Vintage Stamping

Today I made some vintage tags that I can use in other projects.

I started with a shipping tag that I bought from Staples.  I covered it with Antique Linen Distress ink using a blending tool.

 

I sporatically added Vintage photo distress on top of that.  I didn't cover the entire tag.

 

I went around the edge with Black Soot Distress.

 

I stamped my image using a Hampton Art 7 Gypsies Scissors Stamp, with Archival Ink.

 I randomly stamped around the border using Stampers Anonymous Slight Alterations Stamp (CMS 060)

 

When I stamped the border, I held the stamp and rolled it as I applied pressure.

 

These are some additional tags that I made using the same method. I love this vintage grungy look.

Kiss A Frog?

Since it was cold, rainy and snowy, I couldn't work in the yard.  That meant, time in the craft room.  Yeah!  I had an idea a while ago and was able to put it all together today.

I started by collaging the background with the intent of making it look like a pond.  I used Tim Holtz Crazing medium.  I applied it using my finger because I saw a video where it seemed to craze better that way.  The brush marks seem to cause the medium to craze less.  I had to wait a long time for it to dry and wasn't very patient about it, BUT, it was worth it because it did "Craze" and added nice texture to the background.

I took two pictures.  This one with a flash, which ended up getting washed out.

And this one that is slightly blurry but you can see the true colors better.

I found this vintage Photo on the Internet and I just bought a pad of scrapbook paper called Once Upon a Time.  When I saw this page:

 ......in the pad, I had the idea for this page.  The rest is History.  I used water color pencils to colorize the little girl and I cut out wild flowers using Tim Holtz Wild Flowers die.  I added Stickles to the flowers, glued everything in place and shaded using Pitt Big Brush pens.

This is "almost" finished, without a flash.

With a flash.

Then I decided to add a dragonfly (Tim Holtz Dragonfly Die) to the picture.

This is with a flash.

This makes me giggle when I look at it.

Love Trying New Techniques! Today, I Tried Two New Techniques.

This is a background that was created using tags that were embossed.  You can find the full tutorial HERE.  It gives the background a LOT of texture.  I also tried stamping on tissue paper and using gel medium to adhere it to the page.  Not so sure I like that part.  Mine looks like I glued a cut out to the page.  The one from the link, blends into the background.  I'm not sure what I did different.  I may have to give it another go another time.  I gessoed the page and used watered down acrylic paint to color the page.

Next, I die cut Sizzix "wildflowers" Thinlets.  I colored them with Distress markers and then used Gel Pens to add some detail to the one that looks like lavender.  I also die cut two of the Tim Holtz "Layered Dragonfly" and embossed them.  I colored the body with black marker.  I colored the wings with "weathered Wood Distress paint.  Once the paint dried, I went over the them lightly with a sanding block.  This took off some of the paint on the embossed veins of the wings.  I then went over the wings with "black soot" using a blending tool.  I added some highlights using gel pens and a white Signo pen.  I rubbed "Crystal" Stickles over the wings for some sparkle. I used a background stamp with "coffee" Archival ink to add some more dimension to the page.  I glued the two dragonflies together and then glued everything to the page using Matte Gel Medium.

The tissue stamped images don't look as bad on the real page as they do on this photo.  They blend into the background much nicer.

Here you can see the two dragonflies layered together for dimension.

I was trying to get a good picture of the sparkle on the wings but the camera just wouldn't capture a true image.

On to the second technique.

I have always wanted to try image transfer but thought I had to have an image from a Laser printer....But, I saw a video from Donna Downey that showed you could transfer an image from an ink jet printer.  I took two pictures because taking it with the flash washed out the image.

This is with the flash.  It is hard to see my vintage lady.

This is without the flash.  It gives a truer picture of the color.  I love how not all of the image transferred.  It gives it an old photograph look to it.  I love Donna Downey's how to videos.  If you haven't checked her out I strongly suggest you do.  She is loaded with ideas and techniques that will keep you busy.

I've Been Up To Something New......For Me Anyway!

My sister sent me a pin through Pinterest of this VIDEO for making "Flower Bead Charms".  I had no intentions of making any type of jewelry or charms.  Fist thing is that I just don't wear jewelry, so what would the point be to make any?  And second, I thought that it was too complicated for me AND did I really need another craft area that would cause me to spend more money and add to my already over stuffed craft room?  WELL....after watching the video and seeing how easy she made it look, I got excited and went to the store and bought out the bead and jewelry making supplies.  LOL.

The thing is, my sister (who live way too far away from me) has always added charms and dangles to her scrapbooks and I have always loved the look and feel of them.  Visit her blog HERE to see her work.  BUT, I didn't think that I would be able to do it....until the video.  I love these dangles and each one will find a home on a journal or key chain.

This was my first attempt and I LOVE IT.  I was so proud of myself and love the look of it.  It's so vintage looking.

 Then came this dangle that will be added to something

This will be added to a key chain.  See that Lobster Claw clasp, yeah I did that (smile).

As I was looking at all the selections in the bead section, I found these wings that looked like dragonfly wings.  So, I decided to make one.  So adorable!

I was into making crazy quilts for a while and I had some beads from that project.  Making spiders on crazy quilts is considered good luck.  These beads were intended for that purpose.  However, they are now turned into some other kind of bug.  I don't know WHAT kind of bug but if that was flying around me, I'd be sure to scream.  I only like fake bugs!

This is a group shot of everything that I have made so far.  But you can bet that I will be making more and showing them off on my blog.  Thank you Vickie for sharing that with me.

I Love, Love, Love This Page

 This page in my journal is very personal, which is one of the many reasons that I love it. I had an old picture of my grandfather and I wanted to use the Tim Holtz cabinet card die to display it in my journal.  I won't go into all the methods that I used because honestly I don't think that I could remember.  One thing led to another and then another.

  I used Tim Holtz cabinet die and the mini "movers and shapers" cabinet die to create the cabinet card on this page.  To see how I cut out the pieces using these two dies, check out the video HERE.  She gives a very easy explanation.
  

I will explain some of the details that I used.  The letters above the card are his initials.  I used Rock Candy crackle on them to age them a bit.  I stamped the year that my grandfather was born on the front cover.

This is a closer look at the front cover.  I covered chip board with some scrapbook paper that looked like old leather.  I would love to take credit for making it look like worn leather but luckly for me it is just the way it came.  The pocket watch is a stamp that I stamped on some scrapbook paper and used a Perfect Medium Pen, went around the outside of the watch and embossed it with Pirate's Gold embossing powder.  My sister gave me some watch faces and they were a perfect fit. 

 Here is the inside of the card.  My handsome Grandfather probably in his early 20's.  Some of the methods that I used putting this together were new to me and I did learn that vellum does not work well with glue.  Hence the bubbles in the images on the left.

A closer look.  Although I was extremely disappointed when it happened, now I think it give it character.

I chose a "Dream" charm to add because I thought that this picture was taken before he had made any decisions about the path of his life.  I wonder if at this moment he new that he was going to go to law school, become a lawyer and eventually aspire to be a District Court Judge.

Some Journal Fun On A Snowy Day

 
I did this page a while ago and didn't have time to post it. It is my fist try at Steampunk.  I'm happy with it.  It could probably use some more grunging up or  something but it is as steampunk as I could get.

 This is a tag that I did using a method I saw on the internet. First I used some scrapbook paper and covered a tag that I had.  I blended Vintage Photo around the edges and smudged it over the tag.  I used a stamp and black archival ink around the edge.  Then I went around the edge of the tag with a gold leaving pen.

 I used Ferro "Metal Effects" Modeling Paste through a key stencil.  Then I went over it using Viva Modeling Creme (Mother of Pearl).  I let that dry, which surprisingly didn't take long at all.  Then I used Silks acrylic glaze (Nutmeg) with my finger and I lightly tapped this on the areas of the Modeling Creme.  I love the way the key looks.  Nice and old and gungy.

 

I added some scrap lace to the bottom and some ribbon that was originally off white but I colored it with Distress spray Vintage Photo.  

 

 This cute little girl I found HERE (the page is photo intensive and takes a little while to load) As soon as I saw her I thought of the child's poem "Mary had a little lamb and wanted to do a page based on that.  I did a search for school houses and I found this  (HERE):

 

  I copy and pasted this picture into Microsoft Word and sized it to fit the page that I was using.  I cut out the desks and half of the chalk board.  I covered my background with scrapbook paper and added some stamping.  I embossed a clock stamp using a mixture of black and copper embossing powder.  I love how it turned out.  I don't think the picture does it justice.  Then I inked the edges with Vintage Photo ink.  I colored the little girl using Distress markers and a water brush and glued everything in place.  I only glued the sides and the bottom of the desks, leaving the top open so that I would be able to insert a tag.  I wrote Mary had a little lamb, added some ribbon to the top and glued some paper flowers to the top of the tag and placed it inside the desks.  So cute, if I do say so myself.

Butterflies!

Isn't she something?  I collaged the background with various scraps of scrapbook paper using a gel medium.  I went over the whole background with Tea Dye Distress ink, then around the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. I covered the entire background with a coat of Gel medium to seal the distress ink.  I pieced the lady using a photo I found on the Internet and Tim Holtz Caged Bird Die.  I cut the bird cage from chip board and covered it with embossing ink.  I coated it withe Recollections Pirate's Gold embossing powder and heated it.  I love the look of the Pirate's Gold!  Once I tried the lady to the cage, I thought it was a little too big, therefore I cut off the outer two bars of the cage.  Much better!  Then I added some legs that I found on some printable paper dolls that I found on the Internet.  I LOVE her!  Then I went through my stash and found all the butterflies.  I added the flowers.  I typed the quote in Microsoft Word, printed it, cut it into strips and colored them using Scattered Straw Distress Stains.  Once they were dry, I used a black Sarpie pen and drew a boarder around each and glued them down.  I think it turned out pretty nice.