Here it is Saturday night, and I’m finally in the studio.  I had an idea for a gift tin, and wanted to see if I could make it work.  Some time ago I picked up a couple of the metal (altoid) tins at Archivers when they were on sale.  I thought I would use them business cards, but they are just the teeniest bit smaller than a business card.  However, they would be perfect for a gift card or money (everyone’s favorite gift)!

I was playing with snowflakes earlier in the week, and had an extra that I wanted to use an embellishment on the tin.  I found some Graphic 45 paper I thought matched and decided to cover one of the tins. 

I found an image that looked snowy and covered it with Ranger Cracked Accents.  The flip side of the paper used to cover the tin was die cut/embossed with Spellbinders™ Curved Rectangles Mega Nesties.  For the fun of it and for some added dimension, I die cut/embossed a portion of a frame using the same Nesties™.

Here’s a close-up of the snowflakes and the image.  I love the effect of the Crackle Accent and of course you know I can never find enough uses for the Vintage Glass Glitter.

You’ll be able to see more about these snowflakes on Wednesday.

• Paper:  Prism Baby Blue Light; Graphic 45 Christmas Past Collection – The Night Before Christmas and Jolly Old St. Nicholas
• Ink:  Ranger Old Paper Distress; Papertrey perfect match Fresh Snow
• Accessories:  Spellbinders™ S5-006 Curved Mega Rectangles and S4-222 Create A Flake One; Tsukineko Sponge Daubers; Crafting Wire; Papertrey Vintage Buttons and Rustic Cream Button Twine; Ranger Glossy, Matte and Crackle Accents; Art Institute Krystallos Vintage Glass Glitter

I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend, and thanks for stopping by.

Happy Monday!  WOW I can’t believe that I finished this project today.  I’ve had this vision in my head for some time . . . months and months . . . if not longer.  I might have jumped the gun here too, because I don’t know that this project will ever truly be complete.  I think it’s one of those things that will be added to on a continual basis, particularly if I find just that perfect piece of memorabilia.

So are you ready to see what I’ve spent the last 4 days working on?  I’ll even tell you what that green goop is in the jar too!  You have to keep in mind that this piece is for me . . . my inspiration!  It’s hanging in the studio right now and as I look straight ahead from the computer I can see it.  I think I’ll leave it right where it is . . . I am so excited with the way it turned out.  Why I’m almost breaking my arm trying to pat myself on the back!

My Inspiration Canvas!

A closer look.

I’ve had this canvas stored in the closet for probably a year or more.  When they have them at Big Lots for a couple of bucks I always pick up a couple just to have around.  To start off, I covered the canvas with 3 coats of gesso.  The last coat was mixed with Peeled Paint Distress Ink . . . the green goop in the jar!  I needed water quickly, grabbed the first jar nearby and poured in some water.  There you have it . . . green goop!  I used one of the Tim Holtz masks and a stencil from Tattered Angels and laid them across the canvas.  Using Copic Markers, I airbrushed over the mask/stencils until I was satisfied with the color of the canvas.  Aged Mahogany Distress Ink was sponged around the edges.    The letters are Grunge Board that were painted black and then covered with Rock Candy Distress Stickles.

The flowers are Grunge Paper covered with Graphic 45 paper and then die cut with Spellbinders Blossom Nestabilities and Flower Creations 3.  The edges of each individual layer were sponged with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

I added some Tim Holtz idea-ology embellishments through out the flowers for more inspiration.  I also had some clock keys and a pocket watch from things of the grandfather’s.  They were added just because!  I left chains long so that I could add more to them eventually.

The word Believe and the leaf stems are the only stamps I used.

• Stamps:  From the Garden by Fancy Pants Designs and Vendy Vechi Studio 490 - Ticket to Art from Stampers Anonymous
• Paper:  Botanicabella Collection from Graphic 45
• Ink:  Ranger Vintage Photo, Aged Mahogany, Old Paper, Peeled Paint and Black Soot Distress Ink
• Accessories:  Spellbinders S4-192 Blossom Nestabilities and S4-109HL Flower Creations 3; Tim Holtz idea-ology Swivel Clasps, Hitch Fastener, Jump Rings, Trinket Pins, Muse Tokens, Game Spinners, Safety Pin, Sprocket Gears, Philosophy Tags, Word Keys, Grunge Paper, Grunge Board elements and mixed minis, Book Plates; Ranger Snow Cap and Pitch Black Acrylic Paint Dabbers, Matte Accents, Picket Fence Distress Crackle Paint, Rock Candy Distress Stickles, Claudine Hellmuth Studio multi-medium matte; Tsukineko Sponge Daubers; Gesso; Upholstery Tacks; Glue Gun, Vintage Buttons; Papertrey Rustic Cream Button Twine

Well, that’s all folks!  Have a fabulous day and thanks for stopping by!

Day 3 of the Process!

More mess

I don’t normally work like this

Can’t find my desk

At least the floor is clean now

Hey y’all!  All the Member Companies at Splitcoaststampers are hosting challenges today.  The first one I looked at this morning and knew I wanted to do was Crafty Secrets’ Challenge, Pop It!

I decided not to use any of my stamps, but to use the Girlfriends Creative Scraps sheet.  I need a few birthday cards this month and thought I would kill two birds with one stone.

All the edges of the papers were sponged with Antique Linen Distress Ink and the bottom layers were sewn to a background panel.  I used the Spellbinders Contemporary Hearts Borderabilities, layering one over the other with sponging on the bottom one.  The embellishment was made with 1” strips of Graphic 45 paper, rubbed with Matte Accents and then dipped in Vintage Glass Glitter.  Here’s a close-up where I think you can see both the Borderabilities and the glitter.

I think this card also qualifies for the Crafty Secrets weekly challenge, to use a handmade embellishment . . . oh yeah!

• Stamps/Image:  Heartwarming Vintage Collection Creative Scraps – Girlfriends, from Crafty Secrets 
• Paper:  Graphic 45 Baby 2 Bride Collection; Prism Iced Orange and Butter Cream
• Ink:  Ranger Antique Linen Distress
• Accessories:  Spellbinders Classic Rectangles – S4-130 Small and S4-132 Large, S4-212 Contemporary Hearts Borderabilities, and S4-230 Labels Six; Ranger Matte Accents; Art Institute Krystallos Glass Glitter; May Arts Ribbon; Tsukineko Sponge Daubers; Foam Tape; Sewing Machine; Papertrey Vintage Buttons and Rustic Cream Button Twine

I hope you’ve had time to stamp today!  I’ve got a few more challenges I want to take part in so I’m heading back into the studio!

Good Monday morning!  I hope you all had a fabulous weekend and got outside and enjoyed the weather.  It was great here in Southern Indiana, 70’s and cool at night.  Perfect weather to get out and enjoy walks with the little shitzes!  When I wasn’t outside, I was buried deep in the recesses of the basement working away in my studio.  More playtime!  I could hardly stand it.  I’ve had some ideas running through my head for months now.  I was only waiting for a little time when I didn’t have pressing commitments and time limitations.

Remember this beeswax frame I did for my mother as a Mother’s Day gift?  Ever since I worked on that piece, I’ve been wanting to do another one; and since I’m still on a learning curve, this weekend was perfect! 

One day at CHA all us girls were sitting at a table resting, and someone from the Graphic 45 Booth walked up to our table.  Because a couple of us had on their buttons, we each received a free packet of Graphic 45 paper.  I couldn’t have been more delighted since I had been longing for the Botanicabella Collection.  I knew deep down that I had a special project for this paper  . . . more beeswax art!

This is what I came up with on Saturday . . . a canvas that was covered with Garden Suite and beeswax.

There’s lots of dimension going on here.  I kept adding layers of cardboard to building up bases as I went, finally ending at the top with another diamond panel.  I lost count of how many layers of beeswax I ended up adding.  I sat the canvas up in my sitting room when I was done so that I could keep looking at it and decide if it was done or not.  At first I thought about adding a bow at the top that would hang down the back and let me hang it on the wall.  I also thought about adding some more panels below the canvas, but it was just too thick to punch with my crop-o-dile. 

This morning I went out to my spare cabinet in the garage and found the perfect idea for finishing the canvas . . . an 8×10 black frame!  I went back into the studio, picked a piece of coordinating Graphic 45 paper and when to work. 

Here is the finished project, ready hang in my sitting room!

Here’s a close-up so that you can see all the different tiers and panels.

And don’t forget to look at that butterfly.  It was part of the paper that I trimmed out, covered with beeswax and then found some old gold beads to add as the body.  I recently purchased some gold wire that was perfect for the antennae. 

I know I need more practice with this technique and will keep working on projects as time allows!  This is such an addicting form of art.

So, that’s all I have for today!  I hope you have a great day and thanks for stopping by!