This is a unique challenge blog where we are inspired by and focus on the Vintage; shabby; mixed-media; art journaling; industrial, timeworn and steampunk genres and encompass the talent, flair, expertise and ideas of many artists that we are inspired by. We welcome all types of projects - cards, journaling, assemblage, layouts, albums, atcs, altered art in fact whatever you want to share (as long as it is in good taste).

Friday 27 March 2015

Guest Creative Guide - Paula Cheney


It is with great pleasure I welcome the fabulous Paula Cheney as our first Guest Creative Guide in year 2 of our vintage journey. Those of you who know Paula will already be aware of her amazing projects, her love of all things 'Tim' and her  incredible creative talents. Whether she is using inks, paints, junk, dies or fabrics she can turn out the most inspiring works of art that get us wanting to see and  know more. Well today you have more - but Paula and I have a 'game' for you to play too - read on to see how it unfolds.




Hello everyone! I am grateful for the opportunity to be here today on A Vintage Journey! Maybe a little background information is in order for those who don’t know me. I have worked in the scrapbooking/mixed media industry for almost 10 years now. The last three for Tim Holtz, as his Creative Coordinator for Tim Holtz brands. That means I do a little bit of everything! It might be creating something for a magazine ad in the morning, move on to design ideas for idea-ology by lunch and finish out with a sewing project for Tim’s fabric line, Eclectic Elements. Really a jack of all trades around here! I also write a blog called One Lucky Day where I test out product, share what I make, and also share my love of junk! 

I live on the central coast of California (half way between San Francisco and Los Angeles), about 20 minutes from the Pacific Ocean. I have been married to my husband Jay for 28 years. He is very supportive of all of my crazy ideas and would you believe, he does all my Sizzix cutting for the classes I teach. He even has his own Vagabond machine. 

I’m also a Downton Abbey, Doc Martin, Midsomer Murders junky. I don’t know what we’d do without Masterpiece and Masterpiece Mysteries on Sunday evenings! In a few short days I am taking my first ever trip to London, so I thought I better include a little bit of the UK in today’s piece...I’m sure you will spot it right away when you see it.


I started this project over on my blog, One LuckyDay...I hope you will pop over to see the beginning steps of how I painted the blossoms. Now lets continue on to see the finishing work and the final project...


I wanted to add a metal Wordband to the piece but also wanted to change up the color of the band. I did that by pouncing gold alcohol ink over the top. Once dry, I added Picket Fence Distress Paint over the debossed lettering (wiping away the excess), then finishing with Iced Spruce Distress Paint on each end. 


As I said before, my frame is vintage. It already had two large eye screws for hanging (no wire though) on the back of the fame. I decided to use these to my benefit, by stretching an idea-ology Elastic Band across the frame. As you can see, I slid the Wordband onto the elastic before I fed the barbed end of the elastic into the second eye screw. 


Once I had the Elastic Band in place, I created a focal point to coordinate with the background. I mounted a piece of ephemera (Emporium pack) onto chipboard. Then added a couple layers of cheesecloth (what you don’t see if that I sewed the cheesecoth to a scrap of paper I dug out of the garbage can). Cheesecloth is way too wonky to control without a stable surface to stitch it to. Once the sewing was complete, I cut away any paper that was showing beyond the edges of the cheescloth. I added a Photobooth photo to the center of the stitching. This photo was already tinted so no need to do that here (maybe that is a blog post for another day). I also added the phrase, “be your beautiful self” from the Small Talk sticker set. The Mini Numerals are enhanced with Iced Spruce paint and gold/mushroom Alcohol Ink. 

Please note: I did not glue any of these pieces to the main chipboard until I got the correct spacing of the elastic band in the next step.


Once the chipboard backing is in the frame, you can gauge where to mount the center picture. Once added to the board (I used 1/2” Wonder Tape), I was able to add a skinny strip of foam tape along the bottom half of the Word band. 


Peel the backing paper off and adhere the foam tape right below the Photobooth photo (it should fit up nice a snuggy against the picture).


My idea was to use the Elastic as a “clothesline” for trinkets. I added a Heart Charm and some vintage mother of pearl buttons to two Loop Pins and hung them on the line.


Now just secure the backing and we’re done! That was a lot of words for a very easy project! So many techniques here to try. I sure hope you will!






Well, what can I say? This is a most gorgeous frame Paula and as you say full of wonderful ideas and techniques and I for one have just fallen in love with the washing line idea. Oh I so want to try that on a project soon. Thank you so much for sharing such a special project with us and for joining us over at One Lucky Day too.
I hope you have the most wonderful time in the UK when you come over and enjoy some great sightseeing and shopping. Just a shame you aren't teaching here ...... maybe 'one lucky day' we will have that opportunity.

It's over to you our lovely readers, have fun visiting Paula to see how she started this off and let us know how you enjoyed the excursion.

We hope to see you Monday when our fourth (and last) Creative Guide for this month will share her ideas and inspiration for our monthly recipe of product, technique, colour and substrate which for March has been idea-ology, spritz and flick, peacock feathers and tag. I hope you have been enjoying all the different projects that have been emerging.

Take care and have a wonderful weekend.

hugs Brenda and the Team xxxx

38 comments:

  1. This FANTASTIC framed home décor piece is EXACTLY why I LOVE Paula Cheney!! She's got THE BEST and MOST INVENTIVE ideas for using All-Things Tim! This vintagey creation is Paula through & through!! I'm just completely HAPPY that she's here with us as our 1st Guest Creative Guide of the Year!! Thank You Paula, for continuing to inspire and motivate us!! XOXO-Shari

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  2. thanks Brenda for the invite! See you soon!

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  3. I totally agree with Shari, this is beautiful piece of home decor! So many cool techniques, I specially love the treatment of the metal pieces, the combination of the gold alcohol ink with the Iced Spruce looks fantastic. So great to have you joining us here Paula! I'm off to your blog now, but not before wishing you a super time in London!!!

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  4. What a great framed project Paula - love each wonderful detail on this - from the blossoms (which I will check out on your blog!) to the 'clothes line', the cheesecloth around the frame and the flower in her hair! Thank you so much for sharing your creativity with us as Guest Creative Guide today! I'm now off to check out your blog - and I'm so envious of your trip to London! - I've been once and SO wish to return someday!

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  5. OMG...
    this is fabulous...so many fun ideas... love the cheesecloth and clothesline... oh and the blossom stencil work !!

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  6. Paula has wowed me again!!!
    Laurie Guidry

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  7. I already commented on your blog and here I repeat my words: I'm in love with this project, as always! It's full of technique, thanks for sharing with us! BArbarayaya

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  8. Ridiculously in love with this! The washing line is superb and for me you've captured the feeling of Post War Britain that shows up in old family photos. Hope you have a wonderful UK trip. Jenny x

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  9. fabulous project Paula...love your cute washing line idea...have a great trip to London and next time we would love to see you up in bonnie Scotland...hugs kath xxx

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  10. Great project, love the clothes line idea! Enjoy London.

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  11. How wonderful to see you here Paula, I love your blog and your incredible creativity. Welcome to London and as Brenda said if you come back I would jump at coming to a class. The piece you have made today is so gorgeous, so many textures and vintage colours which blend seamlessly. Have a great trip and wear comfy shoes ;0) xx

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  12. It is so wonderful to have you here with us Paula and what an amazing piece! There are so many stunning elements but the elastic wins! Thank you for sharing so many wonderful ideas. Enjoy London! Jennie x

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  13. Such a wonderful transformation of the vintage frame Paula, I just adore the 'washing line' idea and also the combination of the alcohol ink and paint on the word band. Thank you for sharing some wonderful techniques and ideas with us here at AVJ and I hope you have a fabulous visit to the UK (and that the weather is kind to you) ! Anne x

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  14. A wonderful piece full of vintage charm ! Love it x

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  15. Fabulous (as always!) piece, Paula. I love the little extras you do that make everything pop and come together.
    And now to be the bearer of bad news. Did you hear Downton Abbey is done after the 6th season? Yep. I read about it first on FaceBook and it was in my paper this morning.

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  16. Quite amazing project! Love all the interesting ways you used the embellishments. Thank you for the inspiration!

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  17. Fabulous Paula! So many fun techniques. Loving the clothes line. Thanks for sharing.

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  18. Love, love, love it! What lovely details, ideas and inspiration, thank you. Jan Hill x

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  19. Fabulous creation and wonderful to have Paula as our guest - thanks Paula! The details on this are stunning. Nikki xx

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  20. I love all the techniques and ideas used on this piece. I, too, am a huge all things Tim crafter. I will be giving this idea a try for my own home decor

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  21. Welcome Paula - love your project and sharing of ideas. Thanks for joining our month long celebration, such an honor to have you as our guest.

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  22. Beautiful creation, yet again, from Paula. I can't wait to see and hear about her London adventures. We loved our time there this past summer. A dream trip!

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  23. Gorgeous assemblage Paula! But then everything you do is gorgeous! Thank you for sharing the process.

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  24. Wow, such a wonderful piece of ART. Love it!

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  25. Welcome Paula, so lovely of you to Guest Design for us all and what a stunning eye candy project this is. So beautifully made and your wash line is just genius and so creative. Hope you have a wonderful time here in the UK and thanks for joining in our Birthday Celebrations.
    Julie xx

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  26. No one can "carry on" like Paula! This is a terrific project and very inspiring.

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  27. It's so fabulous Paula!! Thanks so much for sharing and thanks to the vintage Journey also for sharing the inspiration. :D

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  28. Awesome Paula! Always effortless and inspirational. Lovin' the red polish! If only I wore polish...

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  29. You are one creative gal! TFS Paula!

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  30. Such a fabulous vintage frame! I love the textures and details you put in a such harmony!

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  31. I love, love, love Paula`s work...she truly have magical hands and her creations are always awesome!

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  32. What a fabulous creation from Paula - so many creative ideas and so beautiful. A wonderful guest appearance - thank you Paula.
    Alison xx

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  33. Wonderful finale! Love the cheesecloth and the use of the elastic band as a type of clothesline. Great tutorial!

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  34. Amazing project Paula, thanks so much for sharing your inspiring ideas and techniques and I love your washing line idea! Off to your blog to see how you painted those gorgeous flowers, thanks so much!

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  35. Stunning vintage artistry Paula. So many wonderful elements and techniques to pore over and admire. Beautiful work and thank-you for sharing lots of little tips. Have a great trip. Nicola x

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  36. Terrific project, Paula! Like every detail. The cheesecloth behind the photo is awesome. I appreciate all the instructions and tips. :)

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