Back to Nature Autumn tag

I have changed the look of my blog a little so I can use bigger pictures. Pictures are so central to visual work. Today I wanted to experiment with Paperartsy's infusions and grunge paste. I worked on some book pages adhering them to card and cutting out a die from the Tim Holtz Bookplate and tag die. Next I used the paste through a stencil. Once it dried I used a heavy sprinkle and spritz of Slime  infusions.

By the time I had finished the text has almost disappeared. I love the range of colours that the infusions create. The texture paste  highlighted this effect as the colours pool and swirl around the patterned surface. I did use some distress ink in olive and forest moss but most of the colour comes from the infusions. I added very little to this as I wanted to allow the texture and colour show through.

I used some gold and terracotta embossing powder to create a defined edge. I die cut some tiny leaves from the Tiny Tattered Florals framlits set  and finished off with some dark brown Autumn plants from my garden.

This tag is partly inspired by the challenge over at A Vintage Journey where they prompt you to use natural objects, colours and themes this month. It is hard not to be conscious of nature at the change of seasons so much shifting colour and form in the garden as everything bursts its borders and dries out or turns rich browns and golden colours.

The tag is finished off with a quote from Van Gogh.

I am linking up to A Vintage Journey where they are challenging you to get  Back to Nature
Also joining in with That's Crafty Forever Autumn Challenge

Nature Tag Accordion Book

I have spent a lot more time in the garden this year and the place is alive with bees which is a great sign. Much of my time has been taken up with watering the garden throughout the heat, fighting to keep all my plants growing. This year I managed to plant potatoes. Something I have wanted to do for years. Then the sun came out to stay!  I really wanted to keep them alive - so lots of trips with a watering can. Country View's challenge theme for July is In the Summer Garden and That's Crafty's theme is Close to Nature both have been in my mind and I made several attempts to settle down to work on them. As I said last post I seem to be producing masses of backgrounds but no projects. I think now the weather has cooled down my creative brain has revived.

This is a quick simple project using small cream parcel tags attached with washi tape to make an accordion book. The tags are painted with dry brush strokes of Paperartsy chalk paint in limelight and Beach Hut. The tape used to attach the tags is by 7 Gypsies - dragged screaming and kicking from my stash. The turquoise colour matched the painting perfectly.

As I had been struggling so once I started I did not stop to take any more photos as I worked. I stamped along the bottom with lots of plant stamps and added some dragonflies and insects and flowers. Then I pulled the colours together with distress ink around the edges in Twisted Citron. I made a separate piece for the sentiment as I felt it would disappear in all the busy images and colours. The book is finished off with some metallic distress stain and a peice of dyed seam binding.

So good to get something finished that I am reasonably happy with. I still have a pile of backgrounds!

I will have to take more process shots next time.

List of supplies
Stamps - various but lots from Crafty Secrets Wildflowers set.
Paper Artsy Fresco Finish Chalk Paint - Beach Hut, Limelight and Nougat
Tim Holtz Distress Stain - Tarnished Brass
Archival ink - Manganese Blue and Leaf Green
Distress Ink - Twisted Citron
7 Gypsies Wash Tape way too old to remember or find online!

I am linking up with
That's Crafty's Close to Nature Challenge
Country View's In the Summer Garden Challenge

Thanks for your visit and all the kind comments

Rusty Tag Book

The Mixed Media Monthly for May is Rust. Rust often comes up as a challenge topic but it is something I have never used but is that not one of the meanings of the word challenge?  One of the benefits of blogging is that I look at what others are up to more often. If you have read previous posts you know I have tried the new Seth Apter and Emerald Creek's new embossing powders but so far I have only managed to get the deep sea and vintage beeswax. I decided to try and mix some of my existing powders up and create some rust effect. I thought tags would be a good way to test it out. I started with a couple of colours of distress ink.

I did a bit of spritz and flicking and darkened the edges with more distress.

I stamped lots of images in Versamark and clear embossed them. I also did some stamping in Seinna Archival ink. I darkened the tags down with several brown distress inks. The clear embossing acts as a resist so the golden, green and orange tones popped through.

I spritzed with water and used lots of Rusty Car and a little Golden Sands Paperartsy Infusions.

They were already looking a bit rusty.

Next I selected some embossing powders to try and mix up my own rust. I used lots of Vintage Photo, a pinch of Black Soot, a tiny bit of WOW Copper, a pinch of Chinese Red and a couple of pinches of Terra cotta. It was meant to be a fun experiment so no exact measurements here!

I  decided I wanted to make a tag book with them as they were looking interesting. So I worked some Versamark over the edges at the ring end which would be the open end of the book "pages." After covering in the rusty powder mix and heating I think they did look rusty. Might use more Terra cotta next time though.

I decided to use some illustrations from an old technical book I have been keeping for years. Finally realized there is never a perfect time to use it just DO IT.

Having got over this procrastination I think they work OK on these grungy little pages. Dont you think makes them each seem more precious and significant than the original book?

I made a spine hidden hinge as there is no need for expansion I used a simple accordion fold and no space between each hing.

I glued each of the pages onto one hinge and held them tight with a bulldog clip to let the glue set.

While the glue set I cut two board covers shaped like tags. I used Prima Craftsman paper to decorate the front and inside covers. I used distress ink to darken the edges inside and out

I wanted to make the covers more like the pages of the book so I used the Rusty Car Infusions again Then I had to make more rust powder as I had used my concoction all up. I added rust to the cover mainly round the edges.

I used the keyhole plate from Tim Holtz's Hardwear Findings Sizzix die to make hinges for fastening the covers to the book on the inside.

Of course they were 'rusted' too. This is definitelymy favorite illustration - Fig 420. the text makes me smile. Perhaps I am mistaken, I cant imagine ever soldering with a potato, who even knew it was possible!

I glued the covers on and left it to dry. While I waited I made more rusty fixings for the outside cover and spine binding.Once these were glued on I punched holes in the spine so they were tags too.

 

If you have made it this far thanks for your paitence. If you explain the process it does make a long post.
I am entering this little book in  Mixed Media Monthly #48 challenge which is "Rust"

Also entering the Emerald Creek Challenge which is Rust  #ECMAY2018
Im joining in with Mini Album Makers Monthly Challenge

Bird tag with Vintage Beeswax Embossing

New stamps and Seth Apter Emerald Creek embossing powders arrived yesterday just as I was unloading all my old stamps to sort out. I could not wait to try the Vintage beeswax powder out and I had to use these little plaques from B Line Designs.

B Line Designs Enameled Plate cube ZTP129E

SSS Monday prompt this week is Ombre so I grabbed a tag and got messy. I used some MT tape of birds eggs and stamped an old prima bird image which I coloured with distress markers. I embossed the edges with a couple of Tim Holts folders and then distress inked the tag in four colours of blue distress, (Chipped Sapphire, Mermaid Lagoon, Salty Ocean and Tumbled Glass). I'm not sure how well the ombre effect worked with so many elements. I photographed it before I used the Vintage beeswax embossing powder.

Tag before embossing

I embossed the whole tag with three coats of Vintage beeswax powder and then added some Deep Sea powder around the bottom edges to darken the blue tones.  You can see the rich dark blue and speckles it created. The whole tag is shiny and vibrant - I love the effect.

Tag after embossing

 The beeswax does give a yellow tinge to the surface changing my blues to a more green tint. This is made more extreme by the artificial light I used as its such a dull day here. The finished surface is stiff and I was able to crack it which ages it especially on the plaques. I finished off with dyed seambinding and gold highlights with Liquid Leaf, Classic.

I think I might become addicted to this embossing powder - watch this space!

I am entering this in the Monday Challenge at Simon Says Stamp:"Ombre" SSS link:
info on Seth Apter's Embossing powders

My first Paperartsy Challenge Nautical Colours2018 #5

I am excited to be entering in the PaperArtsy challenge 2018 #5 Nautical Colours.

Ive used: PaperArtsy crackle glaze, acrylic paint, distress ink, distress crackle paint, distress oxide ink, seambinding, thread, watercolour paper for the tag and stamps from; G45, Prima and some old unknown ones. I love the effect of the crackle from the PaperArtsy glaze.

Its flat enough to stamp over but gives great texture, with a really aged look after I sanded the edges and inked them with distress.