Inspired By

TODAY IS THE DAY!  The BIG reveal of the project you have all been anxiously awaiting! Just go with my disillusions here! hehe.   The E-team is starting a new series that I think we will all enjoy and hopefully grow from!

This new blog hop is featuring our own personal journals as we embark on a journal that is

INSPIRED BY WORDS.

Visit each E-Team blog participant and leave a comment between today, April 25 to Sunday, April 29th for the chance to win a $25 eP gift certificate.  Winner's will be announced on the eP blog, Monday, April 30. PLUS!!  Join the E-Team in our journal adventure and post your journal cover on the eP blog by May 4th and we will pick 2 people to join us next month for the next journal adventure!!

Daisy, eP blog

Broni

Linda L

Micki

Sherry

ME!

I'm really excited about this new series!  I have been wanting to do an art journal for a while, but just never jump off the ledge. Add my love of inspirational words and this series has become the icing on the cake!  I'm so glad the Daisy snuck up behind me, and shoved! LOL!

I decided to make my own journal book instead of buying one.  My thought is that this will allow me to add what ever type of base paper or medium I would like to work with for that particular entry.  And I can add as many pages as I can fit my binding rings around! haha.  For my journal cover, I wanted to combine a couple of my favorite mediums; paint, metal and most recently, Ice Resin.  I started with a couple of Zutter book covers and painted a base coat of TenSecond Studios Verday paint in Bronze.  

Tips:  shake the paint well before applying.  The Verday paint is an acrylic paint that has actual metal particles in it.  You want to make sure that those particles get dispersed from settling on the bottom of the bottle.  

After letting the base coat dry for a couple of hours, I took a rough sea sponge and lightly dabbed more VerDay Bronze paint randomly onto the cover.  Immediately, while the paint was still wet, I misted with the VerDay Patina.  I put my Verday Patina into a cheap, fine mist bottle (like "hairspray" bottle), found  in the area where travel sized accessories are at Target.  

Let the Verday chemically react with the paint overnight.

After drying, I felt that I had gotten a bit heavy handed with the sponging/VerDay and had too much patina. I then just took my course sea sponge again, dipped it into a bit more VerDay Bronze paint, dabbed off on a paper towel and "dry" sponged randomly on the top of the covers to add more copper

Here is a picture, deliberately angled so that you can see all the wonderful metallic bronze shine

I have to say, I hated to cover up all this wonderful patina!!  LOL!  But cover it up I did!  Here is the cover to my journal.

I die cut various layers from the Tattered Floral die and from Spellbinders Carnation Creations from TenSecond Studio's Barn Red metal. I ran some of the flower layers through the Big Shot with an embossing folder and some layers I just hand doodled squiggle lines and others I used a decorative wheel tool on the metal to make patterns.  I then intensified the color with some alcohol inks 

I then shaped the flowers and applied a thin layer of Ice Resin to both sides of the individual layers using a small paint brush.  I recommend wearing gloves for this step.  It gets rather messy and you will get Ice Resin on your hands while trying to paint both sides of the petals.  I left a small portion of the bottom of the flowers unpainted so that I could set them down on my craft sheet to dry.  I was hoping that the Ice Resin would harden the metal enough that the flower petals would be more stable and would not bend as easily.  The Ice Resin DID help stabilize the metal.  I'm thinking that if I were to add another layer, it would make the metal really solid.   After letting the Ice Resin cure for a couple of days, I glued the layers together with Beacon's Glass, Metal and More Permanent Glue.  This is the first time I have used this glue and I was pleased at how relatively quick it set. I would highly recommend using it in a well ventilated room though! It has a bit of a strong odor!

The leaves were die cut using a combination of Spellbinders Carnations Creations and Foliage from TSS's Peacock metal.  

Here is my tutorial , with a video link for making flowers out of metal.  

And a close up of my "first" journal entry.  

The journal entry was typed on the computer, then each word cut out and sponged with Distress Vintage Photo ink.  I cut off a flap from a cardboard box, saturated it with water and peeled off the smooth layer of cardboard, revealing the rough layer underneath.  Distress Stain in Picket Fence was randomly applied.  The words were then attached using glue dots.  

The final touch was adding some swirling bling from Want2Scrap.  

I also finished the inside of the cover. 

I like to think that the TOTALLY different look is reflective of what I hope to accomplish with this journal.  No preconceived ideas.  No limits.  Just go for it.

I first covered the inside with Claudine's gesso.  I didn't really worry too much about how thick the coverage was.  Since I was totally impatient, I heat dried the gesso with my heat gun.  I then dropped random spatters of alcohol ink onto the gesso and hit them with a blast of canned air, dispersing the inks.  A light mist of Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Tuscan Sun  was added on top.  After drying, I stamped the sentiment from Wendy Vecchi's I Am My Art set, using Archival Jet Black Ink.  Tip:  I would HIGHLY recommend that you do the inside of the cover before completing all the dimensional work on the outside.  It would make getting a clean, crisp stamped image soooo much easier and you will be able to avoid having to go over the stamped image with a black Sharpie.  Just sayin'.  

I'm really excited about this new adventure!  I hope that you will check out all the other E-Team's journal cover's and be inspired to join us!!

Getting Inky

Hello?!!  Anyone still out there?!!

Yes, once again life has gotten in the way of crafting.  BUT!! I have some good news: I have been getting ink and paint all over my fingers today.

Of course, there is a slight downside to that:  this idea is not one that can be finished in a day. 

Or two days. 

Let's cross our fingers it doesn't go into next week. 

 I'm trying to let the creativity decide where this goes and when it is "finished".  Well, sort of.  It is for an upcoming blog hop with the E-Team.  But this is an idea that I have had brewing in my noggin' for a while.  It just took a little shove to get me started.

I'm liking it so far.  Paint. Metal, alcohol inks.  VerDay (more on that later).  Yep.  It's a new mixed media journey that I'm excited to start exploring.

 I'll share a little sneak peak with you.



Did I mention that I'm making a mess too?!! 

Stay tuned.  There is more to come soon!!

Pigs are Now Flying

When I create a card I tend to over think.  I agonize over the colors, layout, embellishments and technique.  It is only once I start the actual creating that I will let things flow.  And then I tend to get sidetracked with thoughts of "WAIT!! Maybe I should try this!! NO, WAIT, this other idea would be better!! AHHA!! This LAST idea is the best yet!!"

Needless to say, creativity does not get completed quickly here.  I would say hours versus minutes is more the norm.

But!! Today, I went off that beaten path and created a card in under 15 minutes, with at least 5 of those minutes attempting to get a decent stamped image. 

And so Pigs are now flying as I NEVER thought I could actually make a card this quickly.

Layout:  Simple
Colors:  only two
Technique:  Fun and could easily become addictive

Result: 

Don't know what is going on here.  My edited photo is in focus.  When I click on this photo for a larger view, it is in focus.  This is NOT in focus.  I highly suggest clicking on the picture for a in focus view!

Details:  Card base is top fold, 4.25 x 5.5" of Pure Luxury.  The next layer is SU's glossy card stock that I dripped Alcohol Inks in Sunshine Yellow, Red Pepper and Butterscotch on and blasted with some canned air to spread out. I then embossed the inked paper in the Alterations Rays embossing folder. FYI:  the texture fade folders on CRAZY SALE at ep!!  The circles were cut and embossed from SU's Summer Sun and Real Red card stock using Spellbinder's Classic circles.  The sentiment is from SU's retired set So Many Scallops. I used Summer Sun, Real Red and Basic black markers to ink up the image and stamped onto a scrap piece of Pure Luxury. 

I'm thinking that I need to stop over thinking!!

Marbling Faux Many Ways

Hey People!  The E-Team is gathering again today to bring you another technique hop!  Today, the different E-Team members are showcasing Faux Marble!!

Of course it wouldn't be an E-Team blog hop without some blog candy!!  Daisy will chose random TWO winners from comments left between today, February 29, until March 2, on the E-Team members blogs.  The two winners will  receive a $25 eP gift certificate! 

The E-Team

Daisy -esteemed leader

Broni

Micki

Sherry

Me

Linda L--couldn't play along today, but make sure you drop by and let her know she was missed!

The winner's will be announced on the eP blog Monday, March 3!

OK!! Let's get this Faux Show rolling!!



Today I'm going to show you several variations on how you can achieve a Faux Marble.  I must admit I got a bit carried away with playing! 

First up:  This is what I call Distressed Faux Marble.  Step One:  smoosh Distress inks of choice randomly on your craft mat. I just smoosh block and lines here and there.   Spritz with Tattered Angel's Glimmer mist until ink beads up. Place your paper (I used Pure Luxury Ivory in this sample) down in the beaded ink.  Lift, dry.  You have now completed my version of the Wrinkle Free Distress Technique. 

wish I could have captured the shimmer!! Drat these dreary days!

Tear a piece of scrap paper.  Grab your sponge dauber or stencil brush, a couple of Distress Inks in complentary colors and apply the ink along the torn edge of the paper to your background.  Try to avoid making letters with your lines (such as "Y", "T", "K") as they are not natural in marble!!





I used a combination of Distress Brushed Corduroy and Vintage Photo for the lighter brown lines.  The dark brown lines are Tattered Angle's Glimmer Mist in Tattered Leather.

I have to say I LOVE how this turned out!  I must admit that I stared a this forever trying to come up with a project that wouldn't hide the effect, LOL!  Alas, I failed to come up with anything today, but keep an eye out for this, I'm mulling over some ideas!

Ok...next version of Faux Marble.  Now, this is something that I found on Andy Skinner's blog.  He came up with a faux marble technique that he calls Alcohol Floating Backgrounds.  His technique combines alcohol inks and water.  You can see his video here.  WARNING: THIS TECHNIQUE IS VERY ADDICTING!

Begin with a tub of water and some alcohol inks. 

Drip two/three drops of each of the alcohol inks into the water

Slip your paper of choice into the water

Out comes some fabulous backgrounds!!

Front side

BACK SIDE!!  YEP!! You get two different backgrounds on each sheet!!  This lets you choose which side you want to work with!!

  

Different colors on shipping tags

On Pure Luxury Cardstock

NOTE the middle sample...that one will be used for my project!!

On Glossy Paper

Slight variation.  Spritzed glossy paper heavily with water.  Applied alcohol inks with ink applicator. 

I also did samples with the alcohol ink Snow Cap.  It added a cool effect, but I found that on the glossy, it clumped up and then just brushed off once dried. Still a variation!! 

For the most part, I could make one sample, add new colors for another sample before needing to dump my water and starting over. 

I also tried this technique with some sticky back canvas. I wanted to try to make a background that was complentary to the middle sample seen above on the Pure Luxury.  Funny thing, I actually liked the PAPER backing of the canvas better!! haha!   And this is what I came up with using the Alcohol Floating background. 

This is an 8.5 x 8.5" layout.  the papers are retired Stampin' Up (Sorry, I don't recall the specific paper names and will admit that I'm too lazy and too far behind schedule in trying to get this posted!)  The main base was scored using my Scor-Pal every 1/4".  The backing to the sticky back canvas makes up the second background piece.  Tip:  Tape will NOT adhere to this backing! I had to put the tape on the black layer and then applied the background.  My guess is that if I could pull it up easily.  If I was really wanting this to stick, I would use some glue (either hot glue or strong glue like E6000.

The Suzi Blu image was stamped twice with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  I stamped it on a piece of Pure Luxury White and again on the Alcohol Floating background that was seen previously.  I paper pieced her dress using the background.  I added a very slight bit of shading to her dress and hair with some Copic markers, but deliberately left her body uncolored, as I liked the stark, rather gothic look to her!

The roses were made with more of the retired SU papers.  Ok, I felt guilty.  I'm taking a wild guess here:  Lovely Lilac, Lavender Lace and Almost Amethyste would be my guess on which shades of paper I used.  The large roses were die cut with Spellbinder's Spiral Blossom One.   The small rose was made from a Spellbinder's Scalloped circle that I just hand cut the spiral to roll.  The large flowers were stamped  and sponged with Distress Inks in Dusty Concord and  Chipped Saphire, using stamps from Wendy Vecchi's Art Colors Life and Be Happy, Make Art sets.  The leaves were die cut from SU's Kiwi Kiss using Spellbinder's Foliage and were sponged with Distress Peeled Paint ink.  The pearls in the center were made with a Viva Decor pearl pen.

The edge embellishment was cut with Spellbinder's Edgeabilities Classic Ric Rac.  The black rhinestones are from Want 2 Scrap nestabling that match Spellbinder's circle dies.  I just cut them to fit the area I wanted to place them in.

Close up of the Faux marble on the dress and flowers

I hope that these variations of doing Faux Marble will inspire you to create!!

'Till next time...................

Be Merry!!

Hey People!  I hope that your week is starting off with a BANG!  I'm trying to catch up after falling to the season's first winter cold.  Ick.  But!!  I mustered enough brain cells to come up with a project for another E-Team hop!!  I didn't want to miss out on all the holiday fun!!

Be Merry Tag series #3

E-Team

Daisy

Broni

Latrice

Linda D

Linda L

Micki

Sherry

ME!!



And as you have all come enjoy and expect, it wouldn't be an E-Team blog hop without some wonderful goodies up for grabs!!  Leave a comment on all the participating Team member blog's for a chance at 3 Be Merry Goody Boxes that will be chosen randomly.  PLUS:  make sure you leave a comment on the eP blog on what your favorite Thanksgiving dessert is (or your favorite dessert period! hehe) for a chance at 2 $20 eP gift vouches to the eP store!!  Comments can be left from today, November 15 until Thursday, November 17.  Winners will be announced on the ep blog Friday, November 18. 

For this series Daisy gave us free reign as to what holiday stamps, papers, embellishments we could use from the wonderful eP store.  Our only instructions were to make a Tag and an ATC.

Have you noticed that lately I have had a very hard time following directions?!!  I'm going to grab onto the very thin life line that I have been sick and just did not have enough energy or mojo for two projects.  BUT!! In my defense, I did create a project that required a few more ideas!

My Be Merry Chunky  TAG ATC!!

Paper:  Idea-ology Paper Stash Seasonal.  Ink:  Distress Vintage Photo.  Accessories:  TenSecond Studios Barn Red and Poison Ivy Metal altered with alcohol inks in Meadow, Cranberry and Current. Dies:  Spellbinder's Layered Poinsettia.  Idea-ology Findings Curio Knobs and Numerals. 1/2 pearls colored with Copics from Want2Scrap.

Paper:  Idea-ology Paper Stash Seasonal.  Accessories:  Rock Candy Stickles (covering main image).  Glossy accents to adhere fine glitter.  Dies:  Spellbinder's Create a Flake One. TenSecond Studios Peal metal altered with alcohol inks Denim and Cloudy Blue.  1/2 pearls from stash.

Metal:  TenSecond Studios Barn Red.  Cuttlebug Dots embossing folder.  Letters are Idea-ology Grungeboard Mixed Mini Plain altered with Claudine Hellsmuth's Studio Paint Blank Canvas.  Essentials Glue pad used to adhere fine glitter (from stash)

Metal:  TenSecond Studios Barn Red embossed with Alterations Texture Fade Snow Flurries.  Letters again are Grungeboard Plain altered as above.  Snowflake is two layers of plain grungeboard cut with Spellbinder's Create a Flake One and altered with paint and glitter as above. 

Metal:  TenSecond Studios Barn Red altered with a Cuttlebug embossing folder (sorry, don't recall the name.  It is a Christmas tree).  Idea-ology Findings Curio Knob.

Other: 2x4 cut to ATC size.  Claudine Hellsmuth's Studio Paint Dash of Red.  Burnishing/sanding block from TenSecond Studios.  Tombow Mono Metal liquid glue.  TenSecond Studio's Killer Adhesive.  E6000 to layer metal embellishments and glue to project. 

I hope you enjoy!  'Till next time...................enjoy the creativity

Getting out the Alcohol

.......INKS!!  hehe

Yep!  It's time for another ride with the E-Team!  Today we are continuing our series It's Better With Color sharing tips and projects using Ranger's Alcohol Inks. 

Of course, Daisy is offering goodies!!  Here are the deets:

*4 winners chosen randomly from E-Team blog comments plus 1 from eP Blog

*4 winners will receive $20 vouchers

*eP Blog winner will receive a some alcohol inks goodies including an assortment of alcohol inks, blending solution, blending tools and some other surprises

*one comment per person per blog beginning Thurs June 30th -  and ending Monday, July 4th.

Winners will be posted on eP Blog on Tuesday, July 5th

All alcohol inks will be on sale at 20%

Broni and Linda are already starting their long weekend celebrations, so they won't be participating in this hop (you might just want to stop by and tell them that you missed their creativity tho!! wink!), and in all honesty, I don't know if Latrice's new little one has kept her from creating.  Again, why don't you just stop by and let her know that she is missed?!    Here are the links to the rest of the team that is participating this weekend:

Daisy/ep Blog

Linda L

Micki

Sherry

Starla (me!)

WARNING! DISCLAIMER OR HEADS UP!!

It would seem that the combination of covering for vacationing therapists and the fact that it is summer vacation and the preference for spending my evenings with the family enjoying the longer days has resulted in a lack of creative time spent in my craft area.  Alas, I have no actual FINISHED project to share with you today.  BUT!! I had a new idea that I wanted to explore and share  some tips for using alcohol inks and metal.  I really hope to finish my project idea over the long weekend or soon after.  Stay tuned!

While alcohol inks are generally used on glossy surfaces or non porous surfaces, I had an idea to try something a bit different with the inks. 

Start with one basic candle.

Apply some Cranberry and Red Pepper Alcohol Inks in a random pattern, using a dabbing, twisting motion.

Wait a couple of minutes for the ink to dry.  Add another layer of inks, going just a bit more heavy on the Cranberry color

Hint:  Do not make your random dabbing in a straight line vertically or horizontally. 

GORGEOUS marbling effect on the candle!

I am sooo excited about this discovery!  The alcohol inks work BEAUTIFULLY on candles!  I have the hardest time finding candles in the shade of red and blue that are the accent colors of my home.  Now, I will be able to custom color candles to match my decor!!  Hopefully, I will have a finished project with this little discovery in a few days!!  This is a very simple idea, but WOW! 

*******

I happen to love my alcohol inks and use them quite often to customize embellishments to match my projects.  Clear embellishments, ivory or white pearls are easily altered using the alcohol inks.  I have found lately that I use them just about every time I make something with Metal.  Metal sheets are easily altered with alcohol inks to customize the color to fit your project. 



Start with Ten Second Studios Kiss Me Pink Metal Sheet and add the same Cranberry and Red Pepper ink.

Hint:  You can add more layers of alcohol inks to deepen the color or add a different color, but you will need to let the ink dry before adding another layer, or you can start to "pull off" the still wet ink from the metal.  It doesn't take long, just a couple of minutes.



Second layer with a bit of Current added to the previous mix

Another tip I wanted to share is the effect of different types of embossing with the alcohol ink altered metal.  You can run the altered metal sheets through your machine of choice with an embossing folder and then sand off the raised portions with a sanding block to expose the aluminum. 

If using a mold to emboss, I have found that I prefer to alter the metal with the alcohol inks AFTER I emboss with my paper stump and refine.  It may be that I don't allow the ink to dry completely before I start to emboss, but to me, the paper stump doesn't glide over the inks as well.  And, I will occasionally rub off the ink color when rubbing.

Notice the lighter "outline" on the image on the left?  The paper stump rubbed off some of the color when I was embossing.  Of course, I could "fix" this by easily adding another layer of color and then sand off the raised edges.  It's not the end of the world if this does happen to you.  I just wanted you to be aware that it COULD happen.

  I thought I would just include a few of the past projects that I have done with alcohol inks to remind you that there are sooo many options with this medium.

Plaid background on glossy paper

Altering a large fragment with a resist

altering a clear bottle

altering the color of metal for the rose and custom coloring plain aluminum for the leaves

Altering the color of metal again

Altering Whiteout Modeling Film

Alcohol inks are so easy and fun to use, that even Kiddo's love them!!

I hope that you found some inspiration to either get out your alcohol inks again or to give them a try!!