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!

The British Invasion End Table Flea Market Makeover is Finished!

I'm almost finished with my Flea Market Makeover end table! It's been sitting in my basement only partially finished for the past year, until this spring I decided to finally finish it! Spring is the best time to varnish in the garage before it's too hot during the summer and the varnish doesn't paint on as well. Winter the varnish just freezes and won't ever dry. Spring is just the right time to finish my British Invasion table.

I painted the entire table colonial blue. Then I painted the flag on top with acrylic craft paint. I masked off the stripes with the green painters masking tape and painted each one. for the side flag I glued a piece of scrapbook paper on with scotch quick dry paper glue, just like a scrapbook project. After that was dry I covered the entire paper with matte decoupage medium. Make sure to paint over the edges to seal in the paper. It's ok if you extend the glue an extra half inch past the paper onto the blue paint as the decoupage medium will dry clear and disappear after it is varnished. I did 2 coats of decoupage medium over the paper waiting for it to dry between coats. I love how scrapbook paper looks on furniture!

For the door inserts I used the same decoupage technique with more scrapbook paper. I like to glue on the paper with the scotch quick dry adhesive rather than decoupage medium as the paper is less likely to bubble or tear. Believe me as I have tried this technique on many projects and have learned from my mistakes. As the glue dries you might notice a few bubbles. If you just leave it alone, the bubbles will smooth out after it's dry. Different papers react differently, but I haven't had any problems since I switched to the scotch quick dry method to glue the paper on, let it dry, then cover the whole paper with decopauge medium.

I love the clock knob I found at hobby lobby! It goes perfectly with the theme. I think the cupboard door looks like a British phone booth.

I even decorated the inside.

I used scrapbook stickers for the "Keep Calm Carry On" shelf and covered and sealed them with decoupage medium. There is a piece of glass that goes on the top right but I haven't put it back on yet.  

Finally after all the decoupage was dry, I varnished the entire project with 2 coats of satin oil based varnish. I sanded it in between coats with very fine sandpaper so it would be smooth, taking care not to sand the decopauged areas. I like the oil based varnish better than water based varnish as it's more durable and just looks better on wood. It's messy on the brushes. Sometimes I put the brush into a plastic bag between coats so I won't have to clean it. Then I either toss the brush, or put it in some brush cleaner to soak and clean later, ha-ha. Sometimes I actually go back and clean the brushes.

I love the little flea market table now and can't wait to find a location for it in my house! Right now it will have to sit in the garage for awhile until the varnish cures and becomes hard instead of sticky.

Before (The price tag says $5.00 LOL)

After!

Here's a link to my blog entry when I first started the project.

CC3C Challenge 2 - Distress Glittered Butterfly Paper Hot Air Balloon

I'm participating in the Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge on the Studio L3 blog by Linda Ledbetter. The Challenge is sponsored by The Funkie Junkie! Challenge 2 is all about the Distress Glitter technique found in the Tim Holtz book Compendium of Curiosities 3.

I wanted to do something vintage with glitter so obviously I decided to create a paper hot air balloon. I created my paper hot air balloon following a pattern and video tutorial by Laura Carson. Here is a link to her blog balloon page. After I made the paper balloon I decorated it with many glittered butterflies using the distress glitter technique in the the Compendium of Curiosities 3 book. The butterflies are cut from grunge paper using the Tim Holtz butterflies movers and shapers die.

For the metal balloon trim and a few butterflies I used the technique I learned following one of Linda Ledbetter's tutorials for "The Spring Zing Wreath" that uses grunge paper, silver foil, embossing folders, and distress paint.

I wanted to be able to hang the hot air balloon, or have it stand up by itself so I strung a string into the top of the balloon secured by a large bead on either side. You have to secure the beads before you glue the final side of the balloon as the balloon opening at the bottom is too small to get your fingers up into once it's finished. (I know this from experience). I used some very soft wire to make the balloon "rope" so it can stand up by itself. You can just use string or chain if you only want it to hang. It took some doing to get the wire right (if you can call that "right") =). I made the flowers using the Tim Holtz mini-floral strip die.

My glittered butterfly balloon is all about beautiful courage. Courage can be a little haphazard and slightly skewampus creation, but when we gather up the courage we can muster, we can rise above the challenges we may face in our own way, finding peace and calm as we float high above where the challenges look small.

I have been in a hot air balloon. As you rise up it feels like the earth is moving away from you, and you are standing still, until the things below are small like ants. Courage is like that. As you find your courage, you can stand firm and the challenges move away from you and become small. You can enjoy your beautiful moment. Sure you have to come back down, but then you'll reach for your courage contraption again.

I have enjoyed making my little balloon contraption.

Thanks for the challenge. It's been a fun one for me as there are no goof ups with glitter and all goof ups can be covered up with even more glitter! Bring on the glitter!!!

May 2014 Tag - Sailing along with the Tim Holtz tags of 2014

I had so much fun making this project based on the Tim Holtz tags of 2014 for May. It's always hard to part with those embellishments but I did it!!! I have been feeling a little like sailing away across the ocean blue so I thought I could use some of my sea-faring embellishments and charms that I use to make charm bracelets. I also had a few fish stamps that I never use.

Instead of making a tag, I made a "Huge" tag, more like wall art. It's about 10 inches tall. I just cut out a piece of manilla folder for my enormous tag. I mounted the "huge tag" on some wood after it was finished. On the wood I used the technique where you paint acrylic and heat it up to make "blisters". I saw the technique in the latest "Craft Stamper" magazine. (June 2014 issue). It works. I put a little silver rub-n-buff on my finger to accentuate the "waves".

I worked hard to make "water" swirls using distress ink, but I covered them all up. Darn. Next time I'll take a photo first. I used paper from 7-gypsies called "Mariner". I found the image of the woman sailer on the internet somewhere and added the words with photoshop. It's from a T Earl Christy vintage postcard. I didn't have the shadowpress folders so I faked it in photoshop using a drop-shadow and clipping mask. The rest is just like the tutorial!

It was so much fun to make!

I'm not that great at stamping, but I stamped with ranger embossing ink and embossed the turquoise fish with embossing powder and distress powder. The crown fish is a cool stamp. I stamped with the coffee archival ink, with clear embossing powder. Then I used distress ink over it.

The seahorse is a stamp that I stamped with ranger embossing ink, and black fine embossing powder. Then I cut it out and stuck it on with foam dots. The seahorse folliage is from the Tim Holtz pinecone die, leftovers from the pinecone roses in the April tag tutorial.

The glittered shells are from the little pack of plastic button embellishments at the craft store.

Excellent tutorial and a very fun project. No stress when you get to play with treasure. Smooth Sailing!

I'm crowing about the Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge 1

I'm participating in the Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge! on the Studio L3 website. I've created quite a few projects using some of Linda's great tutorials. Last year I made her tattered florals spring wreath following her tutorial and it turned out great!

The Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge is sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique and The Inspiration Emporium. The challenge uses techniques from the Tim Holtz book Compendium of Curiosities 3. You have to purchase the book to know the technique. I've really enjoyed the properties of the distress paints. I've used them on paper, wood, metal, etc. They are so smooth like ink and cool to work with!

I don't have loads of time right now, so I'm keeping it simple, but I'm exited to simply challenge my creativity by letting whatever happens happen and not planning too much. For me it's about creating something with the time I've got.

Thanks for the opportunity to share!

April 2014 Tag - Playing along with the Tim Holtz tags of 2014

I've been  playing along with the Tim Holtz tags of 2014! April was a fun tutorial. I finally learned how to make the pinecone roses! I've had the die for a long time, but was never very good at making the roses. They always turned out like skinny pinecones when I made them before.

Here is a link to the youtube video by CreationsByChristie I used to learn how to make them easier.
I made about 20 while I was watching a tv program so I've got it down! Here is my April tag.

 I just purchased the trellis die. I had to order it as it's not available in any stores in my area. Since it's spring I got out all the flowery embellishments and it was fun to go all flowery on my tag!

 

The tutorial was great because with a plain tag and some tissue tape, you can look like you are a mixed-media artist in no time! It started out so easy and I was happy with the possibilities. I used different colors of distress paint and you really can't make a mistake. They all look great! Thanks Tim!

The new frameworks dies are very clever and I enjoyed cutting out some cork-paper, and different textures. I made a whole bunch of extras for projects later.

So this was a happy project for me this time. Life is a little challenging for me right now, so it was fun to create and forget about all the other stuff for awhile. Making pretty flowers is good for the soul. I threw in an Eiffel tower as I wish I was in Paris. Someday...

for now have a Happy Easter!

March 2014 Tag - Playing along with the Tim Holtz tags of 2014 - March

Here's my March tag based on the Tim Holtz tutorial for March that is part of his 12 tags of 2014.

I really struggled with this tag. I smudged all the stamps. I spattered, and I stenciled. It wasn't working all that well. I didn't have an egg stamp so I inked through an oval stencil shape, then I used a Tim Holtz spatter stamp through the oval stencil to make the speckles. My bird smudge is so smudged, you can hardly see it. I found a nest stamp I didn't even know I had. I spattered through a bird wing stencil but you can't see it very well as the tag is so light. As one point I didn't like the tag, so I sanded all the stuff off almost completely.

So I just kept trying until I gave up and went to do some yard work as it's been unusually warm outside. It was while I was doing some yard work, that some birds were being especially noisy. Then a large family of quail were loudly chirping in several back yards in my neighborhood. They were extremely busy as they always are at this time of year. As I was surrounded by many different bird species that were all very excited by the warm weather and the recent rains that bring worms, it struck me that each year they come to my yard to my trees and they rebuild their nests. It doesn't matter what happened the year before, or how nice their nest was last year, they must always rebuild. So the birdies gave me the inspiration I needed to finish.

It was a good lesson for me.

 So I decided to leave my smudgie tag a lone and let it be a creative process.

Thanks for stopping by and letting me share.

Thanks birdies for teaching me a lesson I needed.