Friday 14 June 2013

'Take the challenge' June 2013

I came across another challenge when I browsed the net the other day. Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft has a blog where they share tips and techniques on their products, amongst others Stamper's Big Brush Pens and Gelatos! Which I like a lot!

The challenge is here:
"It's the end of the school year. 2013 is almost half way through for all of us. In this time, we have all learned one thing or another. What one important lesson have you learnt this year so far or what one theme has stood out for you?"

I decided to finish the art journal I started on some time ago. I haven't bought a proper art journal yet so my art journalling is on watercolor paper. What I've been trying to focus on these first six months of 2013 is not to get dragged down. There are some changes in my life and I'm not very happy about them. It's so easy to let those dark thoughts take control and make your life miserable. I'm trying to "fly above it" in order to get some distance and that is my attempt at trying to stay sane. I think it works! Even though it feels like I'm on the edge somedays I've created someting in bright, happy colors! Here's my take on the challenge:





The background is made with gelatos. I used masks and carpentry filler (instead of embossing creme) and then a layer of gesso. I painted the bird with Stamper's Big Brush Pens and then I used some ink sprays and destroyed the bird! So I cut out a bird from a patterned paper instead but then I accidentally glued on the wrong side! Decided that it was the grungy look I wanted for my poor, damaged bird, painted another thick layer of gesso over it and heated it with my heat gun in order to get the bird even more grungy. Used Stamper's Big Brush Pens again and some rub ons and finally some black ink to distress the bird even more. It took a while to make this since all my mistakes, but in the end got the result I wanted and I'm pleased with the outcome.

MATERIAL:
STAMPS:
Heindesign P-07191211

INKS:
Dylusion Ink Spray: Vibrant Turquoise, Fresh Lime, White Linen
Adirondack Color Wash - Stream
Acrylic color
OTHER:
Stamper's Big Brush Pens
Gelatos
Donna Downey Studio -  Artist Stencil #922436, Poppies and Peonies #922122
TCW - 3818 Mini Quatrefoil, 361 Tiny Circles
Carpentry filler (instead of embossing creme)
Posca - Black
StazOn - Black
Fiskars - Rain dots - self adhesive accents
Pencil

Monday 3 June 2013

12 tags of 2013 - June

 
 
It didn't take long to make this tag since I almost had everything Tim used. For a change! I still haven't bought the Distress Paints so I had to use ordinary acrylics again. I don't get the same result as Tim, but I still like the outcome of it. But I do have the Distress Markers! I liked the Distress Markers tutorial a lot. I haven't used them as much as I tought I would so I'm glad I got to use them in this challenge.
 
I started to stamp and color the image with my Distress Markers. Then I colored the tag with completely different colors so it didn't match the watercolored image at all. So I had to make a new watercolored image!
 
I used my new 325 g/m² aquarelle paper instead of the 200 g/m² I normally use. It was a big difference! I'm so glad I dragged it home from France! I have forgotten the repacking of the suitcases at the airport because my suitcase was to heavy!! (Hope the person that had to carry our dirty underwear in their suitcase has forgotten about it too!!)
 
For a bit of structure I added Crackle Accents on the butterflies wings and stapled the watercolored image to the tag.
 

 
This is my take on the June tag
 
Close-up
 
Here's what I did with the rest of the tags
 



MATERIAL:
INK:
Distress  Stain - evergreen bough
Distress Ink Pad - gathered twigs
Distress Markers - blue, green and beige/brown colors.
Making Memories - Scrapbook Colors - Fresh Anthology - Marine
StazOn - Black
STAMPS:
Stampers Anonymous - Urban Grunge, Boundless Flight
OTHER:
Crackle Accents
Seam binding
Staplers