Beautiful Moments Mixed Media Panel for The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog

Hello and welcome! It's time for a new challenge at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog, and Cec is hosting. She calls the challenge, 'Aquamarine', and here's what she says about it:

 "Aquamarine, the birthstone of March, has a rich color and has long been a symbol of youth, health and hope. Its mesmerizing color ranges from pale to deep blue and are reminiscent of the sea."  The challenge is to create a shabby chic or vintage project using the colour aquamarine in any of its shades along with one other colour (it could be white or brown or whatever you wish).  The definition has lots of other prompts you could also use in your creation but the colour requirement is the main focus.

As always, the winner will earn a chance to be a Guest Designer at a future date at The Funkie Junkie Boutique blog, and everyone who enters and follows the rules will go into the draw for the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique. There are also Top 3 Badges for three additional outstanding entries, chosen by the Design Team. Please see the blog for details.

This was really a fun challenge, and I knew right away I wanted to make an ombre background and to use Tim Holtz Geo Frames die cuts. I don't have much in the way of step out photos, but I can give you some details and show you lots of photos of how I made this tag.

I included the shot below (even though it's a little washed out from the bright daylight), because it shows off  that gorgeous prism.

I started with the Organic die and cut it from water color paper. I adhered the die cut to a water color panel with Collage medium and swiped on some crackle paste around the edges with my finger. Once the cracks started forming, I gave it another coat of collage medium. I allowed that to dry to touch and sprayed with Distress Oxide Sprays, starting with the lightest and working to the darkest. These are the colors I used: Cracked Pistachio, Salty Ocean, Mermaid Lagoon and Blueprint Sketch. I spritzed with water and and allowed the colors to blend, coaxing some of the color here and there while I dried with my heat tool.

 I adhered the colored panel to a Baseboard with Collage Medium and sanded the edges when dry. I blended Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain crayon around the edges and splattered some watery ink with a limp paintbrush. Inspired by the definition of aquamarine being a symbol of hope, I chose the word from one of the phrases included in Tim's new Tiny Text stamp set. I stamped it in Vintage Photo and Ground Espresso archival inks first and second generation on a scrap.

Inspired by the photo, I colored four tiny 'gems' and a plastic prism from my stash with alcohol inks: Lettuce, Citrus, Sailboat and Mermaid.

For my focal point, I cut the Scribbly Butterly from water color paper colored with Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide and heat embossed with Glistening Glass powder. I layered this over a Tattered Butterfly die cut colored with brown Distress inks,  sandwiching a perfectly coordinating bow made from the ribbon Linda's Mom dies and wraps up our little thank you goodie bags with. If you shop at The Funkie Junkie Boutique, you already know that Linda includes a wonderful little gift bag in each of her orders, filled with crafty goodies and her Mom hand dies all those seam binding ribbons!

The butterfly is resting atop  a trio of Geo Frames cut from Metallic Kraft Stock. I transformed silver card into a rusty brown with alcohol inks: Rust and Teakwood.

The quote is another from the Tiny Text set; this time I used all of the quote. I used some blue sequins and some shell sequins from my stash, again taking inspiration from the definition of aquamarine, and including something from the sea.

The Field Notes stamps got their first inking with Vintage Photo Archival on a scrap, and I fussy cut the labels tucked in around the frame.

Well, that finishes up another project! Here's one last look at my take on Aquamarine.

I hope you found some inspiration here, but there's still plenty of inspiration over at The Funkie Junkie Boutique blog from my talented teammates. I hope you'll hop on over and have a look at their wonderful Aquamarine projects. Then link up your own vintage or shabby chic project using the colors and theme as your guide. Happy Crafting! Sara Emily

Sharing with:
Simon Says Stamp Monday: Tag It  I used a Baseboard in place of a tag, because I'm out of the thickboards. Also, by definition, labels are the same as tags, and I have three labels. :) I hope this is Ok for the challenge.
Bleeding Art February Challenge - Anything Goes
We Love 2 Create at Polkadoodles Challenge #3 - Anything Goes Mixed Media Creative Challenge
Crafty Card Makers #251 Embossing I embossed the butterfly, and the background, by definition, is embossed.

These products were used on my panel and can be purchased at The Funkie Junkie Boutique:
Sizzix Chapter 1 Tim Holtz Thinlits Dies - Scribbly Butterflies
Sizzix Chapter 1 Tim Holtz Thinlits Dies - Geo Frames
Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlits Die - Organic
Tim Holtz Sizzix Bigz Die - Tattered Butterfly
Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Stamp Set - Tiny Text
Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Stamp Set - Field Notes
Tim Holtz Idea-ology 8 x 8 Metallic Confections Kraft Stock
Tim Holtz Idea-ology 8 x 8 Metallic Jewels Kraft Stock
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Salvaged Baseboards
Distress Oxide Spray - Mermaid Lagoon, Cracked Pistachio, Salty Ocean, and Blueprint Sketch
Distress Oxide - Tumbled Glass
Distress Ink -Walnut Stain and Ground Espresso
Distress Archival Ink -Ground Espresso and Vintage Photo
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Crayons - 6PC Set #3
Ranger Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink - Lettuce, Citrus, Sailboat, Mermaid, Teakwood, and Rust
Emerald Creek Eileen Hull Molten Dimension Embossing Powder - Glistening Glass
VersaMark Watermark Ink Stamp Pad

Be Your Beautiful Self - Tim Holtz Organic and Flutter Dies

Hello and happy Sunday! I made a card for my mother in law just because...She loves blue, so this was perfect opportunity to play along with Simon Says Stamp's current Midsummer Blues challenge.

 I was inspired by the deep blue midsummer skies we've had here since this past Thursday when we've had almost constant thunderstorms, day and night. The colors on my background look like what I see when I look out the window, with the rain beading up on the glass. I applied DecoArt chalky blue paint with a brayer to a watercolor paper panel and blended it randomly with Faded Jeans ink. I splashed it with water and also Seedless Preserves oxide ink.

I die cut Organic Thinlits from watercolor paper and colored it with a paint brush and Distress oxides: Bundled Sage, Peeled Paint, Chipped Sapphire and Seedless Preserves and Ken Olivers Indigo Color Burst. I blended a scrap of watercolor paper with Faded Jeans ink and dipped it in puddles of Seedless Preserves oxide. I die cut three little flowers from the scrap using the Funky Floral #3 Thinlits set and tucked two behind the Organic die cut and adhered one to the top, all with foam adhesive.

The Organic die cut is popped up from the blue background with foam adhesive, giving it a bit of dimension and texture. The Flutter butterfly is stamped in Cobalt and Black Soot Distress archival inks on a scrap I colored with Indigo Color Burst. I shaded it with a paint brush and Chipped Sapphire oxide and die cut it with Flutter Framelits. I finished the card with a Small Talk sticker edged with Chipped Sapphire oxide.

Here are some closeup photos to show the detail.

Thank you for your visit today! Wishing you a wonderful day and a great week ahead! Hugs and blessings! Sara Emily

Challenge shares:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Midsummer Blues

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Midsummer Blues

Scrapy Land Challenge #119 Anything Goes I used 3 Sizzix dies.

Country View Challenges August 2019 - Texture

Creative Artiste Challenge #52 Anything Mixed Media Goes

The Artistic Stamper August' Creative Challenge - ANYTHING GOES

Bleeding Art August Challenge - Anything Goes

Let's Craft and Create Challenge #150 - AG + Option EnTWINEed

Easter Card with Tim Holtz Oxide Sprays and Chapter 1 Dies for Frilly and Funkie

Hello and welcome to sarascloset! Today the Funkie girls at Frilly and Funkie get to show how they interpret the current challenge theme, March Madness, chosen by the extremely talented and creative Suzz. No, she's not asking you to do a pick and roll or go for a fast break, but please read on to see what she really means about March Madness:

Don't be afraid; the challenge isn't going to require you to use basketball inspired images. Instead I want you to be inspired by Alice in Wonderland. I started from this quote of a conversation between the Mad Hatter and Alice: The Mad Hatter asks Alice: "Have I gone Mad?" and Alice replies "I am afraid so. You're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret.  All the best people are."

The challenge is to take any idea or concept from this wonderful tale to inspire your project. There are so many wonderful bits or pieces to be inspired by like the Queen of Hearts, the Mad Hatter, the looking glass, tea party or Alice herself. The possibilities are endless. Anything can be your inspiration but make sure you reference what inspired your art from the story!

As always, the Design Team will choose their top four picks, and the winner will be invited to join us in a Guest DT spot at Frilly and Funkie. The next three will receive Top 3 badges to display on their blogs. Everyone who enters and follows the rules will be entered into the draw to have the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

Needless to say, my 'Alice in Wonderland' references are the White Rabbit and the out-of-this-world, oversized flower garden. For some reason, psychedelic colors always come to mind when I think of Alice in Wonderland, too, so I was going for some 'far out' colors.  Not sure what I would do with a pure 'Alice in Wonderland' themed make, I decided to use my nods to 'Alice' on an Easter card.

I started by adhering an Organic die cut to a card stock panel using Collage Medium Matte, and followed that up with a complete coat of Crazing medium, and allowed it to dry just to touch.  Make sure you have full coverage. I sprayed the panel with Distress Oxide sprays in Picked Raspberry and Cracked Pistachio and wiped with a damp cloth, allowing more of the color to settle into the recesses.

 The collage medium allows the sprays to be partially removed, but leaving some color behind. Without the coating,  the spray will just soak into your paper. Tim Holtz says there is a window of opportunity to remove the sprays before the medium cures (reaches maximum hardness). I have not yet tested this theory, but I'm guessing after the medium cures, the spray would just wipe completely off. I think if the medium is dry just to touch, some of the spray soaks into it. When the panel had fully dried on it's own, I smoothed on Seedless Preserves Distress crayon.

The day lily from the Wildflower Stems set #2 and Geo Springtime bunny are cut from watercolor paper straight up. The mat for the panel and the Small Talk Occasions sentiment is cut from a masterboard  colored with the oxide sprays I was playing with at the time--I believe there is also Mermaid Lagoon in there this time.

The greens were from my bits box  and the spike-y flowers  were cut from watercolor paper. (both are Funky Florals #3)  I used a mop up scrap to fussy cut a background bunny and inspired by the greens gave it a smudging of Prima Opal Magic Vintage Silk wax.

Quick tip: don't panic (as I did) after you first spray your Oxides--just sit back, wait for them to dry and for the magic to begin!

That's all for me today! I hope you will stop by the blog to see all the amazing creations my teammates created just for your inspiration. And then, I hope you'll link up your own vintage or shabby chic interpretation of March Madness--I can't wait to see what you will create! Hugs and blessings! Sara Emily

Challenge shares:

We Love 2 Create at Polkadoodles Challenge # 4 - Anything Goes Crafting Challenge
Country View Challenges April 2019 - Easter and/or Spring
Scrapy Land Challenge #111 Anything Goes I used 4 Sizzix die sets; listed below.
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Anything Goes
Dies R Us Challenge #118 - Anything Goes (using dies by companies carried at the DRU store.) I used 4 Sizzix die sets; listed below.
More Mixed Media Challenge - Anything Goes with optional Green This time I used the option of green.

These products were used and are stocked by The Funkie Junkie Boutique:

Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlits Die Set - Geo Springtime 

Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlits Die - Organic

Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlits Die Set - Wildflower Stems #2

Tim Holtz Thinlits - Funky Floral #3

 Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Spray - Picked Raspberry

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Spray - Cracked Pistachio

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Spray - Mermaid Lagoon

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Crayons - 6PC Set #2 

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Collage Medium Matte 

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Collage Medium Crazing 

Prima Opal Magic Wax-Vintage Silk

The Music of My Heart; A Vintage Valentine Card

Welcome! Over at  Frilly and Funkie we are into our second week of the current challenge. Maggi is hosting this time, and she has chosen 'Vintage Valentines' as her challenge theme. Here is her invitation to play:

It's sweetheart time and what could be more fun than creating Valentine's for our loved ones? For this challenge we want to see vintage valentines in vintage colors like pinks, blues, purples. No bright red please. Show us your vintage side with vintage colors and images. If you need some inspiration, click here to link to a great vintage color palette.

As always, the Design Team will choose their top four picks, and the winner will be invited to join us in a Guest DT spot at Frilly and Funkie. The next three will receive Top 3 badges to display on their blogs. Everyone who enters and follows the rules will be entered into the draw to have the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

I love Maggi's color palette, and tried to follow it closely, choosing vintage blues and purples with gold accents. So unusual for my busy (LOL) Valentine's card, but I like how it all came together.

I just purchased some of the newly released Tim Holtz dies, and I couldn't wait to try them out. The Faceted Heart really caught my eye, mainly because I love to add dimension on my projects. I've always loved the idea of origami, but I'm a bit directions-challenged. Tim makes it so easy to fold this heart up with his cleverly designed die. Be sure to check out Tim's video with amazing samples featuring this and other newly released dies.

 Another of his newly released collection is Organic Thinlits. This delicate die cut stepped in as the backdrop to my Mother/Daughter Paper Dolls, as well as a subtle embellishment peeking out from the layers. All I had to do is dip the die cut into puddles of Distress Oxide inks. I've used Chipped Sapphire, Shaded Lilac, Seedless Preserves, Crushed Olive, Peeled Paint, Bundled Sage, and Forest Moss to pick up the colors in the Botanical Layers ephemera.  I coated a painted Stacked Postage panel with Distress Collage Medium, and placed the die cut on it; no tedious gluing required.

 I was gifted with some very special presents from my wonderful and talented friend Autumn (SewPaperPaint), and one of her pretty packages held Mini Cabinet Cards. Thank you, my friend! Be sure to check out her blog for details on her card samples she created for Tim's Sizzix Chapter 1 Release. I carefully removed the back from one of the cabinet cards and sanded and colored the framed portion with Weathered Wood and Stormy Sky Distress Oxide. I added some music score stamping and arched it over the postage stamp layer.

I colored the Resin Flower Embellishment with alcohol inks and paired it with Funky Florals #2 foliage. Under the postage stamp is a Stitched Rectangle cut from Metallic Kraft Core, a panel stamped  with Lattice from the Lattice & Flourish set, and the final panel is Classic Kraft Stock in a plum color. My lighting wasn't the best for photography today, so it looks brown.

That's it for me today! Now it's over to YOU! I can't wait to see what you will create for this Vintage Valentine's color challenge. Sending out big warm hugs! Sara Emily

Challenge shares:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Have A Heart

Simon Says Stamp Monday Alcohol, Drinks Or Inks Alcohol inks for me!

Scrapy Land Challenge #106 Anything Goes I used 5 Sizzix dies!

Bleeding Art January Challenge: Anything Goes

Mixed Media Place January Challenge

Crafts Dreamy Mood Board Challenge January Inspired by the colors and vintage photographs.

Cropstop Link Party #47

Links to products used stocked by The Funkie Junkie Boutique:

Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 2PK - Faceted Heart by Tim Holtz
Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlits Die - Organic by Tim Holtz
Sizzix Thinlits Set - Funky Floral #2 by Tim Holtz
Sizzix Thinlits Set - Stacked Postage by Tim Holtz
Sizzix Thinlits Die Set - Stitched Rectangles by Tim Holtz
Sizzix 3-D Texture Fades Embossing Folder - Lumber
Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Lattice and Flourish CMS257
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Mini Cabinet Cards- TH93118
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Botanical Layers
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Clippings Stickers
Tim Holtz Idea-ology 8 x 8 Metallic Kraft Stock
Tim Holtz Idea-ology 8 x 8 Classic Kraft Stock
Sizzix Sidekick Starter Kit by Tim Holtz
Tim Holtz Stamp Platform
Ivory Resin Flower Embellishments
Ranger Inkssentials Glossy Accents
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Inks
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Crayons
RangerTim Holtz  Distress Paint - Picket Fence
Ranger Tim Hotlz Distress Oxide Inks
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Collage Medium Matte
Ranger Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks
Ranger Embossing Powder - Clear - Super Fine Detail
VersaMark Watermark Ink Stamp Pad