Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2012 - September

Just a quick post before hitting the pillow. After a really rough few days it was nice to be able to finish a piece of art tonight. The tag is from Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2012 Challenge - for September and you can see Tim's original post here.

This is the first tag I've completed for this year. It's been a crazy summer. I took metal tape from the hardware store and cut it up, ran the tag through the vagabond with a new texture fade (sheet metal), inked it but then since I didn't have any black ink - used a black paint dabber and rubbed it off. I used a Maya Road stamp and cut it out, added a stamped saying on parchment (appropriate to some family drama going on at the moment), cut it with decorative edged scissors.

I used a number 9 because it's the 9th month of the year. The little light bulb came from a stash my Dad left (thanks again Dad!) and wired on. The pen nib is real, left from my calligraphy classes of long ago and also wired on. :-)

Thanks Tim for the continued inspiration and challenges!

 

 

Paper Quilting Birthday Card

This is the card I made in my stream (TiMe WaRp ArT) this morning. I hope you all take off with some ideas of your own!

I got the paper technique from Davinie (thank you!). I was playing with the blocks, looked up at the chat and someone (I think it was Jean) said something about a line in a frame. So....one thing lead to another and... well, there you go. LOL!

All Occasions Mini Done!

Another Kathy Orta (Paper Phenomenon) project completed! This one is Fab as usual. It's called the All Occasion Mini Album. I am having soooo much fun with these! I can't believe I"m actually completing the projects!

See it in motion on my Ustream channel TiMe WaRp ArT.

I used 7 Gypsies "Lille" paper pads - the 8 inch and the 6 inch. Black cardstock base. I hope to use this album for our next vacation! Unless I think of something else in the mean time. LOL!

 

 

Keys 4 Art Cabinet

I am still building things and I love it! I finished the Keys 4 Art Cabinet (Kathy Orta design-Paper Phenomenon) and here it sits on my desk. It holds my Zentangle supplies and sketchbook on top! Molie or Handbook fits perfectly in the tray.

I made a drawer instead of mini albums. the drawer holds my pens and reading glasses. I've needed something functional to hold this stuff instead of keeping it piled (because I inevitably stack stuff on top and have to move something -bad, bad, bad!).

 

 

I used the Graphic 45 "Communique" paper collection. The bottom panel under the center section just has a paper laid there. It fits under the two side "boxes" because..... wait for it....

I put the whole thing together with VELCRO! That's right - all the pieces are put onto the backing board with Velcro! My brilliant son came up with this idea when I was stalling about putting it together. I wanted even more versatility and this gives it to me. I can make more pieces and switch them around - what fun!

 

The Gasp Pump is almost complete - still working out the top part before putting everything together. The mini albums and drawer are complete. More about this later when it's all finished! But here's a peek at the minis in the drawer:

 

 

Moving On

So - yes - once again Life gets in the way of the blog. When things get overwhelming one of the things that gets put aside is the blog. Poor blog.

I have not stopped doing artwork just because life got really busy. I have just stopped posting about it! Photos have been taken, journaling has been done. Everything is on a hard drive. I am behind on projects but that will even itself out eventually. No stress! My Flickr account has suffered as well - updates are waiting to be done there too. I know by now that trying to play "catch-up" does not work. Time to just move forward!

The things I have been working on lately are mostly related to making mini albums and "building" things. Designs by Kathy Orta have caught my attention and recently I have finished (for the most part) two of her projects. I am loving joining her live classes on Ustream. Kathy and the PITA BABES (of which I am now a proud member) are very entertaining!

The first project is called "Art Canvas Mini" and consists of a 12 in. x 12 in. canvas upon which "shelves" are built and a mini album is attached. I had such fun making this! I intend to put our California Redwood vacation pictures in the mini. Choosing the pics will take time - I take TONS of photos! The only thing I have left to do besides pics is a little embellishing in the shelves and top of canvas (still undecided LOL). Perhaps in our memorabilia from the trip I'll find just what it needs.

 

 The second project is the "Contessa Attache Case". I finally found a project I could use my hoarded - errrr... TREASURED Graphic 45 'Steampunk Debutante' collection for! I absolutely LOVE the design for this case. I have taken it as far as I can without putting it into further use to see what other elements I might like to add. 

 

 

 

 The second and third inside panels are made as Kathy did, but I added a notepad and pen holder to the first panel. I used a strip of paper reinforced with packing tape and raised a quarter of an inch to hold folded back pages of the notepad and a pen or two. I put this on the first inside panel because of the way Contessa folds back on itself - a really cool feature! It allows me to use the notepad with Contessa all folded up! After using the notepad for a while I realize I should have made a second strap for the bottom as the pad slides a bit sideways. Note to self for next time!

 

 

 

 The clasp is magnetic with a steampunk decorative element I made from old watch parts to cover the tabs that hold it in place on the outside flap.I made a "charm" to hang off the D-ring handle from a doll purse and stitched on some gears. I will keep a pencil sharpener in it for now.

I made a Handwoven strap from pearl cotton thread in just the right colors using Tablet Weaving (also called Card Weaving and yes, does use threaded cards to manipulate the colors in the weaving). The strap is reversible and is my own design. The way I made it allows for two lengths of handle - held double or let out so it's a tad bit longer.

 

 

 

 Contessa also hangs nicely from a hook by her strap! She is close by the desk (Iris cart under one end) but takes up no surface space! Gotta Love it!

 

 

 

My next project is also by Kathy - the Gas Pump! It's the cutest thing! Love Kathy's projects and her tutorials are very well written. I am also in her Summer Kit Club (Mother's Day gift from the guys)! Can't wait!

 

 

Postcard Challenge Week 09

Not many people caught the link in the story between week 7 & 8! Haha!

Melinda is saddened and excited by the fact that Connor (Mac) was in Bristol at the same time she was but they didn't know it! He said he wished they could have had tea! Her mind wandered off into a daydream of how they might meet.

As she begins to clear up her lunch remains, she thinks maybe that daydream should be part of her novel. She picks up the sketch of the castle she made and wonders if Mac might like to see it. It's about the right size for a postcard....

Postcard Challenge Week 08

The fictional date is Feb. 24, 1956. Week 8 finds Mac (Connor) in Cuba - walking on a beach and getting a tan.

 

He still shakes his head over being in the same city at about the same time as Melinda. He wishes they had met! He would love to know what she looks like and thinks back on the lovely woman he saw in Bristol. She had dropped a few packages and when he helped her she smiled at him. A very nice smile it was, too.

Mac puts his fedora back on and walks on up the beach where his new friend, Miguel is waiting to show him around.

Postcard Challenge Week 07

In week 7, Melinda is traveling from Cardiff to Newport along the coast of Wales touring as many castles as she can. She wants to begin her new novel this month if at all possible. She met with her editor and turned over the last one. Her editor seemed pleased with it and asked if Melinda could have the next one done by the end of Summer. They wanted to publish in November - in time for the Holidays!

She wonders if she should try for a Holiday theme. Have the story take place during that lovely, wonderful time of year! A castle in the snow - just think of it! Knights and Ladies, romantic horseback rides and perhaps getting caught in a snow storm....

She is riding a passenger train out of Cardiff, heading to Chepstow Castle. She has been to Castell Coch (Red Castle), to Cardiff Castle and a few others along the way. There just might be time for shopping in Bristol after Chepstow. Celia had told her of this little shoppe she found last year. It sounded perfect!

She remembers that she just picked up the forwarded mail, reaches into her bag for the package and is pleased to see a postcard from Connor! She will save it to read with her afternoon tea. As the train pulls into the station, she begins to look for her ride to the castle and spies a few cabs parked awaiting patrons.

This was it! THE castle she'd been looking for! And look at that - it was starting to snow! Melinda knew she had the start of her novel beginning to brew in her head. The snow did stop but it was lovely while it lasted and it did spur her imagination.

Catching another cab back to the train station she was determined to have tea in Bristol since it was earlier than she had thought and then shop. It was a productive ride - the beginning of her story was ready to be brought to life.

 Outside the dress shoppe, she stopped for some roasted nuts at a cart and smiled at a nice man who helped her when she dropped some of her packages. She got a funny feeling she'd seen him somewhere before but that was silly. She'd never been to Bristol before today.

Postcard Challenge Week 06

The fictional date is Feb. 10, 1956 on this postcard.

Connor is in an airplane going to Belgium and is reading Melinda's last postcard (again). So, she writes romance novels it seems and has been doing so for a while. He pictures her hands at a typewriter - it's cold and she's wearing knitted gloves with no fingers. Delicate fingers are hitting the keys with confidence. There is a fire in the background keeping the hotel room warm.....

Connor shakes his head as if to wake himself up. Stop daydreaming! Finish the postcard! He doesn't have an ink pad with him so he decides to try the grape juice he had with breakfast. Success! Ooops - he spills the juice on his trousers. Ah well, he needed some new ones anyway. Luckily it wasn't his fedora!

 

Postcard Challenge Week 05

I'm running a bit behind for week 5 because of a road trip among other things so it's hurry, hurry to try to catch up!

Melinda would really like to visit Provence in the summer to see the lavender fields in person. She is enjoying Connor's handmade postcards very much! She hopes he keeps it up. She is beginning to wonder what he looks like and tries to picture him on the Great Wall, pointing his camera at the sunset.