Imagine Life with no Art

I have finally got round to doing my first journal page - hurray! I started this at the Dylusion's workshop (Country View Crafts with Brenda Brown) but it has been sitting on my desk for a couple of weeks, unfinished.

The background is all dylusions spraying and techniques using stencils. Some stamping, doodling and chit chat stickers.

I would like to play along at:

Paper Artsy - inspired by Liesbeth Fidder's use of ink and colour and

The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge - using spray inks and mists.

Thanks for looking

Nikki 

xxx

Face in the Crowd for Compendium of Curiosities Challenge 5

Over at Linda Ledbetter's Compendium of Curiosities it is time for Challenge 5 - Distress Watercolouring. I decided to take the classic faces images and watercolour the beautiful girl. I had to go a bit weird and set her on a some eyes and lips each cut to create tiles. Still trying to decide is this is a terrible composition or not - it feels wrong, but I strangely like it. They are all mounted on chipboard which I covered with Tim paper and sanded and distressed at the edges.

This time the challenge prize is provided by Inspiration Emporium - $50!!

Here a couple of close ups:

Thanks for looking

Nikki

xx

Girl with a pearl earing

Over at Frilly and Funkie the challenge is to 'case' one of Linda's Christmas tags with a summer theme.  I decided to case Week 5.

I have cased the framing of an image (not Father Christmas in mine) and the addition of a big flower. I also initially incorporated lace but it was too much so removed this. My summer theme is the rose red flowers (Stampin Up rose red) and also the watercolouring of the ladies face with the same colour, although not sure this has come out too will on my photo. (It is raining and dismal here today, not the best for photos.)

Thanks for looking.

Nikki

xxx

Wish you were here

I have the pleasure of hosting the latest challenge at A Vintage Journey - the theme is to use every stamp in a set. I used one of Tim Holtz Visual Artistry sets - French Market with the addition of a hash tag sentiment.

I love the way Tim uses layers in his work; so this project really focusses on that rather than lots of techniques. It's all about the layers and composition.

I used most of the stamps to create different background layers to my card, saving the Eiffel Tower as the top layer and the postage stamps to embellish. I couldn't resist adding some crackled hearts as additional embellishments.

Do head on over to A Vintage Journey to see some more fabulous projects from the Design Team. 

Thanks for looking.

Nikki

xxx

Floral Hanging

Just a quick post - great to have blogger back on form!

This started as the cardboard at the back of an A4 pad of paper. Gesso, paper artsy fresco paints, stamping, stencilling and some die cuts, punched butterlies and flowers.

I would like to enter into:

Sugar Creek Hollow - Floral

Vintage Stamping Challenge - Summer Blooms

Pan Pastel - Flora and Fauna

A few close ups:

Thanks for looking

Nikki

xxx

Texture tag number 5 and series to date

It is time for a new challenge at Try it on Tuesday and the theme is 'Tags Anywhere' so I thought I would share the last of the five tags I made a few weeks ago. The tags featured a series of texture techniques plus various stamped images and embellishments. 

Please follow the links to see the details of how these tags were put together:

First three

Number four

Do hop over to Try it on Tuesday for lots more inspiration.

Thanks for looking

Nikki

xxx

Fly Away

Today I am sharing a project I have made for my Top Talent spot at Our Creative Corner. What an honour - thank you ladies.

I have been making a few projects using the bird from Tim Holtz Flights of Fancy set, so decided to continue with this theme. I decided to set my bird in a wooden environment so started searching my stash for different things I could use.

I created by background panel out of mount board and covered it with this fab paper (sorry cant remember the make) - I sanded the edges and added some Walnut Stain DI.

 My second layer was corrugated cardboard treated with gesso, some fresco paint and distress ink. I then added some tissue tape and some stamped cracks.

The bird sits on what was a pair of tags, but I changed one to just a rounded rectangle. The lower one is a Stampin Up hardwood stamp in Pumice stone DI with the same DI colouring the white card. The rectangle is created from a woodgrain embossing folder and again DI's added. (Vintage photo and walnut stain)

I finished my panel with some flowers and leaves - coloured with the same Distress Inks and finally some alpha tiles.

Thanks for looking

Nikki

xx

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Rusty Bird

Rusty Bird! Could that be misinterpreted? I am, of course, referring to my little punched bird on my tag. the blue / silvery base is from my texture paste play night a couple of weeks ago - sand texture paste and then coloured with TH Distress paints in blues and brushed pewter. Not sure how the pewter is showing on the photo. I decided to play with some different attempts to create rust effects on my cogs and bird using texture pastes, embossing powders, inks and paints.

I would  like to enter this into Sandee and Amelie's Steampunk challenge - Blues, greys and rust!

Thanks for looking

Nikki

xxx

Just playing

Started this a while ago playing with a TCW stencil and grunge paste and has been sitting on the side for a while. Decided to have a play and finish it off.

I'll pop it into:

 Anything Goes at SSS Monday 

Stamping Sensations

Rhedd and Rosies - Anything goes

Craft Hoarders - Paint It, Ink it, spray it, emboss it (paints and ink everywhere, a bit of paint drips and splatters and texture paste through stencil plus embossed text)

Thanks for looking

Nikki

xxx

June Tim Tag

Here is my version of Tim's June tag. I created the background in the same way but used the Papillon butterflies and word press word as I didn;t have the stamps he used! I had recently started a tag with texture pasted stars and metallic distress paints so decided to use this as my base and added a few crackle painted stars as embellishments too.

Follow the link to see the original ....... Tim Holtz June Tag

Thanks for looking

Nikki

xxx

In the woods

A little earthy tag! I have been layering my tags again this time with woodgrain in front of the dark wood where the little bird lives!

I would like to enter into:
FSC - Birds and the Bees
Thats Crafty - Birds
City Crafter - for the Birds

Thanks for looking

Nikki 

xxx

CC3 Challenge 4 - Yummy Texture Paste!

Challenge 4 over at Linda Ledbetters CC3 challenge is using texture paste through a layering stencil. I spent a happy and messy evening having a play and decided I love the clocks version I am entering here. The texture paste was added to some of Tim's paper and I then coloured it all with various Distress Paints. Once dry I added a little antiquing cream with my fingers. I just love the effect!

This challenge is sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique, a fantastic online shop that caters to fans of Tim Holtz and his gorgeously grungy style.

I would also like to submit to Its all about Vintage - Use Dies (my cogs are die cuts) and Simon Says Stamp - Stencil it.

Thanks for looking

Nikki

xxx

Wings and Things at A Vintage Journey

Over at A Vintage Journey the new challenge is a great one - Wings and Things. As usual projects should be Tim inspired and vintage but can be 2d, 3d - anything you like. Check out the projects from the rest of the DT over at the AVJ site. The main Tim influence for me on this project was using his fab papers.

My project started as a humble, plain canvass that I have used the reverse side of to create a sort of box frame. I first added some texture paste around the frame randomly but ensuring I covered the staples holding the canvass on the frame - this just gives added random texture. I covered it all in gesso (including the reverse to stiffen it a little) and once dry added some more texture paste through Tim's heart stencil. I painted it all with chocolate pudding fresco paint and crackle glaze before adding stone fresco paint. This didn't really work (no cracks!) -so I went back over, inconsistently with chocolate pudding (to keep it dark) and highlighted the hearts and other random areas with Treasure Gold. Here is a close up:

                                                                   

        

I then proceeded to cut some Tim paper for my background and some chip board for the panels to go in it. I added tissue tape, a Tim swirl stamp and some remnant rubs before edging with DI.

The little panels were cut from same paper and glued to chipboard, the edges sanded and inked before adding remnant rubs.

Of course I had planned where my embellishments were going to first (well just about!)
My butterflies are from various sources including a Tim savage sticker, Stampin Up stamp on Tim paper and a Clarity stamp butterfly.

A few more piccies:

Thanks for looking

Nikki

xxx

For the Boys at Try it on Tuesday

Over at Try it on Tuesday it is time for another challenge - 'For the Boys'.

I made this tag using, primarily, the Tim Holtz 'Roadtrip' set. I created my background out off the fabulous tyre track stamp. I cut out my petrol pump attendant and sentiment to give them more emphasis against the similar coloured background. I mounted it all on a black tag, added some rusted cogs and washers which I altered with Distress paints ( the washers from Wilkinsons!)

I would like to submit for: The Kraft Journal - Just for Him

Thanks for looking

Nikki

xxx