It's all the Ra...ven

Ever have one of those days where you are super excited to sit down & CrEaTe something that has been rattling around in your head for days? Well, today was supposed to be one of those days. Instead, it was one of THOSE days!

Maggie was out all day at a swim park with friends...I ran a couple "quick" errands, as if going to Michaels is ever quick! And then had plans to sit at my desk ALL day & create a FABULOUS Halloween bottle so that I could make MORE fabulous Halloween bottles for a tutorial...well, my mind just couldn't tell my hands how to accomplish what it wanted!

So, below is what I worked on for several hours today & I am STILL not done, nor am I thrilled with the results so far...

The bottle on the left was my first attempt for the Ravens Blood bottle, but the colors were off, so I made the one on the right. It's better, but not finished.

(Raven collage sheet; I made my own labels using the Macabre Page collage sheet)

I wanted to whip through this bottle, so that I could get to what I REALLY wanted to play with today:

I have been watching videos for DAYS & am just itchin' to start playing with this Gelli Plate I got from Altered Pages!! Alas, it wasn't in the cards today!

But YESTERDAY was a totally different day!

I got together with mom & Kim to make some spooky mannequin girls inspired by Ranger's CHA 2012 Winter Designer Challenge that was featured in Somerset Studios this month. I had an idea in my head & I have to say, it came together quite nicely!!

This is my 

RAVEN MAVEN!

We started with a paper mache dressform from Michaels. I covered mine in black tissue paper & decoupage'd over her.  I added the feathers along the back of the neck - a feather pc meant for a mask that I cut in half, also at Micheals. Then I just started adding layers of tissue paper, lace, tulle & netting from a vegetable bag! The final touches were the Tim Holtz "31" placard, the wings on her back & the Raven on her shoulder!

Mom & Kim's weren't done yet, so I will post theirs when they finish them! What fun!!

I have a cool Halloween project that I'll be posting on the Altered Pages Blog next Tuesday, so be sure to stop by there & check it out!

That's it for tonight!

Nitey-nite!

Quirky Masculine Altered Playing Card

Happy Saturday Morning to y'all!

I am in a super good mood because my work-out buddy suggested a yoga class today & now I am in my "happy place" as she would say!

I just wanted to share this fun altered jumbo playing card I did this week for the shop...

I started by sanding the card & then adding some of my Tim HoltzArchival Ink stamps on the background of the card in black from Ranger (this ink stamps exceptionally well on slick surfaces - even better than Stazon!).

I then used a sepia toned Archival Ink pad for the photo-image stamp of the 3 men on a piece of photo paper (from what I've read online, "professional stampers" recommend a low gloss paper for stamping images like these. Since I didn't have any of that paper, I used some old 4x6 photo sheets I had on hand. It worked pretty well, but you do have to let the ink dry for about 20min - you can't heat set it or the paper will melt. AND, I tried it first with Stazon & even after 20 minutes the ink was smearing! USE the ARCHIVAL INK on these papers!!)

I decided to pop the 3 men to give the card some fun dimension as well as the gear & photo holder (I cut small pop dots in half & doubled them under these elements to raise them up so as not to bend the photo image).

The quote I found online & was originally said by Bruce Willis! I thought it was kinda fun & quirky!

I am hoping to do a couple more with this image, but maybe a little more simple so that they can be used as ephemera pieces or added to collage art. I do have another one in the works with the Joker cards!! Check back soon for more images!

Happy Super Bowl Weekend!

- Becky

Supplies:

Jumbo Playing Cards: Bicycle

Inks: Archival Ink by Ranger

Clock & ticket stamps: Tim Holtz

Men Stamp:Lost Coast Designs
 (another project with LCD stamp here)

Labels: Dymo