Little Angel

It is time for the new challenge at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog and Suzz who is our hostess for this one is calling it Leap Into the Odd.  Here is how she describes this fun theme:

2020 is a leap year which means we will have an additional day in February ending on an odd number of days. The definition of odd is "different from what is usual or expected; strange." My challenge to you is to create something odd or unusual. Also you must tell us what is odd or unusual in your project when you share it with us!

When I first started to think about what I might create I was a little stymied but then the idea for this collage popped into my head.  Most often when I see an angel or fairy depicted, they are females so I thought it would be fun to make an angel out of this little boy.  Given that he is all dressed up, I am betting that he is really a little devil in disguise.

I was having so much fun creating that I forgot to take any process photos so stick with me and I will walk you through it.

I started by preparing the 8" x 8" deep stretched canvas itself. First I used a Harlequin stencil (Tim Holtz) with some texture paste (Ranger) to add texture in random areas on both the front and sides. Then I covered the whole canvas with White Gesso (Dina Wakley).

The canvas was then covered with Sand Acrylic Paint (Dina Wakley) and then some watered down Peacock Acrylic Paint (Dina Wakley) was brushed and sponged on randomly.  Finally some water was added to some Gathered Twigs Distress Oxide on my kraft sheet and the canvas was pounced onto the beads that formed to give the appearance of splatters.

Next I started to assemble the collage elements, which are a mixture of fibers, papers from the Dapper paper pad (Tim Holtz) and Idea-ology items.  The lace and cheesecloth have been dyed with Vintage Photo Distress Ink (Tim Holtz).  Text paper from Dapper was inked with Gathered Twigs DI while the old book paper was inked with Vintage Photo and Cracked Pistachio DI.  The ruler is paper from the Dapper pad and has not been altered.

The paper doll (Tim Holtz) was inked with Vintage Photo DI and his Transparent Wings (Tim Holtz) were inked from the back with a combination of Aqua, Mushroom and Copper Mixative Alcohol Ink (Tim Holtz).  I used Vintage Photo DI to ink both the Chit Chat Sticker and the Quote Chip (Tim Holtz).

I dyed some tea bag paper with some Gathered Twigs and Vintage Photo DI and then used Coffee Archival Ink (Ranger) and the stamp from a set called Border Lines (Seth Apter) to create the strip on the right of the collage.

Finally I added a Trinket Pin (Tim Holtz), a rusted piece of hardware and a button (from The Funkie Junkie Boutique but used with the back side showing).

So there you have my little angel collage.  I hope you will think about something odd and join us for the challenge.  It runs until 11:55 pm EST on Tuesday, March 3rd.  One randomly chosen entry will receive a gift certificate to go shopping at The Funkie Junkie Boutique and with all the new products coming in, that would be a nice thing to have.  The Design Team will choose their top four picks and the overall winner will receive an opportunity to be a Guest Designer with us at a future date.

Supplies list:

Dina Wakley Media Mediums - White Gesso MDM41689
Ranger Texture Paste Opaque Matte INK44444
Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Layering Stencils - Harlequin THS016
Dina Wakley Acrylic Paints - Sand, Peacock
Tim Holtz Distress Inks - Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs and Cracked Pistachio DI, Gathered Twigs DO
Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink -Aqua, Mushroom, Copper Mixative and Blending Solution
Ranger Archival Ink Pad - Coffee AIP31451
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Chitchat Stickers TH92998
Carved Coconut Shell Buttons - 5/8"
Scor Tape
8" x 8" Deep Stretched Canvas
Tea Bag Paper
Old Book Paper
Burlap
Lace
Cheesecloth
Tim Holtz Idea-ology - Dapper Paper Pad, Trinket Pin, Quote Chip, Transparent Wings
Seth Apter Border Lines Rubber Stamp Set

Leather Notebook - But Is It Real?

Today is the start of a new challenge at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog and I am the hostess this time.  I am calling this challenge "It Looks Real" and here is how I describe it:

There are so many ways to make something look real when it isn't. For this challenge, make a vintage or shabby chic project with one or more faux elements. Those elements could be faux rust, leather, stitching - to name a few. Make sure you tell us what the faux element is and how you made it because it will look real.

I decided to make a tiny notebook with a faux leather cover. I was actually inspired by a TV commercial that features a folded butterfly.

I have made faux leather a few times in different ways but this has to be the easiest way yet.  When you get an order from The Funkie Junkie Boutique you find some of the products wrapped in brown paper.  I always threw it out until Jenny Marples told me she saves it and uses it in her projects.  I realized what a mistake I had been making so I started to save it as well.

To make my faux leather I inked a piece of the brown paper  completely with Vintage Photo Distress Ink (Tim Holtz).  Then I crumpled the paper into a tight ball and then spread it out again.  I did this a few times to give it lots of wrinkles.  Next I rubbed the Coffee Archival Ink pad (Ranger) over the top to hit the highlights.

Because I wadded the paper up so many times, it softened quite a bit so I stiffened it up by coating it with Mod Podge.  Voila, faux leather.

The base of the book is just heavy card stock cut  9" x 5 1/2" and scored on the long side at 4 1/4" and 4 3/4".  The outside of the book was covered in the faux leather and then I added a piece of brown card stock cut a bit smaller to the inside.

I made two holes side by side at the top and bottom of the spine and strung the book with round elastic.  I didn't like the stark white elastic against the brown so I inked it with some Vintage Photo DI.  Next I made two signatures from tea and coffee dyed copy paper that I had in my stash and added those to the inside of the book.

I realized that I need a closure so I cut a piece of card stock 1" x 5", covered it with some of my faux leather and bent it around the notebook using a magnet snap (Basic Grey) to keep it shut.  Tip: If you want to stretch your magnet stash, use a purchased magnet on one side and a steel washer on the other side but you need thinner paper over it because it may not be strong enough under card stock.

The next step was to decorate the front cover around the area where the magnet sits.  To do that I made all sorts of leaves and branches with the Fall Foliage and Skeleton Leaves dies (Tim Holtz) using paper from the Abandoned and Metallics Kraft Stock pads (Tim Holtz).  The die cuts from the Fall Foliage die set were inked on the edges with Vintage Photo DI.

To decorate the closure I folded paper from the Abandoned pad to make a butterfly and then added an Idea-ology pen nib (Tim Holtz) that I altered with some Ginger and Gold Mixative Alcohol Inks (Tim Holtz).  Tip:  To glue the two sections together bend the bottom section so the sides almost touch in the middle, apply the glue in a narrow strip and use a paper clip to hold the two sections together while the glue dries.  I used a bit too much glue and didn't bend the bottom enough so I didn't get as much gap between the top and bottom sections of the butterfly as I wanted - lesson learned.

There you have it, a simple but handy little notebook.  This one would be great for a fellow but if you use different inks and more feminine embellishments you will be able to create something lovely for a female.

The challenge is open through Tuesday, November 5th at 11:55 pm EST and you have a chance at being chosen as a top pick.  The overall top pick will have an opportunity to be a Guest Designer at a future date.  One randomly selected winner will receive a gift certificate to shop at The Funkie Junkie Boutique and with all the wonderful new products coming in and the great prices and customer service Linda offers, you won't want to miss this chance.

Supplies list with links to The Funkie Junkie Boutique:

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Mini Paper Stash, Abandoned TH93962
Tim Holtz Idea-ology 8 x 8 Metallic Kraft Stock
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Vintage Photo TIM19527
Ranger Archival Ink Pad - Coffee AIP31451
Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 14PK - Fall Foliage by Tim Holtz 660955
Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 5pk - Skeleton Leaves by Tim Holtz 663094
Magnetic Snaps, Large MET522
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Pen Nibs
Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Ink - Ginger TIM22046
Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Ink - Gold Mixative TIM22053
Ranger Tim Holtz Alcohol Blending Solution
Ranger Inkssentials Alcohol Ink Applicator With 10 Blending Felts TIM20745
Scor-Pal Scor-Tape 1/8" x 27 Yards
Scor-Pal Scor-Tape 1/4" x 27 Yards
Scor-Pal Scor-Tape 1/2" x 27 Yards

Halloween Pop-up Shop

It is time for the new challenge at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog called 'It's Halloween' and Sara Emily, our hostess this time, describes it this way:

I love Halloween! With Halloween just a few weeks away, I challenge you to create a vintage or shabby chic project with a Halloween theme. Your project can be as silly or creepy as you like, but just have fun!

Halloween isn't a celebration that I get carried away with anymore because we now live in a neighbourhood with few children and my Grandchildren live out in the country so they don't even come by for treats. As a matter of fact, my Granddaughter who just turned 13 has decided she won't go trick or treating this year but wants to have a party with friends and watch a scary movie.  As a result, I was at a loss with this challenge until I was going to toss an empty cracker box in the garbage and a light went on in my head.  I could envision it becoming a pop-up shop and set about to make just that.

Leaving about an inch at the top, I cut one side of the box open to make the doors and then I covered the box inside and out with Black Gesso (Dina Wakley).  After that was dry I decided to add some texture by covering the outside and both sides of the doors with crumpled up black tissue paper (Dollarama).

I rough cut a piece of corrugated cardboard and coated it with Black Gesso to make the backing for the store sign.  The sign itself is just a piece of card stock with a computer generated name that has been cut out with a pair of deckle scissors (Fiskars) and then inked with Twisted Citron and Dusty Concord Distress Ink (Tim Holtz)

Next I inked over the tissue with some Twisted Citron and Dusty Concord DI but it didn't show up as well as I wanted to I went over it with some watered-down Lime and Blackberry Acrylic Paint (Dina Wakley).   After that I used my finger to rub some Starry Night and Lime Green Stickles (Ranger) to the doors and the sign backing.

The back of the inside was covered with a piece of patterned paper from the Abandoned paper pad (Tim Holtz) and then I added shelves, which are just pieces of wood covered with Black Gesso.

Some little pieces of wood were covered with scraps of faux leather paper (leftover from a previous project) to create little books.  The bottles were inked with Purple Twilight and Yellow Sunshine Alcohol Ink (Tim Holtz).  One was filled with water and the other with a bunch of googly eyes (Dollarama).   Computer generated labels were added to the bottles and the spines of the books.  The final shelf was filled with little skulls.

Some little pumpkins were aged with some Sand Acrylic Paint (Dina Wakley) and had bits of wood branches added for stems.

The tombstones are also pieces of wood cut and engraved by my husband on the laser cutter.  I coated them with Black Gesso and then sponged on some Elephant Acrylic Paint (Dina Wakley).  I made the witches brooms from wooden skewers and unraveled jute twine coated with watered down Mod Podge but wished I had had some of the Idea-ology brooms so I will link those for you.

The tent sign was also created on the computer and mounted on some card stock inked with Twisted Citron and Dusty Concord DI.  An Idea-ology Bitty Bat (Tim Holtz) was added along with another one on the store sign.  Some cheesecloth was dyed with Hickory Smoke DI and added along with some plastic spiders to the top of the Bootique and

The black cats were also cut on the laser cutter from heavy black card stock.  I coated some acetate with Sunshine Yellow and Sunset Orange Alcohol Ink and added bits behind their eyes.  Some Witch paper dolls (Tim Holtz) came to shop.

Tip:  Use florist gum, which comes in a roll attached to a paper tape, to make things stand up.  It can be removed to change positions or when you want to take everything apart.

If you are a fan of Halloween, this may not be the scariest project but I think the result is quite fun and since pop-up shops are all the rage right now, I am definitely fitting right in with this creation.

The challenge runs through 11:55 pm EST on October 22nd so you are just in time to make something for Halloween and share it with us.  We will choose our top picks with the overall winner receiving an invitation to be a Guest Designer at a future date and one randomly chosen winner will receive a gift certificate to go shopping at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

Supplies list with links to The Funkie Junkie Boutique:

Tim Holtz Idea-ology 2018 Paper Dolls, Ancestors (Discontinued)
Dina Wakley Media Mediums - Black Gesso - 4 oz. Jar MDM41719
Dina Wakley Heavy Body Acrylic Paint - Sand - 1oz Bottle
Dina Wakley Media Acrylic Paint - Elephant, 1oz Bottle
Dina Wakley Media Acrylic Paint - Lime, 1oz Bottle
Dina Wakley Media Acrylic Paint - Blackberry, 1oz Bottle
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Mini Paper Stash, Abandoned TH93962
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Bity Bats TH93981
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Pumpkin Pieces TH93970
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Skull Fragments TH93968
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Broomsticks TH93965
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Twisted Citron TIM43294
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Dusty Concord TIM21445
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Hickory Smoke TIM43232
Ranger Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink - Purple Twilight
Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Ink - Sunshine Yellow
Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Ink - Sunset Orange
Scor-Pal Scor-Tape 1/8" x 27 Yards
Ranger Inkssentials Alcohol Ink Applicator With 10 Blending Felts TIM20745
Ranger Inkssentials Mini Ink Blending Tool - With 4 Blending Foams IBT40965
Ranger Starry Night Stickles
Ranger Lime Green Stickles
Corked Vials (Dollarama)
Cheesecloth
Plastic Spiders (Dollarama)

Masculine Metallics

It is time for the next challenge at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog.  Jenny is hosting this one and she calls it Marvellous Metallics.  Here is what she says about it:

There are so many ways to add metallics to your projects, from embossing powders and pastes, metallic finish cards and foils, metallic inks and paints to metal embellishments. And you can leave them untreated for a touch of glamour or alter them for an aged or more grungy look. Show us how you like to use metals on your vintage or shabby chic projects.

I always try to work ahead and did in this case too but the quality of the process photos for this project will be hit or miss  Some were taken with my old phone and were part of the lot that were messed up because the gremlin in the phone changed the camera settings - grrr.  There are some taken with the new phone I got a week ago but I haven't figured out the settings yet.   Technology is grand and then it isn't.

I will describe what I did and I am sure when you look at the finished project, you will be able to follow.

• Start making the background by cutting a piece of card stock slightly smaller than the card blank
• Pat Gathered Twigs, Walnut Stain and Vintage Photo Distress Oxide (Tim Holtz) on a kraft mat.
• Spritz the oxides with water and drag the card stock through the puddles
• Randomly ink with Orange Blossom Archival Ink (Wendy Vecchi)

• Use Watering Can Archival Ink (Wendy Vecchi) to stamp images from The Professor and Dapper stamp sets (Tim Holtz) - the Dapper image is now hidden by the tag but it is there

• Randomly stamp script from the Entomology stamp set (Tim Holtz) with Jet Black Archival Ink (Ranger)
• Use Versamark to stamp a line of stars from a clear stamp set with no name (Tim Holtz #THMM104)
• Mix a bit of copper and a bit of gold embossing powder together and heat emboss the stars
• Splatter the background with some blue metallic paint

• Cut a tag shape from Memoranda paper pad (Tim Holtz), add a reinforcement ring punched from some Rose Gold Metallics 2 Kraft Stock (Tim Holtz) and a topper of some copper string blended with some burlap string
• Ink the edges of the tag with some Rose Gold Metallique Wax Paste (Prima) and then with a bit of Metallique Vintage Gold (Prima)

• Make a big ticket from Rose Gold Metallics 2 Kraft Stock and a ticket texture fade from a set called  Playing Games (Tim Holtz)
• Fussy cut the ticket and scuff the raised areas with a sanding block

• Use Watering Can Archival Ink to stamp The Professor (Tim Holtz), fussy cut him, ink him all over with some Pumice Stone Distress Ink (Tim Holtz)
• Ink the edges of The Professor with Vintage Photo Distress Ink

• Stamp with large light bulb from The Professor set with Versamark, emboss with the copper/gold mixture and fussy cut
• Ink a Quote Chip (Tim Holtz) with Pumice Stone DI, a bit of Orange Blossom Archival Ink and then splatter with the blue paint
• Ink the edges of a few pieces of Ephemera (Tim Holtz) with Vintage Photo DI

To assemble:

• Distress the edges of the background and add to the card blank
• Add the tag making a hinged pocket to hold the ticket
• Add the ephemera, Quote Chip, a Trinket Pin (Tim Holtz) and a button
• Add the light bulb with dimensional foam and finally add the professor

I hope you will dig out your metallics and join us for this challenge.  One entrant chosen by random will receive a gift certificate to go shopping at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.  The Design Team will choose their top picks with the overall winner receiving an opportunity to be a Guest Designer at a future date.  The challenge is open through 11:55 pm EST on Tuesday, August 13th.

Supplies with links to The Funkie Junkie Boutique:

Playing Games Texture Fade (Tim Holtz)
Dapper Stamp Set CMS267 (Tim Holtz)
Stamp Set THMM107 (Tim Holtz)
Memoranda Paper Pad (Tim Holtz)
Dark Patina Metallics Acrylic Paint (Deco Art) - Suggest - Prima Art Alchemy Acrylic Paint - Metallique Light Patina
Circle Punches (Marvy Uchida)
Ranger Embossing Powder - Copper EPJ37378
Ranger Embossing Powder - Princess Gold EPJ37477
Tim Holtz Cling Stamps - The Professor
Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Entomology
Tim Holtz Idea-ology 8 x 8 Metallic 2 Kraft Stock - Rose Gold & Copper TH93780

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Pad - Gathered Twigs	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Pad - Walnut Stain	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Pad - Vintage Photo	Ranger Wendy Vecchi Archival Ink Pad - Orange Blossom AID38986	Ranger Wendy Vecchi Archival Ink Pad - Watering Can AID39006	Ranger Archival Ink Pad - Jet Black AIP31468
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Pumice Stone TIM27140	VersaMark Watermark Ink Stamp Pad	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Quote Chips	Ranger Inkssentials Mini Ink Blending Tool - With 4 Blending Foams IBT40965	Scor-Pal Scor-Tape 1/8" x 27 Yards	Scor-Pal Scor-Tape 1/4" x 27 Yards
Scor-Pal Scor-Tape 3/8" x 27 Yards

My Most Memorable Gift

It is time for the last challenge of 2017 at Frilly and Funkie and Suzz, our hostess is calling it Most Memorable Gift.  Here is how she describes it:

December for many of us is a time where we give and receive. That had me thinking about the most memorable gifts I have received over the years. These including a signed book from one of my favorite authors, handwritten notes from my children, a singing hot dog condiment stand and the first gift my husband gave me when we were dating. Since this is the season of giving I want you to be inspired by a memorable gift and use that to create a vintage or shabby chic project that captures the inspiration from that gift. You can make a card, a tag, share a journal entry or any kind of project you desire. Just be sure to mention the memorable gift and how it inspired your creation.

My most memorable gift was one my husband gave me for Christmas when we were first dating.   Now I was never one to shake presents but for some reason I shook this one a few days before Christmas and all I could hear was what sounded like broken glass and I was instantly panic-stricken.  He had flown out west to be with his parents for the holidays and I went north to be with mine so I just kept that information to myself.  Then on Christmas day I opened the gift with great fear and inside was a bottle of very good cognac wrapped in rubber along with a little tiny bottle with two screws in it.  SNEAKY!!!

When I read the challenge theme I could not figure out how I was going to come up with a project to depict that story until I was relating the story to Jenny Marples and she immediately suggested that I alter a bottle.  That is one reason I love her, she is so creative and she is always willing to share.

I dug out a fancy bottle I was saving intending to alter it and then I remembered this tiny little mason jar.  This is just 3" tall and it came in a six-pack of flavoured moonshine that my husband picked up last year on a visit to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.  I decided to make a simple little ornament out of it and since I love the way it turned out, I want some more for the tree so he better start drinking.

Except for this next one, there are no process photos because I discovered after it was all put together that when I changed to different bulbs in my lamps, I should have changed some settings in the camera, which explains why I didn't go into photography for a career.

I had my husband drill a couple holes in the lid for me and then I altered the colour of it with Poppyfield and Gold Mixative Alcphol Ink (Tim Holtz).  I added a hanger of gold beading wire through the holes and twisted the ends together underneath.

Next I added some Glossy Accents to the bottom of each leg of the teeny deer and glued it into the bottle bottom.  Tip:  Put the bottle on its side to do this step because it will give you more control and prevent the glue from grabbing onto the side of the bottle.

Next I added some tiny red gems to a small bottle brush tree (Tim Holtz) and then glued it into the bottle.

I wanted to add some snow so I scraped a styrofoam ball to get bits and then mixed some clear silver-lined seed beads in with my "snow" before I added it to the bottle.

Once that was done I put the lid on and realized how pale the inside looked so I decided to add a tie around the neck of the deer but since it was already set in I needed to come up with a work-around.  I created a little noose with some burlap string and using tweezers, I tied it around his neck.  It worked - whew!!!

To decorate the top I cut some "greenery" from the Holiday Greens die (Tim Holtz) and some gold Kraft Core Shattered Collection (Tim Holtz).  It needed a bit of sparkle so I sprayed it with Tarnished Brass Distress Spray Stain (Tim Holtz).  After I added it to the top of the lid, I piled on some berries and beads from my stash.

There you go, a simply created ornament to depict my story with many similarities - a little bottle, something inside it, alcohol is involved and so is my husband - LOL.