"Genuine" Fun

Hi Everyone! 
We are back from our little adventure up the California coast.  What a nice time we had visiting family, seeing friends and doing a little junk shopping (okay, and I might have bought a few pairs of shoes too).  We had a great time although I wish we could have avoided the darn 98 degree weather that was hanging around.
Today's project might take a few hours to complete but it was so relaxing I'm already planning another project using the same technique.  The best thing about?  there is no wrong way to do it.  Just pick the colors you like and color away.
I started the project with the Tattered Flower Garland decorative strip and some Ranger manila cardstock.  I cut the decorative strip twice to get enough of the flowers and leaves I needed.

 I arranged the flowers on a large #10 tag.

 Then used Glue n' Seal to adhere them to the surface.

 Once they were glued down I went over the entire surface with Glue n' Seal.

 Then dried it with the Heat it tool...it only took about a minute.

 Once dry and cooled off, I covered the entire surface with Gesso.

I gave it two thin coats and set it aside to dry.

Once the Gesso was dry I covered the background surface with Distress Stain.  I used Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Ripe Persimmon, and a touch of Tumbled Glass.
Spun sugar is so light that I used it all over the background, dabbing off the flower areas.

Next, Worn Lipstick.
I went around some of the flowers.  My goal was to get the stain into the part between the flower petals.  The color comes out bold which is fine...just keep following along.

Next, I dabbed stain with a small piece of a dry paper towel, sometimes blending the stain with my finger tip.

 Once you like the coloring, wipe the flower with a wet wipe.  Super easy.

 I did the same thing with small patches of Ripe Persimmon.

 And the Tumbled Glass.  Love how you can build a layered background with the colors.

I used Distress Markers to "paint" the flowers and leaves.  Starting with the leaves, I used the brush end of the marker to colored one half of each leaf (one or two at a time).

 Then used a water brush to draw the color across each leaf.

Once I finished the first layer, I dried the leaves with a Heat it tool.  It won't dry completely at this stage but it will allow a little more control with the next color, Pine Needles.  This time I colored part of the leaf and then blended with a Q-tip (use the water brush when needed).

 Here are my finished leaves.

I used 2 kinds of flowers on the tag.  If you look at the previous picture you can see the difference.  I decided I would color all the flowers with longer petals yellow and the rounder flowers in purple/blue since they reminded me of violets.  I didn't have a plan when I placed the flowers so I was pleasantly surprised to find that the flowers were mixed on the surface of the tag.

Working in small groups, I outlined each flower with Mustard Seed.

 Then drew the color to the center with the water brush.

 Again, use a small bit of paper towel to lightly dab the center.

 Then color the center with Dried Marigold.

Blend with a Q-tip.  Dry with the Heat it tool.

Once the flower center is dry, use the fine point tip of a Walnut Stain Distress Marker to create pin dots in the center of the yellow flowers.

Just one more yellow flower to color in and I can move on to the purple flowers.

 

For the purple flowers, I colored each with Weathered Wood base coat.

 Then went around with Dusty Concord.

 Water Brush is next for blending and of course the paper towel to dab the strong center color.

 I went back with Mustard Seed and Crushed Olive and the water brush to finish off the center.

 Almost done!

Want to add in a drop shadow?  Pumice Stone is my favorite for this.  Just draw around the flowers and leaves...

 and blend with your finger tip.

It's coming along...

I added a small Instagram photo of three of my favorite kids...what fun you can have with a pack fake mustaches and goofy coke bottle glasses from the dollar bin at Michaels.  Four year old Little Miss in the front looks like a blonde bandit!  Totally in character the whole time.
When I glued the flowers on the surface I had every intention of cutting off the flowers that are hanging over the edge.  In the end, I liked the way it looked so much that I decided not to.

Title: Stampers Anonymous - Simple Sayings
Compass Coin + Numeral - painted with gesso and several colors of Distress Paint
Gem Clip - colored with Alcohol Ink
Muse Token with white Dabber Paint hanging from a Ring Fastener.
Crinkle Ribbon - colored with Faded Jean Distress Stain
Mini Gears + mini fasteners

Well that's all the fun for today! I had so much fun doing this project...so relaxing just coloring the afternoon away.  I can see these techniques used over and over from journal covers to cards.  Hope you can too!
Okay, now back to working on secret CHA samples...

carry on,

paula

Distress Marker Full Set In Tube Distress Marker, Weathered Wood Distress Marker, Mustard Seed Distress Marker, Peeled Paint Distress Marker, Pine Needles Distress Marker, Dried Marigold Distress Marker, Pumice Stone Distress Marker, Dusty Concord Distress Marker, Crushed Olive Distress Marker, Walnut Stain Tim Holtz Water Brush, Detailer Brush Nib Tim Holtz, Ring Fasteners Tim Holtz, Muse Tokens Tim Holtz, Simple Sayings Tim Holtz, Crinkle Ribbon Tim Holtz, Compass Coins Sizzix, Tim Holtz, Sizzlits Deco Strip Die, Tattered Flower Garland Inkssentials Surfaces, 12x12 Manila Inkssentials Surfaces, Manila Tag #10 Studio Gesso Tim Holtz, Mini Fasteners (Screw-top) Tim Holtz, Mini Numerals Tim Holtz, Gem Clips, 12 per pack Tim Holtz Adirondack Alcohol Ink, Stream Distress Stain, Spun Sugar Distress Stain, Tumbled Glass Distress Stain, Ripe Persimmon Distress Stain, Worn Lipstick

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Good ole' red, white and blue...

hello there.
me again...I'm away from home for a few days but I wanted to check in and share some amazing projects I've seen this week.  I am always amazed by the ideas that come to peoples mind.  Stuff I would never think of.  Hope you are inspired too!

Starting with this card by Candy Colwell.  Seriously, who would think to add white hair to the Time traveler guy to make Uncle Sam?  And that USA stamp...never seen it used better.  Bravo Candy! You can go to the Ranger blog to see how Candy did it.  She makes it look so very easy.

Then there was this tag by Karen Knight, honoring the fallen Arizona fighters with a red, white and blue theme.  Love how she used all the Chit Chat words running down the tag.  I have never included that many words on one project but Karen's tag has inspired me to rethink that!

My friend Richele made this great card using the same Flag stamp as Candy,  Richele also used the rest of the stamps that come in the set in the background.  What a great technique, to fill in what otherwise could have been blank white space with light grey images behind the flag.  The red and white paper string really ties it all together (no pun intended).

Then there is Barbarayaya...always exciting to see what she is up to.  Take this darling little suitcase.  Love the blue fabric under the USA and the use of a texture fade to make the red stripes.   Clever girl.  The back is a good as the front, but you will have to pop over to her blog to see it!  And when you are there take a gander at her "12 tags" entry for June.  I loved her take on Tims's June tag...and what a fun use of the sizzix alterations pediments die.

And last but not least, there is Tim's July tag, another touching remembrance to the fallen Arizona fire fighters.  Love the brayer technique he used this month.  I have the stain and a brayer so you know I'm going to try that when I get home!

well, that's it for today.  I hope those of you in the US have a great 4th of July holiday.  We will be working our way back down the coast at a very slow speed (stopping to shop along the way.)  I know my husband is looking forward to that, lol.
cheers for a great week!
now carry on
paula