Summer of Creative Chemistry

I can't believe how completely neglected this blog has been. :-(  It's not that I haven't been creative, I have.  I have gotten rather skittish about posting pictures of my daughter on the internet.  The overwhelming majority of my scrapbooking has her as the focal point, so nothing has been posted.

Bringing me back to the blog-a-sphere, is none other than Tim Holtz!!  If you've every been lucky enough to meet him, you know that he is the most down to earth likeable guy you ever want to meet.  If you've ever been lucky enough to take a class with him, then you know he gives you basic knowledge and truly encourages you to find your own path and experiment.  Personally, I was lucky enough to meet Tim, (and Mario - let's not forget Mario) Summer 2014 at my LSS, and take a class.



If you haven't been lucky enough to meet Tim or take a class with Tim, then you should march right over to Online Card Classes and sign up for Summer of Creative Chemistry!!!  Even if you have met Tim and taken a class with Tim, you should march right on over and sign up because the content is AH-MAH-ZING!! 

It's already Week 5 of Summer of Creative Chemistry, and while I've been following along on the weekends (due to my absolutely crazy work schedule), I haven't been able to create anything just for the weekly challenge  - until now.

The Week 5 challenge is to create a tag, card, or other project using three of more colors of distress paint, using any three (or more) Distress Paint colors and any technique from class.

Using Tim's Colored Crackle technique, I created the following tag using Barn Door, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn, and Broken China Distress Paint.




Each chipboard butterfly is painted using exactly the same colors of Distress Paint - the difference is the Crackle Paint.  The top butterfly has Black Soot Distress Crackle Paint, the middle has Picket Fence Distress Crackle Paint, and the bottom has Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint.  Only the Rock Candy is current in the distress line of products from Ranger, but I had purchased the 3 colors together, so I used them all.  The tag itself has Broken China Distress Stain as a background, with Ground Espresso Distress Ink on the edges.  I flicked water on the background to add interest.  Hope you like it!!

 

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((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.· (¨`v´¨)
                  `v´ Darlene

Core'dinations Hard Core Crop - 2013

It's been a long time since I spent significant time crafting.  The last handful of cards I made were occasion specific and done at the moment they were needed.  Unfortunately, the only reason I've had this much time is because I've been home sick (and instead of sleeping, I've been doing this).

 

Vivian Keh's challenge is to create a gratitude themed card or layout using an autumn palette.  Found here.   This is the card I created for her challenge.

I started using my three of my favorite stamp sets - Changing Seasons from Stampin' Up, 4 Seasons Definitions from Purple Onion, and the frame stamp from Just For Fun.  I selected the autumn scene and the autumn definition and stamped the images into the frame using the mask that goes with the frame stamp.  I hand colored the image using a paintbrush and distress inks.  I used Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain, Ripe Persimmon, Rusty Hinge, Forest Moss, Barn Door, Crushed Olive and Broken China (bird).  The background is inked using Weathered Wood.  I just love that color to create the feeling of a chill in the air!

Using Core'dinations Core Essentials in Butterscotch, I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder and embossed the edge of the cardstock.  I sanded to reveal the core and give true definition to the embossing.  I tied the ribbon on, then mounted it to a card base.  The colors in the photo are a bit off, because the ribbon is a true compliment to the Weathered Wood distress ink.

 

 

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((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.· (¨`v´¨)
                `v´ Darlene

Core'dinations Hard Core Crop 2013 -

In my excitement to participate, I totally forgot about the blinkie!!!!!  Silly me!  I have of course now added it.

But speaking of being silly - part of creativity is giving things a try to see if they will work.  As the saying goes - there are no mistakes in crafting, only opportunities to embellish!

Let me say, I originally had no intention of participating in Margie Higuchi's Banner Challenge.   Found Here.   It just doesn't fit in with my normal holiday decor.  I then considered a banner for the front door, but I'm sure there is some rule against it in the complex I live in.  Then I decided to think about ways a banner could be used other than home decor - like on a scrapbook layout, or a card or something.  And viola!

Now, she never said how big the banner had to be.  She only said "shaped, holiday banner."  So, starting from the bottom -the card base is made from kraft cardstock from my stash.  On top of that is Core'dinations Black Magic collection, run through my Cuttlebug with M-bossibilities from Spellbinders.  Of course, sanded to reveal the core.  The grass is also from my stash, using random green cardstock that is inked.  I'm sure you're wondering why (or how) I have grass in my stash.  Back before I had my own Cuttlebug, and my own Cricut, and my own Cameo -whenever I went to a crop I would die cut stuff I thought I would use in the future.  This is the last piece of grass I had.  I cut it in half, inked the edges and mounted with foam tape.  The kids on the top of the brick wall are from Stampin' Up Kids at Play stamp set.  They were stamped, colored with pencils, fussy cut, and mounted with foam tape.

For the banner, I used the two smallest dies I own.  The green piece, cut from Napa Valley Core'dinations is the smallest die from Spellbinders Labels 4, the white snowflake is also from Spellbinders.  I stamped the letter for the word "Noel" using Studio G mini alphabet stamps, using Festive Berries and Fired Brick distress ink.

Margie Higuchi  Banner Challenge

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((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.· (¨`v´¨)
                `v´ Darlene

Margie Higuchi  Banner Challenge

Core'dinations Hard Core Crop 2013 -

I recently had occasion to speak with my daughter's art teacher.  During the course of the conversation she said to me "oh, so you're artistic as well" and my reply was that I don't consider myself artistic at all.  I've been reflecting on that now for a few weeks.  The Hard Core crop has given me the opportunity to find the little girl who loved art class and paint and glue and <gasp> glitter!!!!  The adult me avoids the use of glitter almost always.  A Stickles hoarder I am not. 

This is another either or card - either Tami Mayberry or Clare Buswell.  I ultimately decided to enter THIS card on Clare Buswell's challenge - so this one is for Tami Mayberry's challenge.  Found here.

I again started with the Whitewash Collection - this time choosing Barn Siding.  The embossing folder is from Darice.  I sanded down the image to reveal the core.  The sentiment is part of the same Hero Arts set I've been using throughout these challenges.  I thought it was perfect for the image!  I tried stamping in Fired Brick distress ink, but the image wasn't clear, so I grabbed some red embossing powder to define the sentiment.

For the max two embellishments I used Stickles and embossing powder.

The Stickles are not well defined in the photo, but they fill the tops of Santa's shoes.  The "snow" on the chimney is double embossed.  First I spread white embossing powder and added heat, while it was still wet I added translucent embossing powder for shimmer and heated it a second time.

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((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.· (¨`v´¨)
                `v´ Darlene

Core'dinations Hard Core Crop 2013 -

Now, for what may or may not be my last entry for this year's event.  This is for Kerri Smith's Creating With Tags challenge.  Found here.  Her only requirement was to make a holiday tag.  Now, I confess, when I made this tag I made it with the intent to enter it in Kate Nolan's tag challenge, and I made the turkey tag that I entered in that challenge, for this challenge.

I flipped them because Kate's challenge says  "Feel free to make just the two tags, but don't feel as though that is all you can do.  You can also incorporate them into a layout or a card or an altered project. Let your imagination soar with this challenge!"  After reading that I took the turkey tag and made it into a placeholder for the dinner table.

This is a quick and easy tag.

The cardstock is either Black Iris or Navy Core'dinations - I'm not sure which.  I had a piece leftover that was the perfect size to make a tag.  It had the little strip at the bottom which let me know it was Core'dinations, but the label with the name was not there.  I compared it to full sheets I have in my stash, and it could be either.

In any event - I embossed using a holiday Cuttlebug folder that was a special purchase item I got years ago, sanded to reveal the core.  I stamped the Hero Arts sentiment using Brilliance Moonlight Ink, and embossed with white.  Easy peasy!

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((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.· (¨`v´¨)
                `v´ Darlene

Core'dinations Hard Core Crop 2013 -

So many of the challenges have the potential to overlap, but one of the rules is that you cannot submit one project for two challenges.  So, this card could be for Tami Mayberry's CAS Holiday Card challenge OR Clare Buswell's Quick and Easy Christmas Card challenge.  I can't decide!!!

This is an A2 card.  I used Core'dinations Whitewash collection.  This is a Cuttlebug embossing folder that was part of a special purchase that I got several years ago.  After embossing, I sanded the images to reveal the black core.  I used Holly stickles on the bows, and StarDust stickles inside the ornaments to offset the black.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts.

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((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.· (¨`v´¨)
                `v´ Darlene

PS.  I ultimately entered this in Clare Buswell's challenge found here.

Core'dinations Hard Core Crop 2013 -

Continuing on with the challenges.  I decided to try Ellen Sosnoski's Handmade Elements challenge.  Found here.  As the title suggests, her challenge required all participants to create their own handmade element on a project, and of course, use Core'dinations cardstock.  I decided to create a card.

I used Spellbinders ovals to create the frame, and embossed with Swiss Dots.  I shaded the background with Weathered Wood and Tumbled Glass distress ink.  The deer is a stamp from a collection I got last year.  I have misplaced the card, so I can't offer the name of the stamp.  I stamped in Versamark and embossed with silver embossing powder, then fussy cut it and adhered.

The trees are my handmade element for the challenge.  I cut three different sized circles using Spellbinders Standard Circles Small, and Scalloped circles from Core'dinations Distress Collection in Peeled Paint.  I then embossed each circle using a Tim Holtz embossing folder.  I sanded to reveal the core.  I cut each circle in half, then made a cone from each half circle.  Starting with the largest cone, I stacked two smaller cones on top, then flattened them, adhered them closed with mini glue dots.  I then attached them to the card front.

The sentiment is from Hero Arts.

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((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.· (¨`v´¨)
                `v´ Darlene

Ellen Sosnoski’s  Handmade Element Card Challenge