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 19 June 2015

Pinworthy Inspiration

Welcome to our Pinworthy Inspiration Day and we are very lucky to have two very talented artists and AVJ regulars as Guest Creative Guides today, you are all in for a fabulous treat and a heavy dose of creativity, originality and individuality. 



First up is .........




Hi my name is Tracy Evans, mother of three, Laura and Ryan and fur baby Mitzi and married to Ian. I am an eclectic crafter, focusing a great deal on rubber stamping but I love trying my hand at anything, wherever the mood takes me. I love inky fingers and spending many fun filled creative hours playing (cough) working in my craft room. A piece of paper, card, alterable item, canvas I love them all, any product is viable when it comes to craft and I love nothing more than starting on one path and ending on an entirely different one at the end of a project. I can't remember what life was like when I didn't create and I don't care to remember either, I love this creative journey and who knows where it may take me next!


I decided to create a canvas for my Guest slot, inspired by my Garden and Tim Holtz June tag (which I have linked to in my blog post). This canvas represents everything I love, birds, texture, layers and lots of fun in the process.


This shows the background of my canvas prior to any decoration, completely inspired by Tim Holtz June tag, however, I did change the background colour, using Antique Linen Distress Spray Stain to give just a subtle colour to the background. Once I was happy with the background I decided to add my decorative elements.


I added a touch more detail to the background of my canvas adding a further layer of interest applying texture paste through the Dot Fade Layering Stencil, along with subtle splatters of paint using Fired Brick Distress Paint .


I die cut the bird from mountboard using Tim Holtz Bird Silhouette die, along with a second layer cut from the Wallflower Paper Stash. I also added touches of red to the bird, applying Fired Brick Distress Ink over the Dot Fade Layering Stencil. I also added ‘Special Delivery’ , from the Correspondence Stamp Set, stamped with Vermillion Archival Ink.


To add a further layer of interest I die cut three hearts from mountboard using the Heartfelt Die, coloured with Fired Brick Distress Ink. I also included a couple of Remnant Rubs for added interest.


For further dimension I included a Collage Key which I coloured with Alcohol Inks Rust and Ginger.


A circle of rusty wire has also been added again to add texture to my design. I also included two die cut feathers, cut from mountboard using the Feather Duo die, coloured with Distress Inks Peeled Paint and Walnut Stain; applying the inks to a non-stick craft sheet, spritzing with water and mopping up the beads of ink with the feathers and then drying with a heat tool. I then spritzed each of the feathers with Antique Linen Distress Spray Stain and dried once again with a heat tool.



Beautiful Tracy, a fantastic canvas to celebrate all things summery and your wonderful garden. I love how the gorgeous greens reflect the change of hues in the grass and foliage with those fabulous pops of colour peeping through just like the flowers in the border. Thank you for sharing your special Tim inspired canvas.


Now it's over to Vicki who has a tag that never was - read more here and her blog to find out more.



Hi, it’s Vicki (that crazy chick) from Calgary, Alberta, I’m elated to be back at AVJ and Celebrating! June, in my world, is full of great things to celebrate; my best friend’s birthday (8th); my parent’s wedding anniversary (10th); a day dedicated honouring the fathers, father-figures, doggy daddys and all amazing men (21st); as well as Io’s birthday, she is turning 6 or 47 in Mountain Dog years (20th), where does the time go?. I also celebrated my third blogiversary on the 12th.


Today I am Celebrating my 100th post!

  “…it is a steppingstone and a milestone at the same time.”
- Andy Fishman


This is the first tag I never made.
It is inspired by Tim's March tag from 2012.





This is the best photo I have of the butterfly embellishment. Here you can see the collage of copper and gold papers,the colour of the inks to create the patina and the matte finish of Tim's faux rust technique.



Once I curved the wings, to create dimension, and added it to the tag it becomes much harder for camera to catch all the colours and textures. That metallic paper is SO SHINY!



The wood grain stamp is one of my favourites, I use it often for cards. I like how quickly you can create a furniture feel with the simple addition of hardware. The label sticker fits perfectly in the label pull, it was meant to be.

You can see all the step-by-step photos on my blog [dig] that crazy chick.

Thank-you again to all the lovely and talented people at A Vintage Journey for coming up with such a great diversity of challenges and in-turn amazing inspirational projects. It is always an honour to be invited here as a guest. I am already looking forward to the monthly bits of awesome that will be arriving in July.

Fabulous Vicki, you're absolutely right that stamp is perfect for creating a gorgeous wood like background and your butterfly is stunning. I want to know more about how this tag came into being so I know where I'm popping off to real darn quick.


Our thanks to both these lovely ladies for their dose of inspiration and I am sure you will want to go visit their blogs too.
Don't forget the 'Celebrations' challenge runs till the 2nd July so if you haven't been able to join in yet there is still plenty of time.
In the emantime have a wonderful weekend and enjoy whatever you have got planned.

hugs Brenda and the team xxx



15 comments:

  1. A double dose of craft legends!!! We really are spoiled today. I LOVE how Tracy has taken Tim's latest tag and run with it to create such a gorgeous canvas. And what a great blast from the past updated brilliantly by Vicki. There are always new people discovering the world of Tim so to revisit older tags is such a good idea.Thank you so much to you both. Jenny x

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  2. Stunning projects from both our guests! Great inspiration, - thanks so much for sharing your creativity with us here today!!

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  3. Wow, we have been spoiled indeed with not one but two fabulous guests! I just love that both ladies were inspired by Tim's tags and each one has brought us an amazing and inspired creation. Thank you so much to Tracy and Vicki for sharing these wonderful makes with us! Anne xx

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  4. Thanks so much ladies for inviting me along, I am thrilled to be a Guest. Hugs. Thank you for your kind comments. Tracy x x x

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  5. Fabulous work inspired by Tim's tags - lovely to see you both here, Tracey and Vicki. Thank you for sharing your lovely work. Jennie x

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  6. Two lovely creative projects today Tracy and Vicki! What inspiration and great techniques on both! Thanks so much for sharing your projects with us today! Julia xx

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  7. Wow, two amazing artists in one post...talent overload!! It's so great to read more about Tracy and Vicki, they are both such an inspiration and their projects are just incredible! hugs :)

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  8. You have an all "Evans" invasion! Thank-you for having me back, it is, as always, an honour to be here. Love the inspiration everyone shares here at AVJ.

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  9. Two fabulous guests with two amazing detailed projects. Lovely to have you both at AVJ.
    Julie x

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  10. Very well done to Tracy and Vicki , fabulous pieces from both. Nicola x

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  11. Totally Amazing talent & inspiration in the projects that Tracy and Vicki created for us! Such fun interpretations of Tim's tags & techniques! Thanks to both Tracy & Vicki for being our Guest Creative Guides! It's always so wonderful to have you both here at AVJ!! XOXO-Shari

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  12. What inspiring creations from our fabulous Guest Creative Guides - a wonderful post altogether!
    Alison xx

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  13. gorgeous projects xx yes its me ..late again x

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  14. Thanks ladies for such great projects and wonderful inspiration.

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  15. Fabulous projects! Ruth x

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