Friday 4 September 2015

Creative Guide - A Vintage Journey - Home Sweet Home

I am absolutely thrilled to have been invited by Brenda to join the team at A Vintage Journey; I am so pleased to have been invited along and to be joining such a talented team. This journey is inspired by Tim Holtz techniques, products, designs, ideas etc., and as a great follower of Tim's work this makes this journey even more rewarding for me.

This month our host is Jenny and her challenge is:

"For most of us the summer holidays are over, schools are back and it is nice to be home and back in the usual routines. So for this challenge let's create a project which sums up "home" for each of us (either past or present), using Tim's fabulous array of products and techniques. Just make sure Tim's style is evident in what you make".

This is how I was inspired by Jenny's challenge theme:
I took some time out to think about this piece, especially with it being my first post for A Vintage Journey. My inspiration came from one of Tim's sentiments "Enjoy The Journey". I feel creating a piece of art should be all about enjoying the process, the journey and having fun along the way. I also wanted to incorporate new products with some older pieces to, highlighting how easily the range all works together.

I began by cutting a piece of canvas to fit my embroidery hoop and then colouring the canvas with Salty Ocean and Mowed Lawn Distress Paints, blending the colours with a baby wipe. I then added a touch of Salty Ocean Distress Paint to Texture Paste and mixing together and then applied over the Hearts Layering Stencil and I then set this piece aside to dry..
Whilst the canvas was drying I then set to work on decorating the hoop. I applied a coat of Gesso, allowed to dry and then applied a coat of Picket Fence Distress Paint and dried with a heat tool. I then used my finger to apply touches of Salty Ocean, Mowed Lawn and Tarnished Brass Distress Paint to the hoop and then dried with a heat tool. I then set the hoop aside and began work again adding layers to the canvas piece. The next layer was adding Fired Brick Distress Ink over the Dot Fade Layering Stencil, adding random stencilling around the canvas. I also added pieces of Tissue Tape to the background for added texture.
I tore a heart from scrap paper and then drew around the shape onto 300gsm card; applied water to the heart shape with a paintbrush and then added Fired Brick, Salty Ocean and Mowed Lawn Distress Inks to an acrylic block and picked up each of the colours with a wet paintbrush and painted the heart and then dried with a heat tool. I then flicked the coloured heart with more water, allowed the water to sit so that the inks could react and then dabbed up the excess water with a piece of kitchen towel and then dried with a heat tool. To add a further layer of interest I added random stamping to the heart using the background stamp from Tim's Ledger Script stamp set; inking the stamp with Salty Ocean and Mowed Lawn Distress Ink. I also added touches of Tissue Tape to the heart, Chitchat Stickers, Industrial Stickers and Mini Paper Clips. From this picture you can also see that I added Remnant Rubs to the backdrop using part of Tim's Remnant Rub Resist technique
I used one of Tim's older dies the Artful Dwellings to die cut houses from mountboard, decorating each Dwelling with Tim Holtz Correspondence Paper Pad. I then die cut a heart from the centre of one of the Dwellings using the Mini Hearts Die Set, adding shading around the die cut area with Ground Espresso Distress Ink. I also added Chitchat stickers to one of the Dwellings and mini hearts to the second cut using the Heartfelt die. I also included a Salvaged Doll which I coloured with Distress Paints.
To complete I added delicate splatters of Fired Brick and Mowed Lawn Distress Paints and added a touch of Brushed Pewter Distress Paint to the stencilled hearts.

Our sponsor Country View Crafts offers one randomly drawn winner a £20 voucher to spend in their fabulous on-line shop. 


I would also like to enter this into the Craft Stamper Take it Make it challenge which this time around is "Take A Stamp" Anything Goes. I have used a Tim Holtz text background stamp on the torn heart.

Thanks so much for stopping by, hope you enjoyed my first piece. Tracy x x 


 

27 comments:

S@ndy Diller said...

Welcome aboard Tracey. I see that you wasted no time getting into the swing of the challenges. Love your use of the hoop and the fabulous colors.

Julia Aston said...

Love the greens, your wonderful die cuts and splatters - this will look so pretty on a wall or bookcase - a beautiful first project for the AVJ challenge Tracey - welcome to the team! Julia xx

Helen said...

wow, what a start! Gorgeous, Tracy!

Cath said...

Stunning as always Tracy xxxx

Suzanne C said...

Gorgeous! Congrats! Looking forward to your art on the VJ team!

Words and Pictures said...

It's so fantastic to have you on board for the journey, Tracy - and lovely to be back on a DT with you! I just love your take on the Home Sweet Home theme - the colours are so vibrant and funky, and all the heart detailing is just fantastic. Love the apertures and layers and the tiny houses (!) and perfect embellishing. A complete delight.
Alison xx

Juliz Design Post said...

So pleased to have you on the AVJ team and what an opening showstopper this is Tracy. I have about 6 of these embroidery hoops that have been lying in my craft room which had been forgotten about. Thanks for the reminder and fab inspiration.
Julie xx

Nikki Acton said...

So fantastic to have you at AVJ Tracey and just love this - all the layers and tiny details. Fab!!! Nikki xx

A Pink said...

Congratulations ! Tracy and a lovely piece to kick start your 'vintage journey.' Love the detail and the layered elements. Wonderful way too of incorporating a nod to the UK . x

Jennie Atkinson said...

Hello Tracey! and how fabulous to have you with us all at AVJ. I love your wonderful piece for our Home Sweet Home challenge. Such wonderful vibrant colours and all those amazing layers and wonderful details. Just fabulous. Jennie x

Unknown said...

So deserve Tracey and what an honor for you too! Congratulations. Your project is totally WONDERFUL. Great beginning! You go girl!!! j.

Astrid Maclean said...

An amazing first project for AVJ Tracy, love how you put this together! I am so happy you joined our team!!!

Candy C said...

Hey Tracy! Congrats on becoming a member of the AVJ team. You are right...they are such a talented group of ladies and you will be a wonderful addition. Your first piece for them is beautiful. I love your color combinations and all of the die cuts that you've layered and collaged together. Beautiful use of stencils and ideaology as well. These colors definitely reflect summertime! Lovely interpretation of the theme. Congrats again, my friend! <3 Candy

Brenda Brown said...

This is such a delightful piece for your first Creative Guide sample full of wonderful Tracy talent and Tim influences, you did a brilliant job with it. I am so glad I asked and even happier you said yes - welcome aboard AVJ, enjoy your journey with us and have fun.
Have a great weekend.
hugs Brenda xxx

Meihsia Liu said...

Such a lovely creation, Tracy. Love the beautiful layers of embellishments and the great color scheme. :)

Terry said...

Wonderful project to start AVJ, Tracy! Love all the hearts and houses, so perfect for the challenge! Love this!

Mona Pendleton said...

Beautiful project Tracy! Love all the hearts and homes! So creative and artistic! Thanks for the inspiration!

Mona Pendleton said...

Congrats on your new DT position! So well deserved!

Jenny Marples said...

I absolutely adore this colour combo and the whole design! What a way to start your journey with us!!! So pleased to have you aboard. Jenny x

Deb said...

What a beautiful creation Tracy and congratulations on being asked to join the team at AVJ, you are going to be a wonderful addition to the Creative Guides! Wonderful step by step tutorial and a lovely finish, thanks so much for sharing it. Deb xo

Linda said...

What a fabulous little project ..... I love the colours and all the detail. Thank you for joining in with the Craft Stamper Challenge ...... good luck! Linda xx

Gio said...

Wow, amazing! Thank you for joining us at the Craft Stamper Challenge :-)

SewPaperPaint said...

This is just the coolest project! I really love what you've done!

Ellie Knol said...

Gorgeous piece, LOVE the colors!
Thanks for joining in with the Craft Stamper challenge ... good luck!
xxx Ellie Knol xxx

Unknown said...

YEAH Tracy - this piece sooooooo deserved to win... Congratulations on your Craft Stamper Magazine SUCCESS!!! Smiling big for you. j.

Ksenija @Sweet Kobylkin said...

Excellent project, I really enjoyed looking for all small details! My congrats to you on being selected to Design Top at Craft Stamper!

sarascloset said...

First, welcome to A Vintage Journey...Brenda was so smart to scoop you up as a Creative Guide! Second, congratulations on your win at Craft Stamper! and last but not least, your project is fantastic! I am so happy to see you used an embroidery hoop for a frame, and what a wonderful collage you have made! I was greatly inspired by your bold colors in the making of my entry for AVJ this time!