Tattered Floral Challenge and Giveaway

What a beautiful Wednesday it is here, cold but nice and sunny.  This kind of weather gives us hope that Spring is just around the corner. More hours of daylight, more heat in the sun...who can't LOVE that??  I have to admit Spring isn't my favorite season (fall is!) but Tim Holtz has challenged us all to a little Bring on Spring fun with his Tattered Floral Challenge.  As soon as I read the post the wheels started turning as to what I wanted to do. The ideas went from a tag, to a card to a framed picture but then I thought I wanted to do something a little different and I loved it more and more as I was working on it.  I absolutely LOVED how it turned out and is even cuter in person.

 

 These are going to sit on my crafting table all year round because they just make my heart smile and the best thing is that I don't have to remember to water them!  Lets get started on just how these beauties came to be...

Items and supplies used: tattered floral die, vagabond, tissue wrap, distress paints, distress ink, ink blending tool,water mister, heat tool, multi-medium, distress stickles, buttons, pipe cleaners, floral tape, scissors.

 

Flowers are cut from Tim Holtz's Ideology paper wrap.  For these beauties I used the terminology paper but any of the line would work perfectly.  I love the weight and the way it allows for flowers to look light and airy.  

 

 

 Next, I brought these flowers to life by using the awesome Distress paints. Let your creativity loose here! Playing here is key.  I have a few layers to colour and also misted some layers to get the look I wanted.  I heated the flowers to set.  Once getting the look I wanted I then used the ink blending tool with black soot around the edges and a bit all over to bring it all home. No one is the same!

Assembly is next.  The large flowers I created have 4 layers of the same large flower and 1 of the smallest flowers as the centre.  After being glued Distress Stickles were rubbed on the petals for a vintage look (used Barn Door and Walnut Stain).

For assembly of the daisy flower, first fold in half then in quarters.  Each quartered flower is then glued using Multi Medium on top of one another to obtain the wanted fullness.

I didn't want any of the flowers to be neglected or feel left out so I also used the medium ones and made some really cute little flowers that I added buttons for their centers.  These flowers are made by folding them in half and gluing 4 flowers together, each placed 90 degrees from the one below. (See the flowers with the button centers)

 

No flower is complete without a stem.  These are made by twisting 4 pipe cleaners together, cutting them in half and wrapping with floral tape.  When I got to the end I wrapped each individual pipe cleaner end with tape and used this as my gluing point (more surface area) for my flower making them look even realistic from the back.

As I was creating this cute little bouquet I was thinking what I would put it in and a great little auction find was a perfect fit.

 

A few up close pictures to show some of the detail I have fallen in love with...

I hope this project helps get your creativity going and you too join in on Tim's Tattered Floral Challenge.  Be sure to link your creation on his post for your chance to win one of the great prize packages he is giving away.  I can only imagine all the creative goodness that could be coming your way.

Thank you for stopping by to check out my creation and I hope you had as much fun learning as I did making this.  I mentioned a SURPRISE in my last post and I will not disappoint!! For all of you that leaves a comment HERE I will randomly be selecting one lucky person who will take home one of the Tattered Floral Dies that has graciously been provided by Tim himself.  I would love to see what you have created so feel free to add your link with your comment so I can check it out.  (Remember that you also have to link your project on Tim's blog to get in on his winnings.)  My draw will be also done from all the comments posted by midnight March 22nd so you have time to get inky! Bring on Spring! h

**Edited** I am going to change the draw date for the Tattered Floral die.  I will be drawing from all comments left up until this Sunday night March 10  at midnight. This will give time for the lucky winner to get in on even more fun!

The Challenge is ON!

Happy Monday to you all! I just wanted to start out by saying a huge thank you for everyone that has stopped by the blog and better yet left a message. WOW, over 1000 views!  Your compliments for the blog and tag were so sweet...just makes me want to make and share more. I told myself this was going to be a great creative year and I am loving it so far!

I must say there is a great challenge going on and if you haven't heard about it, head on over to Tim Holtz's Blog for the details.  I think there is no better way to bring on Spring then with a little 'Tattered Floral' action.  I have used this die countless times and love all the possibilities it provides for projects, they are endless.  As soon as I read Tim's post my mind started to go...I could do this; oh no this would be awesome! Well, the decision has been made and i LOVE it!  I hope you all stop back on Wednesday for the reveal and tutorial on just how it was done.  There might just be another surprise in store for you!  Until then I would just like to share the tag I made for Tim's January tag Challenge where I just happened to have used, yes you guessed it...the Tattered Floral die.

For this tag I covered my tag and grunge paper with Ranger's foil sheets.  Using the Tattered Floral die I cut various flowers and painted them with the amazing new distress paints.  Did I say just how amazing these are yet?? A MUST have!  The foiled tag was embossed and distressed also using the distress paints.  

I hope this tag helps to get your creative juices flowing and be sure to check back on Wednesday for my project and surprise. Until then, happy creating! h

Why Hello there...

I have been thinking about starting a blog for some time now.  I am thinking there is no better way to chronicle the adventures of this journey called life than through mine own little spot.  It will be a place where I can come and just be me; include things and experiences that make me who I am.  There are two elements that have been a big part of my life for pretty much as long as I can remember.  For me, they both provide a creative outlet and allow me to escape from the everyday grind.  They allow me to slow down and appreciate what I have and who I have around me.  So, when thinking about what I would call this little spot of mine those two elements seemed perfect...Ink and Flour.  Besides sharing with you my journey and adventures, I will be focusing on my creative outlets of crafting and baking.

If you are reading this, I want to say thank you for being who you are to me.  You are already part of my journey because I am sure you didn't just stumble upon my little abode by accident. So, I hope you come often because you are important to me!  h