Compendium of Curiosities, Week 12

Challenge #12: Chipped Enamel

Sponsored by It's Always Fabulous!

(The Chipped Enamel technique is used on the metal numbers and the photo frame.)

Well, guys, as of this week we're officially 1/3 of the way through the Compendium of Curiosities Challenge Series! Can you believe it? I'm having such a great time, and am inspired every day by your talent and enthusiasm and kindness. Thanks to you all, from the bottom of my heart!

Ready to do it again? Please open your Compendium of Curiosities to page 44, where you'll find Tim's instructions for his wicked cool Chipped Enamel technique! One of the easiest ways to get a dramatic, dimensional distressed look on metallic pieces, this is a technique I use often, and I hope you enjoy it, too!

I'm thrilled to introduce a new sponsor this week! Welcome, It's Always Fabulous!

Sue Stoughton, the kind and brilliant force behind this awesome online vendor, is renowned for her exceptional customer service, not to mention her great prices and knowledge of all that's new and wonderful in the crafting world. She has a fabulous shop at ETSY, with a fun and ever-evolving inventory, and has the most generous pre-order policy I've seen yet. Check this out:

At It's Always Fabulous, we want everyone to have the chance to pre-order product.  Because we don't set the delivery dates and even our suppliers are uncertain about availability dates, we don't want to be holding your money until we are sure the product is on its way.  So if you're interested in a pre-order, drop an email and we'll send you the preorder pricing.   Send in your requests and when the product is on its way, we'll send you a Paypal invoice for the product.  Simple Simple Simple.  While you're waiting, see www.itsalwaysfabulous.etsy.com for the latest from other great companies like 7gypsies and Jenni Bowlin.

How cool is that?

Sue has put together an unbelievable prize package for this week's winner. Seriously, prepare to have your socks knocked off. Behold:

And actually, there's WAY more to the prize than I have photos for! Here's the full list of what this week's very lucky winner will receive. Keep in mind, a few of the new Tim Holtz products have not yet been released, so Sue will send them as soon as they arrive.

• One set of the Retro Halloween Stamps
• One set of the Halloween Words and Webs Texture Fades
• One Package of Hobgoblin Tissue Tape
• One Bottle of Distress Stickles in Spiced Marmalade, Black Soot and Dusty Concord
• One Chipboard Ghost Album (Nikki Sivils - Scrapbooker product)
• One set of Vintage Chipboard Halloween Buttons (Jenni Bowlin)
• Two printed sheets of vintage Halloween Images
• One Package of Ranger 12x12 Black Gloss Paper
• Two Sheets of Black Glitter Paper
• One Alterations Bigz Die - Rickety House

Makes me wish I could win! ;-)

But wait... there's more!

Gloria, the amazing List Mom at the All Things Tim group at Yahoo, always sends a sweet surprise to one lucky member who adds their creation to the Compendium of Curiosities folder at the group's home page. Please be sure to tag your photo "CCC #12" when you upload it there. If you haven't joined yet, please do! It's a fun, wonderful group of Tim fans!

To be eligible to win one (or both!) of these prizes, simply create your own work of art that incorporates the Chipped Enamel technique and link it here using the InLinkz button at the end of this post. There are just Two Simple Rules I require you to adhere to:

1. Follow the technique as it's written in the Compendium (with your own personal flair!)
2. Out of fairness to Tim, please don't post the instructions on your blog!

Okay, let's boogie! This challenge is open until 8:00 pm (MDT) next Sunday, September 5. I'm excited to see this week's gorgeous art!

Have a lovely, art-filled day!
Linda

Congratulations, CCC Week 11 Winners!

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you all had a lovely and creative weekend, and that you're looking forward to a great week! 

It's time to announce our winners for the Compendium of Curiosities Challenge, Week 11!

The Random Number Generator has done its thing, and our winner number is 51: 

Congratulations to Jane, of the "It's Time to Use The Collection" blog!

Click the image for a better view of Jane's lovely tag!

Jane, you've won this spectacular collection of Tim Holtz products, courtesy of Daisy at Eclectic Paperie! Have a BLAST with these brand new stamps, and all the cool accessories that come with them!

eP Rocks!

Gloria at the All Things Tim group at Yahoo has chosen her winner this week as well!

Congratulations, Becky Horn!

Becky doesn't currently have a blog of her own, so I've been hosting her photos. If you'd like to send her a kind word, please post it at the ATT group, where I know she'll see it. :-)

Thanks so much to Daisy and Gloria for their generosity! You ladies are the best! ♥

Fear not, there's a new challenge and a whole new chance to win coming up in just a few minutes!

Oh, Those Crafty Bastards!

Yesterday was gorgeous here in Boise, if a little cool and breezy for late August. I love this city, with its rich cultural history and abundance of trees, and walking around the downtown area is one of my favorite things to do—especially this time of year, when there are so many cool things going on.

I snapped this photo as I was passing the lovely, historic Basque Center, on my way to the first annual Crafty Bastards Block Party! A street fair with tons of awesome handcrafted goods for sale, great music and a Bloody Mary Mix Off— what's not to love about that?!

I got so wrapped up in the festivities I didn't actually think to take any photos at the party (I know. Bad Blogger.), but in my defense I was quite busy shopping like a maniac (yeah, like this surprises anyone who knows me). Wanna see the treasures I brought home, all handcrafted right here in the Boise area? 

Whenever I go to an event like this, my first stop is Intentions Perfumery. Caitlyn Davies, my dear friend and the world's most brilliant natural perfume maker, creates the most incredible fragrances. Trust me, Chanel ain't got nothin' on Cait! She does a new line each season, and her scents for autumn 2010 are... okay, yes, "transcendent" is the right word. I had to have two, one for when I'm feeling sweet, and another for when I just really need to channel Wonder Woman. Caitlyn is in the process of creating an ETSY shop for her perfumes, and I'll let you guys know when it goes live!

But it's not enough to smell good. A girl's gotta feel good, too. So I picked up some lovely, completely natural skincare products from Thea's Bee Beautiful. This stuff is rich and wonderful!

Then, I blinged myself with some new jewelry from Elle Brady Designs. The bracelet is constructed with parts from an old bicycle chain. Clever, huh?

 Here's a close-up of the Hoop Girl earrings. I am so in love with these. 

 Finally, I bought two gorgeous, unique tri-fold greeting cards from the brilliant Jenny Rice! The photo truly doesn't do them justice, but you can see how cleverly designed and richly textured they are. The insides are fabulous, too!

At that point, I was low on cash and high on that euphoric state that accompanies a Really Good Shopping Experience, so I wandered around the city market for a while and then took myself out for a green tea latte. I need more days like this. We all do. I hope you have many... and often!

Have an artful day!

Linda

It's a Drunken Stampers Sing Along!

Before we officially wave goodbye to the sunny season, we at Drunken Stampers are raising our cocktail glasses and creating a little art to celebrate to our Favorite Summer Songs. So, put another dime in the jukebox, baby, and get out your inks!

I've always considered "Summer Breeze" by Seals and Crofts to be the quintessential, "sit on the back porch and sip a mint julep" tune, and I was tickled when one of my favorite contemporary performers, Jason Mraz, covered it so beautifully on his last album. I like it so much, actually, that no other song even came to mind for this challenge. (Sorry Van Halen and Brain Wilson. You guys would have been in the running, otherwise...). Click the arrow to hear it (there's no actual video, you'll just get the music...):

Pretty good, huh?

If you saw my earlier post about the Easy Gesso Transfer tutorial I did at Gingersnaps, you know how I made the background for this piece. Once that was done, I covered the entire canvas with matte multi medium and added the Copic-ed, cut out, curly-haired guy from Tim's Artful Artifacts set (okay, yes, technically the guy is Michelangelo's David). He's stamped onto Strathmore Bristol Paper with Black Tuxedo Memento ink.

I created some warped text in Photoshop with the lyrics and printed it onto white mulberry paper, which more or less vanished once I glued it down (thanks to my friend Linda H. over at Scrappin' Bears Studio for the idea!). From there, a couple of paper flowers, some black and gold paint to make a border, and we're rockin'!

Okay, it's your turn! What song makes you feel all summery inside? Make some art to go along with it, and link it over at the Drunken Stampers craft lounge! This challenge is open through Friday, September 3 (how is it already September???).

Big hugs,
Linda

.....

Easy Gesso Image Transfers!

Happy Saturday, everyone! I'm getting ready to head over to "The Big Le Boise" craft fair to check out some cool, local handmade goodness, but I wanted to pop in first to let you know that I have a new tutorial on Easy Gesso Image Transfers posted at Gingersnap Creations. I hope you'll check it out! It's one of the gazillion fun things I've learned in the "At Home with Claudine Hellmuth" class I've been taking:

Back later to show what I created with my gesso transfer background!

Hugs,
Linda

Red! Black! It's a Gingersnaps Color Challenge!

You just know this kitty is seconds away from taking a swing at that tassel.

I love a color challenge, and we're hosting a fun one this week at Gingersnap Creations: Red and Black!

Like pretty much any topic you want to throw my way, I found my inspiration for this challenge in a food-related memory...

When I was a kid, there was this really cool Asian restaurant in downtown Twin Falls— Koto's Cafe was its name— and to me it was the pinnacle of luxury. I don't remember all that much about the food, but the decor was spectacular! It was (you guessed it) red and black (and gold, too, but that doesn't count right now). I loved that little restaurant on the corner of Shoshone and 2nd, and I'm sure that's why I felt compelled to do an Asian-themed card for this challenge. In fact, right now I'm craving chow mein and wishing I could sit in that dimly lit, elegant little cafe with the dragon wallpaper and Oriental tapestries. Koto's is long gone, but its place in my personal history lives on.

But that's enough of my nostalgia! The real question is, what does the red and black combo inspire in YOU?

This Gingersnaps Color Challenge is open through September 19, so you have plenty of time to play along!

Hugs,
Linda

Card-ology:

• Plain chipboard with Adirondack Pitch Black paint, then decoupaged with swirly red handmade paper using Studio Gloss Medium. 
• Red carstock panel is stamped with Adirondack Pitch Black paint using stamps of mysterious origin. It's edged with Black Soot Distress Embossing Powder, which doesn't show up very well in the photo. 
• Flower is grungeboard, cut with the Tattered Florals Alterations die and painted red, with Ranger Enamel Accents in black for the center. 

Compendium of Curiosities, Week 11!

Challenge 11: Blended Batik

Sponsored by Eclectic Paperie!

You guys created the most sensational art with Distress Stickles last week! It's so inspiring to see the variety of techniques and brilliant interpretations of these challenges, and  I can't wait to admire the gorgeous work I know you'll do for Week 11. So...

Please open your Compendium of Curiosities to page 36, where you'll find Tim's Blended Batik technique!

This is another of Tims projects that's super easy, but the result can be very sophisticated. Plus, it's one of those techniques where you get to say "Ta DA!" as the look transforms before your very eyes. You'll see what I mean.... it's really cool!

Daisy, the generous Wonder Woman/proprietor of Eclectic Paperie, (one of the most fabulous shops in the online universe!) has put together a spectacular prize package for our Week 11 winner, to be chosen via Random Number Generator after this Challenge closes. Check this out!!!

Distress Embossing Ink ♥ Distress Ink in Pumice

 Ranger Embossing Powder in Clear 

Ink Blending Tool ♥ Tim Holtz Mini Holidays Stamp Set

And, as always, the wonderful Gloria, List Mom at the All Things Tim group at Yahoo, will also send a cool surprise to one lucky member who adds their creation to the Compendium of Curiosities album at the group's home page. Please be sure to tag your photo "CCC #11" when you upload it there. Not a member? Well, now's the time to join! You'll love it there!

To be eligible to win one (or both!) of these prizes, simply create your own work of art that incorporates the Blended Batik technique and link it here using the InLinkz button at the end of this post. There are just Two Simple Rules I require you to adhere to: 

1. Follow the technique as it's written in the Compendium (with your own personal flair!)

2. Out of fairness to Tim, please don't post the instructions on your blog!

Okay, let's rock! This challenge is open until 8:00 pm (MDT) next Sunday, August 29 . I'm really looking forward to admiring your technique... with Batik!

Have a spectacular week, everyone!

Hugs,
Linda

Compendium Challenge Week 10 Winners!

Is it just me, or did last week speed by awfully fast? Hard to believe it's Monday morning already, but it is indeed, and that means it's time to announce our winners from among all the gorgeous submissions for the Compendium of Curiosities Challenge #10! 

The Random Number Generator has spoken, and the winner of the fabulous $25 Simon Says Stamp shopping spree is:

Sherry Cheever

of the Walkin on the BAD Side Blog!

Sherry made the COOLEST "Queen of the Rodeo" card, and if you didn't have the chance to see it, please click on the photo above for a closer look at Sherry's blog. It's just awesome!

Sherry, enjoy that shopping spree!

As always, there's another fabulous prize to give away...

Gloria, the Amazing List Mom at the All Things Tim group at Yahoo, has chosen her winner from among the submissions posted at the group's site:

Congratulations, Sanna

of the Korttipaja SannaS blog!

Sanna made a stunning CD booklet for her nephew's birthday! Click the photo to visit blog for a better view of her great submission.

Huge congratulations to both our winners, and a heartfelt thanks to Heidi and Steph from Simon Says Stamp, and Gloria from All Things Tim, for their generosity!

Ready for Challenge 11 and two more opportunities to win? Cool! Check back in just a few minutes!

♥~Linda

Drunken Stampers: Express Your Inner Diva!

Ladies, start your engines! This week at the Drunken Stampers Craft Lounge, we're celebrating our Inner Diva!

Can I just tell you how much I love this stamp? She's another of those awesome, powerful ladies from Loralie Designs (Pazazza is her name), and in my wildest dreams, my own inner diva is this sensational. She didn't require much more than some Copic colors, a few sticky rhinestones and a couple of roses to achieve the full expression of her fabulousity (new word!). Using part of one of my all-time favorite poems (Phenomenal Woman) by one of my personal heroes (Maya Angelou) made this even more fun to create.

C'mon, it's time to unleash your inner diva, too! (And guys, you can play along as well. I dare you!) Sashay into the Drunken Stampers Lounge and strut your stuff! This challenge is open through next Friday, August 27, and we can't wait to admire your divalicious art!

For Sherry Goodloe: Somebody to Lean On

Hey blog friends, this is a special-edition post and a heartfelt call to a community of people who know that, without a doubt, Art Heals.

My blog buddy, Sherry Goodloe, who so many of us know and love, was diagnosed with breast cancer yesterday. Chances are, you've already admired Sherry's wonderful creations at her fabulous blog, GOT ART? (she makes the COOLEST charm necklaces in the world!), but if you haven't had the opportunity yet, please check out her gorgeous work and read her always-inspiring posts. She's truly one of the most talented and kindest people in the crafting world.

With Sherry's permission, I'm asking everyone who is able to join me in letting Sherry know that she has a whole BUNCH of us to lean on while she conquers this challenge! We all understand how much it means to receive something lovingly handmade, and with this community of exceptionally talented and generous people, we can fill Sherry's home with so much beauty and love, and that's exactly what she needs while she's kicking cancer's ass!

I don't want to post Sherry's physical address on a public blog, so if you'd like to join me in sending some handcrafted love to her— and I really, really hope you will!— please send me a quick email and I'll reply with her mailing address. Click here to email me.

Thanks so much, everyone! You guys are the best!

Love,
Linda

Compendium of Curiosities, Week 10!

Challenge 10: Distress Stickles!

Sponsored by Simon Says Stamp!

Happy Monday morning, everyone! Can you believe it's already the middle of August, and that we're on Challenge number TEN??

I have to admit, I've been looking forward to this particular challenge since Day 1. I love, Love, LOVE Distress Stickles! Grungier and far more interesting than your average glitter glue, you can use them to add texture and a little pizazz to your art without feeling like you've hung it on a disco ball! Check out the Compendium of Curiosities, page 46, for the low down!

What's your favorite way to use Distress Stickles? I can't wait to find out!

As always, there are two prizes up for grabs!

Simon Says Stamp is back with another awesome and generous $25 shopping spree for the randomly-chosen winner of this week's challenge! You know them, you love them— the have an AMAZING inventory and are taking pre-orders for all that awesome new Tim stuff... including the Holy Grail of 'em all, the VAGABOND!

By the way, did you know that Simon has a brand new challenge blog of their own, and it's specifically geared toward the vintage, shabby, Tim-esque style we all adore? Check it out, it's just awesome:

Simon Says Stamp and Show!

You're more than welcome to create a piece that fits the criteria of both challenges, anytime. I'm honored to be in such good company!

And, the wonderful Gloria, List Mom at the All Things Tim group at Yahoo, will send a special surprise to one lucky member who adds their creation to the Compendium of Curiosities album at the group's home page. Please be sure to tag your photo "CCC #10" when you upload it there. If you're not yet a member, please check it out! It's a wonderful community of supportive, talented Tim fans, and they'll welcome you with open arms.

To be eligible to win one (or both!) of these prizes, simply create your own work of art that prominently features Distress Stickles in its design, and link it here using the InLinkz button below. Because this is a product-based challenge as opposed to a technique, I have just one requirement this time:

Your submission must specifically incorporate Distress Stickles (not regular Stickles or any other glitter glue). Please list in your blog post the color or colors of Distress Stickles you used (or, if you don't have a blog, list them in the Comments form here). Easy and totally fun— be as creative as you dare!

Thanks so much for being part of this series. Seeing your art is a huge highlight of my week, and I'm so inspired by your creativity and enthusiasm. You guys are the best!

Okay, just one more thing:

Please be aware that I'm changing the weekly deadline a little, and I'm going to be closing submissions at 8 pm MDT Sunday nights from now on (which is, I think, 2 am Monday GMT). I apologize if this poses a problem for anyone, but I'm having a hard time getting everything done and making it to work on time Monday mornings. Closing submissions a few hours earlier will allow me to wrap things up before bed Sunday night, which will be lovely. Thanks for understanding!

And that means: This Challenge is open until 8 pm (MDT) next Sunday, August 22.

Okay, let's STICKLIZE!

Hugs,
Linda

My sample above was made with Tim's awesome new Falling Leaves stamp set. The leaves were stamped onto handmade (not by me!) paper, cut out and coated with a Distress Stickles (in Pine Needles and Peeled Paint). I used the same shades to create the border around the canvas. This piece also incorporates Adirondack Paints in the background, some hammered jewelry wire for the leaf "hangers," and some cool Girls Paperie letter tiles for the too-groovy sentiment. ;-)

Compendium Challenge Week 9 Winners!

Once again, you guys ROCKED the CCC! Your Distress Crackle art was beyond spectacular, and I'm so happy to read that quite a few people tried this product for the first time and enjoyed it so much!

Without further ado, here's the winner of the fabulous $25 shopping spree from one of the coolest shops in the Universe, Eclectic Paperie:

Congratulations, Terry, of Terry's Work in Progress!

Here's Terry's beautiful, crackled art. Click the photo for a closer view!

And, everyone's favorite List Mom, Gloria from All Things Tim at Yahoo, has chosen her winner from among the entries uploaded at the group's home page.

Congratulations to Christine Nay, of the Change of Heart blog!

Here's Christine's crackled masterpiece.. Click the photo to be magically transported to her blog!

This was so much fun, I think we should do it again! There are more prizes to be won, and more arty fun to be had, when Challenge 10 posts in just a few minutes. Stay tuned!

Hugs,

Linda

Thanks so much to Daisy at Eclectic Paperie, and Gloria at All Things Tim, for their awesome generosity and support!

Drunken Stampers Get Catty!

Gray Kitty, Bowie and Stella

This week at the Drunken Stampers Cocktail and Crafting Lounge, we're celebrating a subject very dear to my heart: Cats! Looking at my blog, it's pretty easy to tell that I'm hopelessly devoted to my four-legged, hairball hacking friends, so I was delighted when this challenge rolled in. The cats? They really couldn't care less.

I made these mini canvases for an assignment in the At Home with Claudine Hellmuth course I'm currently taking (and still behind in...), using the Gesso Transfer technique. I'm having a great time in this class, and one of the best perks so far is the fact that it's finally gotten me over my irrational fear of doing image transfers. I have no idea what that was about, by the way. If I'd realized how easy they really are, I'd have been transferring images onto every flat surface in my house.

I used photos of my own little furballs, cropped them and then messed around with the filters in Photoshop until I'd turned them into little cartoon kitties. I don't have an exact formula for this, since every picture seems to require its own unique set of tweaks, but a quick and easy way to approximate the effect would be to use the "Poster Edges" filter, which does this:

I printed the cartoons on the laser jet at work, then placed the images face down into a thick glob of gesso on my pre-painted canvases and let them dry overnight. The next day, I sprayed them with water to saturate the paper, then rubbed it off, leaving the cartoon cats behind. Like magic! A little touch up with the paint, a quick whitewash of gesso, and voilà! My first successful image transfers! Cocktails for everyone!

I know a lot of my blog buddies are cat people, too, so how 'bout showing the love and sharing the fur with us at Drunken Stampers? My Design Team-mates have whipped up some gorgeous examples, so please check 'em out and join in! This cat-tastic (sorry) challenge is open through next Friday, and we can't wait to raise a glass to your feline-inspired art!

Gingersnaps Paint the Town!

It's Wednesday, and that means a whole new challenge at the Gingersnap Creations blog! This week, we're having all kinds of fun with paint. Acrylic, crackle, gesso... pick your pigment and join in!

This is a piece I created for the At Home with Claudine Hellmuth online course I'm currently enrolled in (and behind in... I have some catching up to do!). As you probably know, Claudine has a really amazing collection of paints and paint-related accoutrements in her fabulous Studio line, and we've been learning a ton of cool ways to use them.

The background here is a sheet of Glitz Design paper, transferred onto an 8x8 canvas using Studio Gesso. The little circles are cut from dictionary pages and ink jet paper, and though it's basically impossible to tell from the photo, there are several fun little technique used on them— Tinted Paper, Faux Paste Paper, and Reverse Stamping, all utilizing Claudine's paints. Once those were glued down with Matte Multi Medium, I brushed a little  more Gesso over the top for Extra Added Distressing. The little birds, flower and butterflies are all rub ons, also from Glitz Design.

This is just silly enough that I kind of like it. I think I'll hang it on my pale pink bedroom wall. Poor Scott really is living in Girlville!

So.. got paint? Run on over to Gingersnap Creations, check out the fab samples my awesome Design Team-mates have created and wow us with your mad painting skills! This challenge is open until September 5, so you have lots of time to play.

Have a wonderful day, everyone!
Linda

Compendium of Curiosities, Week 9!

Challenge 9: Distress Crackle

Sponsored by Eclectic Paperie!

As each week of this series comes to a close, I think I've seen the most wonderful, Tim-inspired art possible, and that it couldn't possibly get any better. And then, it does! I hope you guys are having as much fun creating as I am admiring what you create!

So, let's do it again! Please open your Compendium of Curiosities to page 42, for the Distress Crackle Technique!

You'll note that Tim used both a tinted crackle paint and the clear Rock Candy Crackle in his tutorial, and I've used both in my example above. It's not required that you do this in order to be eligible to win this week's prize, however. As long as you use at least one jar of Distress Crackle Paint, you're good to go!

Speaking of prizes, we have another great one this week! Our dear friend Daisy from Eclectic Paperie is offering a $25 shopping spree to the randomly-selected winner of Challenge 9! Just think of those new Tim products hitting the shelves right now... !

To be eligible to win the Eclectic Paperie gift certificate, simply create your own work of art using Distress Crackle and link it here using the InLinkz button at the end of this post. And of course, keep in mind these Two Simple Rules to be eligible to win: Follow the technique as it's written in the Compendium (with your own personal flair!), and, out of fairness to Tim, don't post the instructions on your blog!

And, as always, the wonderful Gloria, List Mom at the All Things Tim group at Yahoo, will also send a special present to one lucky member who adds their creation to the Compendium of Curiosities album at the group's home page. Please be sure to tag your photo "CCC #9" when you upload it there. And, if you're not a member, it's high time you joined the fun!

Okay, let's get cracked up! This challenge is open until 11:59 PM (MDT) next Sunday, August 15. I'm looking forward to seeing how your rock this paint!

Big Hugs,
Linda

Compendium Challenge Week 8 Winners!

Happy Monday, Everyone!

What a stunning collection of inked grunge last week! Once again, I find myself wishing I could send every single one of you a prize for your brilliant art. Thank you for being so inspirational and kind, and for your enthusiasm for these challenges!

It's time to announce the winner of the Simon Says Stamp $25 Shopping Spree!

Congratulations to:

Tianne of the Paper Things blog!

Click the photo for a better view of Tianne's gorgeous tag!

Tianne, enjoy your amazing shopping spree!

And, of course, the wonderful Gloria from the All Things Tim group at Yahoo has also chosen a winner from among the Challenge #8 pieces uploaded to the gallery there. And the winner is...

Lynn Stevens, of the Trash to Treasure Art blog!

Yay, Lynn!!!

Here's Lynn's spectacular card. Be sure to click the photo for a closer look!

Lynn, please be sure to send Gloria a message at the group page so she'll know where to mail your goodies.

Okay, are you ready for The Compendium of Curiosities Challenge #9? It will post in just a few short minutes.

Thanks again to Heidi and Steph from Simon Says Stamp, and to Gloria, too, for their generosity and for being so supportive and kind!

Who WAS That Masked Drunken Stamper?

We're masking things off at the Drunken Stampers Cocktail and Craft Lounge this week!

For this oversized card, I started with white cardstock and masked off the compass with the Tattered Angels Tattered Traveler Glimmer Screen, and the letters with the Tim Holtz Ransom Alphabet masks. I used the Copic airbrush and lots of shades of blue and teal to color the entire panel. Then, I used an old, unidentified map stamp with Broken China Distress Ink to add some subtle imagery to the blue background.

 After that, I removed the masks and stamped the Tattered Traveler compass stamp on top of now-white compass background. The "Explore" letters looks a little too stark, so I misted the entire piece with blue Perfect Pearls mixed into water.

The compass pointed, bird charm, tissue tape and background paper are all from— you guessed it!— Tim Holtz!

I just want to apologize for not being online much this weekend and therefore being very behind in my blurfing! It's for a good reason: My mom is visiting, as she does for her birthday every year, and I'm so enjoying having time with her. Please forgive my slow response time if you email me. ♥

Okay, your turn to put on those masks! This challenge runs through next Friday evening (August 13) at the Drunken Stampers blog, and we're so excited to see what you come up with!

Big Hugs,
Linda

Compendium of Curiosities, Week 8!

Challenge #8: Inking Grunge

Sponsored by Simon Says Stamp!

Happy Monday, dear friends! I wish I could send each of you an award for the magnificent art you shared last week! Your Tinted Vision Fragments were wonderful— every single submission was truly special. You guys are amazing!

Ready to rock it again?

Please open your Compendium of Curiosities to page 39, where you'll find Tim's tutorial for Inked Grunge! We're going back to the basics this week, with a technique that is the foundation of so much of Tim's fabulous art. You may use either Grungeboard or Grungepaper for this challenge, but please don't substitute chipboard or any other paper product. Grunge is truly unique in the way it takes ink, as well as its malleability and strength. You can do all kinds of amazing things with this stuff!

Heidi and Steph, my fabulous friends at Simon Says Stamp are offering a magnificent $25 shopping spree to our randomly-chosen winner from among this week's entries! Have you visited their website lately? Guys, they have ALL of Tim's new summer releases either in stock or on order, and are taking pre-orders for those in-demand, limited-edition items right now! That shopping spree couldn't be timed more perfectly!

To be eligible to win the sensational Simon Says Stamp treasure trove, simply create your own Inked Grunge work of art and link it here using the InLinkz button at the end of this post. And as always, don't forget these Two Simple Rules to be eligible to win: Follow the technique as it's written in the Compendium (with your own personal flair!), and, out of fairness to Tim, don't post the instructions on your blog!

Remember, too, the always-generous Gloria, beloved List Mom at the All Things Tim group at Yahoo, will send a special gift to one lucky member who adds their creation to the Compendium of Curiosities album at the group's home page. Please be sure to tag your photo "CCC #8" when it upload it there. If you're not a member, please join this awesome group! I promise, you'll be so glad you did.

Okay, let's get grungy! This Challenge is open until 11:59 PM (MDT) next Sunday, August 7. I can't wait to admire more of your stunning art!

Big hugs,
Linda

Thanks to Heidi, Steph and the whole Simon Says Stamp gang, and to Gloria from All Things Tim, for their incredible generosity! The sponsors of this series are absolutely amazing! Please give them some love-- they so deserve it!


I used the Inked Grunge technique to create the little red "purse," which is made from two pieces of Grungeboard that were cut with the Baroque Alterations die and sewn together with twine laced through eyelets. All the papers are Tim's, including the background (stamped with one of his butterflies) as well as the vintage photo and ticket stubs. The filmstrip and heart charm are Idea-ology, and the bottom layer is Grungeboard... inked!

Compendium Challenge Week 7 Winners!

Ok, friends, it's the moment we've all been waiting for. Here's the randomly-chosen winner of the fabulous Tim and Mario Extravaganza Box of Happiness, including the Tim Holtz autographed stamp set...

Drumroll please...

Are you ready?

It's Evelyn of the Beyond Just Black and White blog!

CONGRATULATIONS, Evelyn!!!!

Here's Evelyn's beautiful tinted vision fragment. Click the image for a closer look. 

Don't worry, everyone, I have FIVE more similar, giant-size collections of goodies from Tim and Mario to distribute throughout the remainder of the Challenge Series, so there are lots more opportunities to win one!

But wait, there's another prize to be given! Gorgeous Gloria from the All Things Tim group at Yahoo has also chosen a winner from among the Challenge #7 pieces uploaded to the gallery there. And the winner is...

Barbara Washington, of the Magic Delights blog!

Huge congrats, Barbara!

Here's Barbara's gorgeous card. Click the photo for a closer look!

Barbara, please be sure to send Gloria a message at the group page so she'll know where to mail your goodies.

Everyone ready for The Compendium of Curiosities Challenge #8? It will post in just a few short minutes.

Thanks again to Tim, Mario and Gloria for their generosity and all-around wonderfulness! We love you guys!

Don't Fear the Airbrush!

Ever wondered why on earth you should drop sixty or so bucks on a Copic airbrush system? 

Ever thought it would be a big pain in the patootie to assemble it, use it and clean it up if you did? 

Ever concluded that airbrushing would use up your ink too quickly and lead you down the slippery slope of constant marker refills?

Ever figured you wouldn't use it enough to make it worth your while, anyway? 

Me, too— until I got one and started spraying everything in sight! I have a little tutorial over at Gingersnap Creations right now that addresses each of the points above, plus a few more.  I'd love for you to check it out!

Hugs,
Linda