the many adventures of a painter girl

Compendium of Curiosities Challenge

the fabulous Linda Ledbetter does the most fabulous challenge...The Compendium of Curiosities Challenge 2...each week she challenges us to make a project using a technique from Tim Holtz's second book, Compendium of Curiosities...

this week, the challenge is from page 58...Faux Patina

i love this technique...it's perfect to make new metal look old, just the way i like it!

last week, the challenge was to make your own Foam Stamps from page 66...

i love this technique for simple silhouette stamps made from my favorite dies! i stamped the sewing edge and the dress form from the mini sewing room die set...this tag is seriously all me...my favorite colors, favorite stamp and die sets, vintage touches...tattered and shabby...L.O.V.E.

go play along...you'll love it!!

if you don't have the book yet...run...and grab a copy here!

Distress Marker VIDEO Tutorial

hold on to your seat...it's a VIDEO tutorial!!!! oh.my.word.

have to tell you, it's unedited and all me...enjoy!!

 

now, go buy 'em!!!! 

sweet bird tag

i confess...i can't get enough of my distress markers...and, i ain't sorry...

i stamped the Bird in a Circle Hero Arts stamp on to a #5 tag with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink...after drying it with my heat tool, i water colored the image with the detail water brush and my beloved Distress Markers

i used the Pumice Stone marker for the shadow around the whole image and inked the edges of the tag with my blender tool and Vintage Photo Distress Ink...topped it with a seam binding bow...

sweet little thing...don't ya think? i think i will make 20 more...to send out to our Inspiration Emporium customers...cause we like to surprise 'em!

Tim Hotlz Creative Chemistry 101 Graduate

a creative journey is full of inspiration...you find it all around you...a book, a vintage button card, a sunrise, your grandmother's quilt...and people...my rock star where that is concerned is none other than Tim Holtz...he is genuine, gifted beyond measure, and the most amazing teacher...

i just finished Tim's Creative Chemistry 101 Online Class...

i found myself each day of the class more and more excited to try every technique and to play with the supplies...a few nights my mind was reeling with possibilities and i couldn't sleep!

i decided to make mini tags...size 5 vs 8...as i created, i found myself using colors i normally don't use and loving it!

and, doing new things with old favorites...i loved having a book to jot down notes in while i played...

some of the techniques stood out right away as a favorite...L.O.V.E.  this one!

i fell more and more in love with my little tags, each one finding it's way into my heart...

i love having this book and sample tags to flip through for inspiration when I am creating...

it was well used when i made this card...

the culmination of all my learning the past few weeks...i just loved pulling it all together using different techniques and supplies and playing...it was so inspiring...

and so fun to see it all come together...

every technique and detail together on one project...

thank you, Tim...for the inspirational journey...

it was truly amazing!!!

happy easter

happy easter! i hope your day is full of family, friends, easter egg hunts, jelly beans, cabury eggs, and peeps!

enjoy this glorious day,

sweet vintage bunny...under glass...

i played in the studio today making another sweet little easter decoration...

I found this cracked glass votive holder and decided that i had a different purpose for it...

i cut a base out of a thin board using a spellbinders die...

i knew i wanted to use the mini bunny die, it's the sweetest little thing...i cut several of them out of grunge board then glued them together...while they dried, I used clothes pins to hold them tight...

once dry, i used glue n seal to adhere coffee bean brown sparkly fluff to make my bunny fluffy...

i glittered his bow at the same time and set them aside to dry...

next...the easter egg needed some liquid pearls to make it shine...

i dipped it, smoothed it with a paint brush and set it aside to dry before adding chunky clear glitter and some pearly stripes...

and, for some cute vintage trim...

i took four layers of crepe paper, sewed them down the middle and folded it in half...cut the edge off with pinking shears and then cut in small strips in each 'valley'...scrunch it all up, and adorable trim it is!

misted water and biscotti perfect pearls on seam binding, scrunch, and dry with heat tool...makes for subtle vintage looking ribbon...

i added a button with a rhinestone center, and some cut grass...put it all together, and...

so sweet...and now a treasured easter decoration...

now, make me happy, and take one or two of the elements and make your own deliciousness!

a sweet song bird upon a branch...

April is upon us and with it comes song birds and flowers...flowers and spring renewal...

a sweet little song bird upon a cage...with vintage music sheet roses...

i love this bird on a branch die from the Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations collection...it is the perfect addition to this little cage...the twigs are embossed with Walnut Stain Distress Embossing Powder...

i inked this little tea light holder with Alcohol inks and a foam piece...a wiping down with Alcohol Blending Solution and a towel gave it a great worn look...

i used the Tattered Pinecone die from his collection as well...except i made these beautiful roses instead...a little craft paper cut into strips and sprayed with Perfect Pearls heiloom gold spray and scrunched made for sweet little nexts...

a little Distress Stain dyed robbon, flowers and leaves made from the Tattered Flowers Garland die, and Vintage Lace die trim and trimmings...all came together for a sweet little spring project...

sing your sweet songs...enjoy the spring!

sunday junkin'

i enjoyed the sunshine today...a little junkin' in pasadena...and what i mean by 'a little' is a lot of little finds...

several of these items will be listed for sale soon, but one of my favorite 'keepers' is this mascara...

it's tiny and so stinkin' cute...and inside...

back in the day i don't think i would have bothered...but it sure is entertaining now...it's already found a home in my studio bathroom amongst other vintage make-up...

i love finding these little trinkets...and love even more to make something with the junk i find...here's a tag i made this week that says it all...

the finding and the making is what brings me joy...so fulfilled as i head into april...it's going to be an amazing month...i can feel it!