Altered Rusty Lava Bottle

Well a new chapter has started at SanDee&Amelie's Steampunk Challenge. The theme is "Anything Goes" as long as it has a Steampunk(ish), Industrial, or Vintage feel. I wanted to try making something masculine because I don't remember a time where I made something specifically manly. So, I had a Maker's Mark whisky bottle and the process started. Hiccup!

I applied 2 coats of HEAVY white gesso to the entire bottle and left it to dry overnight. I have been learning a lot about altering bottles and using the heavy gesso always works for me. Next came some DecoArt Quinacridone Gold acrylic paint.

I left the label spot blank but could have painted it as well. Then next step was a coat of DecoArt Weathered Wood and when it was dry I painted a layer of DecoArt Transparent Red Iron Oxide. While the paint was drying I layered on some rusting powder to the neck and lid of the bottle then set out making my label. 

The label was made from crafters foam (fun foam) and painted with Quinacridone Gold, then a coat of Titanium white antiquing cream and then a layer of of Patina Green Antiquing cream (drying between layers). I used a baby wipe to rub off some of the antiquing creams and  then randomly painted some Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide here and there. 

I grabbed a few stamps and had some fun then used a paper puncher to make my "nail" heads. Those were made from fun foam and painted with Paynes Grey and Quinacridone Gold. 

A coat of DecoArt Matte Varnish was painted over the labels and some light inking in black was applied to the entire bottle. The side labels were painted the same as the front (and back) and stamped with a different stamp.The picture below is of the side and back of the bottle. Viola! 

I can't wait to see what you create, and remember to check out what my teamies have made as well! Hugz and Carpe Diem! ~Niki

I would love to share this bottle with these challenges:

Altered Eclectics-Anything Goes

Rhedd's Creative Spirit-Anything Goes

Left of Center Challenge #117-"With Love" with Ching-Chou Kuik

I went LOC again.

Things to Alter-Anything Goes NOT Cute

Emerald Creek Dares-Blogger Scramble

More Mixed Media Challenge-Red

Masculine You Say?

Hello dearies and wonderful day to you all! Today starts a new challenge over at Anything But Cute. Our amazeballs hostess is the lovely Cec! She chose the theme for this month and wants to Make It Masculine. "Make a mixed media card, or other project for a fellow in your life. It could be for Father's Day, a birthday, an anniversary, or just because you want him to know how special he is."

I chose to make a display honoring the Veterans and soldiers in my country. This piece will be abandoned at a local Veterans Hospital. Hopefully someone enjoys it! 

I started by dry embossing my tag and then added alcohol inks and copper embossing powder. Once the inks were dry I gave the entire tag a wash of metallic glaze (leftover from a revamp of my bedroom dresser). 

I added the chain die cut after painting it with gold distress paint. I added the tiny tag after using the same alcohol ink and dry embossing with a different EF. The white "sticks" under the small tag are parts of my paintbrush I accidently left in water overnight. Oops, and not the first time that has ever happened. :)

When the tag was finished I figured it need more so I grabbed some paper and went to town using distress inks, a sanding block, distress glaze and my black archival pen to trace around the word "Liberty". 

The black around the word makes it pop off the page. I also added some weathered wood but it didn't work out so well. You can sort of see the cracks in this corner. You can also see some of my stamping here with black archival ink. I wanted to give it a "postage" feel with the rubber stamp.

I then added some ephemera and other tid-bits. The chit chat stickers added the perfect finishing touch to this piece to remember our brave. What is your take on a Masculine project? 

Huge hugz and lots of Happy Crafting this month! Carpe Diem!

~Niki~

I would like to share this project with the following challenges please:

Mixed Media World #3-Vintage

The Artistic Stamper-Summer is on its Way What better way to celebrate summer here in the states than by thanking our brave so close to the 4th! I would rather use this color combo.