Going Grunge?

I love the wrinkle free distress look.  Tim Holtz is the creator of this look and the stuff he comes up with is just incredible!!  I've done a couple of projects with this look in the past and when I saw the Brushed Wildflowers that Just for Fun has, I KNEW that this was the look I wanted to try. 

I need to find a new photographer.  Once again this picture again does not capture the lovely deep color tone of the colors of this project. But I was once again on a time crunch and could not take the time for photo session number 3 (yes, this is from photo session number 2.  Session one was a complete bust!)

 First I stamped the image in versamark ink and clear embossed on Very Vanilla paper. I then cleared off my non stick craft sheet (wow!! Who knew that I actually had a desk under there?!) and swiped distress inks in Fired Brick and Peeled Paint across it and spritzed with my spray bottle until beads appeared. I layed my stamped image across it, dried with my heat gun and repeated until I got the look I wanted. I then took some Vintage photo distress ink and sponged, toning down the red a bit. I place on of Tim Holz's masks in the upper left hand corner and sponged more Fired Brick to give myself a faint swirl. I then pulled out my iron (shhhhh!! Don't tell anyone!! I supposedly don't know how to use the thing!) and put my image between two sheets of typing paper and on my craft sheet ironed the image on high until the embossing powder melted giving me a faux bleach look. I love the combo of these two techniques and could easily get in a rut using them!! I distressed the edges and added a bit more vintage photo distress ink to finish off the edges.  Then the wonderful little extra that you cannot see.  I used some Tattered Angels glimmer mist in pearl over the entire panel!  OH MY!! I love the soft shimmer that this gave the main image!! I tried to get it captured in the picture, but it is just the perfect subtle accent and my little point and shoot camera could not capture it! (you may be able to click on the photo and get a bigger image and see the shimmer.  I think that is how this is suppose to work) Sooo sad!!  Moving on. Then to finish off the whole look, I pulled out a butterfly rub on from American Crafts and placed it on some transparency paper.  I then cut it out and bent the wings a bit to give it dimension and attached it only at the body.  I also found a rub on from SU's retired Cherish collection and put over the bottom corner.  This was then adhered over a black panel and then over the Very Vanilla card base.   I then spent several hours trying to tie a stupid bow.  Ok, maybe not HOURS but dang close!!  I'm tellin' ya~~me and ribbon are going thru a rough time lately!  I'm seriously thinking that we might have to have an extended separation and see if we can work this irreconciable difference out.  Anywhoos!  Obviously I settled for a knot and a cute little key charm ( I believe it comes from Tim Holz's line....it's in my stash of stuff and I can't remember where, what, who....I need to make better note of such things!)

This card now sits on my MIL's counter with her other birthday cards.  I think I should have gone snarky.  That seems to have been the theme this year.  Oh well.  Guess I need to increase my snarky collection of stamps!! (I do know she liked the card.  She was very interested in how I made it and "oooed" and "awwed"). 

Glad you all could stop by!!  I woke up dreaming about some other ideas so I might try to see if I can actually get them on paper!!  Have a great day!  It's a bright and sunny day here....maybe I'll have to drag some stuff outside to work! (wink)