April Tag-ola

Ya, it's not so much a tag as a couple of cards.
What I'm talking about is the 12 Tags of 2012 by Tim-ola.  Yes, "ola" is the suffix of the day. 
As it so happens, I do have the Reflections stamp set.  I think using it on an embossing folder is brilliant.  I chose to do the technique with two different stamps and embossing folders. Oh, and two different color schemes.

Used the word reflection stamp here, in coffee archival. I also highlighted around the embossing with a white pen. The flowers were some of the older collage type, inked and sprayed within an inch of their lives.

The script reflection stamp used here. I "perfect pearled" the heck out of the flowers again.

 Love this technique.  And I'm glad I went with these particular color schemes.  The yellow on both is Mustard Seed.  On the top one, the only other color is Broken China.  The bottom card has Rusty Hinge and Aged Mahogany on it.  Love it. 
That's it for this installment-ola.  (I almost forgot the "ola").
Thanks for stopping by, go be creative-(ola?)

4 x 4's UNLEASHED, REVEALED, WHATEVER!

Yeah, so I wanted a catchy title. Isn't "unleashed" one of the current catch phrases? Or was that five years ago?  Hence, the "whatever".

Some friends and I swapped some 4 x 4 canvases.  Only rule was to use the back side with the niche as the focal side. They've received theirs, so I can show you without spoiling it.  Sounds a little pretentious, doesn't it? lol.

I chose to use Graphic 45 Transatlantique paper to cover mine, so they took on a travel theme. I also tried to individualize them a bit.

Here's one that took on a Paris theme:

The frame was made out of black chipboard, embossed, and rubbed with Rub 'N Buff. I made the frames to cover up the staples that secure the canvas to the wood frame. The little white vase on the right was a find in a "jar of junk" I bought at an antique store.  The Eiffel Tower is the Sizzix die and shrink plastic.

We decided the backs were to be finished, but not overly so.  That being said, I just covered mine with some more of that beautiful G45 paper!

 

 Here's the next one:

More shrink plastic...the plane and the city skyline, both are Tim's stamps.  The medallions in the background is G45 paper covered with Crackle Accents.

The knob on the top is another find from the "jar of junk"...an old Lea & Perrins bottle topper...GLASS.  Thought it was perfect here.  The lace around it is just some cluny lace dyed with Terra Cotta colorwash. Love how the color ties in with the paper.

Reference to Cleveland, er....because this person lives in Ohio. he he. How original.

Here's the one I kept:

Railroad theme, in case you haven't noticed. LOL. I have a fascination with Tim's new train stamp set.  Yep, the train and railroad crossing sign are shrink plastic. As is the little ticket hanging on the right.

And once again, the "railroad spike" as the topper was from the "jar of junk".  Can you believe it? It fit in so PERFECTLY with the theme.

Look! The spike even has a number 12 stamped on the end.

Ok, I just have to mention one of my favorite genius moments when I was making this last one.  Running the spike thru some Clearly For Art stamped with the train tracks and molding the shape...maybe.  But then I realized that the spent shotgun shell ends fit PERFECTLY in the molded shape.  Yep, those were from the "jar of junk" too.  Yeah baby.  In the one picture above, you can see the words..."Winchester Repeater".  Love it.  I'm certain that those particular guns were used on the trains back in the day. Sure of it. 
So, you're probably laughing and thinking to yourself..."bet she doesn't have anything left from the jar of junk!"  WRONG.  I do. Plenty.  Just have to figure out a use for it.  There was a Chuck E Cheese token in there, though, that I didn't think I would use, so I pitched it.  No, I have not and will never set foot in a Chuck E Cheese.  There aren't enough tokens in the world for that.  I know you're not supposed to say "never", but I'm fairly confident in saying it here. I'm not sure if the chain is global, but for my international friends...Chuck E Cheese is a pizza joint that caters to kids and has all sorts of games, video games, etc., and serves mostly pizza and pitchers of sugared soda.  It's a popular place for kid's birthday parties.  It gives me chills just writing about it.

As soon as I get my canvases, I'll be sure to show you.
Thanks so much for stopping by, I really appreciate it!  And as always, if you have questions on how I did something, please ask!

Interactive ATC....

Over at the EWV Yahoo Group, the challenge is to use two eyes and a hand.  It's based on a project from Wendy's Book Three, page 38.

I know, you're probably thinking, is this the only stuff she's doing now? Welllllll......for the most part.  I have some other things in the works that I can't show you yet. :)

On to the interactive ATC.  Here's the first shot:

 And, VIOLA, the interactive part:

 He he he.  Maybe I'm the only one that thinks this is clever.
So, if you'll notice, the left eyeball (which would be her right), is lifted up with a couple of pop dots.  The right one underneath the hand is just glued straight onto the background.
I then took the hand, poked a hole in the "cuff", grabbed a long fastener, and a pretty good sized gold bead, and threaded the fastener thru the hand, thru the bead, and thru the background.  The bead allows for enough space for the hand to pivot.
You'll also notice that I gave the chick a piece of nose bling. LOL.
The background itself was an attempt to use some new Crafter's Workshop stencils, the only thing I can say is that I'm glad most of it is covered up. Not very successful, IMO.
Some color on the eyes and lips, glossy accents to cover those, and some dots with a gold and chrome silver Viva Pearl Pen complete it.

So, for the project I can't show you yet, I dyed some lace with Terra Cotta colorwash.  When I was sopping up the extra with a paper towel, I thought, "hey, this paper towel doesn't look too bad, but it needs more color"...some dabs with a few distress stains, more colorwash, and some water, and I have some cool backgrounds:

 I'm thinking these might be great with a little spray of water to make them damp, then run thru an embossing folder, and highlighted with gold paint dabber. Better yet, put the gold on the opposite side of the embossing folder. Oooo....look out, I'm actually thinking.
Ok, guess that's it for today!
Thanks for stopping by, go be creative!