May 2013 tag based on Tim Holtz tags of 2013

 

 

Here is my May 2013 tag based on the Tim Holtz 12-tags-of-2013 tutorial for May!

Here's a link to the big version of the photo of the tag, don't look too close!

 

I really struggled with this tag as the rub-ons were being difficult. The rub-ons do work out nicely as a resist. Mine were old and had lost their stick-um. Then I struggled with my ink colors as well. They were looking kind of drab. I need some more ink colors, so I ordered some. Yay! Then when I stamped with the archival ink over the rub-ons, I couldn't get the ink off the rub-ons like I wanted for a layered effect. I do love the dragon with the bright red embossing powder though! BUT you can't see my fish on the right edge as they are all covered up. I wanted there to be many koi fish.

 

Oh, and then I noticed I stamped the chinese symbols upside-down.  So now you have to stand on your head to have peace, love, joy, hope, or whatever the symbols say.

 

So I breathed in deeply, felt the zen in my tag, and said, "Such is art!" Love the process, right! An artistic project is what it is, a snapshot of a creative moment. 

 

 

I had fun making a few jewelry embellishments that would go with my tag. I planned on using them to cover up the areas that I was not pleased with, but then I decided to enjoy my problem tag, and embellish my mistakes instead of covering them up. 

  

In the end I turned out liking this tag in spite of my trouble. It was a great stress reliever for a hectic week of work and extra-curricular activities.

 

My son's band was participating in a band competition, kind of like a small-scale local American Idol, but with bands. If they win, they will get to open up for Kelly Clarkson at a local concert on the Fourth of July. They made it to the final four groups that are still left in the running, but the whole process involved competition brackets and facebook voting, and mud-slinging comments by voters, and it stressed me out. Glad that part of the competition is over, and they came out of it ok. Anyways, they are a talented group of creative musicians and it would be fun to see them perform at a big venue!!! They write their own music and are all nice college boys that wear suits. I will include a link to their video at the end of the blog.

 

The final four groups will all perform at a local venue in a few weeks, where they will get the final vote from the judges to see which group gets to open up for Kelly Clarkson. Oh, the suspense!

So it was a fun, but stressful week leaving us on the edge of our seats all of the time!

I was very distracted in my projects and couldn't seem to accomplish anything without making lots of blunders.

So here is a Chinese proverb that goes with this month's tag process that used rub-ons.

 A gem is not polished without rubbing, nor a man perfected without trial

Chinese proverb

Take a brief moment here to relax...live in the tag...

feng shui...and all kinds of peaceful thoughts here...

(Victoria in Chinese Symbols)

Here's the band.

Band: The Strike

Original Song: Robbing me Blind

Competition: Stadium of Fire 2013 Talent Competition

 

 

http://www.facebook.com/wearethestrike

https://www.youtube.com/user/wearethestrike/videos

 

"Fly Free Filly!" - My April 2013 tag based on Tim Holtz tags of 2013

I've been learning how to use the new Tim Holtz distress paint. This is my "Fly Free" tag based on the Tim Holtz tags of 2013. I followed the tutorial and it took some time to get the paint to not become muddy. I "painted" 3 or 4 tags to practice and the backgrounds all turned out different.

It all started out with a horse stamp. The horse ended up looking very "stiff" on my tag. I wanted to give the horse wings, but I didn't have any modeling plastic so I faked it with some regular plastic which didn't work too well. The horse still looked very "stiff", like it didn't want to be on my tag. I decided, "heck with you stiff horse...if you don't even want to be on my tag", so I made another horse, so my original horse could escape my tag. I liked a cardboard horse by Ann Wood, so I used her horse pattern, but made it smaller. You can download the Ann Wood horse pattern here, but look at her display of horses as they are awesome!

So then I decided my "stiff horse" is symbolic of our professional selves when we have to be dignified but we really don't want to be there. Also it looks a little like a "trojan horse" which was just a facade of a horse. Our real self just wants to "fly free" and get out of there. So "fly free filly" is a tribute to that part of us that wants to "fly free" with the wind in our "manes", free to do whatever we want without the limits of gravity even. Filly doesn't even have to be on my tag, and can leave any time. I used re-positionable glue =)

Last month I tried out the tutorial from Linda Ledbetter L3 Studio during the Tim Holtz tattered flower challenge, and I used some leftover pieces for the filly wings. I also used some leftover tattered flower pieces for the filly mane.

This was also my first time trying out the crinkle ribbon. It was easy to use when I followed the Tim Holtz tutorial. I also was playing with the distress powder on the gears stamp, and on the star.

So go ahead and "Fly Free Filly!!!" It's spring!!! Summer is ahead and the grass will be bright green again soon!!! "Fly Free Filly", the tax return is mailed, the Winter Semester is almost finished, let the summer begin!

So "Hoppy" for You - my March 2013 tag based on Tim Holtz tags of 2013

It's almost spring and my tag is So "Hoppy" for You! This is my March 2013 tag based on the Tim Holtz March 2013 tag tutorial.

Love the tutorials. I love spring and I love bunnies so I combined the two and created lots of bunnies on springs!

First I cut the shape out of chip board, and then cut out the bunny with the vagabond machine. I wanted it to be stiff enough to be able to put fur behind it and have it pop out. Then I stamped the shape with a Tim Holtz stamp pattern and embossed it with orange embossing powder and used ranger distress inks around the edges.

Then I created the tag base just like the Tim Holtz tag in his tutorial.

 

I wanted to make some hopping bunnies for my tag, so I used a martha stewart bunny punch and punched out some burlap looking paper and inked them different colors. Then I made springs out of wire wrapped around a pen and glued the bunnies on. I used stickles around the edges of the bunnies.

 

Then I assembled the tag. Here's a huge photo of the bunnies hopping around the green grass on the bottom of the tag.

Happy Easter!!!

P.S. No bunnies were harmed in the making of this tag. I used synthetic fur. 

Faith and Begorrah, My Lucky Shamrocks!!!

I present my trio of wooden Shamrocks on sticks!!! I purchased the blank wood from Crafty Wood Cutouts.

I painted them all green, and decoupaged scrapbook paper upon them, and then embellished them. (I'm writing this blog with a Scottish/Irish accent.)

The banner and shield are the Tim Holtz Sizzix Regal Crest die that I cut out of chipboard and covered with scrapbook paper. I used stickers to spell "LUCKY" and covered the stickers with glossy accents. My leprechaun is a dimensional sticker. I inked the edges of the scrapbook paper with ranger distress inks before decoupaging them to the paper. I glued some shamrock ribbon and gems to the base and tied some ribbons of black and green sparkled tulle.

I've been enjoying lots of texture lately so I tried to use smooth, rough, shiny, sparkly, matte, solid color, many patterns, slightly distressed with a vintage feel.

I've never been to Ireland, but I would like to go there someday, so I made this my "Explore" shamrock. With any "luck", someday I will be able to hop into my jalopy for an adventure.

Ireland looks very green, so this is my "green" shamrock with a "St Patricks Day" dimensional sticker, glittered flowers, and glitter polka-dots.

Here's the other side of the Shamrocks.

This is the other side of my "Explore" shamrock, except now I've hopped on a "Tractor" of some kind towards a pot-o-gold dimensional sticker.

This is the other side of my green shamrock, but with 3 golden flower, and 3 black flower buttons to mirror the 3 petals of the shamrock, that St. Patrick used to teach about the "Trinity" or so the legend goes. Ok, so there's also a 4-petaled shamrock stamp in the center, but it said Mar 17, and was shiny with the color of green I liked, so I was willing to forgo my symbolism, bear with me.

So my Shamrocks are a tribute to my Irish ancestors, who were actually Scottish, but were born in Ireland, but were members of the "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" (Mormons). It's all very mixed up, but none-the-less, they were all Scottish people, who were born in Ireland for several generations, and eventually came to America, were persecuted and chased from place to place, and eventually crossed the plains, mostly walking, to Utah where they started printing newspapers, and started up the first local community theater in the desert.

It's a strange story, but it all began with John McEwan, who was only 17 years old. He was the first in his family to leave Scotland and come to America all by himself. He went directly to Nauvoo, Illinois, the beautiful city established by the Mormons.  His parents and the rest of his family came to America, and eventually to Utah several years later.

John McEwan (1824-1878)

Born: Banbridge, Down, Ireland

Lived in Edinburgh, Scotland

Died: Provo, Utah

So Happy Saint Patricks Day to John McEwan, the Mormon Scotsman born in Ireland, who came to America and looks like my brother!!!

He had such beautiful script handwriting, so he was often called upon as a clerk, taking minutes at church meetings, or acting as a scribe, or a record-keeper. 

John McEwan and family were patrons of the arts and literature except in their wild-west sagebrush desert Utah home there were no "arts" to speak of, so they created their own, singing, reciting poetry, telling stories, acting out drama, which eventually led to home-grown community theater presentations in Salt Lake City, Provo, Southern Utah, where ever a branch of the family lived. They also were involved in printing the Deseret News in Salt Lake City, and the Daily Enquirer in Provo as the family knew the printing press trade. 

So I think my ancestors would enjoy my creative projects, so I now recite a poem found with the family journals belonging to John McEwan and his family.

"Look not mournfully into the past, 

    It comes not back again,

But wisely improve the present;

    It is thine.

And go forth to meet the shadowy future

    Without fear and with a manly heart."

Henry W. Longfellow. 

  

And for the rest of us without as much of a dramatic flare, here's an Irish saying that I enjoy...

"Don't be breaking your shin on a stool that's not in your way"

Happy St. Patricks Day, and if you're not inclined to celebrate it, then Happy March to you, and mind your shin!

(A copy of the journal of John McEwan can be found in the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Library, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.)

My Vintage grunge flowers - The Tim Holtz Tattered Floral Challenge

Here are my 3 vintage flowers based on the Tim Holtz Tattered Floral Challenge tutorial.

I couldn't find my grungeboard, I probably used it all, so I improvised with some metallic paper that is pretty stiff, but flexible. Then I glued on some tissue paper with a key pattern. Then I covered that with a messy mixture of paint and water, let it dry, then covered the whole page with decoupage glue to make it a little stiffer.

 

After that dried, I painted the other side of the paper and sprayed both sides with perfect pearls mist.

So after I finished my paper, tissue paper, paint, glue sandwiches in blue, pink, yellow, and green I ran them through the vagabond machine with the tattered floral die. I used the green with the leaf die.

 I pretty much followed the tutorial after that. I inked all the edges with distress inks to give them dimension and tone down the colors a little to make them look vintage. I cut some more tattered floral petals using some canvas fabric, and some muslin I tea-dyed for a different project a long time ago.

I wanted the flowers to look vintage and at home with antiques. I think they do.

I'll have to try it again when I have time to get some real grungeboard.

It's been cold and snowy out so as I made a mess making these vintage flowers I was dreaming of spring when I can plant some real flowers!!!

Thanks for the fun tutorial!!! I've tried to make flowers with the tattered floral die before, but with me just working on my own they always turned out kind of flat and stupid. This time by following the tutorial they turned out great! Sweet Victory!

Love and Skeletons - February tag based on Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2013

Here is my February Tag based on Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2013 Tutorials.

I was going to use the queen of hearts but I only have the mini-queen-of-hearts size and it looked too small for the tag. I had an old vintage valentine that says "I Feel it in my bones, you're my valentine." Since my husband teaches anatomy and physiology, I think the skeleton valentine works. I used distress stain, distress ink, Tim holtz stamps, embossing powder, rock candy crackle on the skeleton valentine and numbers, distress markers, Tim Holtz seaonal impressions paper, tissue tape, and the vintage cash keys charms from tim holtz. I just printed my "I LOVE YOU" words on paper, cut them out, inked the edges and glued them on some red paper.  I used foam tape to make the "14" dimensional. 

Here's a link to the Skeleton Valentine. Here a link to My February 2013 Tag (large photo)

This tag has a lot of texture going on, you have to touch it.

Since my husband teaches anatomy, the skeleton is not scary to me. The skeleton is the foundation or the structure of our bodies. It allows us to move. The skeleton supports the mechanics of movement. It also protects our vital organs. To me the skeleton doesn't represent death, but represents the structure and movement of life. With it's ever smiling teeth, the skeleton to me represents the joy that we should feel in life that we are able to move, that we have a solid foundation, and that we can run, jump, and leap! So here's to Love and Skeletons. We need both as a foundation, support, structure, and protector in life! So for those of you that become sad on valentines day, leap for joy that you have a happy skeleton inside that can move you in any direction you want! And then use your skeleton to run down and get yourself a favorite chocolate bar! And maybe one to share...with me!

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Valentines Day Wooden Hearts on a Stick

I painted and decoupaged some wooden hearts on sticks I got at Crafty Wood Cutouts. The tallest heart is about 14 inches tall and 3 1/2 inches wide.

I painted the bases with black acrylic paint. I painted the sides of the hearts with either black or maroon acrylic paint. Then I cut out some scrapbook paper and inked around the paper with the Ranger Distress Inks. Then I decoupaged the paper onto the hearts. Then I varnished the hearts with a few coats of varnish.

Then I put some fun embellishments on the hearts.

The "valentine" embellishment was from Hobby Lobby. It's a wood cutout covered with glitter. It came that way. I added some black outlining to the word to make it stand out. I also covered the inside of the heart with silver glitter and added some heart punches out of gray stripe scrapbook paper.

The middle heart I embellished with the Sizzix Tim Holtz die on chipboard covered with scrapbook paper. The white crackle on the heart and wings is actually scrapbook paper that came with the crackle design. It looks like I painted the crackle finish but it's just the paper design. The crown is gold metallic paper on chipboard cut with the same Heart Wings die.

Then I decided to decorate the other side so the hearts are cute on both sides.

The letters are from the Tim Holtz letters . I painted them with metallic silver. The heart and cupid are die cut on chipboard covered with scrapbook paper. The cupid is sitting on another sizzix Tim Holtz die cut bookplate that I painted silver. I glued 2 silver heart button embellishments onto the bookplate. The heart on the right is embellished with 3 felt hearts with some gem hearts I glued on with glossy accents.

 Most of the paper I used was from My Mind's Eye, Union Square, "Home Sweet Home" collection. I love the "Love" paper from My Mind's Eye. I love ALL of the paper from My Mind's Eye. The stripe paper is My Mind's Eye, and the dark red paper on the "February" heart is from DCWV.

I enjoyed making this Valentines decoration using wood, paint, and scrapbooking supplies.

Here are a few other valentine decorations I made using a Tim Holtz stamp card kit from Archivers. The kit included a 6X6 paper pad from My Mind's Eye (Ruby), and the Valentines mini-blue print stamps from Tim Holtz. Instead of making all the cards, I reserved a few and decoupaged them onto some pieces of wood. We made the rest of the cards for a family activity after a Sunday dinner for fun.

Happy Valentines Day!