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!!

Family Challenge at Paper Funday!

Hello everyone! Today is the start of the May challenge at Paper Funday and our optional theme is FAMILY.  I had a few options in my mind for this challenge, but decided to go with a family of cats; if you follow me on any social media I am always posting pictures of my cats (I have eight which is why I found this sentiment to be particularly fitting)  and talking about their crazy antics! I hope you enjoy my card:

I started with a handmade slimline base in white and covered that with the brick paper (this paper is from a pack I got in a bundle from My Favorite Things & I couldn't find it on their website) for the wall and used dark blue cardstock for the floor; pretending it's carpet, to give the illusion of a room.  Then I used my favorite black ink on watercolor paper and stamped all of the cats as well as all of the other items I used in my scene.  The sentiment was stamped on white card scrap and cut out with a fishtail banner die.  I colored everything with my Zig markers, cut out all the items and glued them to the card.  I had found a wooden heart embellishment with a paw cut out (discontinued product)  which I covered with Foundry gilded wax and being it a flat piece, I added some Diamond Glaze to seal the heart otherwise the wax just flakes off - it needs dimension to stay on something.  I watched the Tim Holtz video on Foundry wax and I had to get ALL the colors after I tried out the gold.  The pictures don't do this product justice - it really is amazing!  The heart was the last thing I attached to the card and it was finished.

I hope you enjoyed my card and maybe it will help you think of different ways family can be interpreted.  And most of all, I hope to see you join in at the Paper Funday challenge for May! Thanks so much, Christi

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
Krafty Chicks, #610 - Stamp Act
DreamValley Challenges, #269 - 4 Legged Friends
Critter Crazy Challenges, #62 - Anything Goes w/ Critters
Crafty Friends, #155 - Animals
The Diva's That Cut - Anything Goes
Country View Challenges - Cats and/or Dogs

To the Moon with The Robin's Nest Creatives

 Hi all! Today I have another 2fer for you! It's so much fun when I get so inspired by a stamp set that I have to make two, or more, cards. I had made these cards a while ago - it was one of those cases where as soon as I saw the stamp set I knew how I wanted to play with it :) I am so pleased with how these cards came out and I hope you like them as much as I do! And I knew just how I wanted to decorate them with my Dew Drops!

 

  Each card started out with a white blank card.  I stamped the sun on one and the moon on another using  the Simon Says Stamp set To The Moon with embossing ink.  Then both images where embossed with white embossing powder .  I set the moon card aside and worked on the sun card first, blending Distress  Oxide yellow inks in the center and orange inks along the sides.  I LOVE the POP you get when using white embossing powder - I really enjoy watching the image come out; reminds me of watching the picture develop when you use a Polaroid camera.  Once I was happy with the blending, I moved on to the Moon card.  In addition to embossing the moon, I embossed part of the sentiment on a piece of dark blue card, cut it out with a fishtail die and set it aside.  I used shades of blue and purple ink for the moon card and again went lighter in the center and darker toward the outside.  

Before I put the sentiment die cuts on the cards {the hello on the sun cut out of white card and the love on the moon cut out of the same dark blue that the embossed sentiment was on} I started to figure out what type of design I wanted on each card using The Robin's Nest Creatives Mini Dews, Tear Drops and Diamonds {I  have included links to each specific product I've used - just click on the link provided}  I used yellow and orange Mini Dews {you can get both orange & yellow Mini Dews in the Paisley Collection}, as well as Diamond yellow Dews on the sun card and purple and light blue Mini Dews, as well as royal blue Tear Drops on the moon card.  I personally love how these 2 cards came out; ink blending is so much fun and the options are endless! Also, the Dew Drops enhance the designs but don't distract from them - perfect if you ask me! Pinterest is fantastic if you are looking for color combinations but beware, you will get lost in the lovely colors so let everyone know you are busy, get a cup of whatever and prepare to be there a while; happens to me every time!  Thanks SO much for dropping by! Christi  

I am entering my cards in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Classic Design Challenge, #6 - Anything Goes
Crafts Galore Encore #98 - Anything Goes
Creative Knockouts, #446 - Anything Goes
Creative Fingers, #228 - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Flikr Challenge, #198 - Anything Goes

Be Mine, Galentine

 Even thought I am not a fan of Valentine's Day, I thought I'd make a card to send to my sister, who is also single, and ask her to be my Galentine.  Hopefully this will put a smile on her face!

I started the card by making the floral heat using Concord & 9th's Triple Step Blooming Heart.  I used the following Distress Inks: Spun Sugar, Kitsch Flamingo and Festive Berries.  Once the heart was done, I found a piece of paper that matched in my stash and dry embossed it with Darice's Mini Hearts Embossing Folder {it is still available, but you need to look}, I then glued that onto the white card base.  I used a strip of red card, embossed the sentiment {which is from MFT, but seems to be discontinued} onto it using white embossing powder then die cut it.  Dimensional tape was used to adhere the heart to the background, I glued the sentiment in place and added two diamond hearts I got ages ago from Maker Forte {the picture makes the hearts look gold when they are actually iridescent}.  I think I did a fairly good job here. I like how all of the colors match :)

Thanks for stopping by and have a fantastic week :) Fondly, Christi

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
Can You Handle the Pressure (NEW CHALLENGE!!) #2, Anything Goes w/ a Twist of Pink
Sweet Stampin'- Love, Love, Love
CCEE Stampers, #205 - Valentine's Day
The Little Red Wagon, #640 - Be My Love/Valentine
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Emboss it
Try it on Tuesday - All Loved Up
Colorful Options, M - Rosy Red

Daring Cardmakers - My Sweet Valentine