You altered my heart

Hi Everyone,
Jess here today.

I was totally inspired by a class Tim Holtz just taught at the recent Creativation show(and he was inspired by Paula Cheney).  I wanted to create something similar to what I had seen done, but put my own twist on it.


Start by running the solid half of your Steampunk heart through your die cutting machine using a 3d embossing folder.  Spritz the chipboard on both sides before using the embossing folder so the chipboard really gets nice texture.

Using collage medium adhere college paper to the embossed half of the heart.  I did a thin layer on the heart and adhered the collage paper.  I applied another layer on top and really worked the paper in with my fingers so you could see the embossed texture.

Paint the gear side of the heart using Dina Wakley media paint in Umber.  Paint the gears using Dina Wakley Media paint(Gilt and Ancient) and Tim Holtz Distress Paint(Brushed Pewter).  Add metal gears on top of some of chipboard gears for dimension.  Add embossing powder and crackle texture paste randomly on the heart for even more visual interest.  When the crackle paste is dry rub in a bit of Gathered Twigs Distress Crayon.

Take one of your Extra Large Tags and cut about three inches off the bottom.  Cover the entire tag with patterned paper.  Add bits of ephemera and adhere them to your tag.  I used a mix of vintage and reproduction ephemera here.  I love to mix old and new.  The entire tag gets a coat of collage medium. 

Once the collage medium is dry smoosh Distress Oxide inks onto your craft sheet and tap the tag into the ink.  The ink will stay beaded up on the craft sheet and you get neat splotches of color.  When you have a bit of color on your tag spritz with water and allow to air dry. Do this step several times until you achieve the color you like.

   Use a stencil to add a bit of grit paste to the top corner.  

Then add random blobs of grit past on the sides of the tag.  Once the paste is dry, use the same Oxide inks to color the grit paste.  Add Distress Crayon in Black Soot to the edges of the tag.  Splatter the tag with white, black, and gold paint.  

Using foam tape adhere the heart of the tag.  Give the paper doll a layer of clear gesso and color in his suit using Distress Marker in Mowed Lawn. Add a resin flower to his suit.  Glue the ruler to the heart and using foam tape adhere the man so he appears to be sitting on the ruler.  

Use Chit chat stickers to create your sentiment.  

Color in the word token using Distress Crayon in Picket Fence and add a jump ring.  Take an old paint brush and add a jump ring to the top. Add the rings to a vintage laundry pin and stick the pin through the fabric at the top of the tag.  The fabric at the top of the tag is actually a piece of my clean up rag I use in the studio.  I just cut a piece off because I really liked the colors on it.  To complete my tag I took some gel pens and made marks all over the piece.

Happy Monday

Jess

Collector of Curiosities

Hi Everyone,

Jess here today with a little Halloween decor piece.

 

Here's how you can make your own. 

Cover the Miniature Clipboard with a vintage style paper.  Cover the entire piece of paper with a collage medium.  I like the finish it gives and how it takes the various inks and crayons.  Ink the edges and add some splats to look like coffee and possibly slime.  The slimy green is actually embossed so it's raised up a bit off the paper.  I did emboss the clip part of the clipboard, but decided not to use it in my final design. 

Emboss the edge of your Small Canning Jar.  I made a jar similar to this back in February.  If you'd like to check out the tutorial I have linked it here for you.  With this jar, I wanted it to look a bit grungy and murky.  Pounce mushroom alcohol ink onto the acetate and it will muddy up the "liquid" inside the jar.  A piece of cheesecloth stained with blood(kidding, it's alcohol ink) gets tied to the lid. 

Cut a piece of background paper to go behind your canning jar and add your images.  These guys were stamped and fussy cut.  Make sure you play with your placement before gluing anything down.  

You can see here at this point I was still playing with the idea of leaving it as a clipboard.  I also hadn't added the eyeballs.  It's always good to play with your composition before you glue!

 I decided that the jar on the clipboard wasn't enough and I wanted to beef up my project.  A small Tim Holtz framed panel was the answer.  Cover the panel with a piece of worn wallpaper and add Distress Oxides so the paper looks water damaged.   

On the frame, randomly paint on Distress Rock Candy Crackle Medium. Once it starts to crackle you can heat it up to speed up the drying process.  Paint the frame using Art Alchemy paint in Metallique Blackberry.  Once the metallic paint is dry use a thin layer of Distress Paint in Black Soot on the entire frame and wipe most of it away. You just want it to sink into the recesses.  In random areas add metallic waxes in opal colors.  This adds another layer of dimension, but doesn't add a ton of color.  The final step on the frame is to use a fine brush and Dina Wakley Gilt paint to go around the edges.  Perfection is not the goal here.  The frame is supposed to look funky and old.  

Glue the frame to the back. 

Add your clipboard to the frame and add a small quote to the top.

A little metal tag, sticker, and eyeball brad round out the finishing touches. 

I hope you enjoyed this little project.  It was fun to make! I can't wait to pull out all of Halloween decor now.

Jess

Shine Brightly

Hi Gypsy Soul Fans,
Jess here today with an old world inspired ATC Shrine.

Paint the Reliquary Tower Top using Dina Wakley Paint in Gilt.  

While the paint is drying assemble your ATC Shrine Box.  I like to adhere my paper before I glue the box together.  Since the top of the box is visible under the arch I dabbed a little paint on there too.  The outside edges of the shrine  are covered in washi tape with butterflies.   

The outside edges of the shrine  are covered in washi tape with butterflies.   

 Cover you arch with a crackle medium and when it's mostly dry blast it with the heat gun to make it bubble and peel.  Use a black acrylic paint wash over the arch and then rub off quickly so it seeps into the cracks.   To make areas a bit darker use a Distress Crayon in Black Soot.  Attach the arch to the shrine.

Cover a butterfly from Relics and Artifacts with Vintage Distress Collage Medium.  Use the black acrylic wash on the entire butterfly and wipe away so it just highlights the details.  Add color to the butterfly using DIstress Markers.  Emboss the base of a tiny lightbulb using Charred Gold powder.  Glue the bulb to the butterfly and then add the butterfly to the shrine. 

Use the Sizzix Butterfly Frenzy die to cut out a ton of butterflies.  Glue the butterflies all over the shrine.

 Add a base to the shrine and Tim Holtz chipboard sentiment.  

Your shrine is complete!

Happy Crafting,

Jess

A Soulful Journey

Hi everyone, today I am sharing "a soulful journey" with you.
Some of the first Gypsy Soul laser cuts I was drawn to were the triptychs. I have always been in awe of antique triptychs. Growing up, we had a few prominently displayed in my family's home that had been passed down through the generations. Many of these were religious; however, more and more nowadays I notice a number of mixed media artists utilizing triptychs as a canvas for all types of art, both secular and religious. I am excited to share my altered triptych with you.

The Triptych - Towers Top is comprised of 6 pieces. Each of the three components has a solid back and a frame front.

 

When I look at the design of the towers top arched frame, I envision a bronzed and copper patina. I set about creating this with some of my favorite embossing powders. I coated each framed top piece with embossing ink and covered it with Emerald Creek burnt copper leaves powder. Before heat setting it, I sprinkled a pinch of turquoise antiquities embossing powder by Ranger in various spots. I then heat set the powders. I wanted a varied texture, so I only heated it all the way smooth in spots and other portions are only partially melted creating a bumpy surface.

Once the frame pieces were completed, I set about selecting a background paper for the three openings. I selected a paper from Tim Holtz Menagerie paper stash that I felt complemented the frame and had plenty of depth to set off the accents that I will be adding to each opening. I traced the outermost edge of each frame onto the paper and fussy cut them out. 

When the papers were placed between the frame and backing piece, I felt that the uppermost portion that has open framework needed to be brighter. I was hoping to end up with a "glowing" effect. To achieve this, I traced the boundaries of the open framework onto the paper while the top piece was in place, then I removed the uppermost triptych frame pieces and painted the outlined area with Dina Wakley acrylic paint in penny. I also painted the innermost edge of the "frame" to give the appearance of added depth when it was put back together as well as to tie the upper areas to the lower. I try to use similar colors throughout a project so that it all ties together when it's complete.  

Once the frames were done, I set them aside and painted the backsides of each of the triptych's solid back panels. I first painted a layer of Distress paint in walnut stain and then went over it with a dry brush and a small amount of the penny acrylic paint. I also painted the front edges of these panels just in case they did not align perfectly when I put them together (since I will have multiple layers in between.)

I glued 1-5/8" long antique bronze colored hinges to the triptych backs and allowed them to dry before I adhered the painted and inked papers. In order to ensure that the hinges lined up and that the triptych would be level when placed upright, I used a straight edge below all three backs to keep them in place. I marked the location for the hinge placement and then measured the correct distance on all pieces. Although the hinges have holes to be screwed in place, for my purposes, I simply used a strong multi-purpose glue.

I then began work on the inner areas. Using Hero Arts manuscript background stamp, I lightly inked with Brilliance cosmic copper metallic ink, and I stamped the script design to the paper backing piece. I did this to all three papers, randomly inking areas of the stamp to simply add some interest instead of the solid stamp image. The metallic ink blends nicely, and reflects the light when viewed from different angles. I inked all the paper edges with walnut stain distress ink as well as some areas on the front face of the paper.

Next I die cut three ironwork gates from heavy weight cardstock with the Tim Holtz Sizzix gothic gate die, each of these were inked with an embossing ink dauber and coated with Emerald Creek burnt copper leaves embossing powder, then heat set to a smooth finish. I painted some highlights on the embossed fence with the penny acrylic paint once they had cooled. These gates were placed behind the triptych frame front, trimmed to the correct size, and then glued in place.

While the ironwork pieces were drying, I stamped a Character Constructions Doll stamp from the Timekeepers Garden collection on watercolor paper. I colored her with distress inks, Copic and fine tip Steatdler markers. I also stamped butterflies from the Stampers Anonymous flutter collection on watercolor paper. I reduced the size of the stamps on my copier and colored those in as well. I then fussy cut the butterflies and die cut the doll stamp. These pieces will be located on the open areas of the triptych.

Now it was time to assemble the piece. I glued each piece of background paper to the respective back panel, covering the hinge flanges. Each of the side frames (with ironwork embellishment intact) was then placed over their respective back panel and glued in place. Since I had multiple layers between the two chipboard pieces, I made sure to put a heavy weight on top of them while they dried.

I adhered the colored butterflies, as well as a small key for her hand. Lastly I added a Tim Holtz word band that has been dabbed with gold and mushroom alcohol ink. I felt that this sentiment was a perfect finishing touch. I used leather cording and secured it around the bottom of the middle triptych panel.

I hope that you are inspired to create something in this new year.
~Ann

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts used:
Triptych - Towers Top