Monday, February 9, 2015

Things I Love

I have another Valentine card to share with you today--this one's a little bit non-traditional. I made is for my sister whose favorite color is green. This layered card uses a lot of leftovers and lots of techniques including Tim's Rock Candy Distress Glitter  technique.

The 21st installment at Linda Ledbetter's Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge is using Tim Holtz' Rock Candy Distress Glitter Technique found on page 55 of Tim's inspirational book A Compendium of Curiosities Vol. 3.  In order to play along you will need your own personal copy of Tim's book, and you can order your autographed copy from Tim here. Make sure to visit Linda's blog to see the most awesome artwork inspired by Tim Holtz' techniques, and you will be delighted you did. There are several prizes up for grabs, too.  An amazing array of Tim's goodies compliments of Tim and Mario are awarded to the Curiosity Crew's pick, and if you are a lucky winner you will receive a generous $50 shopping spree to the well stocked crafty Heaven known as  Inspiration Emporium.  So grab your CCV3 and your Distress Glitter and join the fun!

Annie at A Vintage Journey is hosting this fortnight's challenge where she has set up a Tic Tac Toe grid. We get to choose which line from the chart we want to complete and include those 3 elements on our project.  I chose the last vertical line and included twine, die cuts, and stains on my card.  For some reason, I find this kind of challenge a little more, how shall we say--challenging!  I had a couple of lines with two elements, but how would I add the third to complete a line?

 I used Tim's glittery technique on the green layer using Tim's lace stencil--just a little twist on Tim's approach and following  Anita Houston's lead, but I followed his instructions to the letter on my next layer using his flourish image from  Tim's Boundless Flight stamp set.



This second layer started out as watercolor technique I was trying out using watercolor pencils and a TCW stencil.  It didn't turn out to my liking, even after I added some highlights to the birds and did some stenciling through a Dylusions stencil, so into the recycle pile it went. And so today  I decided to use it as a background layer for this card.  I gave it a light coat of gesso which really helped to blend the birds. I had some spots of Picket Fence Distress paint on my craft mat, and I blotted them up with it, too, to give it a little texture. Then I used Tim's RCDG technique, distressed the edges and inked them with Walnut Distress ink.



I used another "leftover" stained scrap of water color paper (Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn, and Tumbled Glass) that I was testing colors on. I thought it was too pretty to throw out, so I threw it in the recycle bin. I stamped Tim's bird image from his Urban Grunge set using 2 colors of Distress ink on tissue paper.   I tore the image and applied  it to the stained water color scrap with Matte Multi Medium and when dry, used a water pen and Rusty Hinge Distress ink to color in the bluebird's breast. I tore the edges of the scrap and inked the entire piece with Old Paper to knock the colors down a bit, then edged with Vintage Photo. A little spritz from Tim's marker spritzer to finish.



I used Tim's Honeycomb die to cut some cheap sketch paper lining my spray box which has the most amazing colors collected in tiny droplets on it. I cut the green hearts using  Spellbinders dies Kathy Clement sent me. I used designer paper which I inked and spritz and flicked, embossed with Tim's Regal Texture Fade (which obliterated the spritz and flick--oh, well!) and added some more Rock Candy Distress Glitter to the larger hearts.


The sentiment is 7 Gypsies inked in Archival on a banner cut with Tim's banner die from paper I  inked and spritz and flicked, and splatted on Picket Fence Distress paint with my basting brush. Also a few spritzes from the marker spritzer.  I added the Creative Memories punched heart from the same paper.


 I soaked some green twine with Stiffen Stuff to help it keep it's shape and  wrapped it  around a dowel to make little twirly springs and wrapped this and  burlap twine around the honeycomb "trellis" to resemble dried and withered vines and then new growth like I am seeing in the garden where I work.



This was before I spritzed and added the twine...I just thought it needed something else!

Better!

I hope my sister likes her green Valentine.  Thank you for stopping by and leaving all your awesome comments! Hugs!

Sara Emily


  Remember, I will be having a random drawing for some craft goodies on February 15.  Each time you comment (starting with my first January 2015 post) you get your name thrown in the hat for the draw. You do not have to be a follower, but you can follow if you wish. I really don't know what my goodie package will include yet, but there are a few things that I've thrown into a bag (and I'm still adding) that I would like  to share. It's just my little way of saying thank you for all your positive support and inspiration.

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

Linda Ledbetter's Studio L3 Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge Rock Candy Distress Glitter

A Vintage Journey "It's Time to Play Tic Tac Toe!"

Mixed Media Card Challenge #8 "Love"

Inspiration Journal "Love is in the Air"

Country View Challenges "Drips and Drops" My drops are symbolized by the dot stenciled on my background, the tiny droplets on the honeycomb die cut,  and by the spritzes and splats on my sentiment banner and on the water colored bird panel.

The Artistic Stamper February's Creative Challenge "Love"

31 comments:

  1. Gorgeous colour palette and wonderful details on your valentine Sara. I am sure your sister will love it too. Thank you for hopping on board again at AVJ and for clearly informing of the grid you have chosen in our Tic Tac Toe challenge
    Hugs Annie x CG

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    1. Hi, Annie! Thank you for leaving such a sweet comment! I'm really enjoying trying to find different combos to try from your game board!

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  2. Gorgeous Sara!! Your beautiful spring colours and theme are really making my long for the snow to go away! I can almost taste the Strawberry Daiquiri!! ha! Love the texture on your honeycomb die cut and what a wonderful stamp to use for the Rock Candy technique! A real beauty of a card my friend! big hugs until next time :)

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    1. Thank you, Pamellia!

      It's too early in the morning following an all night crafting extravaganza to think about tasting a strawberry daiquiri (let alone, SPELL it!), but I'm happy you had a summer moment! I forget how absolutely tiresome the snow can get.

      Those scraps were all too pretty to throw out, and somehow I was able to get them all to work on one card--yes I use the paper lining my spray box quite frequently. This one was particularly yummy. That stamp lends itself real well to this technique and I've gotten a lot of use out of it! But I kept thinking how cool it was that you used the technique on your sentiment. I opened my Valentine stamp drawer last night, and what did I see at the very top, but the Love stamp you used for your CC3C entry! And I was just cracked pistachio with envy over it on your lovely card! I have way too much stuff that I don't even know I have.I haven't even LOOKED in that drawer for a Valentine stamp yet, and I've made almost ALL of the cards I plan to make. I think I'm going to case your card for my husband's VD card which I haven't even started yet!!! I won't post it,out of respect to you, but I might send you a pic just for a chuckle! Big warm sunshine-y hugs from the south, my friend!

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  3. Green valentine, you go girl! I adore unconventional colors. Thanks for the great tutorial explaining your process, a joy to read. Very cool!!

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    1. Thank you, Cheryl! I think my sister will appreciate the green! It is such a pleasure to read your comments!

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  4. What an original colour for a Valentine card ! I love this honeycomb and the fresh colours that really gives a breathe !

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    1. Thank you, Lys! I really tried to tailor my cards to their recipients. I think Kim will appreciate the green and the birds!

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  5. Very cool card! Love the green and gold! Thanks for playing at MMCC!

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  6. I love how you built up your background and loving the green, one of my fave colours xx

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    1. Thank you, Georgie! I'm so happy you were able to visit! I see that you are a tremendously busy girl lately, so I am extra appreciative that you took time to comment, too! Hugs!

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  7. I love your collage/layering of elements and the green/gold combo is so fresh and unique. Thanks for joining the fun at the MMCC.

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    1. Thank you! Not your usual Valentine colors, for sure!

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  8. I am not normally a 'green' person but your valentine in unconventional green is brilliant! I love how you added the layers and I love those little twists of twine - such a lovely finishing touch! Thanks so much for joining in at A Vintage Journey.

    Thank you too for joining in at Inspiration Journal! Anne x

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    1. Thank you, Anne, for your generous praise on this green valentine!

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  9. LOVE your non traditional Valentine...the green is wonderful! Great glittery background too! Thank you so much for joining us in this glittery challenge at CC3Challenge!!!

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  10. Beautiful Sara, love all your details and the background came out so beautifully!

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  11. It is SO good to see a Valentine that isn't the usual red and black, love your green version and your card is just fabbydabbydoodles... Thanks for playing along with the CC3C x

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    1. Thank you, Hels, for the visit and the chuckle at your great adjective; I'm going to have to add that one to the list!

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  12. Sara...your unconventional Valentine card is absolutely beautiful. Like everyone else, I love that you went outside the box and used spring colors. You did a fabulous job on your Rock Candy Glitter technique. It's very subtle and very effective. I love the glittering flourishes. I also love the green embossed hearts and the layers of the hearts and Tim's sweet little bird on the branch stamp that you've layered. Nice job! Thanks for sharing with us at CC3C. <3 Candy

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    1. Hi, Candy! I would have been happy if you just said it didn't suck! Ha1 Ha! You are extremely generous with your praise! And you always bring a big smile to my face!

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  13. I love that green on your card, Sara. Gorgeous card!!
    The techniques for background you have used are amazing.. the result is so beautiful...especially watercolor one.
    And brilliant idea to use twine on trellis :)

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  14. So lovely with the sparkle and shades of green! Stunning card and thank you for joining us at A Vintage Journey.

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  15. Lovely card. . Thank you for joining in The Artistic Stamper Creative Challenge this month x

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  16. Beautiful and so artistic, I like the use of green :) Thank you for sharing with MMCC!

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    1. Thank you, Deepti! Green's a little off for Valentine's Day, I'll admit!

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Thank you for leaving your comments...they mean so much to me.