of the background panel

The gesso stencilling was enhanced with touches of silver gilding wax.

Some picket fence distress paint splatters made an appearance too. You know I love my splatters!

Moving onto the wood panel ....

This was cut to size by my new 'mate' at the local building merchants. I had a few panels cut at the same time, various sizes and they were unbelievably inexpensive costing little more than a standard chocolate bar here in the UK .So its worth checking out if you have any similar merchants in your area as those pennies saved on pricier shop bought mdf panels goes towards more craft supplies, right?

After sanding back the edges the panel was primed with gesso and then finger painted with Distress paints and Gesso. The corners and along the sides of the panel were crazed with Distress crayons blended into the crazing.

A couple of ideology arrows were added to the finished panel. 

Why arrows? Well lets see if I can share my thoughts : The arrow is a symbol of direction/movement/progress. Man is at the point of the arrow- the pinnacle of Evolution but in this ever increasing digital age will man be pierced by the arrow as it progresses further into the future?

Only time will tell I guess!

I hope my piece of wall art along with the fabulous projects offered by my fellow Creative Guides(which can be seen here at A Vintage Journey) will inspire you to go create and join in this months 'Monochromatic' fun.
I would like to enter this  into the following challenges 
Country View Crafts-July Challenge- Have fun with Circles  
Thats Crafty- Masculine Challenge 
The Craft Stamper- Take it Make it Challenge- July  - Take a Stamp: Anything Goes
That just leaves me to Thank you all for stopping by today.
 As always your follows, visits and comments are much appreciated and extremely valued. 
Hope you all have a lovely weekend 
Take care  
Amanda 
xxx