Steampunk Art

A little more steampunk from me this morning for The Stamp Attic using Tim's Steampunk set and the Weathered Clock die.

The background is a thick piece of card covered with torn paper from an old book adhered with Studio Matte Multi-Medium. When you are adhering the pieces to the card add a few random brush strokes of the medium to the top of the text as when you apply the ink it will resist the medium and leave white areas which adds to the interest in the background.

The background stamp from the Steampunk set was stamped with VersaMark ink onto the torn paper and Detail Clear Embossing Powder sprinkled over the top. Distress Ink brushed corduroy was then added over the top of the embossed areas and as you can see these areas resist the ink and give a fabulous background. I cut the Weathered Clock from thick card and coloured with Distress Ink brushed corduroy, adding black soot to the edges. Clear Rock Candy was then added randomly to the top of the Clock, making sure that some of the areas were not covered.  Once dry I added more brushed corduroy Distress Ink and the areas with no Rock Candy applied appears darker, adding to the grungy feel of my piece.

The dashing gentlemen were added to Fragments along with areas from the background stamp and these were then added to my card. To complete I added Steampunk Art from Wendy Vecchi's Steampunk Art set.

Thanks for stopping by, Tracy x x

Anything BUT A Card

ANYTHING BUT A CARD is this weeks challenge from Simon Says Stamp and Show.

A great oppotunity for me to use the Timely Pocket Watch Art Parts, coloured with Distress Stain aged mahogany and stamped with the stripes from Art Fit For A Queen using StazOn black ink. Paper from BoBunny Timepiece Collection was added to the inside of the pocket watch with a little dimension added from the Weathered Clock die. Throw in a little Clear Rock Candy for texture and Gadget Gears for a little more interest. The handsome gent in the middle is from Studio 490 So Serious, coupled with embellishments in the form of a Timepiece and Game Spinners.

The Gadget Gears and the Weathered Clock have had a good helping of Clear Rock Candy to add texture and interest. All the edges to these pieces have been coloured with Distress Ink brushed corduroy and the edges applied with black soot to add to the aged feel.

I stamped the gentleman in the centre with black Archival Ink and added dots using a black pen around the outside of this stamped piece to co-ordinate with the dots around his eyes. I added a little dimension to his hat, stamping twice and adding one layer on top of the other. Add a little Idea-ology for dimension and my piece is complete.

Please pop over to the Simon Says Stamp and Show blog and take a look at my fellow team members they have created some inspirational projects and remember there is also the chance to win a $50 prize from Simon Says Stamp.  I always look forward to seeing your creations each week.

Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment, much appreciated.  Enjoy your week. Tracy x x 

The Best Time To Plant A Tree.......

................Is twenty years ago. The next best time is now.  I have been using the Tall Conifer from 100 Proof Press.

The background was created with Distress Inks which I then spritzed with water.  I am quite pleased with this one, I think the trees work perfectly alone.

The text I found on a Google search, think it was listed as a Chinese proverb.

Thanks for stopping by, Tracy x x

Dimensional Art................

..............For my DT piece for Creative Expressions using the fabulous Sentimental Art by Wendy Vecchi, combined with a Large Flourish Frame.

My frame has been coloured with Distress ink and the background piece has been stamped with the fabulous lace background using StazOn black ink.I have also used the background stamp from the A Form Of Art set stamped onto the blue frame.

A little dimension has been added to my bodice adding layers of vintage music paper, coloured with Distress Ink. The smaller bodice is from the Dress Forms and More Art Parts, covered with vintage paper, coloured with Distress Ink and stamped with the lace background.

A brass charm and sentiment from the Sentimental Art set complete my piece.

Thanks for stopping by, Tracy x x

I'm So Thrilled.....................

...........To have been asked to be a Guest Artist for Artistic Outpost for three months from February through to April. I am so excited about the opportunity to use their fabulous images, I have always loved their style and I am looking forward to using the new releases over the next three months.  I will also be participating in their monthly blog hop using their fabulous designs.

If you are not familiar with Artistic Outpost click HERE to be taken to the store and HERE for their blog. Pop back in February to see my first creation and to join in their monthly blog hop.

Enjoy your week, Tracy x x

Pink Perfection

A couple of weeks ago I was asked by Scott from 3M if I would like to evaluate/review the Advanced Tape Glider (ATG); of course I jumped at the chance.  These are my personal views and opinions:

• The ATG is very simple to use and the instructions are very easy to follow using the instruction guide enclosed with the product. The ATG does exactly what it says on the box! There is also a wonderful "how to" video on the website HERE giving a very quick and easy demonstration, what could be easier. The ATG is the perfect tool for use in your creative journey. So simple to use, you simply use the finger trigger to release a controlled application of tape, no cutting required you simply release the trigger when you have sufficient tape; even better there is no mess! The ATG has two 6.3mm x 32.9m rolls of tape included with each Glider meaning its long lasting between refills. The ATG is compact so easy for storage as I know what all crafters are like, we have so many products storage is always a problem LOL.  Great colour too as I know quite a few crafters who like anything pink but in my case it makes it easier to lay my hands on the equipment when I need it.

• The tape is ACID FREE/PHOTO SAFE so the perfect tool for Scrapbooking, allowing you to adhere photo's and other keepsakes securely, the tape has a very strong hold. The ATG is the perfect tool for all your Card Making requirements, adhering paper, card, ribbon, embellishments and also perfect for Invitations as there is no cutting of tape making mass production so much easier and you know that what you adhere stays stuck, therefore no problems when posting. The ATG bonds to coated and uncoated surfaces, all the surfaces I tried worked a treat. Narrow borders are no longer a problem using the ATG, quick, simple and professional. I also tried a few pieces of ribbon and the ATG was wonderful and gave a great bond and both narrow and wide ribbons ahered to my card perfectly. I also experimented with grey board, mountboard and corrugated card and the ATG adhered them all no problem and my sample card below uses corrugated card to prove my point. The tape also works fabulously with fine glitter too, so perfect if you want to add a border of glitter.
• We all love a bargain especially just after Christmas and this fabulous ATG is on offer at the moment at £9.99. Refills are also available independently. Simply click HERE and you will be transported to the 3M website.

I created the card above adhering everything using the ATG and I must admit it was very quick, clean, simple and gives a professional result and most importantly for me gives a great bond, I always worry that pieces will fall off when sending items in the post but once stuck, it's stuck.

I would like to thank Scott at 3M for the opportunity to use a fabulous product, one I will keep in my CRAFT ESSENTIALS.

Thanks for stopping by, Tracy x x

Red Letter Day

Time for another challenge over at Simon Says Stamp and Show and this week our theme is RED LETTER DAY.

Following a search on Google, I found that red letter day originated from the practice of marking the dates of church festivals on calendars in red. The term came into wider use in 1549 when the first Book Of Common Prayer included a calendar with holy days marked in red ink, these dates were designated in the book as a red-letter day;  the term is sometimes written without the hyphen. Red letter day today is also known as a gift experience. With this in mind I tried to incorporate both into my card using Tim's Air Travel set to represent the gift experience, a flight being the experience or the journey. Dates highlighted in red were used taken from the Odds and Ends set along with the sentiment stamped in red using vermillion Archival Ink . A dashing gentlemen from the Steampunk set has been added to a bottle cap and a little embossing using clear embossing powder for dimension. Copper brads and a Blue Moon metal charm token add a little more interest to the card.

The background is a piece of grey board cut 5" x 5" and covered with vintage paper from an old book, torn into random pieces and coloured with Distress Ink brushed corduroy. I added five copper brads to the side of my card to add to the masculine feel.

I adhered the vintage paper with Claudine Hellmuth Studio Matt Multi-Medium and applied a few random patches to the top so that the ink would resist these areas and leave random white patches along with the clear embossed image. "The Journey Is The Destination" seemed the perfect sentiment.

Please pop over to the Simon Says Stamp and Show blog and take a look at my fellow team members they have created some inspirational projects and remember there is also the chance to win a $50 prize from Simon Says Stamp.  I always look forward to seeing your creations each week.

Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment, much appreciated.  Enjoy your week. Tracy x x