Taking a Journey or Two

Morning Peeps,

You know sometimes you fancy getting a bit creative but you either haven't got time or energy to make a big project? Well, last night I felt a bit crafty but my pain has been really bad this last couple of days - more so than normal :O(( so I knew that a big project was going to be impossible. I don't want to let the pain start taking over and ruling my crafty life aswell, because I think that a hobby is so important to making oneself happy. So, I made two ATC's using Journey as a theme and when I set out to make them I wanted to get two completely different looks, which I think I managed LOL

ATC #1

This is a hinged ATC ... I went thru a phase a couple of years back of only making hinged ATC's so thought I would revisit this stylee.




I cut some plain white cardstock to ATC size and tore one of the ATC's down the middle. This made the front piece. Next, I picked my stamps, using a sentiment from Stamp Attack, a Tim Holtz collection word and some Paperbag Studios images. I inked these with black StaZon and stamped straight onto the cardstock. Next I blended Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade and Fired Brick Distress Ink over the surface of the ATC's. I spritzed water into my hand and flicked at the inked surface to create a splotchy look.




I masked the man and woman image and then overstamped this piece with a Tim Holtz collection stamp which is huge and is made up of random numbers. Using Fired Brick for this stamping, I added a spritz of water direct to the inky stamp to make it a little smudgey. I removed the mask and then coloured the man and woman using Distress inks and a waterbrush.




The front piece was overstamped, again using the same ink and method but this time with a Tim Holtz collection diamond pattern. The inside of the front piece was overstamped again in the same way but this time I used a Tim Holtz collection swirly image. *do you notice that I seem to looooove Tim Holtz collection stamps? LOL




A quick blast with the heatgun to dry off all the inks and then a quick blend on the very edges of the ATC pieces using blending foam and Walnut Stain ink finished the inky part. I added some Grungeboard hinges which I cut from swirly uncut Grunge and then embossed with Fired Brick Distress powder, adding a little arrow of Grungeboard decorated in the same way and finally... a little Muse Token from the Tim Holtz Idea-ology range, fastened with a brad.





ATC #2

Have a I ever mentioned that my all time favourite paper in the whole wide world ever is... The Avenue Collection by Crate Paper? Well, it is! So being as I have not used this paper for yonks, I decided to use it on this ATC, combining it with a sentiment stamp by Penny Black and my favouritest ever butterfly stamp (that has been hibernating recently) which is from the Brush Strokes range by Penny Black.




I cut some card to the ATC size and then covered this with some plain cream paper from the Avenue range, I next tore some patterned paper so it was 3/4 across the width of the ATC and matted this onto a piece of black card, which I also tore.




I stamped the sentiment onto some more of the cream paper using a black Versafine pad and then edged this with Charcoal Chalk Ink. I matted this onto some more black card, making the bottom of this sentiment torn. Next, I stuck all the layers together and added two black brads top and bottom of the ATC and popped the sentiment onto 3D foam.




The butterfly was stamped twice, using black Versafine, onto patterned paper and cut out. I stuck this to the ATC using Glossy Accents, curling the wings to make it look like it had just fluttered in for a snooze. I added some little sticky back pearls to the body of the buttefly and finally stapled some ribbon and pearl string to the top of the ATC.




I really enjoyed making these two ATC's you know - it is good to revisit your old faves, using fave techniques and papers and it has given my Mojo a bit of a boost too :O))

Thanks for looking - have a great day and I would love to hear what you think of these two pieces of artwork :O))

Hels x