Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Brushless Fun! CC2C #7

Welcome to the 7th technique from Tim Holtz's Compendium of Curiosities, Vol.2, as assigned by Linda at Studio L3

This week we are on Page 49: Brushless Watercolor.  This is one of my faves, as I picked this up from a Tim video years ago. Of course this is a bit fresher, using the Distress Stains.  My stamp is one I just picked up at Absolutely Everything last weekend from Penny Black.  Sort of a new look from the bolder "Brush strokes" collections.  I sorta overwatered the center of the flower (well, underwatered first, then overwatered..duh!) but it still is pretty neat looking.  I was going to give a final spritz of perfect pearls, but thought too much would run, so abstained. 

As our challenges now start on Fridays, which give me the weekend to work on a piece, it only gives me a few days to bring in the image to upload at work, so you don't have too much time left to join in, but do try!  As an added bonus, Daisy has volunteered to be this week's sponsor, offering a gift certificate to eclectic Paperie (www.eclecticpaperie.com)! How awesome is that! So go get brushless!

Happy Anniversary #3 WOYWW!!!

Happy 3rd Anniversary "Whats on Your Workdesk Wednesday"-ers!!  Julia over at Stamping Ground started this mid-week ritual, and what a fun way to spend Wednesday and Thursday than hopping around the world peeking into other's crafty places and seeing whats going on!   And on my desk...just some of the ATC's for the Anniversary.   Yes, there are 3, but 2 are already spoken for...and 1 is for the next person on the list...don't know what that means..then get over to the Stamping ground to find out!!   And Happy Anniversary All!


Wednesday, May 23, 2012

CC2C #6: Tissue Collage

Hello all! Well, what a weekend! I finally got to take some Live classes with Tim!! They were AMAZING!  I'll try to get some pictures up shortly.  But time is just plan non-exsistant right now, so bare with me. 
And, I'm blaming the time thing on this rather sad example of a great technique (particularily after a Tim Weekend! LOL!)  For our Challenge from Linda's Studio L3 was page #38 from Tim's 2nd volume of the Compendium Challenge.

Now: The good news.  This is the first of any type of collage I have tried that I liked.  Tim stressed not stressing..and it does make a difference.  Every past time I think I was too structured. Up until the 5th step, I was hunky-dorey. 
The Bad News: Because of all the drying steps (on a rather distressingly humid evening!!??) and I knew I had to get pictures last night so I could upload in time, my promising beginning sorta fell apart.  My 5th step (now you know; we can't give out secrets!) was probably too heavy handed, and got all muddy.  So you can't really see the last step.  And then I just plain ran out of gas in trying to finish/embellish this.  So, keep an eye out, as I plan on re-working this, as I really did like the underlying collage.  And, after working with the tissue paper this weekend, I will admit, very cool stuff. And a note to those who haven't gotten it yet: the musical one is being discontinued...so get it while you can! (don't worry, other really cool patterns will be following, he just didn't say what)

So, with time ticking, you do have a bit to jump in as well.  And as a bonus incentive, the Funky Junky Boutique is sponsoring this week with a $25 gift certificate!
Go get inky everyone, and have a great Memorial Day weekend!

WOYWW #155

 
Welcome to Wednesday, all you Wednesday Workdesk Jockey's (Jocki?  Plural of Jockey??)
Real quick post this week; my time is just crazy!!
I'll start with it was a FABULOUS weekend with Tim and Mario at the Absolutely Everything store in Topsfield MA., where I finally got to take 3 classes with Tim. He was just as amazing as everyone has ever said!

So, on my desk, is the inbetween stages of my Compendium of Curiosities 2 challenge from Linda over at Studio L3.  (I was able to go back and finish it before bedtime, so I'll admit, my desk was a bit different this morning...but not by much...just greener).
And on the floor to the left of my desk: my stash of cool things I bought while at my classes! Yup, 95% are all Tim Holtz goodies, with a few stamps from Magenta and Memory Box thrown in for good measure.  You'll just have to come back to see everything revealed!!
And of course, you need to stop by Julia's (if you havent' already) to see what all this Wednesday Workdesk Wowness is all about!  And next week: the 3rd Anniversary!! How cool is that?? 
Have a great weekend everyone!

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

WOYWW # 154

Welcome to Wednesday, which means only 2 more sleeps and I'm on my way to Topsfield MA to take my first classes with Tim Holtz at Absolutely Everything!! I JUST CAN"T STAND IT!!!!!!! My little feet are jigging at my desk!  Luckily its been busy at work and at home, so this disaster of a work space is me trying to finish the Compendium Challenge with Studio L3, make a card for our Conductor for a fantastic spring season (Final concert was Monday; and my brief solo in the Hungarian Rhapsody went quite well!) start the ATC for this anniversary, and make lists of what I have so I stop buying repeats!!

So, on my desk... the card front and center; my new seasonal distress inks (LOVE the colors) and reinkers are mixed in with the some of the other colors I used on the card, my compendium tag (can be seen in previous post) is on the right, with the the prior two weeks off in the background,  the start of my Distress Stain Chart; I'm accumulating too many colors to remember! And there are some stamps that will need to get put away, as will as my color sponges...oh yes, this is a miniature explosion! LOL!
So, now go jump over to Julia's Stamping Ground and portal around the world to other busy desks...you'll be glad you did.  Have a Fabulous Weekend everyone!!

Oh, and here is a close-up of our Conductor's card; very pleased with how it came out: A new stamp set made by Darcy.  And Ranger's new Specialty Stamping Paper rocks! ( Just be sure to heat set in between every layer!!! Really!)

CC2C #5: Shattered Stain-yness

Good morning-well, for me!  Two days and I leave to take Tim's classes at Absolutely Everything!! I can't believe I'll actually get to meet him, be inspired by him in person, and just generally bask in his aura!!! And in keeping with Tim's awesomeness, his second edition to the Compedium of Curiosities has prompted Linda at Studio L3 to lead us on another great challenge series. 

This week we are on Page 48, Shattered Stains.  I loved this during the Creative Chemistry class, but I loved the results even more today.  I didn't want to do the butterflies, but I only had scraps of grungeboard, so they are what fit.  Then I used grungepaper on the butterfly border, and that worked well too. 
Oh, and I have to say....I LOVE the new spring colors!! So glad they came with reinkers...


Now, again, while trying to resist the butterflies, I found some gears I had cut a while ago, and hit up with copper and silver Adirondack Dabbers., so I thought I'd give this technique a try over the paint.  The copper was hit with Peeled paint, and the silver with Stormy Sky stains. These aren't as shattered looking, but they did become sorta brassy and pewtery.  Good to know!

So now, go visit Linda and see what the challenge is about; you have until Thurs. night to jump in on this week,. Oh, and there are prizes! Simon Says Stamp is this weeks sponsor!! And we're only on #5, so theres plenty of curiosities left! Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

WOYWW #153

It's Wednesday!! I'm taking a real quick break from work, as I have a ton of crap that has to get done by today for a board meeting; I should show you my real-life workdesk!! I have even greater piles stacked around than my fun workdesk!
So here is the fun desk; and I only remembered to grab a shot as I had to grab my Mother In Laws Mother's Day card to mail out today. Now that the Mom's are in two separate states, I have stopped agonizing over creating 2 different designs...am I a bad daughter? (or DinL). I used liquid pearls on the butterflies dies (from Tim Holtz), and had been waiting for them to dry.  Also, some more stamps that will be "image-swapped", and some tags in the background from the Compendium of Curiosities 2 Challenge. 

Now, I have to get back to the money-making work...so go hop over to Julia's Stamping Ground, the portal into this Wednesday Workdesk Wonderfulness! Have a great week all!

Monday, May 7, 2012

CC2C #4: F-F-F-Fade Away

Welcome to another installment of Linda's Studio L3 "Compendium of Curiosities 2 Challenge" This week we are on Page 43 of Tim Holtz's marvelous book, Faded Layers.  And you know; I'm not supposed to give anything away; you just need to get a copy to join in...believe me; it's worth it!

So, for startes, my mask comes from Heidi Swapp, so its' a bit thick. And this made the next part tricky...Tim had shown this technique part in one of the 12 Tags of Christmas; I thought how cool and simple!! So not!! Again, I'm sure practice, and a thinner mask, may have allowed better results on the fading; but then again....The masking part is cool!

The stamp is from Art by Moonlight..sorta fitting with the Beltane and the fabulous full moon we just had. Once stamped, she sorta got lost though.  So out came my new Distress Markers...colored in the flowers, then the moon with the picket fence (and how cool is that; it didn't look like anything happened, and then it dried, and wow!) I used Shabby shutters on her gown, which was in the background already, to sorta darken her gown, then tattered rose for her skin. 

I have to say; I like it; it would have been a bit better if the celtic text had come out--but then, maybe it would have been too dark for her gown.  Oh, and the spots are from the Gold Perfect Pearls I misted on, but hadn't primed, so it got a bit heavy in places.

So, I'm posting early (for me) so if your new to the challenge, you have plenty of time to get your sample in by Thursday--what are you waiting for? Grab a Compendium (Vol. 2) and go!

Thursday, May 3, 2012

CC2C #3: Marbeling Comes Alive!!

OK...Tim Holtz has but out a second edition of his wonderful Compendium of Curiosities book...and Linda at Studio L3 has bravely led us into the fray with weekly challenges.  So, on Week #3, we have been assigned Page #46: Marbeled Stains.

 This was also a technique demonstrated in Tim's Online class, "Creative Chemistry 101", and I have to say....I failed.  My attemps were...lets just say... yucky.  So I chucked it up to a technique that just wouldn't work for me (much like the airgun/alcohol ink one from the first book) .  But, I have a few more stains now (ok, more than a few) so I bravely stepped forth...using a very small scrap of paper...just in case... And Oh Hot Damn..It Worked!!  How very cool!! Very much like the shaving cream effect!  OK, I'm game...lets try a tag...and bingo! I know what I did wrong...but since we can't say...in fairness to Tim...I'll just say..don't skimp on step #1.

Below are my two efforts...so very cool!!  On the tag, the stamp is from Impression Obsession and the saying from StampScapes. 
Oh, and to spice things up; Eclectic Paperie has offered a gift certficate for a lucky participant...incase you need an extra push to give it a go.

Now, this new series of challenges runs from Friday to Thurs. night. so there's not a lot of time left to get your stains on...but if you didn't do well on a prior try..I strongly suggest you give this one another look!

Have a great weekend everyone.

WOYWW #152

Good Thursday Morning WOYWW's!  If you don't know what that means...head over to Julia's Stamping Ground and see what our Wednesday/Thursday rituals are all about! 

So, this is mine, from Sunday morning, and alas, the same Wed. night.  I know I haven't had time to get up there, but I peeked...just to see if the craft elves had been up to play.   You see the tag I made for Linda's Compendium 2 Challenge, which will be my next post, a new stamp of a waterfront, which I got to use my new Distress Markers on, and some unmounted stamps I'm in the process of stamping for an image swap with Sam at Hettiecrafts. 

And yes, the "Indulgence" Trail mix from Trader Joe's is a bit lower..I ration! LOL! And for all of you who commented last week that trail mix was uhmm, yucky (to paraphrase) then you all need to get to a Trader Joe's!!  Of course, my Mom used to make a similar mix when skiing; they called it "Gorp" probably for Granola, Oats, Raisins Peanuts (odd how that just jumped out at me, 40 years later-but my Mom was also President of the "Southern Comfort Club" of her ski friends-and I suppose partaking in Southern Comfort, then trying to say pass the Granola Oats Raisin and Peanut mix could get a bit rough-just sayin') but it had chocolate chips and broken heath bars as well.  And it too was pretty tasty.Of course, not being a big health nut, the granola was home made, covered with honey, and butter...nothing low-fat, dry and nasty there!

So, back to the Workdesk theme...go jump to Julia's, the portal of WOYWW Wonderfulness...and see what's really going on behind closed doors! Have a great week everyone.