Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Talk about challenges...


wow, does Buttons ever have one for us this week at Frilly and Funkie...and I still don't know if I hit it or not!  Her challenge is inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement and in particular the work of the designer William Morris. This group of artists and craftspeople believed things in their lives should be well made and hand-crafted. So for this challenge we want to see:
  • muted colours (for example, the original Distress colours are perfect)
  • natural elements (like flowers and foliage)
  • and you must include an animal of some kind.
Patterned backgrounds are also a great idea if you fancy having a go. Avoid using lots of embellishments and cute images this time. Here are a few pictures to get your creative juices flowing.

Okay, so how did I get started with this one?  One of our team members mentioned damask and I thought that sounded like a starting point.  So I grabbed a jumbo tag and the damask texture fade and ran the tag through it.  Then, in keeping with the well-made, hand crafted theme, I carefully embossed the high points with Enamelware embossing powder, then sponged it with Vintage Photo.
After embossing the raised points with Enamelware, I rubbed embossing ink over the entire tag and embossed the whole tag with clear EP.  After that step, then I went over the entire tag with Gathered Twigs Distress Stain then blotted off the excess.  I love the rusty distressed look it gives.  
Okay, base finished, on to the design elements.  I had to have an animal and not many embellishments so I went with the Caged Bird die, cutting both from gray chipboard.  The bird was covered with white cardstock and stamped in black archival.  The cage was painted with Tarnished Brass Metallic Distress Stain.  I created the flower with UTEE in my melting pot using white cardstock cut with the Tattered Florals die.  Love these "porcelain" flowers - scorched my fingers a bit but it came out great - even impressed the heck out of my DH!  (He was like "you made that??" - LOL!)
The sentiment is a Tim Holtz stamp as is the "ticket" stamp it's stamped with as well as the die it was cut with.  See thumbnails below for product info. 

All righty then, that's about as simple and unembellished as I can manage.  Check out the Frilly team's makes on Frilly and Funkie for some additional inspiration for this challenge.  I am also going to enter this into tim Holtz's Tattered Florals challenge.  








All these products are available at The Funkie Junkie Boutique:

20 comments:

Barb Turpin said...

This tag is gorgeous...love the damask and that amazing flower!

Jenny Marples said...

So beautiful Linda. You have created the most wonderful background, and I love the bird in his birdcage. Sorry to get you challenged so much but the result is definitely worth it - stunning. Hugs, Jenny x

Brenda Brown said...

A beautiful shabby take on the theme Linda. The damask background is perfect and your porcelain flower exquisite.
Hugs {Brenda} x0x

Astrid Maclean said...

Great take on the theme! Love the muted colours that let all the elements speak for themselves.... off to have a look at what Buttons has done

Unknown said...

Hi Linda, love your gorgeous tag and that flower is stunning! I can understand your hubbies response! Hugs Frea

Maryanne said...

Love this tag, Linda! That "porcelain" flower is just too cool. And, the background is a really great technique! Beautiful!

Hettie said...

Wow! This is one gorgeous tag and I am sure WM would have approved. That flower is absolutely GORGEOUS!
Hugs
xx

Lisa Minckler said...

It's a true compliment when the hubster's jaw drops! I too couldn't stop staring at that fabulous porcelain UTEE flower. I think you definitely conquered the task at hand for the challenge. The Damask was a great starting point.
Beautiful work Linda.
hugs,
Lisa x

Anonymous said...

Well thank goodness it wasn't just me that was scratching their head with this one ! Fabulous tag Linda, and your porcelain flower is absolutely stunning ! Sue C x

Kathy/NorthCarolina said...

That background is gorgeous. I'm really going to have to put my thinking cap on for this one!

My Paper Epiphany said...

Your flower is stunning! The whole tag as a feast for the eyes!

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

Beautiful! The background is gorgeous, and that flower is outstanding!!!!

JJ Meyer said...

Simply elegant tag. I love the flower and leaves! Wondering if you could share about the leaves? Are the leaves cut from a die or are they purchased pre-die cut? Blessings!

Gayna said...

Wow what a fabulous tag. And that flower is just stunning. How did you make it? Do you make the whole flower first and then pour hot utee over it or do you utee each layer indivually and then add them together? Would love to try it out but don't want to get in a pickle. Hugs
Gayna

Words and Pictures said...

What a triumph of a tag - the background is totally gorgeous, amazing technique on top of that beautiful damask emboss - and as for the flower - WoW!
Alison xx

Rossella said...

Beautiful tag, love the flower
Rosie x

Sandy said...

This is gorgeous Linda and I always appreciate it so much when you tell us how you did. As far as I am concerned - it is all magic!!!
Sandy

Laurart said...

OMG!!! That flower! I HAVE to find out how to make those! (BTW my DH says the same stuff sometimes and I know I have done really well when he says that!) The whole tag is amazing as always Linda - very wonderful and totally inspirational! Lots of love from Laura xxxxx

Cathy said...

Linda your tag is beautiful and the flower is stunning!!

slkeena said...

hi! I love this tag, the flower is beautiful. maybe I missed it but are the leaves metal or paper?

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