June 2014 Tag - Life is a Circus Watercolor!

I tried out the watercolors following the Tim Holtz June - 12 Tags of 2014 tutorial! The technique is also in the book "a compendium of curiosities vol.III" by Tim Holtz. Such a handy reference of creative techniques! I love this book!

Here's my Circus Tag!

I had so many cute circus stamps that wouldn't fit on the tag, so I will have to make another circus project soon! I love the slightly demented-looking rusty clown embellishment at the top! I found the creepy clown embellishment on etsy, there are still some left!

Here's a link to the cute baby elephant graphic I used from Free-Image-Friday at Land of Nod Studio's blog!

I've always enjoyed the oddities of the circus. Once during a "sick day" I watched all the episodes of the reality tv series "Circus" and was fascinated.

I also have a bit of the circus in my heritage. My great-great-great grandfather had a step sister of German descent that was a rather large and hefty woman, he wrote in a journal. As his family was preparing to go out West across the American plains, his family had to stay behind while a special covered wagon was constructed for her large size. She eventually made it across the plains becoming the largest woman to cross the plains by covered wagon (from his journal), and she later joined the circus where she hit the big time becoming the original "fat lady" of the Barnum and Bailey circus. You never know what you're going to find when you do family history! =)

Someday I hope to find a photo or drawing of her in some archives somewhere, but for now all I know is what was written about her in my ancestor's journal.
Update: Great-great-great-aunt "Lottie Grant" (stage name) grave and bio. I found out that she also learned to be a snake charmer as well. What a life! Lottie Grant photo.

Even though I am not of unusual size, I can identify as sometimes life can be just as odd as the strangest of circus attractions!

So I had fun making this tag, and hope to make a few more circus projects!

It was fun getting out the ink and water coloring. I'm becoming more confident with stamping and hope to someday master the process, but am still kind of uncoordinated at the stamping.

Then again, I might join the circus. I'll go work on my juggling!!!

CC3C Challenge 4 - Bronze Egg with flying things

I'm participating in the Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge on the Studio L3 blog by Linda Ledbetter. Challenge 4 is sponsored by The Funkie Junkie with additional prizes also from Tim and Mario! Challenge 4 is all about the Stencil and Texture Paste technique found in the Tim Holtz book Compendium of Curiosities 3 on page 49.

I've always been an admirer of the ancient fine art bronze statues in museums. Here is an example, a Hellenistic or Roman bronze lion protome, circa 1st Century B.C.-1st Century A.D, 17 1/2 inches long. At auction, it sold for $98,000, although it was valued at up to $200,000.

I have so much respect for fine art sculptors and have always aspired to be a sculptor in my own goofy way. I thought why not create my own fine art bronze statue using the stencil and texture paste technique. I call it "Bronze Egg with flying things". Ok, it's not really fine art, and it's copper instead of bronze, but the egg is deceivingly metal looking and you are surprised when you pick it up at how light it is as it's only paper mache.

It took a long time to finish the egg as it was hard to do the technique on such a curved surface so I could only do a small section at a time, so it took a few days to get the egg covered. I didn't stick the egg down to the holder as I wanted to be able to pick it up and look at it whenever I wanted to.


While making this project, I found out that there will be a new grand-baby in our family, the first child for my son and his wife! To me the egg represents the wish for this new little life in our family, hope for the joy this new life will bring, and that this new little person will someday be able to "fly" which is to become all he or she is capable of becoming. I planned on creating something else, but it just kind of turned into this as life events unfolded. 

It all started when I went to Hobby Lobby and was wandering down the bargain isle looking for some cheap stuff to alter. I found this wooden object that looked interesting as it had a cup like indent on the top. It also has a hook for hanging on the bottom and I was confused as to why you would want to hang this wooden object horizontally from your wall. Maybe it's obvious to everyone else what this is, but I was thinking the only purpose I could see was to hold an egg, so I found a large paper mache egg that fit inside and I was content. Mostly because the wooden object was priced at $3.00. Wahoo!

So then, I was playing around with some faux finishes and had been experimenting with rusting things, and making some patinas which led to the rusted plastic pig which I determined should fly and be part of the wooden object. So my dream of creating a faux "fine art" piece was shot down by my excitement over rusted items made of plastic and faux antiques. Oh, well.

Small plastic toys rusted with modern masters iron paint, and rust solution.

Small plastic toys with modern masters reactive copper paint and green patina solution.

Rusted plastic pig, dry-brushed with metallic pink paint, and plattered with pink paint. The wings are jewelry parts. There is some bling behind the pig. I refrained from using glitter which was hard.

(side view)

For the stand I used a different colors of distress paint and I marbled it and let it drip all over. Then I sanded it after it was dry. I also shaded the carved parts with watered down black soot distress paint.
I covered the middle section with paper from the Tim Holtz Wallflower 12 X 12 paper pad, and distress inked it with walnut stain which is my favorite distress stain besides black soot.

I used some Tim Holtz remnant rubs for the words. I used some Tim Holtz ball chain to hold some jewelry charms I had that already had a green patina, and a key embellishment with green patina I already had.

(back view)

So this project kind of evolved and didn't turn out anything like my original intention but I'm happy with the project as it makes me happy and that's why I create things.

Also ever since I saw Linda Ledbetter's pig with roses from Challenge 3, and Anita Houston's flying pig for the Vintage Journey site I couldn't stop wanting to have a pig in my project.

The Compendium of Curiosity 3 challenges have been very fun as everyone is so creative and talented. It's fun to post along side all of you!

Through the Compendium of Curiosity 3 challenges I found out about the site A Vintage Journey where they create and share project inspired by the style and techniques of Tim Holtz. Their challenge 8  is -- Wings and Things. I have shared this project on their site as well as it is very inspired by Tim Holtz as most of the techniques used are from Creative Chemistry 1 and 2, or the Compendium of Curiosity books.

CC3C Challenge 3 - Faux Tea Rose Memory Box

I'm participating in the Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge on the Studio L3 blog by Linda Ledbetter. This Challenge is sponsored by The Inspiration Emporium! Challenge 3 is all about the Faux Tea Rose technique found in the Tim Holtz book Compendium of Curiosities 3 on page 65.

It's been fun to finally learn how to make the tea roses. It's pretty easy once you learn the technique in Tim's book. I practiced a few weeks ago during the Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2014 April tutorial.

My grand-daughter "Tessie" recently had her portrait taken in a fancy dress. Since she is a 21 month old toddler, the last thing she wanted to do was sit still for a portrait. Once I saw these photos I could not believe how cute they turned out, especially the serious poses where she really wanted to bolt out of there.

I had to make something vintage looking with tea roses and these portraits, after all, I have loads of scrapbook supplies and I hardly ever actually make scrapbook type art with my supplies. So I made this memory/treasure box in honor of adorable Tessie!

I wanted the photo to be the star so I didn't want to make it too gobby. I covered the paper mache box with scrapbook paper. The frame around the photo is grunge board embossed with the dot embossing folder and painted with distress paint. I sanded it a little and used distress ink to make it look old.
I decopauged over the photo and paper, but not the embossed frame.

Then I decorated the top of the box with tea roses and embellishments glued on with glossy accents.

For the inside of the box, I used a close up framed with the Tim Holtz ornate frame die. I wanted the box to be smooth, so I decorated it with a bunch of scrapbook stickers I had in my stash of supplies.

I spelled "Tessie" using letters cut with the Tim Holtz wordplay die.

It was fun making something with real photos, and also something with a purpose. Usually my creations are kinda of wacky, so this was a different project for me.

Now I will tell you about little Tessie. Tessie likes to enjoy every bit of the day to the fullest! She is very curious!!! She does not want to take naps for fear that she may miss something fun. Tessie loves rocks. She likes to kick a ball in the backyard. She likes to swim with her snazzy life jacket. She likes to point to all the birds that fly by and talks to the birds that come to sit on her fence.

Tessie is fiercely independent and likes to do everything herself. She thinks she's an adult and is insulted if you treat her like a baby. Tessie parade waves to passers by while in her stroller. She likes to hold her baby brothers hand or his foot while relaxing with the occasional bottle of juice. Tessie likes technology and is a button pusher. She will steal your iphone, or ipad when you are not looking and has been known to somehow purchase apps or take photos. She will always swipe your drink. She likes to clean, but she must do it herself. Tessie makes a mess everywhere she goes, but then she likes to clean it up if it involves washing with water, or sweeping with a broom, or using a scrub brush. Tessie likes to dump the trash. She likes to read books. She likes to share her food with you.

Most of all Tessie loves people and she loves to be happy! She loves to dance and help mommy and daddy direct plays at the theater. She dances along with the cast.
She loves the dances in Mary Poppins and likes to tap dance with her daddy. Her favorite song is "What Does the Fox Say". Tessie was in a "Harlem Shake" video when she was a few months old. She likes to color. She likes the 3 little pigs and Curious George. She loves to help. She likes to put on her "makeup" with mommy in the morning and knows how to use all the different makeup containers and brushes. Good thing the lids are on tight!!!

Tessie likes to tell stories using one word at a time, or with lots of words we can't understand. Once she was distraught about some people who came to trim the large branches off of some trees. She was worried about the birds. She worries about the big bad wolf and blames all construction messes in the city on him. She doesn't like the wind.

Most of all Tessie reminds me of all that is good in the world and I cherish the sticky handprints on my work jackets and the dirt on my pants from shared rock presents!

 

Thanks for the faux rose challenge and the opportunity to learn and share with all of you!

Thanks so much for all the nice comments about my balloon in the glitter challenge and to the Curiosity Crew!!! I have been inspired by all the amazing artwork and aspire to be as cool as you someday!

XOXO!