CC3C - Challenge 9 - Spooky Configurations with Framelits

Wow! Has it been 9 challenges already?! I am participating in the Compendium of Curiosities III Challenge on the Studio L3 blog by Linda Ledbetter.  For Challenge 9 we are supposed to use Stamps and Framelits found on page 63 of Compendium of Curiosities 3 by Tim Holtz. Challenge 9 is sponsored by Inspiration Emporium, with more prizes courtesy of Mario Rossi and Tim Holtz!

I started off with lots of ideas and great ambitions. I only have 1 framelits set which is the early Halloween set that I ran right out and purchased when it first came out as I love Halloween...along with the mini configurations set. They both sat there forever and I hadn't even created anything using them, although I had used the stamps from the framelits set.

So I was excited to begin work on my neglected configurations boxes!!!

Here is the configurations box all ready to go with the lantern light and everything. I was having fun following the excellent project tutorial by Richele Christensen. Then I had some work deadlines and had to work late a lot, and there were some family birthday celebrations, mass confusion, etc. until I ran out of time.

I did complete 4 of the configurations boxes using stamps and framelits so we'll call those my project.

The witch head is a stamp from the framelit set that I stamped onto shrink plastic. The boxes are so small I decided the framelits would fit better if I shrunk them. I watercolored the witch head after shrinking.  The hanging skeletons are also framelits stamped on shrink plastic and cut out with the framelit die. The trim above the skeletons is part of the Tim Holtz iron gate stip die that I snipped out. It makes great spooky trim. Also I used part of the cobweb strip die. The "bone dust" jar is from the Richele Christensen tutorial. Cute!

So I'm happy to have completed these 4 configurations boxes and look forward to making the rest. I've never made a configurations box before and I've been admiring all of your creations! I will post the entire project when it is complete. I've made some cool clay goodies to go in some of the other boxes! I also hope to create some mini-gargoyles for the top. We'll see how it goes.

I also plan to use the black cat, bat, and owl from the rest of the framelits set!

Thanks for checking out my spooky project so far! Thanks also to all those who have posted excellent tutorials on how they did their configurations!!!

My August Tag - Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2014

I've been playing along with the Tim Holtz 12 tags of 2014! Here is my August Tag.

This month the objective was to "follow your muse", to get lost in the process.

This is what happened. I had been working on a Frankenstein monster project for Compendium of Curiosities III Challenge and so I was still thinking "Frankenstein". I did use several of the techniques that Tim used on his August tag. I used some tissue tape for a stamp. I used texture paste through a crackle stencil that kind of looks like lightening. I used distress paint through a stencil, distress ink through a stencil, it's hard to see all of it now. I used distress embossing powder to create some "rust".

I ended up cutting the tag up and then stapling it back together with the tiny attatcher, and then I also sewed some of it back together until I had "created a monster tag!" I rusted the staples, and my electrical wire.

The tag is actually a large manila folder tag I cut out and mounted to a Masonite plaque shape that I painted green. It's larger than a tag.

So I just kind of let the tag happen.

"Life is happening" right now not exactly "according to plan", (Loud Scream here!!!)



So I thought the sentiment was fitting. I love the expression on the "Bride of Frankenstein's" face. I can identify. I also have a similar hairstyle at the moment, not on purpose.

Just recovering from a 3-day bout with a viscous stomach flu. (Bubbling Cauldron here!!!)


So I lost 3 days, was a little delirious...not sure what happened...BUT I lost a few pounds, so hey, it wasn't all bad. And today I finally could eat real food, so I immediately ate chips and fresh salsa from my garden! Felt a little queasy afterwards but I'm on the mend!!!

And I did finish two monster projects...and got to follow my muse...which was monster films...to go along with my Frankenstein flu virus and hairstyle this weekend!!

CC3C - Challenge 8 - Faded Layers Monster Panel

Compendium of Curiosities III Challenge

I am participating in the Compendium of Curiosities III Challenge on the Studio L3 blog by Linda Ledbetter.  The Challenge 8 technique features the faded layers technique found on page 58 of Compendium of Curiosities 3 by Tim Holtz. Challenge 8 is sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique, and also by Mario Rossi and Tim Holtz!

I tried out the faded layers technique before when I took the Tim Holtz Creative Chemistry 102 course! I was surprised at how easy the technique was this time when I followed the instructions in the book.

For this project I decided to decorate my other Tim Holtz Burlap panel that was left-over from challenge 6. Even though it's only August I've been seeing some Halloween crafting starting to show up on lots of blogs right now which made me excited as I love Halloween crafts! Halloween and Christmas are my favorite crafting inspirations.

Since I'm scared of alcohol ink, I thought I should do something scary, so I created a monster!!! (lightening bolts, and thunder here)

I Created a Monster

Decoupaged and Transferred Frankenstein Movie Graphics

I found a bunch of Frankenstein movie graphics from the old original films that I printed after work on the laser printer. I decoupaged lots of black and white images onto the canvas, then I let it dry. Then I did the faded layers technique for the background. Then I sealed the background with decoupage medium and let it dry. I only needed to seal it so I could transfer Frankenstein onto the faded layers without ruining it. If I didn't seal it first, my Frankenstein transfer process would ruin the pretty background.

To transfer Frankenstein, I put the photocopy (laser print) of Frankenstein face down on the background, then I used a chart-pak blending pen on the back of the photocopy and kept inking it with the chart-pak blending pen until the back of the photo copy was saturated. I let it sit for a minute or so, then I peeled off the photocopy and Frankenstein was transferred. I practiced this a few times on a blank piece of paper until I'd figured out how to make the transfer process work so I wouldn't ruin my background. It takes some practice and sometimes it doesn't work very well. You just have to experiment.

Here's the background before I transferred Frankenstein onto it.

Monster Embellishments

After I transferred the Frankenstein image I had fun sewing on my creation, and creating embellishments for the panel until it came "Alive!"

I made this embellishment by printing an image with a laser printer. Then I cut it to fit my frame, then I decoupaged it to the frame putting the decoupage medium on the top and bottom of the image. After it was dry I put another coat of decoupage medium on the top making sure the edges of the image were all sealed. Then I let that dry. Then I used some uv-curing resin Lisa Pavelka - Magic-Gloss and the Lisa Pavelka UV Curing Light. You could also use glossy accents or dimensional magic.

I drilled holes in the sides of the canvas for the Frankenstein Bolts, my favorite part of the project!

I made the "Monster" title using some wire and alphabet beads.

I made the poison bottle using a small brown tinted bottle, a label, a Tim Holtz skeleton embellishment, and some green stickles. I squirted green stickles inside the bottle and also made a mess with it so it could ooze out the top.

I used a Tim Holtz key embellishment that says "Life", as the monster needs the key to life to become ALIVE! I also used a small shrink plastic mummy charm I made. Wasn't there an old Frankenstein movie with a mummy? Anyways the charm was a left-over from some charm bracelets that I was making last year that I haven't finished yet. (One of the millions of projects that are ... almost done...)

More Scary Projects!

So here it is all back together again. I had fun creating a monster with the faded layers technique which turned out to be a perfect technique for Frankenstein!!! I'm looking forward to many more scary projects this year!

A Debonair Mr. Frankenstein

Here is my favorite photo of Frankenstein I used in my project but it got covered up so I will display it here. Here's Frankenstein taking a little break, looking all smooth and suave, kinda like a jazz musician or a nightclub singer. It's Boris Karloff in the 1935 "Bride of Frankenstein"!

 

Queen Elizabunny - The paperclay folk-art doll!

I took a Folk-Art Doll Class

This month I've been taking an online course offered by The Artful Gathering. The course I'm taking is called Rosaleen Rabbit by Colleen Moody. Registration is closed for the session, but sometime in November the dvd from the online course will be available to purchase from their website if you want to make your own!

Rabbits are Trendy

I've been noticing woodland animal designs everywhere lately! In clothing designs, home decorating, product packaging, etc. I purchased several baby and childrens clothing items with funky woodland animal designs for my grandbabies!

Learned to sculpt with Paperclay

In the course we learn to mold the adorable rabbit dolls using paperclay. The course uses lots of different mediums, the body is sewn so you work with fabric. The head, shoulders, arms and legs are sculpted using clay. We paint and antique the dolls, then we sew costumes for the dolls. You can even make some jewelry for your doll!

She's Finished

Here is my rabbit doll all finished! She is about 16" tall. She turned out quite regal so I named her "Queen Elizabunny"! She is very elegant and dignified, but she is also kind with a sense of duty. It's just how she turned out.

"Queen Elizabunny"!

An Important Portrait

 

 Here she ponders her many responsibilities...and carrots.

"Queen Elizabunny" sitting on her throne.

Take a break here for tea and carrots

It has been a very rewarding course and I have learned a lot. I struggled with the clay at first, especially the ears but I figured it out! I have made lots of dolls over the years, but have never made a doll with a clay head starting from scratch. The clay head technique is new to me. I love her. I have one more smaller rabbit doll to finish. I have to go create her a suitable outfit that matches her personality.

Link to Colleen Moody dolls on pintrest: Colleen Moody dolls on pintrest.
Link to a blog about her live doll course: Blog review of Colleen Moody doll class.
Link to Collen Moody's blog: Colleen Moody blog.

CC3C - Challenge 7 - Industrial Distress Dolly

Compendium of Curiosities III Challenge

I am participating in the Compendium of Curiosities III Challenge on the Studio L3 blog by Linda Ledbetter.  Challenge 7 focuses on the painted industrial technique found on page 46 of Compendium of Curiosities 3 by Tim Holtz. Challenge 7 is sponsored by Inspiration Emporium, with more prizes courtesy of Mario Rossi and Tim Holtz!

I received one of these prize packages for challenge 2, and it was awesome!!! There were all types of items, some dies, distress ink, embellishments, etc. It was quite an excellent prize package! Thanks!

I have been learning a lot participating in all of the challenges so far.

I love the painted industrial technique but it takes a little practice to get it figured out! I took some time to practice when I took the Tim Holtz Creative Chemistry 102 course! It was messy and fun!

Fancy mini-blending tool art doll!

So I decided to make an Industrial Distress Dolly. She also doubles as a fancy mini-blending tool! I will use her for my fancy metallic blending needs. I created the dolly first, then by accident I noticed her base was the same size as a ranger mini-blending foam so I incorporated it into the dolly. So she turned out to be a dolly-tool-widget.

Tattered Floral Dress

Her skirt and dress are pieces of the tattered floral die. Her heads...not sure why I gave her 4 heads, I guess so I could see her face from any angle...anyway her heads are from a Maureen Carlson clay mold. I baked the clay right on the wooden ball which is her head. After they were cool, I took them off and glued them on with glossy accents.

Industrial silver and fingernail jewels

I used all kinds of silver paint. I also used some tiny fingernail jewels I had left-over from some tiny snowmen on tiny bottles I made last winter. I used the fingernail jewels for the snowman eyes, and smile.

I love the painted industrial technique!!!

Thanks!

Thanks to all who have posted comments on my blog and who have been so encouraging as I work on my CC3C projects. You are all such a creative inspiration to me and your projects lift me up!



Link to my son's band "We are the Strike" behind the scenes video.

July 2014 Tag - Playing along with the Tim Holtz 12 tags of 2014

I've been playing along with the Tim Holtz 12 tags of 2014.

I'm loving the July 2014 tag's water theme! Here is my tag. I kept it pretty much the same as the tutorial as I just wanted to try out all the techniques! Plus I love the July 2014 tag!

I didn't have any of the dies, so I used stamps instead. I stamped the seahorse, then I crackled the seahorse like the tutorial and also used distress stain in the cracks like the tutorial. It still worked. The other stamps were stamped on water color paper then colored with a water pen and distress ink.

I'd never tried the sand technique before. It was pretty fun. I had utee, and I just mixed in some embossing powder and various glitters until it looked like sand. It worked great! 

I'd also never embossed plastic before, and it worked great also.

 

It's always fun to see the tag come together after you've created all the little pieces. I used a fun stencil for the background and had some fun splattering everything with the Tim Holtz marker spritzer tool!

The tag was fun! Makes me want to take a boat ride somewhere or pet a dolphin!

I ordered the seahorse die's used in the Tim Holtz tutorial but they were back-ordered! Drats! The bubble embossing folder looks very fun too. I would like to get it as well to go with some baby bath photos! 

The amigurumi "Three little pigs"!!!

What does the crochet fox say!

I took a fun course from Annie's Patterns called "Learn to crochet amigurumi" by Michele Wilcox. I wanted to take the course because the fox project enticed me as it was so cute.

I made the fox first and mine looks exactly like the fox in the photo. It's adorable. 

Three Little Pigs

Anyway, there was also a pig pattern so I decided to make the "3 little pigs" for my grand-daughter's birthday next month. She can't read yet, so my secret is safe. Here they are!!!

No Big Bad Wolf?!

Tessie will love them...but there is no "Big Bad Wolf"! Maybe that's why these pigs looks so happy. So I decided there HAS to be a "Big Bad Wolf"! I will make the wolf using the fox pattern, except it will need to have Big Sharp Teeth, so I will make 2 fox snouts, and turn them into a wolf mouth, then I will modify the star pattern to make some sharp teeth. We'll see how it goes. It might turn into the "Big Bad Deformed Monster" instead. My daughter wants to also make some collapsible houses out of felt.

The Annie's Crochet Course

The Annie's course was easy as it also comes with online video instruction as well as the pattern pdf file that you can print. I didn't need the video instruction as I'm experienced at crochet, but I think the project would be ok for a beginner as long as they use the video. I've been making crochet projects since I was about 10 years old and there isn't anything too tricky in the patterns. The pigs aren't the usual tiny amigurumi size, but are about 10 inches tall which is the perfect size for Tessie's birthday. I used purchased safety eyes that can't come out, and the nose is simple embroidery.

Tessie Peeks

Tessie is always very interested in what is going on in my crochet bag. She peeks in and grabs whichever part is in there, and says "Piggy" looking a little confused, but then she takes whatever piece, the head, or an unfinished foot, and takes it on a walk around the house by it's "Leash" which is the long piece of yarn I leave on the end. I think she's just as happy taking the unfinished piece on a walk as she will be with her birthday present! She's got a good imagination!

It was fun to make these adorable little piggies! Watch your backs piggies as I'll start working on the "Big Bad Wolf" soon!

Ok, so it took some time, but here is the Big Bad Wolf all finished!!

I modified the "fox" pattern that is part of the class, and gave him a hat, and the big bad wolf is now the "star" of the story!

My grand-daughter loves them and they all go on many rides together in the toy stroller. My daughter made a collapsible felt house for them so the wolf can "blow the house down"!