"Collect" -- A Mixed Media Tag

 

Hello friends and visitors! I haven't had much time to play with my crafty goodies for quite some time, but I saw the challenge at The Funkie Junkie Boutique blog was 'Sunday in the Park' this time around, and last night an idea popped into my head. So I spent a little bit of time in the Closet after work today and put those ideas into my over sized tag. Please enjoy lots of closeups with a few captions. At the end of my post I've provided a few step out photos of my process in creating the background for my favorite pair of Tim Holtz' Paper Dolls Portraits. You can click on any photo to enlarge.

First let me explain the connection to Sunday in the Park. When my kiddos were little we would take a patchwork quilt my Mom made for me when I was a teenager to the park or sometimes just out in the back or front yard and have a picnic. I still have the quilt, and it is made of scraps from all different clothes I had growing up. I would point to each patch and tell a story about it to my children.  These two remind me of my own children, yet they are a little too well dressed for a picnic in the backyard, don't you think?

I tried to make my background look like a patchwork quilt and used ephemera from several Tim Holtz packs including Field Notes. So fitting, because while we were picnic-ing, we would search for wildflowers, bugs and anything else we could find. The all time highlight of our adventures was watching a butterfly emerge from it's cocoon.

I have a couple repeat photos, because some are taken in my Closet, while others are in the natural light of my dining room. I prefer the natural light; how about you? Check out the Abandoned Paper Stash scraps that offer some contrast.

 

It was not an accident that the fly ephemera's words lined up with the Collect ticket. We should always strive to collect knowledge in general. 

I love the crazing on this!  Simon Says Stamps says to add texture, and so chose to add crazing--tiny cracks. 

(This bug ephemera reminds me of a school project when my kids had to find 100 different insects and display them on a board with their real name and any interesting facts. We had to collect 200 bugs since both of my kids were in the same class. Our freezer was filled with them until it was time to mount them on the board. I still remember Diptera and Neuroptera.)

 

If you look over the boys left shoulder you will see tags poking out from a hidden pocket.

When the tags are removed, you get a glimpse of trail diagrams. When I think of parks, I think of large state parks with hiking trails, because hiking is our family's favorite collective pastime. One of our favorite local state parks has a great wooded trail that runs along the intracoastal waterway. At the end is a huge sand dune perfect for some summer skiing and the best live oaks for climbing.

These little tags are a great way to use up smaller scraps.

We can't leave the back unattended. I found the perfect scrap to use on the back, and along with a short one, was able to create another pocket.

The graph paper scraps are great for drawing diagrams of nature's treasures found in the field. The butterfly was on a gift tag in my stash, and I fussy cut him and wrapped him around the tag. I forgot to take photos of the reverse sides of my tags, but they, too are decorated.

This was one of those ideas that popped in my head when I read TFJB challenge prompt. The park in the middle of the city on Tim Holtz old paper stash. I was surprised I found it so quickly...I guess I'm more organized than I thought I was.

So if you're interested in learning how the background came together, here's the lowdown...

Stamp Tim Holtz newsprint stamp in Archival ink using the stamp platform. I knew I would have some bare areas behind my patchwork ephemera/scraps.

I stamped an old (real) library card pocket with green archival and another TH background stamp.

I adhered my ephemera, scraps and library pocket with Distress collage medium matte. When dry, I smeared Crazing on with my fingers, emphasizing areas I knew would show on the completed tag. When that was completely dry, I smudged with Walnut Stain crayon. I scribbled with the crayon and smeared with a damp finger.

Before adhering the ephemera, I removed the hole reinforcer and replaced it when the altering was complete.

In the photo above you see where the pocket is. And below, a final look at the completed tag. That is another Sunday in the Park or rather a Tuesday afternoon in the Closet.

I would like to share this with the following challenges:

The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog Challenge Sunday In The Park

Simon Says Stamp Monday Add Texture

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Not A Card

Adventure Awaits - Spring Renewal

Hello! I'm excited to be guest designing at The Funkie Junkie Boutique blog for Lisa's "A Study in Contrasts" challenge. I chose to create a dimensional spring canvas for my contribution. Here are some closeups of my project and following those, I provide a step by step on how my background came together.

At the heart of my canvas, I used a piece of thick bark I found in my yard. It's dark, rough texture contrasts with those soft  fresh colorful spring flowers I handmade and had stashed for years. I think these were made using the old Tim Holtz Tattered Florals Bigz die, or it could be another die I used to have. Either way, I have so many in my drawer and it feels good to finally use them. That gorgeous stamped butterfly was also in my stash, and I just fussy cut him and edged in Squeezed Lemonade Distress ink to offer contrast to his black and white image and the neutral wood he perches on. Adding the yellow ink was also inspired by an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly I spotted yesterday while I was working in the garden--the first of the season! I used the non business end of my awl to shape him in my palm.

In keeping with the challenge theme, behind the floral display you see black geometric numbers on the left and the colorful natural design of the birds nest on the opposing side. The brightly colored foliage unfurls over and around the black, grey and brown decaying leaves and wood.

I die cut the leaves from inky scraps in my stash with Tim Holtz Leaf Fragments. And to differ from the dried rotted leaves, I die cut some other foliage and inked them with Twisted Citron spray stain. I used Bigz L Large Stems (closed leaf at the top) and Skeleton Leaves Thinlits (open leaf design at the bottom). There's also a couple of those long thin stems from the Wildflower Stems #1 set. They remind me of pussy willows. I had the black and bright green smaller foliage pieces in my stash and tucked them in at the last minute.

A Quote Chip embossed with Broken China Embossing Glaze and blended with Squeezed Lemonade ink completes my canvas. 

So let's get started with the how-to: (click on any photo to enlarge)

 I start with a primed canvas, and adhere Tim Holtz Ideaology Collage Wrap with Distress Collage Medium. The best way to get just the prints you want is to outline them with a paint brush wet with water, and then gently pull the pieces apart. This eliminates the harsh edges. I've chosen two contrasting black and white prints; one is an organic design, and the other is an inanimate design. I filled in some areas  with colored scraps to offer contrast to the black and white.

When the papers are in place, and the glue dried, I trim excess with scissors and sand the edges.

I give it a wash of watered down Speckled Egg paint, removing the paint from the colored areas with a damp paper towel. You can see I came back in later and added another scrap of colored collage wrap to the bottom right corner to provide balance to the colorful robin at the top.

To complete my canvas base, I apply Distress Crackle paste through a couple of stencils-one graceful and flowy, the other geometric and linear for contrast. I used TCW's Mini Labyrinth and Tim Holtz Flourish stencils. After the paste was dry and crackled, I applied Walnut Stain crayon with my finger to the cracked areas, rubbing it into the cracks to define them further. I also smeared some of the crayon randomly around the edges. I find it easiest to work this way by scribbling the crayon onto my craft mat and spritzing a little bit of water separately. I dip my finger into the water to moisten it and then into the scribbled crayon.

Thanks for hanging in there with me! I hope you enjoyed my spring renewal canvas. Thanks, again, to the ladies over at The Funkie Junkie Boutique blog for having me join them as their Guest Designer this week! Hugs! Sara Emily

I would like to include my canvas in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Wild and Wonderful Wild about Wonderful Nature!

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Anything Goes

Country View Challenges April 2022 - Spring is Coming (it's here!)

 

Hopping Down the Bunny Trail

Hello again, (spring) peeps! There's nothing like spring sunshine and spring flowers to bring out the creative juice! I pulled this old background from the depths of my stash to back some pretty flowers and a bunny hopping down the bunny trail. I can't tell you much about how I created this, but it's just a the back off an old greeting card that I recycled. I think I was experimenting with some Perfect Pearls mixed with a clear medium (perhaps collage medium) over an ink blended surface, but I wouldn't swear to it. I more recently blended it with Walnut stain. I wish I knew what I did, because I would like to make another. The embossing folder is an old one, too, from Lifestyle Crafts (?), more than likely picked up at a yard sale at some point. Just gorgeous shimmer when tipped to the sunlight.

The Tim Holtz Wildflowers (die cut with sets #1 and #2) are painted with Distress Oxides and the bunny's ( Tim's Bunny Hop) tail is a Christmas pom pom cut in half. So easy, but oh, so cute! I'd like to share this with...

The Funkie Junkie Boutique blog April Showers Bring May Flowers

Simon Says Stamp Monday Easter/Spring

Country View Challenges April 2022 - Spring is Coming

Right now I've got to go try and recreate this background. Crafty hugs! Sara Emily

 

Spring is in the Air

 

Hello! Yay! Spring has finally sprung! The flower garden is really filling in with perennials, and the birds are chasing each other around. Who doesn't love the rich green and bright colors of springtime?! To mark the season, I've made a brightly colored simple card to share with some of my favorite challenges.

I stamped the background with some old stamps from my stash on water color paper. Spritz the paper with water, ink the stamp and watch the pretty watery effects.

I had some hot pink sprayed scraps in my stash, and cut a Wildflower Stem #2 and a Funky Floral #3 from them. I sprayed a second water color paper scrap with Twisted Citron Distress Spray Stain. I cut the Wildflower Stems ( also #2) from the center of the card and used the rest as a mat. 

At the center of my brilliant inky garden is the Specimen butterfly heat embossed on vellum and fussy cut. I glued the body down and the tips of the gently shaped wings.

I hope it's bright, sunny and warm in your neck of the woods! Hugs! Sara Emily

I'm happy to share with these challenges:

 The Funkie Junkie Boutique blog where April Showers Bring May Flowers

Simon Says Stamp Monday Easter/Spring

Country View Challenges April 2022 - Spring is Coming

Grungy Tag

 

Hello! I'm so happy you stopped by! I have a super grungy tag to share with you today for Teri's Industrial Grunge challenge at The Funkie Junkie Boutique blog. I was in my happy place making this and got to use up a lot of leftover bits and pieces from my 'grungy bits' box. 

I started with a black tag and embossed it with Mechanics 3D embossing folder. I smeared it with Prima's Metallique Rich Copper, Charcoal Black and Patina Green Matte Waxes. I embossed with Emerald Creek's  Hammered Metal and Chunky Rust and Patina Oxide Baked Texture powders using smears of Prima Matallique Light Patina Paint to hold the powders in place.  Finally I dripped with rust paint. These colors and powders were also used in various combinations along with Pitch Black Impasto paint on Tim Holtz gear, Scroll and Seth Apter die cuts.

The gentleman's photo from the Found Relatives pack got lots of  age and grungy goodness from Distress Crazing and crayons and some watery rust paint. 

A Crochet die cut piece and other paper bits were in my stash, unused leftovers from previous projects. The tag was actually recycled from a grungy project I made years ago. That's a recycled button from an old shirt on there and there's a piece of an old shoe string tying it off.

An altered wooden gear and a twist of recycled rusty wire finish off my fun tag. It was a good time getting grubby and dirty with paper and paint instead of in the garden for a change.

I'm happy to share with these challenges;

Industrial Grunge challenge at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog

Simon Says Stamp Monday Recycle

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Anything Goes

Thanks so much! Sara Emily

CAS Sympathy Card

Hello, again!  I had the sad need for a sympathy card a while back for an unexpected loss of a young extended family member. I think this was the biggest struggle to make--sympathy cards are always the hardest for me, but when it is combined with a sudden loss of one so young, it's almost impossible. I think you can understand why I haven't posted it yet.

CAS design does not come easy for me; neither does ink blending or restraint with paint splatters. So here's a four in one 'struggle' card, so fitting for Suzz's  Rather Blustery Day challenge at The Funkie Junkie Boutique blog. Thanks so much for taking the time to look! Hugs!

Also sharing with these challenges:

The Funkie Junkie Boutique Rather Blustery Day 

Simon Says Stamp Monday Add Some Green

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Bit O’ Green

She Was a Lucky Woman

 

Hello! It's been a while since I've been able to play with my craft supplies, but I really wanted to play along in the Mixed Media challenge at The Funkie Junkie Boutique blog, since my crafty love is mixed media. Laura says to create "a mixed media piece about or for someone or something you love". I made this tag to celebrate "us" on St. Patrick's day, including some green for the challenge at Simon Says Stamp. The colors remind me of the season's changing colors from dull browns with pops of rich greens as the trees unfurl their new leaves.

Tim Holtz' clock stencil and crackle paste (love!) add texture to the background. I removed the stencil and when the paste is dry, added color with watery paint: Fossilized Amber, Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain.  I replaced the stencil and applied Resist spray. When that was dry, I added the green: Mowed Lawn Oxide spray and Rustic Wilderness spray stain. The paper doll (I love Tim's paper dolls) is colored with these same green colors in inks. The ribbon was tied onto the little gift pack Linda includes in her orders, and I just added some gold paint to it.

Splotches of metallic gold/silver are added with Aged Taupe embossing enamel. I just swipe a bit of liquid from the embossing dabber with my finger on the tag/clover and sprinkle with the powder and heat.

The shamrocks are cut and embossed with Lucky Love Impresslit from paper colored with a combination of Mowed Lawn and Rustic Wilderness inks, sprays and Oxide spray, then edged with Vintage Photo ink. I altered part of a Halloween Quote Chip with Rustic Wilderness embossing glaze and a bit of the embossing enamel and paired it with a Clippings Sticker to tell the story.

That's all for me today! It was fun to finally create again, and I'm happy to share the outcome with you and these challenges:    

The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog For the Love of Mixed Media   

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Add Some Green                                                                            Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Add A Die Cut