Destination Inspiration, Now Calling At Terminal 2...

Hi everyone and welcome! It's Jenny (Pushing The Right Buttons) here with the second stop on our August Destination Inspiration. I'm travelling light again (something that's become a necessity of late) with this month's essentials;

• Product - Alcohol Inks
• Technique - Alcohol Ink Ombré CC Vol 3, Page 57
• Colour - Butterscotch
• Substrate - Metal Foil Tape

And here's where those ingredients have taken me this time…

I started this one with the ombre effect using the Butterscotch and some Sandal Alcohol Ink. It needed the stamping over and the choice of the Papillon background set in combination with the yellow tones my mind racing in one direction. The foil tape elements cried out for die cutting and embossing before the Butterscotch was combined with Latte Alcohol Ink blended over the top. Yellow, Paris... it had to be a celebration of this year's Tour de France, and I found just the right embellishment in Tim's French Industrial Paper Stash collection. My cyclist was distressed (spritz and flick) and watercoloured with a detailer nib brush and some Distress Markers.

Now for some layering; the matching Papillon Texture Fade embossing folder was used on some mustard kraft core card before being rubbed over with darker shades of Distress Ink. For anyone who followed the race this year you'll know the winner, Chris Froome achieved the double success of overall race winner and winner of the King of the Mountains jersey (traditionally a white and red polka dot pattern). Thankfully Tim's Correspondence Paper Stash collection came to the rescue this time, providing the perfect layer to represent this. Finally some glazed die cut lettering, a couple of cog wheels, Remnant Rubs, Small Talk stickers, stamping and coordinating twine completed the look. And on the reverse I added a handwritten description of Chris's amazing feats.

I'm pleased to report this tag has now found a home with someone who got equally caught up in the excitement of the Tour this year. As for me I await the Vuelta a Espana with bated breath.

For now 'All aboard'! Terminal 3 awaits...

Winner, Pinworthies and Guest Day

Hi everyone - today we are pleased to announce the lucky, random winner of our sponsor's prize and the pinworthies selected by the design team from last month's challenge.

First, however, I am happy to introduce a guest creative guide - Monika Gulyas from Mistletoe Home Decoration who was our winner back in May. Here is the wonderful project she has created for us on our current theme of Things with Wings - a mixed media canvas with an angel. Over to Monika...

I’m so excited to be here at AVJ, among the talented and creative designers and crafters! I would like to say thanks to the AVJ team for the possibility to let me show one of my projects. 

My name is Monika, I am Hungarian but I have been living in Luxembourg for more than 10 years. I am 42 and married. I also have a daughter (9) and a little dog, a Bichon Bolognese.

As an expat wife I had to find some activity not to be bored, so first I started to write a blog about the Luxembougers, about their country, their history and culture. And meanwhile I made handmade objects: decoupage boxes, felt decorations... and I decided to share it with others and to blog about it. 

Since I wanted to cut out the felt in an easier way than scissors I have found the Sizzix! And it was a revolutionary meeting because a whole new world opened to me. I prepared nice decorations for my daughter’s birthdays and other celebrations, I became a card-maker and I got a new addiction: making mixed media canvases.

When I studied the Sizzix I started to get to know the designers of the Sizzix too. They are all talented but I had to tell you that I'm totally hooked on the forms and the style of Tim Holtz’s products. And here, ladies, I am sure that I am not alone with this feeling.  

If you would like to know more about me, just click here - because here, I think, it’s just enough about me.

For the August challenge I have brought a mixed media canvas with an angel. When I first heard the theme of the August challenge: wings, I was so happy because I have many dies and stamps from Tim’s butterfly and bird collections. But as usual I wanted to make something different and finally I chose Tim’s Layered Angel Wings. I created this canvas for my daughter into her room. I wanted to make a clean and quite simple canvas with a comforting sentence for a girl with vivid fantasy. "The angels are watching over you."

Here, on the surface, you can see fine crackles. For achieving them I used Ranger Distress Clear Rock Candy Crackle Paint (one of the best crackle medium ever).

Oh, I just love the Vintage Lace Die - I very often run it through my Big Shot. I rubbed a little white paint onto the key. This is a key for LIFE.

I put some gesso on the stretched and primed canvas, then I glued some torn music sheet papers on it. After I used Tim's Flourish Layering Stencil. When it was dry I rubbed some light blue acrylic paint with a sponge on the surface. For the halo around angel I used Tim's Rays Stencil.

It was me who drew the shape of the angel. I cut it out with scissors from handmade paper and after I put two layers of white paint on it. I wanted just a silhouette angel because my goal was to enhance the wings. 

If you want to see how I made this canvas you can find more pictures and a detailed tutorial on my blog, the Mistletoe Home Decoration.

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Thank you Monika, what a beautiful canvas for your daughter - I am sure she loves it! 

So onto the winner and pinworthies for our August challenge - Destinations. 

Our winner is Ana K - who created this wonderful, dreamy project using the matchbox die and blueprint stamps. Congratulations Ana - we hope you will be a guest with us at AVJ and your voucher and winners badge will be sent to you.

This month was another very difficult choice for our Pinworthies - with some amazing creations inspired by Tim Holtz. Our three choices were (in no particular order):

No 4 Amanda (Ink-a-Pink) with her dramatic, striking composition:

No 5 Kerstin (Scrapbook Dreams) with this wonderful mixed media piece:

No 33 - Jan Hill (Scrapbooking from the Attic) with this clever fabric covered folio:

Well done to you all - your blog badges and invitations will be on their way to you soon.

Our current challenge is Things with Wings - so do join in and we would love to see you back on Monday for our next Destination Inspiration post.

Happy Crafting

Nikki and the AVJ Team

Destination Inspiration - Departing from Terminal 1

Hi Fellow Travellers, it's Julie from Juliz Design Post here. Lovely to have you joining me on our monthly journey.

This month my fellow Creative Guides and myself have chosen four 'Tim Goodies' for this journey which are -

1. Product - Alcohol Inks

2. Technique - Alcohol Ink Ombré CC Vol 3, Page 57

3. Colour - Butterscotch

4. Substrate - Metal Foil Tape

Using all of the above elements this is how my project came together.

Starting with the Umbrella Man I placed my Metal Foil Tape on to Cereal Box card, die cut him out and ran through my Embossing Folder. Using my applicator tool I added my Alcohol Ink followed by some Distress Paint, letting it dry slightly before polishing with a rag to buff it up.

Next I glued some Correspondence Paper to cardboard and die cut out my Postage Stamp die, adding some Stamping for interest, a couple of Screw Brads and Industrious Stickers. You will also notice I added a little Distress Paint around the edges, this draws your eyes into the middle of my Frame.

In this photo you will see my complimentary colours of Alcohol Ink used to give my Ombré effect. I placed each colour separately onto my Alcohol Ink Applicator Tool applying it on to my Speciality Stamping Paper. Once I was happy with the shades I then blended with Alcohol Blending Solution.

Next stage was to stamp my Sentiment and layer up my Cogs stamping with first and second generation ink.

Another photo of my finished project.

I hope you have enjoyed my post and feel inspired to try out these techniques. Our Current Challenge for this month is Things with Wings and next Monday you will see another Creative Guide using the same products and techniques at Terminal 2.

Thanks for stopping by and for all the wonderful comments you leave for us, we all appreciate them so much.

Julie x

Things With Wings

Hello to our A Vintage Journey travellers, Anne (Redanne) here with a brand 

new challenge for August - Things With Wings!

Tim Holtz has designed the most wonderful butterfly, dragonfly and bird

stamps, dies and papers.  We would like to see you create a project using 

one (or more if you wish) butterfly, dragonfly or bird.

Our challenge is monthly and our very generous sponsor, Country View Crafts 

offer one randomly selected winner a £20 voucher to spend in their 

fabulous on-line shop.

Just a gentle reminder, we are a Tim Holtz inspired challenge and when we 

choose our Top 3 we need to see Tim's influence in your project and if you 

describe that influence then so much the better!  You do not have to use

 Tim's products and you can make any kind of project you wish, but 

please do follow our rules which you can check out here.

Our wonderful Creative Guides have been busy making some 

 projects to inspire you to join in.

Anne

I absolutely adore Tim's Perspective Butterfly stamp and some of the latest colours of Distress Ink, Blueprint Sketch (with a wonderful lavender hue) and Cracked Pistachio and of course, the new Correspondence papers.  You can see more detail over on my blog.

Jennie

I have always loved the large butterfly from the Papillon Stamp Set, so I decided to make a trio of ATCs using Faded Jeans and Broken China Distress Inks and Sprays. I am just loving these little Correspondence Stamps and large Chit Chat stickers which are all just the perfect size for these little pieces of art. Please do join me on my blog if you would like to know more.

         Julie

I love the elegance of wings on my craft projects be it from a Butterly, Bird or a Cherub for the perfect finishing touch. Please pop over HERE to my blog Juliz Design Post to see my tutorial and techniques used on my Butterfly.

Annie

What a wonderful challenge theme Anne has picked.......especially as I so love Tim's butterflies, dragonflies and birds dies/papers. For my project I chose to go with butterflies, applying perfect pearls to their gorgeous embossed wings. I just love the way the PP twinkles in the light. 

Take care and have fun with the challenge theme xx

Alison

From the moment I saw this Bird Silhouette die I fell in love... so Anne's Things With Wings theme was a wonderful chance to get him out to play for the first time.  I've used one of my favourite stencils and some texture paste to create a simple burlap canvas to show him off.  He's even perched on a real twig!  Come over to Words and Pictures if you'd like to see all the details.

Julia

Anne's Things With Wings Challenge was just the thing I needed to push me to finally color up a Bird Crazy bird!  I layered her to a stenciled brick Cabinet die over a burlap panel that was covered in Crackle Paste and Distress Spray Stains.  Please fly over to my blog if you'd like to see more photos and details! 

Brenda

I took the opportunity to use Anne's great challenge theme to make my hubbie's birthday card. He loves watching and feeding the birds so Tim's new die is perfect. Find out on my blog how I used the new micro glaze to achieve the mottled effects and make him look more realistic.

Nikki

A card from me today using the Butterfly Duo Bigz die, an attempted Tim technique and distress paints and inks. Hop over to Addicted to Art for more details.

Chris

Loving birds as I do I just had to use Tim's bird die for my make - that's my inspiration. You can see the details here.  Chris xxx

Are you feeling inspired?  We hope so and we are so looking forward to seeing all your projects for our Things With Wings challenge!

An InLinkz Link-up

Finishing at Terminal 5

Hello to all of you and welcome to Terminal 5 as I finish with this month's final destination. I also would like to say that this will be my final posting for AVJ and I will truly miss travelling with such a great group of vintage beauties, so talented and full of inspiration. You could not ask for a better group and it has been an absolute pleasure to be a part of this wonderful Tim inspired challenge blog!

Now onto my tag and what I pulled out of my travel bag!

1. Product - Any 'Classics' Stamp Set (Classics 18 and 7)

2. Technique - Shabby Chic - CC Vol 1, Page 49

3. Colour - Antique Linen

4. Substrate - Tag

As directed, I painted the tag in Black Soot and then randomly stamped the Artsy text and clear embossed. I wanted the opposite effect, so cut an arch and painted this with Antique Linen, and stamped the chess piece.

After the next step of painting and removing it, I also added a little extra background stamping around the arch and sanded some of the black paint off the arches. Next was to add a couple of metal embellishments and add a bit of Black Soot as well.

The sentiments were computer generated and all the elements in my travel bag were all used up!

So here is the round up of all the Creative Guides contributions for July.

Terminal 1 - Chris

Terminal 2 - Julie

Terminal 3 -  Jenny

Terminal 4 - Shari

Terminal 5 - Terry

Thank you for visiting today and I hope you have a wonderful week!

The Creative Guides will be here on Friday with a new challenge so we hope you will jump aboard and join the next leg of the journey.

Hugs Terry xxx