Love Is The Key

Hello again!  I don't post anything for days on end and now I'm posting twice in one day, go figure :O)  But I wanted to get this hang tag I made posted so I could join up with a challenge at Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge blog, the challenge was to Emboss It!

 I started out with a size 5 manila shipping tag and, using the negative key image from an Alterations Hardware Findings die, applied some texture paste through it and let it dry.  I then used the wrinkle free distress technique to colour the tag with Gathered Twigs and Rusty Hinge distress ink, with a little spritz and flick thrown in for good measure.  After drying the tag, I outlined the key with a black Pigma Micron marker and added a touch of Martha Stewart Brushed Pewter acrylic paint onto the texture paste key image.  I then stamped the tag here and there with a Recollections script background stamp and an InkaDinkaDoo flourish stamp, using Archival Ink in Jet Black.

Next I embossed some Core'Dinations card stock using Tim Holtz's Rulers embossing folder, cut a small strip to fit across the bottom of the tag and lightly sanded it with a sanding block and edged it with some Pewter distress ink.  I then cut out the Sizzix Antique Bazaar ribbon die, cut it to length and heat embossed it with some Stamp Affair copper embossing powder.  I glued both embossed elements onto the tag using Glossy Accents.

I then stamped a small heart below the key with Jet Black Archival Ink using a Hampton Art stamp and cut out the small round tag from kraft card stock, using Tim Holtz's Tiny Tabs and Tags die.  I edged the tag with Walnut Stain distress ink and hand lettered the words 'Love Is The Key' onto it using a white Gelly Roll pen and a black Pigma Micron marker.  I added a bit of pearl cotton to the small round tag for a tie and glued it into place using Glossy Accents.

The tiny butterfly die was one that I received in a swap and I edged it with Vintage Photo distress ink and then gently curled the wings and glued it into place on top of the key.  As a finishing touch, I edged the entire tag with Walnut Stain distress ink and scrounged through my fiber stash and found some bits that coordinated well with the tag and added them as a tie.

Thanks to Simon Says Stamp for their challenge that got my creative juices flowing!  I'll be gifting the tag to one of my swap partners over at the Mixed Media Studio, hope that she (and you!) will like the tag and thanks for stopping by,

Deb

Altered Watch Cuff Finish

Happy Sunday everyone!  I finished making the altered watch cuff for our Mixed Media Studio swap this morning and here are pictures of my finish as promised.

I 'ruffled' some wire edged ribbon and layered it on top of some pink lace and white crochet edging.  Everything was sewn onto a white cotton fabric backing for stability.

I attached the altered watch face with some gray satin ribbon which I embellished with a green 'jeweled' border trim and some faux fresh water pearl beads.

I coloured a hair elastic pink with some alcohol ink and used it for the closure, looping over a pink and gold button.  And thank goodness I decided to use this type of closure because I never thought to consider that my swap partner might need a cuff larger than 7" in diameter; fortunately the elastic will have enough play if she needs it slightly larger.  My wrist is 6 1/2" (the only skinny thing on my entire body!!) and it fits me loosely but doesn't spin around so I think the size will be good no matter what she needs.

I have to say I am in love with this cuff!  I've never made anything like this before and was more than a little intimidated when I started on it but I really enjoyed the process and learned lots along the way.  Give one a try, they aren't hard to do at all and the results are beautiful.

Thanks for stopping by today and hope you have all had a wonderful weekend.  We'll talk again soon and happy creating!

Deb

Altered Saturday

Hello everyone, hope this finds you all well.  The torrential rains have stopped here and the temperatures are on the rise, so all is well in the Paxton Valley today!

I've been working on some projects for our Mixed Media Studio group and I finally decided what I wanted to do to alter the rock I showed you in my last post.

Initially I was going to paint it but then decided to try something different and ended up gluing on all these little seed beads to make the flower.  It didn't photograph very well but does look quite pretty in person and makes a lovely little paper weight.

We are also to alter a watch and incorporate it into a cuff bracelet to send to our swap partner.  I took one of my hubbies old watches (I was altering one of my own but disasters ensued and there went that idea!) and after taking it apart and refilling it with bits and bobs of old jewelry and beads here's what I have so far.

As I've said before, jewelry making is not something I've done much of but have to say I am having fun giving it a try.  The bottom of the watch casing is filled with seed beads and some of the watch parts I took out and then I've lined the bezel with rhinestones from a pair of earrings my Mom gave me for my stash.  The flower is a pin that my Mom also gave me and the wing and bee are charms that  I've colored with alcohol inks.  Just letting all the E6000 dry and then I am going to incorporate it onto a cuff that I've made from fabric, lace and ribbon.  I think it will be quite pretty when done and I'll post a picture once I've got it together (both literally and figuratively!).

Hope you have a great weekend and that it is warm and sunny where ever you may be.  Happy creating everyone!

Deb

Mea Culpa

My apologies everyone for not posting for sooo long, where has the time gone?  No excuse other than it has been hotter than Hades here for the last while and all my giddy-up got up and went!  So hope you'll forgive me and that this find you all well.

We've had a cool down the last couple of days which is welcome respite from temperatures near 100 F.  The forests are tinder dry and fires have been leaping up all over our beautiful province, so hopefully this cooler weather will give the fire fighters a chance to get a leg up.  I don't know how the fire fighters do it; climbing steep hillsides with huge packs on their backs, digging out hot spots by hand while watching for deadfalls and water bombers over head.  They are a brave and hard working bunch and I thank them for all that they do.

Wish I had lots of finished projects to show you, but I'm at a stand still creatively speaking at the moment.  I've lots of stuff started but not a dang thing finished, mores the pity.  Here's my altered rock for our Mixed Media Studio group:

Ummm, yes, it is still just a rock!!  I do have some ideas for it but nothing has transpired as you can plainly see ... the only good thing is that I did find a rock to alter so I guess that is a start??!

But I have been working on my altered bird doll challenge, I have a vision and this dirigible is the first step.

I made it using a pattern provided by Laura Carson on her blog Artfully Musing and steampunked it up so it looks like an old, rusty metal dirigible.  Don't know how well something like that would fly but it looks cool LOL!  The bird doll has been sewn and is currently awaiting a coat of gesso before I get to work on him.  I'll post some more pictures as it progresses, I'm just hoping I can make my vision come to life :O)

The other thing I've been playing with is making my own blog background, what do you think?  I used a tutorial I found at Something Swanky and just used the overlays that they have available on PicMonkey.  It was fun and quite easy to do, think I will be having some seasonal fun making my own BG's :O)

So that dear friends is that, even though I've been MIA for over 10 days that is all I have to show you.  I'll leave you with a picture of one of our yellow roses that is in full bloom, despite the withering heat.  This rose is one tough cookie let me tell you, it gets snow heaped on it all winter as it is beside the driveway but every year it bounces back despite the abuse.  No idea what kind it is and the flowers are very fleeting but they almost glow when at their peak.  Enjoy the picture and I'll try to get back sooner next time!

Happy creating!
Deb