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 10 April 2015

Special guest and Birthday winners

Roll up, roll up it's a very special winners post today as we share a special project from one of our previous winners and we announce the winners and pinworthy choices from our special birthday challenge - oooh bet you can't wait.

Our special guest today is Zoe from IGirlZoe and I do recommend you pop over to her wonderful crafty space to not only see this fabulous project but also her other creations.


Hello, I’m Zoe and I’m delighted to be a guest blogger today at A Vintage Journey.


I am British and live in Geneva, Switzerland with my husband Neil. I moved here 7 years ago after Neil, who I hadn't seen for 18 years, contacted me through facebook. I came to Switzerland to visit him for a week and never went home! I miss England, especially my friends and family and things like hot cross buns, the cinema without French subtitles and the British sense of humour, but I do love living here. We are fortunate enough to spend many of our weekends in the Swiss mountains above Gruyere which I photograph and share on instagram. Our hobbies work very well together, he builds websites which requires only a computer leaving me plenty of room for my craft hobby! ;)

My second love affair started about 5 years ago after picking up Tim Holtz’s Compendium of Curiosities book. I love Tim's style, he's such a talented designer and great educator. I have taken both of his online Creative Chemistry classes and was lucky enough to attend his UK class a couple of years ago, where I got to meet Mario, (one of my other favourite people). I am utterly obsessed with distress... the inks, paints, pens, sprays, stains, alcohol inks. I'm never happier than when I have inky fingers.


I really enjoy being part of the online craft community and love social media. I have a blog igirlzoe.com, an instagram account and an active facebook group for Tim Holtz addicts, (to celebrate the addiction... there’s no known recovery)!


As soon as I saw the theme that Julia had set, I was really excited! I love Alice in Wonderland and couldn’t wait to get stuck in. I saw a great Through the Looking Glass book illustration on pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/189643834281647771/) and immediately thought of Tim's ornate frame die. I rifled through my Tim Holtz treasure looking for things that would fit around this idea and that looked Alice-ish.


I have just received Tim Holtz’s new idea-ology tiny vials and had to use them. I covered the vials with multi medium matte and then distress crackle paint. Once dry I dripped alcohol inks over them. The tiny labels I die cut and wrote "Drink me", inked the edges with vintage photo distress ink and tied to the vials with hemp string, also brushed with some vintage photo distress ink.


I continued with the crackle glazed look by adding picket fence distress crackle paint to the floor as well as the outside top and sides of the configuration box. I used clear rock candy distress crackle paint on the light bulbs and mirror.

Thanks so much for taking the time to look at my project. You can see additional photos of project on my blog http://www.igirlzoe.com/4635/vintage-journey.html




Thank you Zoe for creating such a very special project for us with  our current challenge theme, you have included so many wonderful details and a most fabulous shadow box for us to drool over. I can't wait to pop over and see more details.  In fact Zoe we congratulate you also for being a guest designer at Ranger this week and for anyone who would like to see what Zoe has made for her other guest spot you will find a link on her blog and a photo of a most fabulous mixed media collage. Love it Zoe.




Well after such a fabulous lead into our winners today, we are now ready to announce the winners of all the prizes available. Remember this was our special birthday challenge and we had 84 amazing entries, so Random Org and the Creative Guides have helped me choose who those lucky people are.

Firstly our regular winner each month will get a £20 gift voucher from our fabulous sponsors at Country View Crafts and the winner for March is ............


#39 is Samra from Paper Talk with Samra who created a fabulous birthday book box for us.


Congratulations Samra, you will receive your voucher and a winners badge by email very soon and your project will be pinned on our special winners Pinterest board.

Because our March challenge was also our first birthday challenge we had some extra prizes to give away and these are for our chosen Pinworthy Mentions.

The first Pinworthy prize which includes a signed copy of Tim's Compendium of Curiosities III and some other goodies donated by Chris and myself has been won by -


#45 that crazy chic





The second Pinworthy prize includes a signed set of Tim's Perspective stamps and again some goodies from Chris and I and has been won by -


#8 Tracy Evans





The third Pinworthy prize includes a Tim signed Ranger apron and some goodies again from Chris and I and has been won by -


#11 Crafty Creations



Congratulations to all three Pinwothies, you will be receiving an email soon with your special Pinworthy badge and if you reply to it with your snail mail address I will get these goodies in the post to you as soon as possible. Your projects will also be pinned on our special Pinworthies Pinterest board.



Last but not least our lovely Creative Guide Anne donated a special collection of a Compendium of Curiosities 2 with some sample products for someone who left a comment on the challenge post and Random Org has chosen ........

#27 is Suzanne C from Suzz's Stamping Spot

Congratulations Suzz, if you could email me your address I will arrange for this to be sent out to you as soon as possible.


Wow what an amazing month March was with so many wonderful creations entered into the challenge. We hope you enjoyed seeing all the winners today and we hope that now we have a monthly theme you will stay with us and enter Julia's fabulous 'Through the Looking Glass' challenge - she and the Creative Guides have given you lots of ideas of where you could take this amazing idea.

I have recently been asked if you have to use Tim Holtz products to enter our challenges and the answer is 'NO' but we do require some sort of Tim inspiration and that could be use a tag (Tim's most favourite substrate on which to create his art), it could be one of his techniques (there are many on his blog, in his books and on You Tube etc) or it might be take one of his projects and use it to create your own piece, We also prefer to see your projects in the vintage, shabby, mixed media, journaling styles - but that could be a card, an album, a scrapbook page, a journal, a 3D project or in fact whatever you like and if you want to make sure you will be considered for the prize why not tell us what your inspiration was. In many cases it will be obvious but not always. So have some fun, come and join us on our Vintage Journey and show us what you like to make.

Have a great weekend and thanks for sharing some time with us.

hugs Brenda and the Creative Guides. xxx


29 comments:

  1. Wow!!! I'm totally and completely in love with Zoe's beautiful Alice Through the Looking Glass project! What a wonderful giant mirror for Alice - and those cute little 'drink me' bottles are SO adorable!! Thank you so much for joining us as a guest designer - and I will certainly be off to see what you did over at Ranger when I'm done here!! Big congrats to all the winners/pinworthies - the birthday projects were SO much fun to look at and such inspiration for all of us!!

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  2. Wow, again! I am head over heels in love with Zoe's shadow box and that beautiful mirror--perfect for this challenge! Lovely to hear your story about how you ended up where you are, too, Zoe! Congratulations to all the winners! Samra, your book box is amazing, and I'm so happy you won! Great creations from the Pinworthies, too!

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  3. Huge congrats to Zoe for her magical Alice scene, it is a wonderful Holtzian tour de force. Congratulations to Samra, a well deserved win, your book box really was exceptional and very apt for challenge theme. Well done also to the three fabulous pinworthies for their stunning creations. I'm sure all will thoroughly enjoy those super prizes. Nicola x

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  4. First of I would like to thank you for the voucher with my lucky win :) and would like to congratulate to all pinworthies! Zoe's project is absolutely stunning! So many incredible details!

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  6. Zoe, this project is truly "wonder" full, I'm heading over to your site to see more. Congrats to Samra on her win, and to my fellow pin-worthies. Thank-you to the team at AVJ for naming my ATB as pin-worthy, as well as, providing continued (and beautiful) tim-spiration! -Vicki

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  7. AMAZING Through the Looking Glass creation, Zoe!! It's sooo nice to meet you and have you as our Special Guest! This config box transformation--AMAZING Alice in Wonderland scene! I love this and the little bottles and vials that you've crackled look Delicious!! Oh, I'm a sucker and I would drink away :) Thank you so much for creating such a special project for us!
    Congrats to all of the AVJ Anything Tim 1-Year Birthday Challenge Winners!! There were so many Fantastic entries, it wasn't easy voting! Hope to see you all again in this month's Through the Looking Glass challenge!! XOXO-Shari

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  8. Fantastic spotlight on Zoe and well done to all the wnners.

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  9. Fantastic creation, Zoe! So many amazing details! Fabulous Alice in Wonderland scene! Congratulations to all the winners! Samra, your book box is absolutely stunning! I am so happy for you! A well deserved win! Bravo!

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  10. Zoe's Alice project is brilliant....gorgeous details with the mirror and glass bottles...I love it. Well done to all the really lucky ladies who won all the goodies..enjoy those fabulous prizes. Have a creative weekend let's hope this glorious weather lasts xx

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  11. Zoë's piece is absolutely "WONDERFUL" love all the attention to detail

    I am delighted to have been chosen as a pin worthy and ecstatic that, at last, I will have one of Tim's aprons - and signed by the man himself - what a start to the weekend - thank you so much xxx Hilda aka Craftycreations

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  12. Wow, Zoe's creation is totally AMAZING!!! Fabulous and inpsiring! And of course huge big congrats to all of our winners this month!!!

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  13. Just gorgeous Zoe! Love how you set up a little scene inside your box, just fabulous!! Congrats to all of the winners this month!

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  14. Wowzer Zoe! That is fabulous! Congrats to all the winners and big thanks to Anne! Thrilled to have one a prize!

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  15. What an amazing project by Zoe..STUNNING and so many details! Congrats to all the winners.

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  16. An amazing project Zoe - thanks so much for sharing with us. Congrats to all the birthday winners. Nikki xx

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  17. Congrats to all the winners - it was a great birthday celebration. Welcome Zoe and thanks for the great project. Love it.

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  18. What a fabulous project Zoe, I love how your creative mind has worked in this magical Alice project and perfect for this months challenge.
    Huge congrats to all our winners .
    Julie xx

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  19. That is a fabulous project, Zoe and so nice of you to share with all of us! Congratulations to all the winners of the Birthday Celebration! Happy Weekend!

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  20. Firstly amazing creation from Zoe, wonderful details . I am over the moon to be a pin worthy mention and so thrilled about the prize thank you all you have made my weekend . Congratulations to all the winners . Hugs x x

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  21. OMGoodness Zoe's Alice themed project is beyond stunning, it is just perfect - so much detail and those little vials are just fantastic. Huge thanks to Zoe for her Guest appearance!

    Congratulations to Samra, Vicki, Tracy, Hilda and Suzanne! Hugs, Anne xx

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  22. Zoe your creation is just AMAZING. Gosh you have a fabulous fantasy and creativity. Thank you for sharing.
    Also wanted to say congratulation to all the winners. It's such a pleasure seeing your lovely projects. You are all so talented.
    Thanks a lot for providing inspiration.
    Hugs from Monica.... Spain

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  23. Goodness gracious enough! What luscious creations! Congrats to the very lucky winners and job well done! Love the Alice looking glass that Zoe created. Fab!

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  24. oh wow hun stunning or what the detail is fantastic its just brilliant hun hugs cheryl xxx

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  25. What a wonder, this pièce of art, Zoe ! Amazing!
    Congratulations to the winners : great creations !

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  26. Well, just pick me up off the floor - this is totally incredible Zoe. Seriously - I had to send your link to my best friend who is all about Alice. She now wants me to create one just like and she got an HUGE NO from me. This cannot be recreated - it's a one of a kind - totally wonderful and beautiful work of art. WOW. And the way you used Tim's products - so perfect. Just loved seeing this. Thank you. j

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  27. What an amazing 'Looking Glass' project by Zoe, love those tiny vials and the looking glass is inspired! Congratulations to the lucky AVJ birthday winners, enjoy those lovely prizes!

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  28. Quite literally STUNNING work from Zoe! I love everything she creates and this is a fantastic example of her imagination taking Distress to new places. It's wonderful to get to know more about her too. And huge congratulations to Samra and our Pinworthies! With such fantastic entries for this challenge they really went the extra mile to stand out. Jenny x

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  29. Thank you so much Brenda and crew for the amazing tag and prizes I received today - I am delighted !!!!!!!

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