Time Project for River of Creativity's June Theme

Hi all!! I am here presenting my design team project for River of Creativity's June Challenge where the theme is Time; I'd advise you to get a nice drink and relax because this is picture heavy and there are a lot of great things to see! Now, I could have done the whole clock thing, or even a birthday thing {after all, when does time bite you in the butt the worst?} but I really wanted to get messy and have fun.  I am a night creature; some people get their second wind at a nice normal time, say 5ish, or even 7ish but me? Nope.  If I am not in bed by 9pm, my second wind comes around at 10 pm.  In fact, I am typing this post at 12:30 a.m.  So, for my June piece I've turned Time into Nighttime.  Clever if I do say so myself.  My mom can tell you stories of a young me fighting my bedtime {no matter when it was} as early as 3 years old when I told my mother I was not yawning because I was tired, I was yawning because my brain needed more air.  I was such a joy, but I digress.  My hope for this project was that you'd see something new each time you looked at the panel; let me know what you think! 

Before you start I wanted to let you know you can click on the photos to make them bigger; I made collages out of what I feel are the important details so you wouldn't have 10 or so pictures to look through.  If there is any problem with getting the pictures bigger, please let me know!

 

I have been making this panel for the last few months as it has paper clay pieces and I needed to get molds and the actual clay to get the forms I wanted.  I used DAS Paper Clay which is available at any local craft store or online and made the moon and the stars.  I used a panel that is 9" x 12" from Artists Loft, but any panel or canvas would do. I also accumulated a bunch of molds from Amazon because they
have such a selection, and you know that Prime shipping is addicting!  Some of the molds I got were too small, some just didn't fit the look I wanted, and I ended up using a simple Moon and Stars mold to make the paper clay pieces.  I also got some keys, gears and clock metal bits and now I have enough to make a gazillion projects. Other supplies I used included Stickles in Crystal, Tim Holtz Foundry Wax {all the colors, I even layered them}, Picket Fence Gem Mixes, no name gems from my sash,

 Cosmic Shimmer Glitter Jewels in Midnight Snow, Krylon Leafing Pen in Silver, Golden Gel Medium in soft gloss, Lumiere Paint in Silver as well as beads and the like.  I think the most important part is the background and I first painted my panel with Golden Black Acrylic Paint and once that was dry I used some Distress Oxide Ink Pads {I just smooshed them onto the panel} and Sprays in various blue and purple hues, sprayed water here and there, dried with my heat gun, added more ink, more water and so on.  The shimmer was created by using Distress Mica Spray in Crooked Broomstick {it was a Halloween release from Ranger, but you can still find it online} and any Mica Spray would work. 

I fiddled with the background until I liked it and then set it to dry for actually a few days.  Once it was dry, I had painted, inked and waxed the items I wanted to and set about the placement as well as the swoosh of clear glass beads {the tiny kind with no holes} glitter and gem placement.  I wasn't concerned with placing too many gems as I really wanted this to sparkle being the night sky.  I could probably have added many more gems, but I was struggling with glue sticking to the paint and ink on the background.  I initially used hot glue, but after Sylvester knocked it off my desk and most of the gears and metal came off, I switched to E6000.  I'm not a huge fan of either glue but the E6000 worked much better than the hot glue.  Now I know and you know, too, so pry the top off your E6000 if you are gluing onto paints and/or inks.  I've linked to most of the items that were easily found online, and it there is something you want the specifics on please use the email option on the right side; I'll happily supply you with the actual links to the items.  

 

Another Look at the Entire Panel

 I am happy with my Nighttime art, and I had SO much fun making it.  It's been a long time since I have made such a piece, running with abandon with colors and paints and inks and goodies.  But that is what the River of Creativity challenges are all about! We would love for you to join us, either using Anything Goes or the theme of Time, for our June challenge; the only thing we won't accept is cards. So, get your inks, paints, clay and molds out and have some fun! Hope to see you soon! Christi

 I am entering my piece into the following challenges:
We Love to Create - Anything Goes
Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
Creative Artiste, #83 - Anything Mixed Media Goes
Mixed Media Lovers, #14 - Anything Mixed Media Goes
Country View Challenge, June Challenge - Seeing Stars

Thanks!!

Spring ATCs at the River of Creativity

I have done it AGAIN - this post is too early - the challenge doesn't start until tomorrow {4/5/22}!! So take the rest of today & create something for us :) I apologize for the confusion!!

Hello! Time for another challenge at River of Creativity! For challenge #12, our theme is spring as well as anything goes but a card - that's right, put away your card blanks and get inky with us!  I had planned on making something completely different than these Artist Trading Cards but nothing seemed to coalesce, so I listened to the universe and made a set of 6 ATCs instead of struggling to create something that just wasn't working! I've had a small box of scraps that I have amassed over the years {small die cuts, pieces of Dresden, punched patterns, stickers, scraps of paper, etc} and I decided to use what I had in the box to make set. I'd had the box for so long I really needed to go through all the things I had saved and figure out if I was truly ever going to use the pieces or not; so I went through the box, set aside what I really wanted to use and threw the rest away so a lot of what you see on these is from that scrap box and is almost vintage {grin - ok not really, but I have had it for a long time!}.  Enjoy!

 

I used a bunch of assorted products on these little guys, and I stuffed them full of bling! I used gems and sequin mixes from Picket Fence Studios, Dresden scraps from Alpha Stamps and many other sources, washi tape (and matching die) from Pinkfresh Studios as well from my stash, a ton of Dream Drops {I used  Indigo Eclipse, Cloud 9 and Love Potion} from Tonic Studios and many other bits and pieces, including stickers and more that are from my huge stash.  The background paper for these ATCs is from ModaScrap from the Fly and Scrap Collection, 6" x 6" paper {I could not find it on the ModaScrap site, but I did do a search and it is available}. I also used a bunch of small alphabet stickers and tiles, most from companies that aren't in business anymore, sadly.  All this stuff I've saved over the years

needs to be used so I can get new stuff! I had so much fun making these ATC's; I am finding myself using lots of bling and glitz in my work lately and I just went nuts with these. Knowing that if I really didn't like how something came out, I could just throw the paper away {I have so many blanks that I have amassed over the years, I could probably make an ATC a day for the next year!} and begin again with no harm.  Something about these little canvases is so freeing!

I was showing these to my roommate and explaining how "back in the

day" we'd make a bunch of ATCs, using the same design and bring them to stamp conventions and trade.  I think I still have a notebook full of traded ATCs. Do you remember those good old days? Hopefully, soon, we will be able to attend stamp conventions again - I miss the energy and all the cool products! Thanks for dropping in and get out your creative muse and create anything but a card and join us at the River of Creativity, optional theme of Spring - hope to see you there :) Christi

PS: To see the smaller pictures bigger, just click on them. If that doesn't work please let me know ~ Thanks!

I am entering my Spring ATCs in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Easter/Spring
Country View Challenges - Spring is Coming
We Love 2 Create - Anything Goes
Four Seasons Challenge - Spring Challenge
The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers, #207 - A is for ATC 

Reindeer Games with Paper Funday!

Welcome to Paper Funday's Monthly challenge - the theme this month is Holiday Time!!  I recently purchased the Mama Elephant Flurry Frame and I had some of the reindeer floating around on my desk from Reindeer Games so I made this card :)

 

Like I said, I already had the reindeer colored and cut, so all I had to do was cut out the frame (out of white card), and the red glitter paper background.  I used a white card base, glued the glitter paper to the back of the frame, glued that onto my card, then placed and attached the reindeer. I gave one reindeer a little red nose using a gem from my stash; I think it looks like the other reindeer are celebrating Rudolph!  I love these little reindeer, you will be seeing them around. 

I hope to see your Holiday Time Creations at the Paper Funday Challenge - you can't win if you don't play :)  Thanks for stopping by! Christi 

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Sparkle Mode
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Happy Holidays/Christmas
Make the Cards Challenge, #43 - Christmas
Dies R Us, #182 - Anything Goes w/ Dies they Carry
Make my Monday, #162 - Cute Christmas
Country View Challenges - Anything Christmas Goes

Joyful Wishes

This card was so easy but looks so elegant!  Honestly just took a few die cuts and it was finished.  I love the color combination of blue and white and use it more often than traditional winter holiday colors.  Hope you like it!

 

Detail

The dies I used are from Creative Expression, Sue Wilson's' Festive Collection, Layered Snowflake Background.  It fits perfectly onto a square card. I cut the background out of a dark shimmery blue card, then the snowflake out of white shimmer then off-white shimmer.  I used just a portion of the off white flake, filling in some of the outer points of the white snowflake just to give a bit of interest.  The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp and was also cut out of the white shimmer card.  I added some gems from Trinity Stamp, put the snowflake onto the background with some dimensional dots and the card was finished! It's a stunning card in person, with the shimmer card and the gems; difficult to capture as those of you who take pictures of cards know.  I do hope enough of the beauty comes through.  Thanks for visiting! Christi

I am entering my Joyful Wishes card in the following challenges:
Try it on Tuesday - Make it Magical
Sweet Stampers, #62 - Christmas
Dies R Us, #181 - Anything Goes
Dragonfly Dreams - Nov. Challenge - Christmas
All Sorts, #650 - Christmas
Crazy for Challenges, #610 - Die Cuts Only
Wednesdays Creative Inspirations - Nov Challenge Wonderful Winter/Feeling Festive

Sue WIlson Shaker Card

 Hi Dies R Us friends!! Today I am sharing an easy shaker card featuring a Sue Wilson Die. I hope you like it!

What I Used to Make this Card:
White Card Base
KaiserCraft Paper Pad, Rose Avenue, 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" {retired but available}
Sue Wilson Expressions Die, Hello, #CED5401 {out of stock, but this will work as well}
White Card
Foam Tape, doubled
Filler from Stash

This was an easy shaker card to make since the die I chose was rectangular; the hardest part

was cutting the foam tape!  I have a huge roll of foam tape I bought years ago at a convention and I consistently forget I have it; well, this time I remembered! Since the shaker fill has some little gems in it I doubled the foam tape, sticky side to sticky side, then cut it in about half to fit around the die thus allowing enough height for the fill to shake and not get stuck.  I chose sequins, gems and sparkly bits that didn't clash with the paper I covered the card base with. Once I made the shaker part of the card using the die cut, acetate, foam tape and the fill, I attached it to the base that I had covered with a pink paper with a geometric design lightly embossed on it, very pretty I think and the photos don't do it justice.

I certainly hope you enjoyed my card and that will encourage you to pull out some of your dies and make a card to join in on the monthly challenge; just be sure the die you use is from one of the companies Dies R Us carries {shouldn't be difficult, they carry everything!} and join in the fun!  Take care and stay safe! Until next time, Christi

Don't forget to come join in the fun at the Dies R Us Challenge Blog. There's a new challenge theme offered on the 1st and 15th of each month and one lucky randomly drawn winner will receive a gift voucher prize to the Dies R Us Store.  

For your convenience, all the important Dies R Us links are provided below.

 

click below for:

STORE

CHALLENGE BLOG

FACEBOOK

INSPIRATION BLOG

FRIENDS OF DIES R US PINTEREST PAGE

As I am stamping away with the NEW Lawn Fawn release I realized I hadn't entered this card in any challenges!! If my card doesn't meet the timeline for entering your challenge, please accept my apologies and delete it ~ Thanks!!  So, without further ado, I am entering my card in the following challenges:

Cardz TV, #150 - Anything Goes
Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes w/ Dies
Creations in Pink, #37 - Anything Goes in MAINLY Pink
Krafty Chicks, #578 - All Occasions
Creative Friday, #290 - Big Word as the Focus
A Place to Start, #9 - Patterned Paper
Creative Fingers, #215 - Anything Goes