Art Ali

Paper Fringe

As promised here's the wall hanging I made for yesterday's Gingersnaps Challenge - Try a Tutorial.  We have a boat load of fabulous tutorials on the site, they're really worth checking out.  I followed Lynn Steven's tutorial on how to create a paper fringe for this piece.  It was very straightforward and really fun.

I don't think I've ever made a hanging thing before - I think I've come under Hels' spell!  The base is chipboard covered with patterned paper by Queen Bee and the flowers are Primas, which I've been hoarding for over a year!  Here's a closer look:

This project came together a lot quicker than I thought and I'd definitely use this paper fringe technique again.

Have a super day!

 

Supplies:

• Stamps: Ghandi Quote (Impression Obsession)
• Paper: Queen Bee, kraft tissue paper
• Ink: Crushed Olive & Antique Linen Distress Inks, Cocoa by Memento
• Accessories: Flowers (Prima), Dew Drops, large metal eyelets (SU), ric rac
• Tools: Crop-a-Dile, sewing machine

Growth

Oops - long time, no post!  I've been super busy with a myriad of projects both at home and stamping related.  And I realized that I forgot to post the card I made for Gingersnaps Growth Challenge last week.  And I posted another challenge today, which will be on my blog tomorrow.  Yikes - I can't keep up!

For this card, I used a new poppy stamp (well new to me) from Penny Black and I just love it!

The poppy is stamped on watercolor paper and I used Stampin' Up! markers to watercolor it (Marker Watercoloring).  The centers has black seed beads, which you can see better in this close up picture:

Tomorrow I'll share a wall hanging I made using a paper fringe.

Thanks for visiting!

Supplies:

Stamps: Poppy Poem (Penny Black), Teeny Tiny Wishes (Stampin' Up!)

C/stock: Watercolor paper, Old Olive c/stock & Fabriano card base

Ink: Stazon, SU markers, Old Olive

Accessories: Linen thread, black seed beads

Tools: Word window punc

Fluffy Bunny

I'm hosting the Gingersnaps Spicy Supply challenge today, which is to use 'frosting' on your creations.  This means any kind of embellishment or product that goes on top of the final piece, such as pearls, glitter, beads, stickles, etc.

I decided to use Flower Soft and this cute bunny image from I Brake For Stamps.  Flower Soft is one of those products that was hot this time last year, so I bought a couple of pots and I used it only once or twice.  It's not my favorite product to work with, but it makes a nice little spot for this little guy to sit on.

Here's a better look:

The background that the image is stamped was created on watercolor paper with Distress inks and the Watercolor Distress technique (TJs Feb/Mar 07).  I made another card using the same technique late last year.

Have a great day!

Supplies:

• Stamps: I Brake For Stamps
• Paper: Fabriano watercolor card base, watercolor paper, chocolate chip c/stock
• Ink: Peeled Paint, Weathered Wood & Faded Jeans Distress Ink, Stazon, Primsa pencils
• Accessories: Green Flower Soft, brown sheer ribbon

Image Transfer ATCs

I want to share a few ATCs I created using image transfers made with packing tape. If you're not familiar with this technique, check out a tutorial I wrote about it on Gingersnaps today.  I'm not sure why I'm in the mood for making ATCs, but I'm just going with the flow!

I'm entering the first ATC for Think Monday Think ATC (TMTA), which challenged readers to use metal in their creation.  I used one of Tim Holtz' metal tags layered onto some sheet music and then an image transfer from an Oxford Impressions collage sheet.

This image transfer was created from the same Oxford Impressions collage sheet.  It's layered onto a piece of Basic Grey paper that I inked, stamped and stitched. 

This bird was taken directly from a home/lifestyle magazine.  It's layered on a collage of inked vintage papers and the word was cut from an old love letter.

All these ATCs have birds as their theme to put you in the mood for Spring.  I hope that wherever you live, Spring is on its way!

Thank you for visiting.

Glimmery, Shimmery ATCs

We had a taste of Spring in New England today.  The sun was shining and the thermometer almost hit 50 degrees. After taking a really long walk along some new trails, I only had a short amount of time to make something. Still on my quest to try some different things this week, I decided upon a couple of ATCs. 

The background of the first ATC was created by dabbing a mixture of reinkers and shimmer paint onto a piece of c/stock (Dabbed Shimmers technique - Feb/March '10 edition of TJ newlsetter).  Once it was dry, I added the extra step of running it through an embossing folder.

I had an extra image left over from this tag - she's stamped on a vintage bridge score sheet. The word 'faith' and number 12 were cut from a Jenni Bowlin bingo card (love those things!) and a few latte pearls from Amuse finish it off. 

I made this orange guy for Think Monday Think ATC, where they challenged readers to create an ATC that is predominantly orange.  The background is a piece of white c/stock that I created using the Antiqued Glimmers technique (Dec '09/Jan '10 TJ newsletter).  I also threw in a Tim Holz mask for good measure.  Then I simply stamped the image over the top, spotlighted the word 'art' and added some printed twill tape to the bottom. 

Have a fun weekend whatever your plans are!

Stamps: Oxford Impressions & Lost Coast Designs

 

Tag Challenge

I decided to take a little time this week to participate in some challenges.  I've been feeling rusty and uninspired recently, so I thought doing some challenges might perk me up.  And I have to say that I like this tag.  I'm my own harshest critic, but this one turned out okay.  You have it in writing!

 

I made it for Tag Tuesday Challenge #42, which is to use brown plus one other color on a tag and the color I chose to pair with brown is pink. 

I can't tell you how I made the base of the tag because it's going to be in a tutorial on Gingersnaps next Tuesday - remember to check it out!  But I can tell you that the woman is from an Oxford Impressions plate called Times Past.  She's stamped onto a vintage bridge score sheet and I found the name Ella on one of the Kentucky cards also available on the Oxford site.

The other embellishments are old bone buttons, a flower from Maya Road, trim from Making Memories and a double-sided satin ribbon.

Thanks for visiting and have a happy day!

Sundial Calendar

I'm hosting the Random Redhead Challenge on Gingersnaps today and the theme is numbers.  You should see the artwork the rest of the design team and the Serendipity design team created for this number theme - it's amazing.

My contribution is a calendar using a beautiful Sundial stamp from Serendipity.  I used markers to watercolor the main image and a lot of sponging to soften the edges. 

The calendar is available to members of the Gingersnap Creations Yahoo Group in the File sections - the group is open to all - we'd love to meet new members.

Thanks for stopping by my blog - have a wonderful day!

Supplies:

• Stamps: Sundial by Serendipity
• Paper: Chipboard, So Saffron c/stock and watercolor paper
• Ink: Brown Stazon, Linen & Scattered Straw Distress inks, SU markers
• Accessories: Certainly Celery brads & ribbon (SU)
• Tools: Big Shot, Top Note die, Cropadile, Aquapainter

Time Flies

Seriously, where has January gone?  I've wanted to play the Gingersnaps Time challenge all month and now it's almost over.  Yikes!  But I managed to make it in time. 

The technique I used to create the main image is a TJ technique called Alcohol Ink Press (April/May 07).  I'm not a huge fan of alcohol inks, but every once in a while I get out my box and play.  And this was super easy to do. 

I stamped the Non Sequitur image on a piece of acetate with Stazon ink.  Then I flipped over the acetate, poured a little blending solution on it and added several drops of alcohol ink.  I placed another piece of acetate over the top and pushed it around with my finger tips.  Once it was dry, I mounted it onto a piece of white c/stock.

Some dry embossed c/stock add texture to the card base and I added some embossed butterflies over the stamped butterflies for a little punch. 

You have until the end of the month to play the challenge - why not give it a try?

Thanks for visiting!

Supplies:

• Stamps: Time & Space (Non Sequitur)
• Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Tempting Turquoise & Acetate
• Ink: black Stazon, white craft ink, Alcohol inks & blending solution
• Accessories: white satin ribbon (SU), black brads (American Crafts)
• Tools: Big Shot, script embossing folder, Beautiful Wings Embosslit (SU)

Embossing Challenge

It was my turn to set the  Spicy Supply Challenge on Gingersnaps on Wednesday and this month we chose embossing powder.  Here's the card I made using a beautiful floral image from Serendipity Stamps. 

[Note: check out Sharon's awesome interview with Serendipity's owner, Mary Lee.]

I embossed the main image with black e/p on watercolor paper and the sentiment on vellum c/stock.  The geraniums were watercolored with reinkers, the panel distressed and sponged around the edge.  And I added some Creamy Caramel speckles on the main panel with a marker and a spritzer tool.

I hope you find time to join in the challenge!

Supplies:

• Stamps: large Geranium & sentiment (Serendipity) 
• Ink: Versfine black, Creamy Caramel marker, Real Red, Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss & Old Olive reinkers
• Paper: Riding Hood Red % Chocolate Chip c/stock, vellum c/stock, watercolor paper
• Accessories: Flat black pearls, black embossing powder
• Tools: Aquapainter, Color Spritzer Tool, Heat Tool

Tilted Mat Challenge

One of the challenges on the Gingersnaps Yahoo Group this month is to make a card with a tilted mat.  This is really hard for me - I'm a symmetrical and straight kind of person and making things slightly askew, drives me over the edge!  But I tried.....

I used a gorgeous collage image from I Brake For Stamps and paired it with the Antiqued Glimmers technique from the most recent Technique Junkie newsletter.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

• Stamps: English Rose Tile Collage (I Brake for Stamps), Baroque Motifs (Stampin' Up!)
• Paper: Ruby Red, Basic Black, Very Vanilla
• Ink: Fired Brick & Pine Needs Distress Ink; Burnt Red & Antique Brass Glimmer Mist, Versafine Black
• Accessories: Small paperclip(Tim Holz), black sheer ribbon (retired SU)
• Tools: Embossing folder, large and small oval punches