Tell Tale Heart

Hi Everyone,
I am up on the Gypsy Soul LAser Cuts blog with a really cool creepy project today.

Take a brown paper sack and crumple it up.  I crumpled and uncrumpled mine several times to get the wrinkles the way I liked them.  I glued the bag to the Faux Book Box using Distress Collage Medium.  Once the collage medium was dry I used Distress Stains to color the paper. I kept adding and wiping away the stain until I was happy with the color.

I added Distress Crayon in Ground Espresso to the book to highlight the wrinkles.

Next I embossed a couple Stackable Labels using Charred Gold and glued them to the cover of the book. 

Printers Ornamental Corners were added to the spine(also embossed with Charred Gold). 

The inside of the box is covered with a paper that looks like weathered wood and the edges are embossed.  

A faux pocket watch has a picture of Poe inside.  I colored the edge with alcohol inks in mushroom and red pepper.  Silk sari ribbon was dyed using Distress Stain in walnut Stain and Alcohol Ink in Red Pepper.  The alcohol ink gave the ribbon the deep red color I wanted.  The watch was then glued on top of the stackable labels.

   

The relics and artifacts heart was painted red and left to air dry.  I added a layer of collage medium onto the heart and heated it with an embossing gun.  The glue bubbled and looked pretty gross(the look I was going for).  I added another layer of red paint to the heart.  

The heart hangs freely in the box so you can hear it bumping around.

I added the quote from the story to complete the tale.  

The back is blank, but you can see how the book looks like wrinkly old leather. 

Happy Halloween!

A Vintage Journey Autumn Colors

Country View Challenges Mixed Media with Autumnal Hues

SanDee and amelie's Steampunk anything goes

Jess

Watching and Waiting Halloween Card

Hi Everyone,
 We are celebrating all things spooky over at Emerald Creek this month and I have a quick card for you.

I started with black cardstock that I stamped with the Web stamp and then embossed using Oil Rubbed Bronze.

Do you love Tim Holtz paper dolls as much as I do? I hate fussy cutting and these guys just have so many uses.  Today I took a Skull Charm and cut off the hasp.  I glued the skull over the head and added a crown of dead flowers colored with Distress Stains.

I added my lady to the background and gave her a giant pair of Scissors.  The scissors have some Red Pepper Alcohol Ink on them. 

I added a sentiment from the Halloween Clipping set and my creepy card is done.

Happy Haunting!

Jess

Beach Dreams

Hi Everyone, 

I'm up on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog today with a fun vintage inspired postcard.

I've been dreaming of the ocean.  I grew up near the beach and every summer all the girls in our family used to spend a week in York, Maine.  I am now in Arizona and don't get to the beach nearly enough.  I think this postcard is as close as I will get this year.  Here is how you can create your own. 

I started with a piece of paper mounted on a piece of mat board.  I randomly added crazing medium and then added Distress Crayon in Hickory Smoke and Broken China to show off the cracks.  

Both umbrellas were colored using Distress Stains(candied Apple, Broken China, Fossilized Amber, and Vintage Photo).  I did not prime them with gesso.  I wanted them to look slightly faded and the stain seeps into the chipboard.  Once the stain was dry I covered them with Emerald Creek's clear embossing powder. It's not completely covered.  I left some blank spots so it looks a bit tattered and sun faded.  

The waves are all embossing using various Emerald Creek embossing powders and then layered. The top wave has a layer of Salted Navy and then a layer of Soft Fallen Snow.  The middle wave has Broken China Distress Stain and then Fractured Ice embossing powder.  The last wave has a layer of Salted Navy and then is topped with Blue Pearl.  

The sand dollar was punched with white acrylic paint using a dry brush so some of the chipboard color is still visible.  The starfish are embossed with San Tropez Tan.  The shells are coated with a thin layer of gesso, a bit of Nuance Powder in Jade, and embossed with Fractured Ice. Don't the starfish look real?

The sand is torn paper that has been inked using Antique Linen and Tea Dye Distress Inks.  I glued them in layers and tucked in all of my pieces.  I love that her foot is buried in the sand.

 My sentiment is the finishing touch; 

I adding some shadow around it and the lady using distress crayons and a Fude ball pen.

Anyone want to take me to the beach this summer?

Jess

Fall is in the air

Hi Everyone,
Ahhh, triple digits are gone so it must be Fall in Arizona.  I live right near Phoenix, so no changing leaves for me.  I grew up in Massachusetts and I think that's why Fall is my favorite season.  I don't know why but Autumn always makes me reflect on what I have and what I am thankful for.  This little wreath reminds me that there is something to appreciate every day.

I want to apologize for not taking photos while I worked.  I am really bad about getting caught up in creating and forgetting to take pictures.

 I die cut my leaves, out of manila, and used different Distress Inks to make them colorful.  I just grabbed anything that looked like I could use it-reds, oranges, yellows, greens, and browns.  I used a lot of color and really saturated the paper.  Once the ink was dry I covered the leaves in Distress Rock Candy Crackle and set them aside.

The Rock Candy gives the leaves a gorgeous crackle and shine.  You can leave them just like they are after this step and they look amazing, but I wanted to add a bit more.  I used my embossing powders to make them pop! I love how they turned out.

Next I took a huge bunch of seam binding and died it using Distress Stains.  I kept a lot of the colors I used in my leaves on the ribbon.  I wrapped a word band on the ribbon and tied a big fussy bow.  Pinecone charms add an extra fall touch.  I cut the bales off and just glued them on the ribbon.  Embossing powder on the ribbon gives it extra sparkle too.

For the final embellishment I used a round cabochon charm and some fall berries.

Try making some leaves.  They are super fun and playing with the different inks and powders will produce a different effect each time.  

Jess

Fabulous Supplies available on Emerald Creek: 

Charred Gold Embossing powder

Hammered Metal Embossing Powder

Burnt Copper Leaves

 Pinecone charms

round cabochon charm 

Distress Inks 

Distress Stains

Other supplies: 

Seam Binding

Wreath

Word Band

Word Token

Brad

Distress Rock Candy Crackle

Guest posting for Emerald Creek

Hi Everyone,

I'm back guest posting for Emerald Creek Craft Supplies today. The theme up on the challenge blog is superheroes. When I heard this my first reaction was "crap."  Don't get me wrong I love superheroes, but making art with and about them? I really had to put on my thinking cap.  I took this theme and went extreme. I made something to celebrate, someone I consider, an art superhero. Frida Kahlo.

I've always admired Frida's work, but I have been reading more about her as a person. She was a total bad ass! What's more of a superhero personality must than being bad ass?!

She overcame major injuries and incorporated her pain, her joy, her anger, and her love into her art.

She didn't care what society thought about her. She was truly living as her authentic self. I think that is what art is all about, trying to find your authentic self.

Who is your art superhero? 

Jess

Supplies you can find from Emerald Creek:

Hammered Metal Embossing Powder

Vintage Ivy Embossing Powder

Distress Markers

Distress Stains

Distress Ink

Other supplies:

Trophy cup

Styrofoam ball

Memo pin

Chit chat

Cardstock

Seam binding

Tiny tattered floral die

Skull bead

Head Pin

Vial Label

Remnant Rub

Guest posting for Emerald Creek Designs

I am so excited to be guest posting for Emerald Creek Designs today.  Emerald Creek is an online store that specializes in embossing powders, stamps, and carries a ton of Ranger product. 

The current challenge they have running is Blast from the Past-Anything Goes. 

 I decided to take a piece I still love, but remake it using Emerald Creek Supplies and see what I could come up with.

Here is the original.  It's very soft and feminine.  I still have it hanging in my craft room.  

I wanted to have the remake be a little bit darker, kind of like her bad big sister. My more recent work has a much looser look.  I am loving splatters and drips.  I have been using my fingers to spread on inks, stains, and paints.  It doesn't look pretty when I have to go out, but it sure is fun.  

Her wings are so cool.  I used the Charred Gold embossing powder and this stuff rocks.  It's super chunky and you can layer it on really thick.  It moves around so you can create drips and waves. 

The flowers have some sprinkled in the centers too.  Some of the petals were dipped in the Soft Fallen Snow Embossing powder for an added layer.  The leaves were embossed with Vintage Ivy. The bottom corner has some Hammered Metal to mimic the metal corner I used in the original piece.  

Here's one more close up.  I hope you liked my redo.  

What have you been crafting? 

Jess

Emerald Creek Supplies I used:
Hammered Metal Embossing Powder
Charred Gold Embossing Powder
Soft Fallen Snow Embossing Powder
Vintage Ivy Embossing Powder
Sea Chest Stamp

Other products available on Emerald Creek:

Mowed Lawn Distress Stain
Broken China Distress Stain
Salty Ocean Distress Stain
Crushed Olive Distress Stain
Mowed Lawn Distress Ink
Broken China Distress Ink
Salty Ocean Distress Ink
Crushed Olive Distress Ink
Peacock Feathers Distress Crayon
Mermaid Lagoon Distress Crayon
Twisted Citron Distress Crayon
Black Soot Distress Crayon
Tim Holtz Craftcore Cardstock
Distress Markers

Other Products:

Sizzix Layered Wing Die
Sizzix Tattered Pinecone Die
Sizzix Tiny Tattered Floral Die
Cabinet Card
Found Relative Card
Archival Ink
Tissue Wrap
Acrylic Paint
Fude Ball Pen
Canvas Panel
EZ Steam II
Paper flowers
Foam Tape
Double Stick Tape
Hot glue

Fabric Elements Art Banner

I know I promised weeks ago to post this banner, but I got so excited about Creative Chemistry class that I forgot!  This is a smaller canvas piece than the last one I made.  This is about 7 inches long and the other panel was 12.  I really enjoyed working on the smaller size.  

I used some vintage German Scrap on the top.  It's such a wonderful heavy paper and there are a million shades of gold in there.  

The background is Tim Holtz tissue wrap ironed on to the canvas.  I colored the tissue using distress stains and inks.  I flicked black and white acrylic paint all over it.  Isn't this girl just lovely? I printed her on cardstock and fussy cut her out.  The butterfly wing is from a Dover clip art book.  Mirrored stars are colored with Mushroom alcohol ink for a vintage feel.  

Once all my pieces were glued down I went in with my fude ball pen and added some scribbles.  

Here is the completed banner one more time.  

What have you been crafting?

Jess

Anything but Cute-the birds and the bees challenge

Our Creative Corner- A beautiful mess

 Mixed Media Monthly 2nd anniversary challenge

Creative Carte Blanche- winged Things

Summer of Creative Chemistry Week 2

This week I made two tags.  The first tag uses the stamping with stains technique.

The second tag uses the marbled stains technique, watercoloring with markers, stamping with markers, and a bit of layered misting.

There's still plenty of time to sign up! Even if you've been using Tim Holtz products for years it is well worth the price.