My Steampunk Spirit with Gina's Designs

Hello everyone!   I am really excited about my project today.  Okay, I know I am easily entertained, but when it comes to steampunk, I really am, easily entertained, that is!  I could not wait to work on Gina's Steampunk Cage Dressform.  And here she is!!!

Directions:

I painted the cage portion (front and back) with the Iron paint from the VerDay kit and let dry for one hour.  Then, following directions with the kit, I painted a second coat of the Iron paint and sprayed with the Patina Solution while the paint was still wet.  You will probably need to work in sections if your paint is drying quickly.  Here are the rusted pieces after the Patina Solution was allowed to sit for 24 hours and do it's thing.

Use the same process to paint the Dressform pieces, but use the Copper paint instead of the Iron paint.  The Patina Solution gives a bluish green patina to the copper.

I used Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Glue to put my dress form and cage together.  I have found it to be the easiest glue to use, and it really does "grab" the chipboard nicely.

• Very Important Tip:  I discovered that my chipboard had swelled from the Patina Solution and I was not able to slip the chipboard strips through the holes in the base and top.  What I ended up doing was using a craft knife to trim the little extender pieces so I could push them into the holes.  So, you may prefer putting the cage portion together before painting and adding the patina solution.

I wanted all of my remaining chipboard pieces to also have a metal look, so I heat embossed the floral border and scrap pieces of the Chainlink with Silvery Shimmer ink and silver embossing powder.  I wanted the chain link to look weathered, so I used a Versamark pen randomly, mostly where the links join, and heat embossed with Black Soot distress embossing powder.

The floral border and some metal embellishments were adhered to the top of the cage, as shown.

The bird cage was inked with Golden Glitz ink and gold embossing powder.  Metal gears, bird, and resin flower added to cage, as shown.  I added a small piece of jewelry chain to hang the bird cage.  The chain link was adhered to the cage posts.

Some metal clock hands were adhered to each post, as shown.  Square metal jewelry pieces and tiny metal beads were adhered to each gear "tooth".  

I glued some tiny watch parts to the body of the  dress form and found these tiny metal bird beads in my stash, adhering one to the shoulder and two to the top of the cage.

Front

Back

Supplies:

Steampunk Cage Dressform
Ornamental Birdcages Shape Set
Chainlink 8x8 Panel
Border Sticks Floral
VerDay Paint Kit (TenSecondStudio)
Silvery Shimmer and Golden Glitz Delicata ink pads
Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Glue
Black Soot distress embossing powder
Silver embossing powder
Gold embossing powder
Watch parts
Metal jewelry bits and pieces

I absolutely love how this turned out and had so much fun embellishing it.  I want to do another one and see what other ways I can come up with to embellish a "sister" piece.  What great "things" do you have in your stash to add to her?

I hope I have been able to get those creative juices flowing and inspired you to try making one of these for yourself or a friend who loves steampunk.  It will make a wonderful inspiration piece to sit on my desk and admire, and hopefully keep the mojo going.   So, head on over to Gina's Store, Blog and Facebook Group to keep up with all the fun things we have in store for you!!!

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful, creative weekend!!!

Barbara

Take a Trip Mini Album with Altered Pages: Part Two

Hello everyone! As you know, the Altered Pages design team are taking trips throughout the USA this month.  The team has chosen two states to feature, and I chose California and Florida for my posts this month.  My first post featured California, but today, I am going to go with the beachy theme, so Florida it is!

I am continuing to work in my metal covered mini album that I made a couple of months ago.  I still have lots of blank pages to work in, and like I said before, Altered Pages is my go to store for dressing up my mini album pages.

My first page spread:  Background papers are from the Glitz Designs Pretty in Pink paper pad.  I used the Brighton Beach and Vintage Vacations collage images, layered onto slightly larger cream card stock.  I also used the "Miami Beach" image from the USA States Florida collage sheet.

I inked two chipboard scroll corners with Memento Luxe Rhubarb Stalk and heat embossed with clear embossing powder, adding tiny pearl stickers.  For filler, I added a few of the roses from the Valentine Stickers sheet, and a few flowers punched from scraps of the print paper.

I colored a torn strip of the wall joint tape with the Mossy Mixed Media Inx and adhered to the left side edge of the page.

Left Side of Spread

I cut one-third of a pink A10 size envelope and punched binding holes in the side, so that the opening would be at the top to insert a cream card stock tag.  I used the file tabs die cut for the top of the tag.  I left the tag blank to add photos or journaling.

I cut a piece of paper from the Uncharted Waters paper to fit the front of the envelope, and used my Ranger Blending Tool to distress the edges of the paper with the Leather inx.

Right Side of Spread with Envelope shown

Right Side of Spread without Envelope shown

For a shadow effect and to make each collage image pop, I added charcoal pencil around the edges and smudged it with a Blending stump.

Front of envelope

I fussy cut the whale from one of the print papers in the Uncharted Waters paper pad and adhered to the back of the envelope.

Back of envelope

For my second page spread, I used background papers from the Glitz Designs Pretty in Pink paper pad.  I lightly misted some pieces of cheesecloth with ink spray from my stash, then adhered to each page, as shown.

I layered the Brighton Beach collage images onto slightly larger cream card stock and adhered to page, as shown.

I adhered the banner from the Yours Truly What-Nots Embellishment Collection across the top of the page, as shown.  I used foam dots to lift them off the page.

I used a coin envelope and punched a thumb notch in the top of it, then added one of the Brighton Beach collage images that I distressed with Leather Inx and Ranger Blending Tool.

Left Side of Spread

I stamped "Look Out World" onto scrap cream card stock with brown ink and punched with a decorative label punch.

I used the Seashell Mold and Paperclay to make this selection of shells, sand dollars, etc.  When dry, I painted each piece with Twinkling H20s and adhered onto and around my cheesecloth.

For the tag insert, I used a TREASURES Bingo Card and left the back blank to journal onto.  I thought that whenever I go to the beach, I find all sorts of treasures, like these shells and such I have added.

Supplies:

Altered Pages Collage Sheets:   USA States Florida;  Vintage Vacations; Brighton Beach
Glitz Design Paper Pads: Pretty in Pink,  Uncharted Waters; Sunshine in My Soul

Graphic 45 Secret Garden 6x6 paper pad

Graphic 45 Come Away With Me Stamp set
Yours Truly What-Nots Embellishment Collection
scroll corners
Valentine Stickers
Coin Envelopes
Paperclay Packages
Seashell Mold
Bingo Card Packs
Ranger Blending Tool
Mixed Media Salazar Inx (Leather)(Mossy)
Memento Luxe Rhubarb Stalk
Blending stumps
adhesive dimensionals
Lightbulb safety pins
Cream card stock
Twinkling H20s (ColourArte)
Cheesecloth
Clear embossing powder
File Tabs die cut (Tim Holtz)
Self-adhesive paper wall joint tape
Charcoal pencil

I hope you enjoyed my project today, and that you can use some of these ideas for your scrapbook pages of your summer vacation, or a summer card for someone, or perhaps an art journal page with the same theme.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a wonderful and creative week!

Barbara

Two Cards to Think About with Gina's Designs Lasercuts

Hello everyone!  Barbara here, and I am in a card making mood.  It might be because I have several birthdays on the horizon, and I am in dire need of masculine cards.  My first card is made with the male recipient in mind, while the second card could go either way just by changing the bicycle.  

As you know, we have been featuring papers and embellishments from The Robin's Nest this month.  I love the quality of their products, and I know you will, too.

Directions:

Clockworks Penny Farthing Card

Cover front of 5"x7" kraft card with the brown herringbone print from the Regent Street paper pad.

Cut Graphic 45 paper to 5"x7", distress edges.  Tear a "V" from the top, large enough to fit a gear behind the opening.  Distress edges with paper distressor tool, edge with Vintage Photo distress stain. The stain gives the edges a burnt look.  Mist corners with water and curl around the end of a paint brush.  Let dry.

Stamp sentiment (One Penny for Your Thoughts) onto a fussy cut printed label from the Steampunk Botanica pad with black archival ink.

The Clockworks Penny Farthing was inked with Vintage Photo and Black Soot Distress stains.  The two gears were inked first with Vintage Photo distress stain, then Tarnished Brass and Antique Bronze distress stains.

I could not resist adding a spinner to the center of the Penny Farthing (below). I love the two-toned effect on the chipboard from the two distress stain colors.

In this photo, you can see the gold gear that I slipped behind the torn away paper, and on top, I added the second gear with another tiny spinner.

Before adhering the stamped label with foam dots, I heated a section of film strip to "wrinkle" it.

My next card could be either feminine or masculine, just by changing the bicycle to a boy's bike.

Life is a Beautiful Ride Card

Cover front of 5"x7" kraft card with The Robin's Nest Saffron Honey paper.  Distress the edges with Vintage Photo distress ink.

Use the reverse side of the Saffron Honey paper to punch a decorative strip and adhere along left edge of card.

Use a Versamark pen to color the bike, and heat emboss with Glacier embossing powder.  The tires were heat embossed with Midnight Black embossing powder, while the pedal, handlebar, and seat were heat embossed with Black Puffs embossing powder.

A tiny pieceof olive green paper was glued behind the basket section, while two larger metal gears were glued to the wheels.  A tiny watch part was glued above the pedal.

I cut apart one of the chipboard pieces from the Mixed Media Fragments 2 set and colored the arrow with Vintage Photo distress stain, then dabbed the Peeled Paint Distress Paint randomly over the top.

The other section I cut away from the Mixed Media Fragments 2 set were colored with the Peeled Paint Distress Paint and adhered to the card, as shown.

I cut apart a piece of the chain border and colored with Antique Bronze distress stain.  Then I dabbed the chain randomly with a Versamark pen, and heat embossed with the Glacier embossing powder to give it a patina.

I used Big Chat Stickers and Label Letters to form the sentiment "life is a beautiful ride".

Supplies:

Gina's Designs:
Clockwork Penny Farthing
Steampunk Shape Set
Chain Borders
Mixed Media Fragments 2
Bicycles
The Robin's Nest:  Saffron Honey
Rubber Stamp: One Penny 4 (PaperArtsy)
Kraft 5"x7" pre-folded card stock
Versamark Ink Pen
Black archival ink
Embossing Powders: Glacier (Zing), Black Puffs (Ranger), Midnight Black (Mark Enterprises)
Distress Stains: Vintage Photo, Black Soot, Antique Bronze, Tarnished Brass
Distress Paint: Peeled Paint
Paper:  Steampunk Botanica, Regent Street (Recollections)
Decorative punch (Martha Stewart)
Tim Holtz Ideaology: Film Strip, Spinners, Brads, Label Letters, Big Chat Stickers
Watch parts, metal gears (my stash)
Prismacolor Metallic Silver pen

I hope you enjoyed my cards today and are inspired to make some with chipboard shapes in mind.

Please check out the links to The Robin's Nest Store and Blog.  Don't forget to visit Gina's Store, Blog, and Facebook Group so you will always be privy to all the wonderful happenings  

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful, creative week!!!

Barbara
  

Mixed Media: Cards with ColourArte

Hello everyone!  Barbara here with more mixed media fun using my ColourArte products.  Just wondering if you all are warm enough wherever you live.  It was sweltering here in the mid-South a few weeks ago, and then something wonderful happened... it cooled down a bit.  I don't know about you, but I seem to have more energy when it is not so hot.  So let's play!!

Speaking of hot, mixed media is hot right now, and that even transcends into card making, so here are two cards I made using these techniques.

Supplies used:

Silks Acrylic Iridescent Glaze

Lemondrop
Plum Blossom
Kiwi
Sea Spray
Snap Dragon

Radiant Rains Color Concentrates (Dauber)

Nutmeg

Low Tide 12x12 paper pad (Me & My Big Ideas)
Cut n' Dry Foam (Ranger)
THS 004 Stripes Stencil (Tim Holtz)
Chocolate Baroque stamp sets: Seadragon, Underwater Kingdom
V237 Lone Bird rubber stamp (Stampendous)
Crackled Texture Paste (Wendy Vecchi)
Goosebumps Clear Texture Spray (Tsukineko)
Fancy Tags die (Sizzix)
Trellis Frameworks die (Tim Holtz)
Grungeboard (Tim Holtz)
Ink Pads: Memento Luxe Nautical Blue, Rhubarb Stalk, Lilac Posies; VersaFine Smokey Gray; StazOn Spiced Chai, Vintage Photo Distress Ink
Fantastix brush tip tool
Nautical silicone mold (Mod Podge)
Creative Paperclay®
The Robin's Nest dew drops

Blue Card directions:

Cut two pieces of white chipboard (our paint chipboard white) to 4" x 5-1/4".  Set one aside for the second card.

Cut piece of cut n' dry foam and, using rubber side, spread Sea Spray Silks across chipboard, then Kiwi Silks.  Cover paper with both colors until you like it.  The rubber side does not absorb any of the paint, so it merely sits on the surface, allowing you to make swiping motions.  The colors do not actually blend but, instead, simply layer on top of each other.  I like this technique a lot.

Dab Sea Spray Silks over the top, leaving these cool "crackle" like textures.  Now that I look at it side ways, and having a beneath the sea theme in mind, I think they look like jellyfish.  What do you think?

 Next, I began stamping my mermaid and underwater plants using Memento Luxe Nautical Blue ink pad.

My mermaid did not stamp really well, so I used a Fantastix brush tip tool to add more Memento Luxe Nautical Blue to her.  You could have restamped her with a stamp positioner, but I liked having the control of adding the color and shading.

 Next, I stamped the coral and plants with Memento Luxe Rhubarb Stalk and Lilac Posies.  I discovered that if you make a mistake, the ink wipes right off using a baby wipe or damp paper towel without disturbing the Silks acrylic glaze background, thereby taking all the fear right out of the equation.  Love it!!!!

Spritz Goosebumps clear texture spray over background and let dry.  This gives the whole background a "wet" look.

Stamp "Secrets of the Deep" onto a scrap of tan card stock with StazOn Spiced Chai ink.  Sketch a design around the words to make it appear as though it is a piece of wood, rotting away underwater.

Cut it out roughly, ink edges with Vintage Photo distress ink, and adhere to card with foam dots.  I also added some blue dew drops as air bubbles.

Edge chipboard with the Nautical Blue inkpad to finish the edges off.

Cut a 4-1/4" x 6-1/4" piece of print paper from the Low Tide pad and adhere to a 4-1/2" x 6-1/2" folded blue card.  Adhere chipboard to card, aligning to the right.

 Add twisted leaves to the left side, as shown below.

 Make underwater embellishments pieces using a Mod Podge silicone mold and Creative Paperclay® air dry clay.

Paint paperclay pieces (starfish, shells, sand dollar, octopus, seahorse) with the Silks Acrylic Glazes, mixing colors and adding water to make a wash for each piece.

Sand Dollar (Radiant Rain Nutmeg mixed with Lemondrop Silks)

Octopus (Radiant Rain Nutmeg mixed with water)

Large shell (Radiant Rain Nutmeg,Plum Blossom, and Lemondrop Silks)

Small Shell (Lemondrop and Snapdragon Silks)

Starfish (Radiant Rain Nutmeg, Plum Blossom and Lemondrop Silks)

Seahorse (Kiwi and Sea Spray Silks)

 Here you can see what I mean by mixing the colors together with water to make a very light wash.

 Adhere dried Paperclay pieces to the bottom of the card, as shown.

Pink Card directions:

Cut piece of cut n' dry foam and, using foam side this time, spread Lemondrop Silks across chipboard, then Plum Blossom Silks.  Because the foam holds the paint, the two colors blend more rather than laying on top of each other.  Cover chipboard with both colors until you like it.

Use a spatula to spread crackled texture paste through Stripes stencil, let dry.

Here is a close up of those crackles after they dry.  Do not use a heat gun for this step, crackle pastes don't like heat.  For best results, be patient and let it dry on its own.

Place a dot of the Nutmeg dauber onto your craft sheet, use a wet brush to pick up the color and apply lightly to the crackle paste.  Wipe excess with baby wipe or damp paper towel.

Continue to pick up the Nutmeg color from your craft sheet with a wet brush to add color to the grunge board Trellis die cut, then adhere this to the background.

Stamp the lone bird onto a scrap of cream card stock with Smokey Gray ink.  Die cut the image with the Fancy Tags die.

Now for some fun. Did you know you can use ColourArte Silks like watercolor?  I colored the bird image by adding a bit of water to a tiny dollop of the Sea Spray Silks, and the Kiwi Silks was used to color the leaves in the same way.

Ink the edge of the die cut Fancy Tag with the Smokey Gray ink on a baby wipe.  I wanted a very pale inking.  Adhere this to the background, over the trellis, with foam dots.

Ink edges with Nautical Blue ink pad and adhere the embellished background piece to a 4-1/4" x 5-1/2" folded, olive green card.

Finally, I chose some small paper flowers that I colored with a wash of the same colors of Silks Acrylic Glaze to help them match my background.

All flowers need leaves, so I punched three leaves from a scrap of white card stock, colored both sides of the leaves with Kiwi Silks, and placed them around my flower bouquet.  (See photo above).

Well, that's about it.  I really am enjoying working with mixed media, and I have found it to be useful not only in canvas works, but as I have shown here, in everyday card making.  You could also apply these techniques in your scrapbooking and home decor projects, as well.  

Don't forget to play along with our Scavenger Hunt. There are still a few more days for  a chance to win an awesome prize.  

Its time for our Bi-Monthly Scavenger Hunt

How to play:

1)  Stop by our Facebook page and tell us what three Designers  Used:

• Radiant Rain: Wine and Roses ( dauber) pure color concentrate
• Twinkling H20s: Midori Melon
• Radiant Gels African Jade

2)  Leave those three names on our Facebook post

3)  share the Facebook Post on your timeline

4)  Subscribe to our YouTube channel CLICK HERE  so you never miss a video from Us

5)  Leave a comment on this post, welcoming the new Design Team, they will be working hard to bring you a new post daily.

Winner will get 12 piece mini set Twinkling h20s of their choice

Winner will be picked and announced  in 72 hours – August 19th   on our Facebook page.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful, creative week.

Barbara