keeping it simple .. for creative expressions DT

Well here I am with another make for Creative expressions using the set of garden twist drawing inks, these have a really fine brush but can be used for all sorts of things...So here is my make ...another tag, but this could easily be a card front... 

 I used the drawing inks in the same way as my hanging here...combined with picket fence , in the same way as you can used distress stains . I mixed in a bit of picket fence stain to soften the colours. The darker parts are where the drawing inks show their true colours and did not mix with the stains so much. I created a #10 and #8 tag to create a layered tag.

 

I added some stamped detail by painting the drawing inks onto the nature set of stamps and then stamping with them. This large tag was then edged with broken china DI. The next layer was a piece of white corrugated card inked with distress.For the top layer, tag #8 I coloured some gold pearl texture paste using the drawing inks.... and applied through foxglove stencil.

 

To complete I added a sentiment stamped with the drawing ink, some seam binding and some cheesecloth all dyed with drawing inks.

Hopefully you can see how versatile these drawing inks are and how many different ways they can be used in.

 

hope you have a great weekend...there is still time to apply for creative expressions DT for next year...all details here .x

 

have a fun and inky day

trace  x

 

My Tim's tag for August 2013...nearly missed it!!

Well here I am squeaking in at the last minute with my Tim's tag for this month, I love stamps and inks and have never tried Tim's mask sheets ( which are fab) so now seemed like a good time! Time was what nearly did for me, holidays and other stuff meant I am so behind, made the tag and then haven't found time to blog...so enough waffle here is a link to Tim's fab tag and below is mine :

I used fairly neutral colours and did flick a bit of water...but other than that I stuck to Tim's tutorial for this but used this great set of Tim stamps instead. Not having been to Paris but Disneyland in Paris holds many special and treasured memories for us as a family !

I know this technique will be played with again and again now I have been reminded of it and especially as the mask sheets are clear and make life really easy and unlike some can be reused!

 

Thanks Tim for another amazing tag and I promise not to be so lax and late next month! I have linked up my make here x

Have a fun and inky day!

Trace x 

Treasures within for Frilly and Funkie DT

Well it is half way through the next challenge over at Frilly and Funkie and the theme is My Steamer trunk, for plenty of amazing inspiration pop across here and see some amazing makes by my team mates.

 Do you ever see a challenge and create a piece somehow realising that you have gone off in the complete opposite direction to everyone else and they may well think you are bonkers! Well pop across see my team mates gorgeous makes and bear my make below in mind and you may well get what I mean!!

So here is my make :

 and now for the hidden treasures..

I went for the travelling salesman type , away from home with all his pills and potions for sale as well as family photos and stuff...I know maybe I really have lost the plot! It just appealed to me and the fun of making labels, distressing tiny photos, books, muslin and more really was a ball! And lots of idea-ology play is always up my street!

So I started with a papier mache suitcase and believe me , when I say this is a lot tinier than I imagined before I started... but I inked, painted and scuffed until happy and added labels and a tiny label, die cut and inked.

then onto the inside, firstly I needed a little shelf to sit my vials on...and an art part was perfect.

I found a little dolls house book and gave it the distress treatment..also a little map from a Tim Holtz paper stack, distressed with vintage photo distress re-inker in mini mister

then filled little bottles with film strip ( who knows what gems these may contain)

had such fun filling these vials!, rusty wire and a label compete this one...

 poison (using rub on and talcum powder) , a crackled bottle using Wendy Vecchis' technique of glue and seal and then rock candy..., watch parts, old paper...I tell you such fun!

 

Now for the other side of the case..

 

lots more goodies, maybe treasured photos, or spooky keepsakes?!

 

I think you can tell, I may have gone off on a slight...ahem....large tangent but I had FUN!!!

Anyway there is still a week to join in the fun and all the items I used from the Funkie Junkie Boutique are listed below...Make sure you pop across here to see my team mates makes, they are gorgeous !

Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Curiosities	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Apothecary	Ranger Archival Ink - Jet Black	Ranger Tim Holtz Vintage Photo Distress Ink Reinker	Ranger Tim Holtz Seasonal Distress Ink Pad - Gathered Twigs	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Black Soot
Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Walnut Stain	Studio 490 Wendy Vecchi Art Parts Sample Pack	Cotton Crinoline	Rusted Safety Pins - 1 1/8"	Rusty Tin Wire Net	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Remnant Rubs Elements
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Film Strip Ribbon	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Miniature Light Bulbs	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Locket Keys	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Pen Nibs	Tim Holtz Ranger Idea-ology Sanding Grip	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Corked Vials
Ranger Inkssentials Mister Bottle	Sizzix Alterations Tim Holtz Tiny Tabs & Tags BIGz Die

have a fun and inky day!

Trace x 

have courage... for CountryViewCrafts DT

well the challenge over at Country View Crafts challenge site is nearly over but you have a few days still to enter and the theme is a quote or quotation... so this time I yet again went for another Tim Holtz stamp for my piece and another favourite quote. 

So here is my make :

For this piece I played an no where near accomplished some of the fab techniques that the wonderfully talented Astrid has a full grasp of...her wonderful blog can be found here. So I tried and experimented with adding layers of stamped tissue, texture paste, stamping and much more.

So for today I will let the pictures do most of the talking!

 

Here various layers of texture paste was built up, painted and then brushed with treasure gold. The faint butterfly was stamped and dabbed off to try and give a very soft feel. Believe me I have a LONG WAY to go!

 Here I added this layer towards the end, using grunge paste coloured with paint and then brushed with treasure gold. where as the other layers were painted over.

 

 

Hopefully this shows up the layers and this fab quote! Sometimes I am not sure I have enough courage..

we will be back on the first of the month which our next challenge x

So to all my wonderful blog friends and friends who are off to work with the Crafty master that is Tim Holtz and spend time with him and Mario....have a ball wish I was there and cannot wait to see what you all get up to ...have everything crossed that one day....it may be me, who is lucky enough to have the honour of watching my crafty hero at work! He really is a true inspiration and I am sure you will come back buzzing!! Enjoy xx

 

have a fun and inky day!

trace  x

 

keep it under your hat!

Well Today I have another piece over at the countryviewcrafts blog...yes they had me back! 

But before I get onto that I am afraid I am a bit busy over the next couple of days so will not get to comment until Monday/Tuesday...so sorry I know I have a lot to do! Thanks to every one who takes the time to visit little old me and leave a comment, hugely appreciated! Welcome also to my new followers xx and thanks x 

So here is the sneak peak of my make over on the countryview crafts blog today...for all the details pop across here and have a look.

whatever you are up to, have a fun and inky day!

trace x 

I will catch up very soon xx

Designer of Dreams for Creative Expressions DT

Well it is time for  another Dt make for Creative Expressions today but before I do have you seen that Creative Expressions have a design team call...all the details can be found here. So onwards ...

Here is my make for this week, a hanging piece that could easily be adapted for a card front. So here is my make this week using the garden twist set of drawing inks :

The inks are a great selection of blue and green tones, but I wanted to play a bit with the colours..so I wondered if they could be combined with picket fence distress stain to create softer tones ... To create the background I scribbled some of the stains across my craft sheet and also swiped some picket fence stain, spritzed and the dragged my piece of mountboard through.

I then heated and dabbed more colour.....hopefully you can see some darker mottled areas where less of the picket fence was picked up.

 

Once sure this was totally dry I inked up the text/numbers piece from Wendy Vecchi set love to make art with broken china and embossed using clear detail embossing powder...( can you spot my mistake?!). I then added these gorgeous leaves from Wendy Vecchi , inked in evergreen bough. The sentiment is stamped in olive archival and clear embossed a trick I saw over at the lovely Alison's blog here.

I also randomly stamped the chicken wire stamp, such a hugely useful background stamp...Now onto the flowers. these are from Hearfellt Creations delicate aster set and make amazing blooms!

These were coloured by making a sheet of dappled cardstock with the drawing inks, randomly dipped into left overs on craft sheet and then stamped in olive archival. I could not resist adding some wire for stems and these cute bells for centres!

So make you sure you also hop over to the Creative expressions news blog, which is now reguarly updated with all the DT makes, also Creative Expressions is now on pinterest and creations are also updated on facebook. 

well have a fun and inky day!

Trace x