Many Thanks!

Oh boy have things been busy here! My DH has surprised me with Christmas lights on our new house, he knows how much I adore lights during the Christmas holiday. Such a sweetie he is! Now, onto this design.

We just celebrated Veterans Day here in the States and I am honoring all my heroes with this tag. This is my way of saying Many Thanks and I applaud your dedication through everything. Without you, I would not be free. My brother was in the service and all soldiers should be thanked repeatedly.

I started with a manila tag and covered it with my rusty patina aluminum tape. To create the rusty tape I embossed aluminum tape, applied Pool and Rust Alcohol Ink, then sprinkled some rusting powder randomly. Once everything was dry I stuck it to the tag and trimmed the edges. 

To create my center "ornament", I used some metal filigree corners and a TH sticker frame to form my bell shape ornament. The 3 gentlemen were inked onto some tissue paper and then painted over with a glaze to create my vintage image. See, you can use certain elements to create something completely different! I never would have thought all these different pieces could make such a nice ornament! Can you see the bell shape? 

I added the propeller with Glossy accents and the greenery is a pick. The sentiment is self explanatory. 

The rusty orange ribbon/bow was in some Happy Mail I received in a swap, I just sprayed it with Carbon Black DecoArt mister and applied some Rust Alcohol Ink to it. How do you honor your heroes?

Just a reminder, over at SanDee&Amelie's Steampunk challenge we are having our winter special! The challenge is Anything Goes and runs for 2 months, until the end of December. Check it out HERE

I would really enjoy sharing my tag with the following challenges

Emerald Creek Dares-Remember the Fallen

Frilly and Funkie-An Altered State 

I have altered the metal filigree corners into a bell ornament featuring these wonderful 3 wise men

Tuesday Throwdown #271-Shopping Spree

I just went to a local craft store and purchased the greenery pick I have used in this design and a new bottle or Rust Alcohol ink was used as well. 

Pile It On-Any Holiday Celebration

I am celebrating Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas all in one. 

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge-Thanks/Thanksgiving

October Tim Tag 2015

This months is all about experimentation for me, and lots of skulls. I do enjoy the gothic, dark side of art and feel more confident about my darker art. With that in mind I knew I would create something completely different than the tag that Tim created but alas, I do not have the dies or most of the supplies he used this month. So here is what I did!  Mwahahaha!

Here is a link to the original and there is a video this month as well. Go on and check it out. 

 I used my new die, TH Sizzix Pendiments die and glued those to my tag. Note to self: DI does not like to attach to TomBow Multi glue. Oops! I then used the wrinkle free distress technique and swiped away. Inky and messy = fun art.

I also used the same technique for the Alcohol Ink glossy paper that my skull is mounted to. More messy fun. Such a good day in the art studio today! Yippee! 

I added some leftover lace type stuff to the bottom of my tag after inking it up with Twisted Citron DI. The numbers 31 are a die cut (I layered 3 thick pieces together) and are painted with DecoArt Metallic paint and then I used crackle paint and when that was dry I added some Pool Alcohol ink to the top. The blood splatters are from flinging the end of a spray bottle at the tag with red paint. The circle pattern is from a TCW stencil-Mini Specimens inked with DI Fired Brick.The little 'Help Me" frame is a Halloween sticker from last year.

Stay tuned because on the 15th of this month, I have the most interesting skull to share! It is a doozey and may even send chills up your spine! Thanks again for popping over to this section of blogland! Have a wonderful week and Carpe Diem! ~Niki

Challenges I would like to share this tag with:

613 Avenue Create #145-Anything Goes or use any of the FREE sentiments

Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2015-October

Eclectic Ellapu Purple Team-Halloween/Dark/Horror

I went with Halloween and Dark

Pile It On #90-Funky and/or Freaky

I chose Freaky

Our Creative Corner-Horror

CuttleBug Mania-No Squares
I used my CuttleBug and the Tim Holtz Sizzix Pediments die

September Tim Tag of 2015

Well it has been a doozy of a week so far. I have been laid up with a back injury since Friday. Apparently pain meds and muscle relaxers make me silly for art. I had so many ideas in my head but not much made sense so I did my tag.

The weather is dreary here so my pic doesn't capture the vibrancy of this tag. The only reason I was able to do the tag this month is because of my love for alcohol inks and a very sweet dearie from the Tim Holtz addicts FB page. Without her, I would not have had the AI paper. 

I did all the techniques Tim did but not exactly the same. You can see his Here. The picture below is of my trials before I decided on the perfect background one for my tag. Love doing this technique! Messy and fun! 

 The texture paste had to dry and I didn't want to activate the embossing powder I had added to it so I waited, and waited, and waited!

I used the package backing from a stamp set to make the "frosted film" butterfly overlays. The packaging doesn't take heat well. Lol! 

I also added some Glossy accents and sparkle embossing powder to the transparent texture paste because I only have matte. I am happy with the results even though it still is a bit muted. 

I would love to share this tag with these sweet challenges: 

Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 1015

Rubber Dance Art Stamps-Anniversary Challenge!

I used the September colors of red, orange, and yellow. This is a celebration for their one year anniversary! 

The Mirror Crack'd-Tic Tac Toe/Art Shrine. 

I used the bottom row-Free Choice, Frilly and Funky, Texture. The colors used in this design are more girly/frilly than I usually go with. Hehe! Broaden those artistic horizons!

NBUS Challenge #5

My NBUS are the transparent texture paste, the bottom 2 butterfly stamps, and my Alcohol ink glossy paper, and the alcohol ink technique

First CC3 Entry!

I have been wanting to join in the CC3 (Compendium of Curiosities 3) challenge blog and had to wait because I didn't have a book, BUT now I do!!! Yippee! So many wonderful techniques in there. Challenge #30 is all about the Faux Cracked Glass Technique. Here is what I came up with. My very first altered glass bottle. Bottles are hard to photograph!

"Open up your copy of A Compendium of Curiosities, Vol.3 to page 54 for the instructions, and remember, no sharing them on your blog. This challenge is for those who have supported Tim by purchasing his book." I can't share the technique but I did have fun trying it. 

The Funkie Junkie Boutique is back to sponsor Challenge 30, and sweet Linda Coughlin, the Funkie Junkie herself, has a fabulous $25 shopping spree for one very lucky CC3Cer! How sweet would a shopping spree be!!! 

This is what I started with. My blank bottle looks so sad. 

So I did the technique and then added some alcohol inks (Pool and Rust) to get some color on my bottle. 

I wanted the bottle to look "pretty" because it hides Poison in it! I added some metal embellishments and the "poison" rub. I then added some keys on jute that I colored with Rust AI. Even the key at the bottom of the string has a warning skull and crossbone on it. Beware and drink at your own risk! 

The black band around the neck is made from and old necklace the I demolished and have used in numerous projects. 

Here is a side view, well if circles had sides. Haha! 

Here is a close up of the wonderful cracks that I finally achieved. I had to practice a bit first. :)

 The alcohol inks brought this bottle to life and reminds me, I need to get some more AI for my stash. 

Thanks for havin a lookey lou! Carpe Diem! ~Niki

I would like to share this altered bottle with these lovely challenges: 

Linda Ledbetters Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge #30-Faux Cracked Glass Technique

Moo-Mania-Anything Goes Just scootin in under the wire. :) 

We Love 2 Create Challenge #12-Anything Mixed Media/Creative