CC2C- challenge 25

This week's challenge on Linda's Studio L3 blog is to use Tim's Ink Palette - Perfect Pearls technique from page 53 of his book Compendium of Curiosities vol ii, this week sponsored by Simon Says Stamp.
I created my palette - with Heirloom Gold, Pewter & Forever Violet (the 3 colours of perfect pearls I've currently got).  To get a little more variety in colours, I also added Distress Dried Marigold re-inker & Crushed Olive stain, and Dylusions spray Bubblegum Pink & Fresh Lime to Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls - also Distress Tumbled Glass re-inker & Dylusions spray London Blue and Crushed Grape to Pewter Perfect Pearls.  The stamp I used is one of Dyan Reaveley's Dylusions background stamps (background love - DYR34612) from Ranger.

As you can see below, the Perfect Pearls on the black (which I used for the finished tag) have a much more subtle effect than on the cream - I think to get these colours on black I will have to get myself some more Perfect Pearls!  But I can see me using both colours of cardstock, depending on the finished result I'm looking for!  

unfinished tag (black)

Experiment on cream card

I heat embossed the quote onto black card which I then coloured with Perfect Pearls...
And finally I added a die cut flower & butterfly which I'd made using the riveted patchwork technique on p 57 of the same book...

detail of finished tag

 ... just a couple of bits I had lying around!

Back soon!   Kay

CC2C - Challenge 24

Just a quick last minute entry for Linda's Studio L3 challenge, using the Alcohol Resist technique from page 59 of Tim's 'Compendium of Curiosities vol ii'!

Is it too early to be thinking 'Christmas'??!

I used Tim's trees stamp from one of his Christmas sets for the alcohol ink panel, & heat embossed the snowflakes from the same set, then coloured the card with salty ocean and iced spruce distress inks.

(apologies for the poor photo quality - looks better in real life!)

Back soon!   Kay

CC2C - Challenge 23

It's Challenge 23 this week on Linda's Studio L3 blog. Tim's technique is using Distress Markers, on page 50 of Tim's book 'Compendium of Curiosities vol ii'.  And this week's prize is an awesome one of gorgeous goodies from a box that Mario sent to Linda!
Autumn seems definitely with us now, so I decided on a simple 'art' work...

I stamped the Birch blueprint from Tim's new Mini Blueprints CMS136 stamp set in the middle of a piece of watercolour paper.  Then I drew the border & filled it in freehand with 'silver brich' tree trunks.  I stamped the birch leaf several times more & 'fussy-cut' them out.  Finally I was ready to colour in with distress markers (and a little water) - tumbled glass for the sky, and a selection of fired brick, frayed burlap, bundled sage, scattered straw and crushed olive for the leaves, and finally frayed burlap & picket fence for the tree trunks.
I love this stamp set - it's so versatile, with 4 each of Autumn, Halloween & Christmas blueprints, which are just large enough to use on a card with other elements - I'm so glad I got them!
And of course, I love the distress markers!  I love the range of colours you can get, even with just a few, and a little water!  I'll have to get a few more of them soon though (I've got 10 at the moment)...

Back soon!   Kay 

12 tags of 2012 - September & CC2C Challenge 22

This week's challenge from Linda at Studio L3 features Tim's Riveted Patchwork technique from his 'Compendium of Curiosities vol ii' on page 57, which also features on Tim's September tag.  And the sponsor this week is the Funkie Junkie Boutique.

I'm very disorganised as usual (but even more so this week!) and I'll be away at the weekend, so I thought I would combine the challenge with the tag.  Now, this week I did make a whole tag with the riveted patchwork technique (I love this technique, by the way!), but can I find it? No!!

Luckily I made another piece of riveted patchwork, which I've die cut and added these die cut elements to a distress-stained background (broken china & crushed olive) - quite a simple tag this time - I hope this counts! I must admit I like the idea of using the industrial / grungy riveted patchwork technique for elements of nature!

Back soon!   Kay

CC2C - Challenge 21 Blended Stains

And another one!  This week's challenge on Linda's Studio L3 blog is using Tim's Blended Stains technique from his book 'Compendium of Curiosities vol ii'; check it out on page 45.
This week's sponsor is Simon Says Stamp.
Just a simple stamped tag this time, with a blended stains background ...

I'm looking forward to the 'Big Stamping & Scrapbooking Show' at Alexandra Palace, London this weekend - I want (need?) a few bits, but hopefully I won't spend too much money!
Back soon!  Kay

CC2C - Challenge 20 enameled stamping

Time for another challenge, hosted by Linda at Studio L3, based this week on page 44 of Tim's book 'Compendium of Curiosities vol ii'
The technique this week is 'enameled stamping', which I used for the background of the card (which may turn out to become a small scrapbook page, or part of a larger one!)

I used one of Tim's wallpaper stamps for the stamping.  You can see it a bit more in the detail below, I think!

I really do need to have a massive tidy-up of my craft things, as I'm at the stage now where I have to spend ages looking for things that I know are somewhere (& I can't always find them!) - I am very disorderly!  So I decided on Tim's quote stamp (embossed with gold detail enamel on black card). I wasn't sure how to finish it off, as I didn't want to hide the background too much!  I decided to take a photo of my 'disorderly' box where I keep some of my Tim Holtz 'goodies'.  And in my box, I 'discovered' memo pins, grungeboard flourishes & tissue tape, so I used these, together with the photo, to embellish it!

Back soon!  Kay 

CC2C - Challenge 19

Another week, another challenge from Linda at Studio L3!  The technique (Kraft Resist) is from Tim's book "Compendium of Curiosities vol ii".
I haven't got any Kraft Resist at the moment, so I tried making my own with Tim's Papillon background on a textured kraft cardstock.  I then used his bicycle stamp to create the 'resist' and continued with the technique from page 41.

The 'boys on bicycles' stamp is from Chocolate Baroque & I printed the words on computer.
This time, Linda linked to Tim's Kraft Resist Ideas video on his blog for all to see.

Back soon!  Kay

CC2C - Challenge 18

Half way there!  I shall attempt to post earlier for the second half!!
This week's technique from Tim's "Compendium of Curiosities ii" is Whitewash Stamping.  The challenge is set as usual by Linda at Studio L3 and the sponsor this week is the Funkie Junkie Boutique.
I've not tried this technique before... I think with a little more pratice it will be better!!

I just did a simple background with the technique for a simple card.  I overstamped (set off slightly) the whitewashed wings & heart.  You can see it a little better in the detailed photo below...

I also used thetechnique on the right-hand side of the card.

Back soon!  Kay

CC2C - Challenge 17

And it's Thursday, again! Once more it's time for the lovely Linda's Tim Holtz 'Compendium of Curiosities vol ii' challenge at Studio L3 - this week sponsored by Simon Says Stamp.
This week the technique is 'Creative Core-Dinations' - Tim gives a couple of techniques on page 61 of his book & I've used both of these on this card, for the background, butterflies & flower ...

Then I added a little bit of 'bling' for the butterflies' bodies, a vintage button & coppery disc for the centre of the flower, a couple of pieces of tisse tape & doily (and tiny,tiny pieces of lace die cuts) & computer printed words to finish.

Back soon,  Kay

CC2C -Challenge 16

So this week, the technique from Tim's book 'Compendium of Curiosities vol ii' for Linda's challenge at Studio L3 is on page 54 of the book & it's the Perfect Pearls Mist technique.
I sort of ran out of time (too much watching the Olympics on TV!!) so I just did a simple tag...

Flower detail- shows the perfect pearls a bit better I think!

Back soon!  Kay

CC2C - Challenge 14

Just in time (literally!) for this week's Compendium of Curiosities vol ii challenge, hosted by the lovely Linda at Studio L3 & this week sponsored by the funkie junkie boutique.
This week's technique is Gilded Kraft Glassine, in Tim's book on page 39.

So I did the technique on the kraft glassine background and also on the kraft glassine for the butterflies, & 'skirt' (using Tim's birdcage die) which I then diecut.  I backed the 'skirt' with a white-printed tissue paper & added a few 'jewells' for a bit of extra sparkle!!  Can't say much more, really!  I do love the effect this technique gives ...

I hope I'm organised a bit better for next week's challenge!

Back soon!  Kay

CC2C - Challenge 13

And it's another week's challenge from Linda at Studio L3, using p 42 of Tim's book Compendium of Curiosities vol ii, this week sponsored by Simon Says Stamp.  And once again I've left it until the last day!!
This week it's one of Tim's classic techniques - spritz & flick distress.  I love this technique, it's quick to do & you can get some great results!
In 'honour' of our 'summer' here in the UK (which has been extremely wet!) I thought I'd use the theme of 'rain'!!

I love Tim's quote stamp about '... learning to dance in the rain' (I'm learning!!!).  So on top of the (heavily) Spritz & Flicked Distress background, I used this quote, and the 'umbrella girl' stamp from Art Journey - a great stamp company in the Netherlands.  

I added a few Glossy Accent raindrops and some drops on the distress inked flowers ...

 & also created a Glossy Accents puddle!!

The distress ink colours I used were dusty concord, broken china & shabby shutters for the background, shaded lilac & dusty concord for the flowers, and black soot & aquamarine archival for the stamping.

It's supposed to be getting better and more summery by the weekend, so finger's crossed - I may decide on a 'sunshine' theme next week!!!

Back soon!  Kay

CC2C - Challenge 11/12

A 2 week challenge from Linda this time, as it's 2 techniques from Tim's book, pages 33 & 34, creating a Configurations box.  This time it's sponsored by Mario, with a whole lot of Tim Holtz goodies up for grabs!  It's taken me the 2 weeks to do enough to photograph it - glad I didn't do one of the larger ones!  Decisions, decisions!!!

I wanted a vintage, feminine feel to it, so I used cream, blue & lilac for the colour scheme.  I used small wooden spools to raise up the box a little. The scroll, key and dressform wings (die cut butterfly!) are embossed with Frantage aged silver embossing powder - I love the vintage feel this gives!  The bottle of nail polish is an old one of my Mum's - the polish is completely solid, but I love the old bottle...  The small flower on the top right I think is tatting (one skill I have never mastered!) - it was part of an old brooch which had seen better days!  I used one of Tim's foliage leaves to add wings to the frozen Charlotte.

I'm not sure whether it's finished; I think I'll leave it as it is, & add a couple of more bits as and when ... !  Here's some more detailed photos...

Left-hand side

Top right

Bottom right

Back soon!  Kay

CC2C - challenge 9

This week's technique challenge from Linda over at Studio L3 using Tim Holtz's Compendium of Curiosities vol II page 35 uses Tim's idea-ology Pocket Watch frame.  If you've got Tim's book, you'll see yet more ideas on pages 14, 23, 70, 74 & 75!  - so loads of inspiration!! This week's sponsor is the online shop Simon Says Stamp.

It really was quite a challenge (!) deciding what to do in this small (but perfectly formed!) space!!  Lots & lots of ideas, (even more now I've finished it! - see below*).  I wanted the piece to be bright & cheerful, so I pieced the background from scraps of stamped & coloured card from another project (I'd used a Dyan Reaveley background stamp & Dylusions sprays).  And I cut out the butterflies from an embossed and alcohol-inked piece of packaging which I'd experimented with (but not used) for last week's challenge... I attached the butterflies to the upper part of the frame, to add a bit more dimension.  I like the way you can see through the butterflies to the background! A couple more bits, & it was done!
*I loved doing this challenge, I think the pocket watch frames could become very addictive!!

Back soon!  Kay

CC2C - challenge 7

It's time for the next Tim Holtz "Compendium of Curiosities vol II" challenge, hosted by Linda of Studio L3.  This week, the challenge is being sponsored once again by eclectic Paperie.
So, this week's technique is 'brushless watercolour'.  Now in Tim's book, it's on page 49 &  I've used this technique for the card background.  But we also learnt another, different 'brushless watercolour' technique in his Creative Chemistry 101 class (you can still join this class - it was amazing!) and I've used this one to add the butterflies.

I used watercolour paper, which gives a great effect!  I did the background in tattered rose, & used lots of different distress colours for the butterflies.

Such fun techniques!  And a way to watercolour where you don't have to be able to draw!!!
A little bit of ribbon,  a black diecut butterfly which I spritzed with perfect pearls (heirloom gold) & it was done...
I also started on a piece which I'll add to a card later, after I've added a couple of bits!

I love this colour combination of peacock feathers & crushed olive - I can see me using this a lot!

Back soon!  Kay 

CC2C - Challenge 6

So, it's week 6 of Linda's Tim Holtz "Compendium of Curiosities vol II" challenge, this week sponsored by the Funky Junkie Boutique...
This week's technique is 'tissue wrap collage' - page 38 in the book.
I'd not tried this technique before - as I was doing it I really wasn't sure how it would turn out!  I think at some stage I might get the music tissue wrap as well; it seems to be more 'open' (with less printing) which would maybe give a brighter effect.  I was pleased with the result though!  I love the texture of the tissue wrap..

I added cranberry dabber, & then I used the following distress ink colours - peacock feathers, squeezed lemonade, wild honey, mustard seed, & scattered straw.  I also put on a little frayed burlap, bundled sage & crushed olive distress markers with my fingers over the raised bits!
Finally, I decided to add a bit of contrast, so I painted the foliage flower & die cut letters with a thin layer of broken china distress crackle paint (for the colour, not particularly for the crackle!).

texture detail (& this is more the colours of the original!)

I think this technique would look great on a 'mixed media' canvas (especially as you'd get another layer of texture behind it with the canvas) - I must go & experiment!
Back soon!  Kay

CC2C - Challenge 5

It's week 5 of the Tim Holtz 'Compendium of Curiosities vol 2' challenge on Linda's blog, this week it's kindly sponsored by Simon Says Stamp.
Turning to page 48, you'll find the 'how to' for the Shattered Stains technique, which I used for the bird on the branch...
This week, I decided to do a quick tag, as we were away at our friends' house at the weekend...  It was quite showery, so I thought the quote was appropriate!

I added the bird to a black tag - I stamped the quote in picket fence distress stain (and went over it a bit where it wasn't clear in picket fence distress marker), and then inked the background with tumbled glass & picket fence stains, finally adding the stained trim & teardrop 'jewels'.

you can see the shattered stains technique better in this photo!

Back soon!  Kay 

CC2C - Challenge 4

Another week, another technique for Linda's "Compendium of Curiosities II" challenge, based on Tim Holtz's new book, available direct from Tim here!  This week it's 'faded layers' ... on page 43.
Here's my take on the technique.  I used the new limited edition spring distress inks; squeezed lemonade, shaded lilac, and peacock feathers, with a little bit of wild honey on the edges.  I really love these new colours!  The base card is made of silvery cardstock, inked with the same inks.

Back soon!  Kay

CC2C - Challenge 3

This week's Compendium of Curiosities Vol II challenge on Linda's blog is for Tim's marbled stains technique on page 46, and this week's sponsors are eclectic Paperie.
Certainly a challenge!  I love the look of marbled stains, but I really don't find this technique easy - I still need lots of practice!!  I'm in awe of everyone's marbled stained backgrounds already posted! Anyway, here's my attempt!

I used Tim's technique on the card with broken china, dusty concord & picket fence.  Then I edged it with mustard seed.  I stamped over with Dyan Reavley's Dylusions flower background stamp, & added more distress on the flowers, to make them stand out a bit more!  And I embossed Tim's quote (which I then stamped over with jet black archival) and the flower centres with Stampendous Fran-tage aged silver powder.
My final additions on the card were stained tissue wrap, and 3 pearl buttons.  I remembered I'd got a packet of 'waxy flax' a while back - I thought the turquoise/blue colours would go with the background - they did, so I used 3 of the colours for the bows.


Back soon!  Kay

CC2C - Challenge 2

This week's 'Compendium of Curiosities 2' challenge is on page 58 of Tim's book - faux patina.  The prize this week is a wonderful Tim Holtz messenger bag, signed by the man himself! and donated by Angie Lentz who chose the technique and also did a lovely sample.
I decided to make a simple pendant, using the technique on Tim's idea-ology bits and on glossy paper. I enjoyed the technique, but I must admit I had a bit of a struggle with deciding what to do!

Back soon!  Kay