Lost Coast Portal to Creativity Challenge 203 - Festive Fun

Greetings! Here's my first card for Lost Coast Portal to Creativity's November Festive Fun Challenge 203. My card is more humorous than festive and features the Three Monkeys Rubber Stamp by Lost Coast Designs. They were clearly misbehaving and are now playing innocent.

Here it is!

Products Used:

Three Monkeys Rubber Stamp by Lost Coast Designs

Bristol Paper by Strathmore 

Green Cardstock by Bazzill Basics

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko*

Copic Markers:

Fur: E79, E77, E74, E71, E70, R02, R01, R00

T Shirts: G17, G08, G02

Vests/Sneakers: R27, R24, R14

Jeans: B99, B97, B95

Sneaker Sole: E04

Sidewalk: T7, T5, T4, T3, T2, T1

Stone Stencil by Green Pepper Press

Pebble, Hoodie, Clay Mask, and Slate Dye Inks by Catherine Pooler Designs

Stipple Brushes

Prawn, London Bus, and Lawn Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic Paints by PaperArtsy*

Grunge Mask/Stencil 3 by Studio Light*

Tartan 6x6 Patterned Paper Pad by Craft Consortium*

Occasions Small Talk idea-ology Stickers by Tim Holtz for Advantus

Black Pigma Pen by Sakura

Black Glaze Dimensional Gel Pen by Sakura

Repositionable Sticker Paper by Avery

Low-tack Tape

STAY-tion by Wendy Vecchi for Ranger Ink

Glassboard by Glassboard Studios

Stamping Platform

Products/Brands marked with an asterisk (*) are available at Topflight Stamps.

Instructions:

1. Create an A2 card from green cardstock. Set aside.
2. Use Tuxedo Black Ink to stamp the Three Monkeys towards the bottom of a Bristol Paper panel.
3. Stamp the Three Monkeys again onto Repositionable Sticker Paper.
4. Use Copic markers to color the Three Monkeys. image.
5. Fussy-cut the sticker paper version and place it atop their counterparts on the image panel.
6. Place the image panel onto a magnetic surface and secure with magnets.
7. Place a piece of low-tack tape horizontally across the image panel where the sidewalk meets the roadway.
8. Brush or sponge Pebble Dye Ink onto the image panel to color the background.
9. Place the Stone Stencil over the image panel and secure with magnets and/or tape.
10. Brush or sponge Hoodie Dye Ink over the stencil onto the masked image panel.
11. Use a stipple brush to pounce Clay Mask Dye Ink onto the stones to add visual interest.
12. Remove the stencil.
13. Move the low-tack tape so that it's covering the top of the image panel. 
14. Brush or sponge Slate Ink over the bottom of the tape and the masked image onto the image panel.
15. Place the image panel onto a craft mat.
16. Position the large connected splat mark on Grunge Mask/Stencil III on the left side of the image panel. 
17. Add a drop of Prawn and a drop of London Bus Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic Paint onto the craft mat.
18. Smoosh a make-up sponge into the paint, onto the mat, and then over the stencil onto the image panel.
19. Clean and dry the stencil.
20. Move the stencil so that one of the smaller splats is in the center of the image panel. 
21. Smoosh the make-up sponge over the stencil onto the image panel. If the paint is too faint, repeat Steps 15 and 16.
22. Clean and dry the stencil again.
23. Move the stencil so another of the smaller splats is over the right-most monkey (Speak No Evil) and smoosh the same make-up sponge over the stencil onto the image panel. 
24. Clean and dry the stencil yet again.
25. Place the stencil so that one of the splats is on the right side of the image panel.
26. Add a drop or two of the Lawn Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic Paint onto the craft mat.
27. Take a clean make-up sponge and press it into the green paint. 
28. Smoosh the make-up sponge onto the craft mat and then over the stencil onto the image panel.
29. Clean the stencil.
30. Move the stencil so that another splat is on the lower left of the image panel. 
31. Smoosh the make-up sponge over the stencil onto the image panel. If the paint is too faint, repeat Steps 24 and 26.
32. Remove the stencil and heat set the image. 
33. Use a paint brush and the paints used above to deepen the color of any of the red splats.
34. Use another paint brush to add Lawn Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic Paint to the left-most/See No Evil monkey's hands and his knee as well as to add additional drips connecting the splat over his head and to create a green puddle in the roadway.
35. Remove the masks from Three Monkeys.
36. Use a Black Glaze gel pen to add details to the Three Monkeys' clothing.
37. Trim the image panel and edge with a black pen.
38. Cut a piece of plaid paper from the Tartan pad to 4." x 5.25" and edge with a black pen.
39. Adhere the plaid paper to the reserved green card.
40. Adhere the image panel as shown.
41. Add the sentiment sticker to finish the card.

Thanks for visiting today!

I sure hope that you play along with our challenge for a chance to win Lo$t Coa$t Ca$h!

I Choose a Positive (c)Attitude!

This week's Stampotique Designer's Challenges (#261) is "Human with an Animal Head". Here's a blurb about the challenge:

"The possibilities are endless. Use a human Stampotique body and add a Stampotique animal head. Everything is okay with this challenge as long as you do not digitally alter any of the stamps."

Here's a journal page with Toby (Daniel Torrente) and Nerd Cat (Kira Nichols).

Toby and Nerd Cat were stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts). They were both decapitated, colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, and edged with a Black Pitt Artist pen (Faber Castell) and set aside. 

A journal page was brayered with layers of Dioxazine Purple, Quinacridone Magenta, Cerulean Blue, Ultra Marine Blue, Medium Grey Value 6, and Translucent White Media Fluid Acrylic (MFA) paint (DecoArt, then heat set.

Titanium White Media Fluid Acrylic paint was sponged over certain words and designs from the Text and Texture Transform stencil (Stencil) girl. White Simply Sweet rub-ons (Doodlebug) were used to add the date to the bottom of the page). Big Chit-Chat stickers (Idea-ology) and a capital "C" sticker were added to the page. A strip of washi tape was added horizontally. The page was then coated with a layer of Media Matte Medium to seal the stickers, rub-ons and washi tape.

New Canvas Palette ink (Stewart Superior) was sponged over the Positive Times stencil (Green Pepper Press) and the Jigsaw Puzzle stencil (Stencil Girl), then heat-set.

Toby with Nerd Cat's head was adhered to the page with Media Matte Medium then the page was sealed with another layer of Media Matte Medium. Several layers of Clear Gelly Glaze pen (Sakura) were added to Nerd Cat's to add a touch of glossy dimension.

I think that Toby with Nerd Cat's head looks very hipster. I will also admit that the page itself was inspired by Tuesday's election results.

Thanks for visiting today!

What Was Old Is New Again!

Valerie is the hostess this week at Stampotique Designer's Challenges. Her challenge theme What is old is new again.  Here's what she has to say about her challenge:

"Re-purpose, re-use, recycle, and alter - words that are music to my ears! Is there something destined for the trash heap that you can give a new art-filled life? Or perhaps you're tired of that old wall hanging - can you give it a make-over? My challenge for you this week is to take something old and make it new again! :)."

If you'd like the chance to win your choice of $30 worth of Stampotique stamps, you should play along with this challenge. Visit Stampotique Designers Challenge blog and be sure to read the rules so that you'll have the chance to win that great prize!!! Remember to check to see the deadline for all of this month's Stampotique Designers Challenges!

My upcycled First Aid Kit, 

using Stampotique's Nerd Cat (Kira Nichols), who makes a fabulous doctor:

From this:

Like many other crafters, I collect old tins, wooden boxes, and other items that have the potential to be useful or upcycled one day. I found this old Minnie Mouse Band-Aid tin in my collection. It had rust spots and price stickers on it, plus it was clearly outdated for my use, so I redecorated it to be kept in my car's glove box.

My first step was to clean the tin using a citrus de-greasing product and sand paper. When the stickers were removed, I sanded the tin to remove any residual adhesive and add some "tooth" to the tin's surface. Two layers of White Media Gesso (DecoArt) were sponged onto the tin and allowed to dry.

While the tin was drying,  Nerd Cat was stamped onto white cardstock with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts). Nerd Cat was colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, then edged with a Black Multi-liner pen. The rims of Nerd Cat's glasses, his buttons, and the pens in his pockets received several layers of Clear Gelly Glaze pen (Sakura) to add dimension. Nerd Cat was set aside while I returned my attention to the tin.

Titanium White Media Fluid Acrylic (MFA) paint (DecoArt) was sponged onto the tin and allowed to dry. Old Ledger stencil (Wendy Vecchi/Studio 490) was placed over the front of the tin and Titan Buff MFA paint was stenciled over it. This was repeated on the back of the tin. When the paint was dry, Geranium Red Archival ink (Wendy Vecchi/Ranger) was sponged over the Positive Times Two stencil (Green Pepper Press). The larger plus signs were sponged on the front and back of the tin. The smaller plus signs were sponged onto the sides. 

Geranium Red Archival ink was sponged onto the top of the tin, allowed to dry, then the edges were sanded a bit to reveal the white paint underneath. Sticker letters were adhered to label the tin.

The tin was coated with a layer of Multi Matte Medium (Ranger). Gauze tape was adhered to the bottom of the tin, then coated with a layer of Multi Matte Medium.  Nerd Cat was positioned on the tin, then coated with several layers of Multi Matte Medium. When the tin was completely dry, several layers of Clear Gelly Glaze pen was added to Nerd Cat's glasses, buttons, and pens. 

Here's a photo of the tilted tin so you can see a bit of the dimension and shine on Nerd Cat's glasses, buttons, and pens.

Here's a photo of the tin with some of its contents, though I likely will add a few more of our personal necessities, like aspirin, antacids, antiseptic cream, and a wee bottle of tequila.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this tin into the following challenges:

• City Crafter Challenges: White Wash

• Rhedd's Creative Spirit Challenges: Anything Goes with Mixed Media
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenges: Anything Goes

Mr. Meow Meow

This one had been picked up for publication, but as sometimes happens, didn't make the cut, so I figured I'd share it now, especially since I've been remiss in my crafting and posting. A week and a half later and I still am getting dizzy spells when I change position or put my head down. Makes it difficult to function normally and is putting a big damper on my crafting. Oh well.

So, without further ado, here's Mr. Meow from the Meow & Tweets rubber stamp set (Brett Weldele/Stampers Anonymous).

Mister Meow Meow was stamped onto white cardstock using Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Tsukineko/Imagine Crafts) and onto Eclipse Tape (Judikins). The Eclipse Tape version was fussy-cut. Mr. Meow Meow was colored with Copic markers. Mister Meow Meow's monocle was outlined with silver gel pen, which was also used to dot along the monocle fob with silver gel pen to create a chain-like appearance. Silver gel pen accents were also added to his cufflinks and a tie tack. Several layers off Clear Gelly Glaze pen (Sakura) to the monocle's lens, letting it dry between layers.

The Eclipse Tape cat was adhered over its counterpart on the image panel to form a mask. A strip of Removable Scotch Tape was adhered horizontally along the bottom to ground the cat. The Cobblestones stencil (Green Pepper Press) was placed over the image and London Fog Memento ink (Ranger) was sponged over it. The stencil was lifted and details were added to the cobblestones using Copic markers.

The cobblestones were masked with Removable Scotch Tape. The Gears Skinny Mini mask (Joggles) was taped over the image panel and airbrushed with a light blue Copic marker. The stencil, tape, and Eclipse Tape mask were lifted and the image panel was matted with red cardstock.

"Meow" from the Meow & Tweets rubber stamp set was stamped onto light blue cardstock with Tuxedo Black Memento ink. The sentiment was die-cut sing one of the die-cuts from the Talk Bubbles 2 die set,

Using the Steampunk Corner die (Memory Box), die-cut silver metallic cardstock twice. The corners were placed into opposite corners of a blue card. The image panel and sentiment were adhered to the card.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:
• SanDee and amelie's Steampunk Challenges: Anything Goes
• Scrapy Land Challenges: Anything Goes 

Celebrate!

Arwen McCullen is our hostess this week at Stampotique Designers Challenge Blog. Her challenge is "Human with an Animal Head". Here's what she had to say about this challenge.

"I love to combine designs together. This time I want to see something funny. Combine a human body with an animal head. I am looking forward to your creations.."

If you'd like the chance to win your choice of $30 worth of Stampotique stamps, you should play along with this challenge. Visit Stampotique Designers Challenge blog and be sure to read the rules so that you'll have the chance to win that great prize!!

Here's my journal page that combines Priscilla (Amy Wilson-Wellenstein) and the big bird from Birdy Bonnets (Kira Nichols).

Both Priscilla  and the big bird from Birdy Bonnets were stamped onto Neenah cardstock with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko), colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, edged with black marker, and assembled. Clear Stardust Glitter marker (Sakura) was added to the crown and Clear Gelly Glaze pen (Sakura) was added to the beak and the buttons. Liquid Glass (DecoArt) was added to the eye to make it even more dimensional than the beak. This was put aside for several eyes so that the Liquid Glass would dry completely.

Meanwhile, a piece of 140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock (Strathmore) was painted with Dark Grey Medium Value 3 Media Fluid Acrylic (MFA) paints (DecoArt). When the paint was dry, Medium Grey Value 6 MFA paint, mixed with Translucent White MFA paint, was sponged over the Stone Wall stencil (Green Pepper Press). English Red Oxide MFA paint, then Translucent White MFA paints were stippled over the stencil to make the stone look variegated. This panel was die-cut with one of the dies from the 5x7 Card Creator Nestabilities die set (Spellbinders), then edged with Jet Black StazOn ink (Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko). 

Brown cardstock was trimmed, edged with Black Soot Distress ink (Ranger), and adhered to the base of the "stone" piece with dimensional foam adhesive.

Yellow, purple, and gold metallic cardstock were die-cut with the dies from Banner Basics set (Spellbinders), then the banner was assembled. It was adhered to the stone panel with dimensional foam adhesive. Purple and Blue Spica Glitter pens were used to add glittery highlights to the tassels and blue rhinestones were added to the points in the banner as well.

Now that I had a suitable setting for my bird-headed jester, comprised of Priscilla and the bird from Birdy Bonnets, he was adhered to the card front using slightly thinner dimensional foam adhesive. I tried to add rub-on and die-cut letters to half-pearls, but I couldn't get 'em to stick. Then I had a "Eureeka!" moment and remembered that I had three sets of alphabet beads from forever ago. Oddly one set of the beads was missing the letter "t" and another set had only had two "e"s. So I combined the sets and adhered them in a loose arc above the bird-headed jester to look as though he were juggling.

I matted the "stone" front onto blue and black cardstock to add a bit of heft to it.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this project into the following challenges.
• Crafty Cardmaker and More Challenges: Make Your Own Background 
• 613 Avenue Create Challenges: Anything Goes/Celebrate
• Love to Create Challenges: Anything Goes  
• Country View Crafts Challenges: Simply Scenic

Along Came a Spider Photo Bomb

I mailed the ATC, a card, and a packet of goodies off to Sweden for the Stampotique Photo Bomb Swap run by Nikki Woodward. I found out today that it did arrive at its destination, though the recipient moved house and packed it away before taking a photo.

Here's "Along Came a Spider" Photo Bomb ATC with Stampotique's  Peace and Love with Words on the Side (Kate Crane)  and Mr. Stripes (Daniel Torrente).

Peace and Love's face and crown were stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko) onto Neenah cardstock, colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, and edged with black marker. Peace and Love's hair, dress, wings, arms, her heart, plus Mr. Stripes' body were also stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink onto patterned paper from the Sweet Threads 6x6 pad (Basic Grey), detailed with Copic markers, fussy-cut, and edged with black marker. The bits and pieces were set aside.

Peace and Love was stamped again onto grey cardstock and onto Eclipse Tape (Judikins). The Eclipse Tape version was fussy-cut and adhered over her counterpart. Watering Can Archival ink (Ranger) was sponged over the Stone Wall stencil (Green Pepper Press). Copic markers were used to deepen the color of the grout. Mr. Stripes was stamped onto the top part of the card. I went over Mr. Stripes' legs with a black Copic Multi-liner and then with a Clear Gelly Glaze pen to make them a bit more dimensional.

Peace and Love was paper-pieced onto her stenciled counterpart and Mr. Stripes' body was adhered and trimmed. The piece was edged with Black Soot Distress ink, then adhered to an ATC sized piece of black cardstock.

Here's the card that accompanied the ATC on its trip overseas.

Peace and Love was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink, colored with Copic markers, then adhered to patterned paper from a 6x6 pad by Crate Paper. I decided to keep the entire card CAS this time.

I did have fun with this ATC swap and will likely do another in the future.

Thanks for visiting today!

Myths and Fairytales Canvas

This week's challenge at The Outlawz Coloring Challenges is Myths and Fairytales, which is one of the easier challenges for me since I have loads of stamps featuring mythological beings, fairies, and other fantastic creatures.

Dragons fit into the realm of mythology and fairytales and I wasn't feeling like coloring a person, so I chose SCACD's Little Draco from SCACD's Mythical Reflections rubber stamp collection to create a canvas.

Here it is!

Little Draco was stamped with  Tuxedo Black Memento ink, colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, and edged with a black marker. He was set aside while I created a background for him.

140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock by Strathmore was painted with Medium Grey Value 6, mixed with Dark Grey Value 3, both of which are Media Fluid Acrylic (MFA) paints by DecoArt. I let this dry while I mixed a small amount of Medium Grey Value 6 MFA paint into White Media Modeling Paste by DecoArt, which I then scraped this mixture over the Stone Wall stencil by Green Pepper Press using an old credit card. I let this dry while we had dinner. 

When I returned from dinner, it felt dry, but I gave it a blast with my heat gun just to be doubly sure. I wouldn't do this when the paste was wet because I'd be afraid it would bubble or something. Anyway, the wall-ish panel was die-cut with the combined Vintage Cabinet Card and Vintage Cabinet Card Mini Movers and Shapers Alterations dies by Sizzix to create a window in the wall. All edges were sponged with Black Soot Distress ink, which was also sponged lightly over the textured stone wall to emphasize the stone texture and age it a bit too. 

Old patterned paper from DCWV was selected for the interior of the room you can see through the window. Copic markers were used to alter the colors a bit to make the patterned paper match the Little Draco a bit better. Silver metallic paper was die-cut with a wall clock from an old Spellbinders set. Black Soot Distress ink and Golden Glitz Delicata ink was sponged through the die for the hands of the clock. The clock was adhered to the wall.

The colored and embellished patterned paper was adhered behind the aperture created in the stone wall by the Vintage Cabinet Card die-cut. The Vintage Cabinet Card frame die-cut was adhered in place using foam tape to pop it up dimensionally. 

Green cardstock was die-cut with the Ivy set of dies by Spellbinders. I must say that I love this set. It includes two vines and a bunch of ivy leaves that emboss the veins in the ivy leaves as they are cut. Nifty! The vines were adhered to the stone wall, the leaves were added, then Little Draco was adhered using a combination of regular adhesive and foam dimensional stickers. 

Parchment vellum was die-cut using one of the Dimensional Banners dies by Die-namics. A remnant rub by Idea-ology was added to the banner, which was then edged with Black Soot Distress ink. This was adhered to the top of the canvas to finish it.

Thanks for visiting today! You should also visit my Outlawz Coloring Challenge Teamies' blogs to see what they created for the Myths and Fairytales challenge! Carla, Penny, and Laine are seriously talented and you will definitely be inspired by their artwork!

I shall enter this canvas in the following challenges:
• Stamping Sensations Challenges: Dies or Punches
• The Mirror Crack'd Challenges: Stencils
• C.R.A.F.T Challenges: Not a Card