Hopeful

Hello everybody!  I'm so happy you took some time to visit.  Today I have a book cover I've altered to share with you.

Since I LOVE birds, I thought this fit right in with the challenge over at  A Vintage Journey with Astrid's challenge "Love is in the Air". Be sure to stop over there to check out all the awesome inspiration from the Creative Guides.  I think many of you know that my artwork is greatly influenced by not only Tim, but by nature, so since Astrid writes this, I thought I would share what moves my heart (and my bird's heart) in my entry this time.

For this challenge please share what moves your heart with us, be it a Valentine's card for a loved one, a heart themed project, or something else that expresses what true love means to you. Just make sure that Tim's style is evident in what you make.

The 20th installment at Linda Ledbetter's Studio L3 Compendium of Curiosities 3 is called Curiously Watercolored.  If you are not yet familiar with these challenges, they are based on Tim's book Compendium of Curiosities Vol. 3.  Each fortnight, Linda chooses one of Tim's fabulous techniques from his book and challenges us to come up with something original using that technique.  You must work from your own book, so be sure to order your autographed copy here.

The Curiosity Crew has outdone themselves whipping up some awesome art using  the Distress Watercolor Part 2 technique found on page 40 in Tim's book.  Be sure to drop in at each of their blogs to see their amazing work up close and leave them a comment.  If you enter your own work and the Crew picks you as their favorite, you will win a heapful of Tim's products compliments of Tim and Mario.  How awesome is that?  And, if that's not enough to motivate you to link up, they are also offering one lucky winner a generous $25 SHOPPING SPREE at The Funkie Junkie Boutique compliments of the store's lovely owner, Linda Coughlin.


Anyway, onto my book cover.  I used all materials as noted in Tim's instructions and followed them completely to achieve my watercolor scene.  I even used part of the technique on my three watercolored eggs at the top, although it is hard to see since it is somewhat hidden by the nest/bird panel and the stenciling I did.  I stamped the speckle part of the egg set first on 2 of the eggs, then watercolored them in using Tumbled Glass and Antique Linen for the background colors.  The third egg was stamped using the solid part first using Tumbled Glass Distress ink  and then the speckle.  The speckles were done in Archival ink- black and sepia (wish I had Potting Soil--it's on my list). I did the "part 2" of the watercolor technique (1/2 of it), then masked off the eggs trying to maintain the shadow somewhat.  I inked over and around the masks with Distress ink, and inked again using a darker DI through Tim's Gothic stencil.

The panel with the bird and nest was stamped using Sepia Archival ink and images from Tim's Urban Grunge and Bird Feather stamp sets.  I used the coloring technique as described on page 40, using all the indicated products. I also watercolored my background. Once dried, I embossed with Tim's Floral Frame Texture Fade which I stamped with Tim's Reflections script stamp in Archival ink on the recessed side before inserting the panel. After embossing, I inked up the raised areas as well as the edges with Distress ink after distressing. I added one tiny heart stenciled with Crackle texture paste and dabbed it with a little Distress stain.  My little bird holds her heart in her beak, waiting for that one love. I chose some words from Chit Chat which seemed fitting for my wistful, heartbroken bird with an empty nest--she is full of love, she is beautiful, she is determined and mostly, she is hopeful her nest will be filled. I shadowed the word stickers with Walnut Distress marker and swiped the shadows with a waterbrush to blend .

I made the tag with an Idea-ology Fragment and Wallflower paper stash, and tied it on the panel with some old string.  I chose another scrap from the Wallflower paper and  glued and  hand stitched with string.  I backed the nest/bird panel with burlap and adhered it to the book.  I tucked in a little "Nests and Eggs" publication from the stash.

I'm not certain what turns my book will take, but as it is, it is a lovely read--"The Works of Browning"--brimful of his poetical works, and published in 1917!!  I'm thinking I may just start that altered art journal, after all!

I hope you can see my tie in to the challenge of "Love is in the Air".  I work outdoors in a very heavily bird- populated area; the birds are all a-twitter looking for their mates at this time of year, and love is certainly "in the air"! The trees are thick with bird chatter, and it's all about love!

So in this sense, this is my take on a Valentine--a token of love, so I'm also entering this in Frilly and Funkie's Challenge "Be My Valen-Twine" hosted by the lovely and talented Pamellia. Stop by Frilly and Funkie for even more fabulous Valentine inspiration by the talented design team.

Thank you for visiting!  I appreciate all your wonderful comments here, and read and respond to each and every one! Hugs and Blessings!

Sara Emily

I would like to enter this into the following inspiring challenges:

Frilly and Funkie "Be My Valen-Twine"

Studio L3 Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge 20 "Curiously Watercolor-ized" or Distress Watercoloring Part 2

A Vintage Journey Challenge 24 "Love is in the Air"

The Artistic Stamper Creative Team January's Challenge "New Beginnings" I've used a new product for the very first time--watercolor paper from Tim Holtz!  I've also used my nest stamp image for the very first time, although I've had the set for a while. Thank you for this inspiring challenge!

Country View Challenges "Use Something New to You" 2 items I've never used before:  Tim Holtz watercolor paper and the nest image from the Bird/Feather set. Thank you for your inspiring and fun challenge!

Inspiration Journal "Fresh Start" I've got a fresh start with some new products:  Tim Holtz watercolor paper and a brand new stamp--the nest from Bird Feather Tim Holtz set. Thank you for this fun challenge!

Try It on Tuesday "Add Some Fabric" I've added burlap to frame my water color panel.