Bright and Merry!

Hello! It's time for a new challenge at The Funkie Junkie Boutique challenge blog and Cec is our hostess. She names her challenge  'Celebrate', and here's how she describes it:

"Your challenge is to create a shabby chic or vintage project to celebrate someone or something special. Since celebrations are happy occasions, your project should be made with lots of happy, bright colours. Keep your dull or neutral colours to a minimum please because as winter approaches we will have lots of that naturally so your bright colours must be predominant."

As always, the winner will earn a chance to be a Guest Designer at a future date at The Funkie Junkie Boutique challenge blog, and everyone who enters and follows the rules will go into the draw for the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique. There are also Top 3 Badges for three additional outstanding entries, chosen by the Design Team. Please see the blog for details. While you are there, be sure to check out all the amazing inspiration by my talented teammates.

Well, I could not think of anything more bright or happier than the upcoming Christmas season, so I decided to make a tag to Celebrate! I think my tag looks even brighter (although busier) with the contrast of an old rusty metal grate in the background. What do you think?

Below, I'm sharing some close up photos followed by a brief tutorial on how this tag came together. You'll see I used just the teensiest bit of white on the Christmas word tag seen directly below, otherwise it's bright colors and gold and silver everywhere you look!

So  let's get started...I started by coloring white yupo paper with red alcohol inks and pearls. You'll see the colors I used two photos down. While  I'm not one to look at videos and just tend to do my own thing, I'm sharing  a link to this video that gives some great tips for using alcohol inks. 

For my red panel (and then green panel further below), I just dripped the inks starting with the lightest and kept adding and dripping with alcohol blending solution and occasionally spraying with isopropyl alcohol. In the end, I placed a silver foil sheet over the panel, burnished it and removed to leave some silvery spots and veins.

I decided my flower needed contrast between the layers so I inked this metallic paper I had in my stash, layered the two red inks by pouncing with an alcohol ink tool/felt. You can see the die cut on the left (shown below) has just the lightest red applied thus far, and I'm starting to build up the color on the other two.

I applied the pearls directly to the edges of the bracts. (These are actually leaves, but because they are colored, most people think of them as the flower.) In the end, but not shown, I pounced on some of the green alcohol inks and shaped the die cuts to give dimension to the flower. I tried shaping the yupo die cuts by heating with my heat tool, but this turned out not to be a good idea--the colored layer started to peel up, revealing white underneath.

I chose shimmery silver yupo for the green and yellow ink panel and cut a few green leaves and the cyathia from it. (More commonly known as the flower's center, but it's actually the flower of a poinsettia plant. Just sayin'...) I also cut some from gold metallic paper from my stash, but in the end cut a few from the silver metallic paper above and colored them in lighter shades of pink and green and used those instead.

To make the flower center, I colored some stamens with Alchemy Alcohol Pearls and Citrus Alcohol ink and cut off the wire stems. I adhered them through a hole punched in a burst die cut from Metallic Kraft Stock  using the Ornamental Birds die set.

The background is from my stash. I had written notes on the back for some reason, and this is what I had written:  "Print left by cleaning off a stencil inked with Evergreen Bough ink. (I didn't note which stencil, and it wasn't a clear print.) Blended with Mowed Lawn ink. Sprayed with Peeled Paint Oxide Spray." 

On choosing this background for my project, I decided it needed to have some yellows to brighten it, so I blended the top with Fossilized Amber ink and then spritzed the ink left on the mat with water. I  dipped the panel into the little beads of ink, and after drying, I blended with Cracked Pistachio ink to up the brightness. I had quite a bit of Alchemy squeezed out from dipping the stamens that I wanted to use up, so I dipped a paintbrush into that and splattered the panel with that, too.

The sentiment is a combination of die cuts and embossed stamping. I used Christmas Ribbon and Alphanumeric Tiny Type Thinlit die sets for Merry, Bright and "AND"  is from one of the stamps from Tim Holtz' Festive Overlay stamp set. The background was cut with a Stacked Tags die and layered over trimmed red card (stash) and gold Metallic Kraft Stock.

I keep a stash of the little dyed crinkle ribbons that have come off the little packages that come in Linda's orders, and I chose a few lighter colored ones and dyed them further with inks and alcohol inks that coordinated with the rest of the tag. 

The last detail to add is the silver colored metal word tag that says Christmas. I found this single tag in my stash, but had to alter it to work it into my color scheme. I used Picket Fence and Tarnished Brass Distress paints and some gold foil and attached it to the ribbon with a loop pin.

That's my take on the 'Celebrate' challenge! Remember there's more inspiration by the team on the blog--be sure to have a look. Then it's over to you! We would love to see your happy, bright colors on your vintage or shabby chic projects, so be sure to link them up here. I can't wait to see what you create! Happy crafting! Sara Emily

Challenge Shares:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Remembrance/Thinking Of You (at Christmas)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Thinking Of You (at Christmas)

Country View Challenges November 2020 - Anything But A Card

These products were used and can be purchased at The Funkie Junkie Boutique:

Sizzix Chapter 3 Thinlits Dies - Elegant Poinsettia 

Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink Yupo Paper, White

Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 7pk - Stacked Tags by Tim Holtz

Sizzix Tim Holtz Thinlits Die Set - Christmas Ribbon

Sizzix Chapter 1 Tim Holtz Thinlits Dies - Alphanumeric Tiny Type Upper

Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Festive Overlay

Ranger Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks - Watermelon, Citrus, Botanical, Poppyfield

Ranger Tim Holtz Alcohol Pearls - Alchemy, Deception, Sublime

Ranger Tim Holtz Alcohol Blending Solution

Ranger Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink Mini Applicator Tool

Tim Holtz Idea-ology 8 x 8 Metallic Kraft Stock

Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads - Evergreen Bough, Mowed Lawn, Candied Apple, Cracked Pistachio, Fossilized Amber, Black Soot Archival

Tim Holtz Distress Paint - Picket Fence, Tarnished Brass

Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Spray - Peeled Paint

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Collage Medium Matte

Ranger Embossing Powder - Gold - Super Fine Detail

Artificial Flower Pearlized Stamen

Pack of Perfect Pins - 3/4" Mini Safety Pins

Rayon Seam Binding

An Introduction to French Accordion Book

Hello! Today I'm sharing an accordion organizer made mostly of recycled items. I've been wanting to enter this month's Mini Album Makers challenge. There's an AWESOME prize compliments of Eileen Hull, and my fingers legs and eyes are crossed Mr. Random will gravitate to the end of the linked projects! Ha! Ha! I didn't get to start this 'mini album' until last night, as I've been working day and night on a personal work related project all month. Sadly, my journal doesn't live up to even my loose expectations from a technical standpoint, because I was in such a rush to get it done. I love the concept, however, and may give it another whirl sometime. I especially love how it looks from the side.

I got the idea from THIS POST after this cool French primer didn't sell at our estate/yard sale this passed weekend. I was going to donate it, but it was just too special to give away and I wanted to make something in honor of Notre Dame. I decided I would fill it with tags and give it to my French sister in law to keep memories of her French home in (or recipes, whatever!) Although I covered the back with Tim Holtz Collage Paper and oxide spray, I wanted to keep the original graphics on the front, so I just put a few French themed scraps on there. Remember, 'it's what's INSIDE that counts', 'don't judge a book by it's cover' and all that!

 I tore fabric strips from a shirt that also didn't sell to make the ribbons. I colored the strips with oxide spray and glued it behind the final accordion fold in the back of the book.

The tags are made using Idea-ology waste packaging like the ones below, only larger. I adhered the pages I removed from the book (to make the pockets) on one side and the photos from the book on the other. These were colored with oxide sprays and the text side embellished with Paper Dolls  and various Idea-ology ephemera.

I punched circles of altered Metallic Kraft stock scraps I had leftover from previous projects. These make great thumb pulls for the tags without the fuss of ribbons or trim sticking out of the pockets when it's all closed up. I'm sure Sylvie will put this on a shelf just as she would her many other books.

Thank you for stopping by! Hugs! Sara Emily

Challenge shares:

Mini Album Makers April Challenge

Simon Says Stamp Monday Tag It

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Anything Goes
We Love 2 Create at Polkadoodles Challenge # 5 - Anything Goes Mixed Media Creative Challenge

I Believe It's Time For Some Christmas!

Welcome! I'm so excited to get out my Christmas crafting goodies once again! I made this tag using lots of Tim Holtz goodies so I could play along with  the current Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. It's a Christmas in July blog hop, and if you haven't yet visited each of the designer's blogs, I would highly recommend it for some amazing Christmas inspiration!

 I applied crackle paste through a Tim Holtz Mini Layering stencil. let it dry and colored with Distress stains.

The crinkle ribbon was colored with Distress stain, and the Ideaology Snowflake Adornment is dusted with Distress Grit paste.

Believe is from the Handwritten Holidays die set, and I gave it a weathered rusty look with Distress Embossing Powder in Vintage Photo and Ground Espresso Distress ink.

I love this little deer from Tim's Winter Wonderland Thinlits die set alongside the Woodlands die cut tree.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Too bad it's around 90 degrees and rainy outside!

Challenge Shares:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Christmas in July Blog Hop

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Use A Die and/or Punch

Crop Stop July Link Party - #41 Anything Goes Twist-Wood Trees are wood!

Scrapy Land Challenge #94 Anything Goes I used 2 Sizzix dies.

That's Crafty Close to Nature

Love 2 Create Challenge #10 Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes

Creative Artiste's #40 Challenge Anything Mixed Media Goes

Die Cut Divas Anything But a Card

Die Cuttin' Divas #379 ~ Christmas in July

Thank you for your visit and for your lovely comments!

Hugs and Blessings!

Sara Emily

God Bless America, Land That I Love

Welcome! It's almost the 4th of July in the USA, and it just happens to be one of my favorite holidays. It also happens to be the 5th Friday of the month in the UK, so that means it's Tag Friday at A Vintage Journey. Any time there are 5 Fridays in a month, the Creative Guides get to create a tag with no constraints of themes or products--yippee! If you haven't been over to the blog yet, I urge you to--there are some amazing creative tags created by my talented teamies! You can see another 4th of July card I made here.

I started with a black #8 tag and trimmed out the edges with star themed Industrious Stickers. Some were colored with Heavy Metals and then Distress crayon, and some with just crayon.

I had just trashed a panel I embossed with my new Mechanics 3D Texture Fade. I made it for another project, but absolutely hated it after throwing way too many mixed media products at it. When I saw it laying there on top of the trash, I thought it looked like fireworks, so I found a way to salvage it just for this tag.

I really can't remember what products I originally used on the panel, and now I can't even remember what it looked like. I just know there were embossing powders involved, and I think Distress oxides and crayons.  Anyway, I gave it a couple of thin coats of cheapo gesso and allowed that to dry while I worked out my collage. I actually  started to like it! Thinking it needed some color to tie all the bits together, I swiped the raised areas with Faded Jeans oxide, and I loved it. I cut the panel to size and layered with a downsized Pocket Card, Labels die cut, and Paper Doll. 

I used  one of Tim Holtz' Christmas Cling Foam stamps and Picket Fence ink for the 'fireworks' in the background. Some vintage seam binding, dyed seam binding ribbon, and Jute String, a gift from my good buddie, Autumn remind me of a tattered flag.

I am very proud to be an American and so thankful for this wonderful country and the freedoms we still have. I do pray that God will bless America, this land that I do so love.

Challenge shares:
Mixed Media Monthly Challenge #49 – "Wrap it Up!" I've wrapped my tag's edges in stars! My Paper Doll has a wrap of some sort around her.

Cropstop June Link Party - #40

The Artistic Stamper June's Creative Challenge - Colour it Blue 'Fireworks' stamping in background.

Country View Challenges June 2018 - The Written Word
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Anything Goes

These products were used on this project and can be purchased at The Funkie Junkie Boutique:

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Industrious Stickers Gallery	Ken Oliver Color Burst 6 Pack Liquid Metals - Heavy Metals (February Pre-Order)	(February Pre-order) Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Crayons - 6PC Set #9	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Crayons - 6PC Set #3 TDBK47926 (February Pre-order)	(MAY PRE-ORDER) Sizzix 3-D Texture Fades Embossing Folder - Mechanics
Sizzix Alternations Tim Holtz Thinlits Dies - Labels	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Label Letters	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Small Talk Occasions	(February Pre-order) Tim Holtz Idea-ology Ruler Pieces	Tim Holtz Ideaology Paper Dolls TH93555
Seam Binding	Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Ink - Snow Cap Mixative	Tim Holtz Idea-ology - Mirrored Stars	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Marker - Fired Brick	(February Pre-order) Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Pad - Faded Jeans
(February Pre-order) Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Pad - Broken China	(JULY PRE-ORDER) Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Pad - Antique Linen	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Picket Fence (February Pre-Order)	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Antique Linen	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Frayed Burlap
Ranger Tim Holtz Ground Espresso Distress Ink Pad	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Collage Medium Matte TDAK47933 (February Pre-Order)	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Pocket Cards