3 W'S - WOOD, WORD AND SOMETHING WILD ART ADVENTURE

Welcome everyone!  This month Cheryl has given us a wonderful prompt for our art adventure!  Ah, what to create with wood, a word and something wild...

This one turned out to be surprisingly easy for me!  I have always wanted to do something with my favorite photo of my children when they were 5 and 7.  We had just moved here to Colorado and were excited about spending lots of time in Rocky Mountain National Park.  This was one of the first photos we took.  It was just waiting to be placed on a canvas:

I began by making a copy of this photo at the copy store.  I then transferred it onto Sticky Back Canvas.  You need a little patience with this technique when you use a larger photo, but it was so worth it!  It gives a bit of a "rustic" look to the photo.

 This piece was set aside while I worked on the main canvas.

The "wood" part of this piece is a Crafters Workshop woodgrain stencil that I used.  I applied gesso to the canvas via the stencil, moving the stencil around until I had the canvas covered, everywhere but where the photo canvas would be.

I used a baby wipe and DecoArt Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide Fluid Acrylic paint to color the canvas.  I then added a coat of DecoArt Burnt Umber Fluid Acrylic paint over the top.  I was pretty happy with the resulting color!

Now to add the embellishments to the canvas.  Of course we have to have trees since we live near the mountains.  I used Tim Holtz's Thinlits Woodlands die to cut out three trees.  You will notice that this tree die actually removes the inside of the tree.  I kept the inside parts and pieced them back together as I wanted a more solid tree.

I adhered the three trees to the left side of the canvas, knowing that the photo canvas would slightly cover part of the trees.  I then adhered the photo canvas to the larger canvas.

Now to add a word and some wildflowers.  The wildflowers are a lavender stamp by Impression Obsession.  I stamped it onto tissue paper using Wendy Vecchi's Fern archival ink.  I then carefully cut around the image and adhered it to the right side of the canvas using matte medium.  When dry, I cut apart some flowers from a stem I bought at a hobby store and placed the tiny purple blossoms over the lavender flower part of the stamped image.

I also added some white blossoms for variety.

To finish the piece I wrapped some gingham ribbon from Creative Impressions around the canvas, going along the base of the photo and adhering a word band from Idea-ology to the left side under the photo.  I adhered a few more blossoms over the ribbon on the right side.  The word seems to fit this scene perfectly as if says "Always be on the Lookout for Wonder".  My kids were constantly amazed by all the beautiful things they found in the park.

If you will notice, there is an elk happily grazing in the background of the photo.  She fits the "Wild" part of this adventure just as the Wildflowers do!  Now for another "wood" element, I placed a found branch along the top of the canvas photo.

I hope you like this piece and will have fun creating your own project using the 3 W's!  Happy Creating!

Susan

Yvonne Blair Designs Blog Hop

Hello Everyone!  Recently I was asked by Yvonne Blair of Yvonne Blair Designs to participate in a blog hop featuring her fabulous new products.  Of course I said "yes" as I have been enjoying creating with these new products!  My fellow designers and I are creating different projects using Yvonne's Inky Art Journal and her very own new Journal Buddy tool.  I also used some of Yvonne's stamps available through Impression Obsession.  Here is my project:

I was defintely looking to create a journal spread that made me happy each time I looked at it.   This spread definitely "fit the bill" for me as I smile every time I look at it.  It is so easy to do when Yvonne's lovely stamps have such positive messages!

Yvonne's Inky Art Journals come in three sizes - 4" x 6",  4" x 8" and 6" x 8".  I especially LOVE this 4" x 8" journal size as it is also the size of some manila tags.  Therefore, if I completely mess up the page, I can remove it and create a tag with it later.  The manila cardstock pages are so wonderful to work with - very easy to blend colors for backgrounds!

I blended Ranger Squeezed Lemonade and Broken China Distress Inks onto the two page journal spread to create the background base.  I then used Tim Holtz's Textured Impressions Bubble stencil and Broken China Distress Ink,  applying the ink randomly to the background.  Yvonne's Impression Obsession stamps - "Blow Your Worries Away" and "Choose Happy" were stamped onto the pages in Archival Black ink.  I also used Yvonne's Journal Buddy and Peacock Feathers Distress Ink to add stenciled "underlines" to the sentiments and to add some added interest to the pages.  Love this look!

As you can see in the above photos, I used Yvonne's "Grunge Circles" stamp to create "bubbles" on the pages.  I stamped my "bubbles" with clear pigment ink and followed up with white embossing powder.  Then I added Ranger's Glossy Accents to the inside of two bubbles to finish the look.   I think they really look like real bubbles!   I wrote the words "fear" and "failure" using a Ranger Fudeball black pen to represent some of the "worries" that need to be blown away!

I stamped the "Single Daisy" 8 times and the "Sm Butterfly Trio"twice onto scrap cardstock, blending Picked Raspberry and Lemonade Distress inks onto the flowers and watercoloring  the butterflies using the new Wilted Violet Distress Ink.  Finally, I cut all the pieces out and set them aside.

I wanted some of the flowers to be in front of the bubbles and others to be behind, so I began by laying out three flowers on the pages and adhering them.  I then re-inked the "Grunge Circles"                stamp and carefully lined up the stamp to the original stamping so that just the outside edge was inked over some of the flower petals.  I then white embossed them so it looks like the bubble is in front of the flowers and followed up with Glossy Accents applied to the inside of the "bubble".

Once the Glossy Accents was dry, I adhered the rest of the Daisies to the pages along with five butterflies.

I hope you have enjoyed my journal pages.  To see more ideas using the Inky Art Journal and the Journal buddy, please visit these other talented ladies' blogs:

Annette Green www.annettescreativejourney.blogspot.com

Candy Colwell www.candycreates.blogspot.com

Cheryl Boglioli www.cherylboglioli.com/blog

Cheryl Grigsby www.cherylspaperartz.blogspot.com

Linda Ledbetter www.lindaledbetter.com

Yvonne Blair www.yvonneblair.com

I can't wait to see what they have created with Yvonne's products!

Now here's the best part!  If you leave a comment on each of our blogs, Yvonne will put all your names in a bowl and draw a winner!  The lucky winner will receive a 4" x 8" Inky Art journal.

If you would like to order Yvonne's journal or the Journal Buddy Tool,  please contact Yvonne at www.yblair1@gmail.com.  She will be happy to help you out!  Her stamps are available through Impression Obsession at 

http://www.iostamps.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=IOSTAMPS&Category_Code=YB

Susan

Collection Folio Challenge!

Here it is - the 23rd challenge for the Compendium of Curiosities III - the Collection Folio found on Page 34 of Tim's third book!  I will confess I was a bit nervous about taking on this challenge on as it looked like quite the task!  However, it has turned out to be one of the most rewarding challenges I have done!

I decided I would use my maternal grandmother, Eunice Blanch Wood, as my inspiration as she was truly one of the strongest people I have ever known.  She was also kind, loving, faithful and patient, attributes that I will always remember.  I was also blessed to be the granddaughter she wanted to have her photos, so I have lots of wonderful photos to work with.  It was hard to fit them all in!

Here is the cover of the folio:

I originally resisted using Tim's Wallflower Stash as I use it quite frequently, however, it is truly my all-time favorite paper and I couldn't bear not to use it for this project!  Don't ever discontinue it, Tim!  I removed the elastic closure and covered the entire folio with the paper with the exception of a few of the "fold-over" areas.

I then cut out my favorite picture of my grandmother with an oval die and oval scalloped die and mounted it on green and brown card stock.  I used Tim's Alterations Typeset die to cut the letters for her name.  After this was done, I reattached the elastic closure through the designated holes, adding a Word Band to the top before threading it through the last hole.

Now it's time for another confession!  I tend to generally "play it safe" with colors and textures.  However, I finally decided I needed to step out of my comfort zone and go crazy!  I did this with the inside piece of the folio that the photos and ephemera are attached to.  Here is what it looked like when I started:

I used Tim's Frameworks Trellis Die as well as the Latticework stencil along with Peeled Paint, Antique Linen, Forest Moss and Gathered Twigs Paint.

The fun then began!  I have to admit that it took me two full days to put this together, however, I wanted it to be extra special.  I also had lots of photos I wanted to incorporate.  You certainly don't have to put as much as I did into this project - just select a theme you like and go for it!

For the inside cover of the folio I used one of Tim's Mini Cabinet Cards and placed my grandmothers baby's picture in it!  I always laugh when I see it as she looks so startled.  I used this photo for the first challenge and turned the photo into a birthday card.  I die cut a banner from Tim's Sizzix Alterations Tattered Banners strip and hand wrote her birthdate.  To finish this cover I added two photos of the farm where she was born in Alva, Oklahoma.

On the right side I sandwiched two new Elementary Flashcards, one that said "family" and the other "story" over the first cascading flap.  These Flashcards have such wonderful words on them!  Love them!

On the right hand side of the second cascading flap I attached two photos of my grandmother's family.  I used an Industrious Frame from the new Gallery set to frame her parents' wedding picture.  Some photo corners from the same set were used in all four corners of the family photo.  I used the Alpha Parts: Newsprint letters to spell out the word "Family" at the top of the photo.

For the back of the second cascading flap I added two more photos which I adhered to not only the flap, but also the reverse side of the photos on the opposite side.  I used the Life Quotes Remnant              Rubs to add some words.

The right side of the third flap features my Great-Grandmother Mamie.  I used a library pocket I had in my stash.  I laid it on its side and covered part of it with paper from the Wallflower Stash.  After placing the photo on a brown mat, I adhered it over the paper and added some Alpha Tiles to spell out her name.  I tucked in a tag I colored with Antique Linen and Vintage Photo Distress Inks and stamped with a B-Line Designs Gorgeous Fabric background.  I added another Elementary Flash Card and then a Remnant Rub from the Botanical set to the card.  I finished the front of the flap die by cutting and adding a Tim Alterations Distressed Doily die cut and  fussy cutting a rose image from the Wallflower Stash paper (one of my favorite things to do).  The last touch was the addition of an ephemera piece from the Emporium Ephemera Pack.

Close up of the tag:

I used the reverse side of the third flap for one photo plus another Flash Card and some fussy cut images from the Wallflower Stash paper to create a nature collage. 

I also stamped the tag on the reverse side with a stamp from Wendy Vecchi's The Beauty of Art stamp set.  Here's a close up of the reverse side of the tag:

On the right side of the fourth flap I used two large #10 tags.  I adhered a reduced size copy of my grandmother's graduation certificate to the top tag.  I used two B Line Designs stamps for the bottom tag, Women are like Buttons and Button Collage that I stamped lightly with Antique Linen Distress Ink.  Another photo was placed on this tag along with a Life Quotes Remnant Rub, Stencil Mark and Chit-Chat sticker.   Both tags were finished with a strip from the Industrious Gallery Stickers, two bows made from Crinkled Ribbon, a Ring Fastener and a Graphic 45 Shabby Chic key.  Another                      Flash Card with an image from the Botanical Remnant Rubs can be found in the center of the flap.

The left side of the fourth flap features two #8 tags to which have been added Antique Linen and Vintage Photo Distress inks and adhered to the larger #10 tags on the opposite side.   I decorated the tags with another photo, my grandmother's wedding announcement, a flower from the new  Emporium Ephemera pack, two bows made from burgundy seam binding that was crinkled, an photo is an oval frame from the Industrious Gallery Stickers with a photo, a Flash Card with a Botanical Remnant Rub and a metal key (sorry - not sure where this is from) and a floral stem from Nature Adornments.

The left side of the fifth flap was adorned with photos of my mother and uncle in Industrious Gallery Frames and finished with words from Chit-Chat stickers.  The back of the library pocket on the opposite side was decorated with another photo and Label Letters spelling my mother's name.  I also attached a gingham ribbon bow by Creative Impressions to the tag front.  Here's a close up of the tag front:

 Finally the back of the tag was stamped with a border from Wendy Vecchi's The Beauty of Art set and a stamp from Wendy's new Art and You set.

Close up of the reverse side of the tag:

Finally, the last flap was adhered to the back of the folio and a large photo of my grandparents on their honeymoon was placed on top.  A later photo of my grandmother was adhered to the top inside flap and a photo with me in it was adhered to the inside bottom flap and a fussy cut image from the Paper Stash was glued over the photo and onto the paper. 

I had to move from my small studio to the dining room table to spread everything out for this project. Here is what it looked like (I'm embarrassed to say):  I would bet that many of you can confess to the same thing!  Am I right?

Wow, that was a much longer post than I had intended, however, there are so many details I wanted to share with  you.  Now it's your turn to create something beautiful with this wonderful Collection Folio and share it with us.  As usual, head on over to the lovely Linda Ledbetter's site, read the rules for the challenge and start creating!  For this 23rd Challenge,  Inspiration Emporium is sponsoring a shopping spree in the amount of $50.00 for one randomly chosen winner.  Tim and Mario have a fabulous prize package for the winner of the Curiosity Crew Choice.

Good luck to everyone and have fun!

Susan