Book Study - Extreme Masking

We're doing a study of Tim Holtz's book "A Compendium of Curiosities" on NGS group. This week we're looking at the section "Extreme Masking". Place mask(s) on card. I decided to use two masks for my project. Tim says to use bold colors of Distress Inks with a Blending Tool to cover the card.Remove the mask(s) and mist the background with water to get the ink to start to wick and move around. Be careful not to obliterate the shapes of the mask(s). Use a heat tool to dry the tag and stop the wicking.
Replace the mask(s) over the masked shape(s). Stamp over the card with various images. I decided to only replace the bird mask for this step. (I like how the musical scale mask looks like a cage in this piece).I added some more texture stamping with brown ink to add more color to my piece.
Use the "negative" mask, to cover all but the masked part (here it's the bird), stamp inside the "negative mask.
Here's my finished "extreme masking":

Book Study - Chipped Enamel

We're looking at the section "Chipped Enamel" in our book study of Tim Holtz's book "A Compendium of Curiosities" this week on NGS group. Apply clear embossing ink to a piece of metal. Press firmly into the ink pad.
Pour Distress Embossing Powder over the metal piece. If you have a small brad, use tweezers to hold the piece.Use a heat tool to melt the embossing powder, allow the metal to cool before touching.Once the metal is cool, chip off some of the enamel.
Here are my pieces assembled together.

From Scraps to Beads

I've been wanting to have a stash of beads ready for projects. Instead of painting paper, I grabbed scraps out of my background techniques drawer. Some are acrylic paints on paper towels, peeled off papers, a project that didn't turn out as I wanted for a swap, worksheet wonders, some worksheets embossed in an embossing folder and an inked gift bag.
Tore the paper into strips 3/4" to 1-1/4" wide and wrap around a narrow skewer. I like to add glue to the first wrap around and the end bit.
These are the beads I made:
Most of the beads I wrapped with fun fibers, some I added beads to and on one I wrapped with copper wire and beads. These are the beads I made with the painted paper towels:
These are the beads made from the papers used to iron off the painted embossing powders: These are from the other assorted papers:Fun! Fun! Fun!

Quilts

Quilts I made this year and quilted on the long arm this past week.

Quote ATC

For this month's ATC, the theme is poem or quote. I found this fabulous free download image on Gaby's blog. Using photo shop I added this appropriate quote in 'circus' font. Stamped on a grungy border with white acrylic paint along the right and bottom borders. Added a small amount of white acrylic paint to the top and left borders.

"E" Technique ATC

I'm using the Embedding Technique Piece I did yesterday for my "E" technique ATC swap on ArtVentures. Once the molding paste had completely dried, I painted over it with black acrylic paint and let it dry. I tried to leave the inner edges around the vintage image white. Then I used silver metallic rub-ons over the black acrylic paint to soften the black and show the texture.
Added rock candy Distress Stickles over the image of the cape to add some sparkle without changing the color of the photo. Glued on small piece of metallic webbed lace to the bottom.
Added fibers to an elegant moon embellishment and attached with a mini black brad.
"Come into my parlor" says this enticing enchantress.

E is for Embedding

I recently bought Darlene Olivia McElroy & Sandra Duran Wilson's book "Surface Treatment Workshop", it will probably become a book study, but I found this exciting technique and didn't want to wait to try it! They say that embedding objects and papers into your surface creates interesting textures that seem to be custom built to your artwork, like having architectural elements for art.
Use adhesive to secure the desired objects to your surface and allow to dry. I used matte gel.
Then use a palette knife to apply molding paste to blend the edges and add more texture. Allow to dry.
This embedding technique makes the added elements appear to be a built in frame. Waiting for the molding paste to dry before I turn this into an ATC.

E is for Embossing with Objects

There are many ways to emboss: with embossing powders, with stencils and with embossing folders. Another way is to use objects to emboss a design into a wet medium: paint, gesso, gel or molding paste. You can use any objects to press into the wet medium.
I painted matte gel over manilla folder.
While the gel was still wet, I pressed sequin waste and bubble packaging into the gel. Carefully lift of the objects. Let the gel dry.
I like how the images turned out.
I used Twinkling H2Os to color this piece.

Book Study - Industrial Grunge

This week we're looking at the section "Industrial Grunge" in our on going study of Tim Holtz's book "A Compendium of Curiosities" in the NGS group. First cut out desired shapes from grunge paper or board. Then generously apply a Metallic Mixative with an Ink Applicator Tool.
Scratch over the inked grunge and poke holes as desired.Use sand paper to roughen up the edges.Ink over the surface with Distress Inks and a Blending Tool, make sure you work the ink into the scratches.
Use a cloth or paper towel to wipe off the excess ink.

E is for Emerging Colors

I saw this technique on Rena's blog and had to give it a try.
First stamp small images with light colored dye inks on white card stock and let dry.
Choose a large bold or solid stamp and stamp with VersaMark ink, cover with clear embossing powder and heat set. Let cool.
Cover the entire surface with a darker dye ink and let dry. You can brayer on the ink or do direct to paper (what I choose to do).
Wipe off the ink from the embossed image.
Use a darker ink to add stamped images to the non embossed areas if desires. My light isn't very good, but you can see the lighter stamped images "emerging" through the embossed image.
I mounted by emerging colors piece onto a blue on white stamped piece then onto black card after adding black ribbon, a black paper flower and a white flower brad.

Book Study - Grunge Paper Flowers

We're continuing with our study of Tim Holtz's book "A Compendium of Curiosities" on NGS group. First decorate grunge paper as you want. On the left I had a sheet of music, that I played with in the Radiant Batik technique (it's the last photo in that blog post).This sheet was adhered to a piece of grunge paper. The one on the right is the one I did the Double Distress Technique on last week (both sides were inked on this one). Then cut out the flowers with a die cut machine.
Turn the grunge paper over and curl the petal, start by pinching the end with your fingers then rolling. Do this with all the petals.
You can curl the petals to the back or to the front.
Color the edges of the petals with Distress Ink on a Blending Tool.Have fun layering the different flowers and embellishing with buttons, charms, brads, etc. I had lots of fun with this technique, so many possibilities, great way to use up bits of background papers.