Compendium of Curuiosoitys Vol 2 Challenge Week 5

 Vol 

My first attempt at Shattered Stains

It is Week 5 of the Compendium of Curiosity Vol 2 Challenge over on Linda's Blog Studio L3.   This week's challenge comes from page 48 -Shattered Stains.  Out of respect for Tim's intellectual property we are not giving directions on our blogs.  I have posted all of my previous tags for the challenge above under the Compendium of Curiosity tab above.    If you are interested in this or any of the other techniques, I highly recommend you purchase the book.   Tim Holtz's book Compendium of Curiosity Vol 2. is widely available or you can order it from his blog and receive an autographed copy.

This week's challenge is being sponsored by Simon Says Stamp.  Simon will be offering a $25 gift certificate in a randomly drawing of all participants.

I will begin my post by stating that during the Creative Chemistry 101 class I HATED this technique.  In hindsight, it was my fault in that I didn't use enough of the Rock Candy Crackle paint.  Or I tried to dry it too fast.  Either way, I decided to go back and really take my time on this part of the technique and I am much happier with the results.

I did have one stumbling block.  I actually made 3 butterflies and taped them on using 3-D tape.  I hated the way they were taped- I liked the 3D effect but the tape I used wasn't working- so I pulled it off and tried again with Pop Dots.  Somewhere in the middle of it all, I lost the 3rd butterfly.  No, like I seriously lost it.  I looked everywhere including the trash, the back of the ink pads, the back of the Pop Dots….I think it flew away.  Losing the 3rd butterfly meant I had a big hole in the design that I had not planned for.  I couldn't simply make another one because it takes several hours to dry and the clock was ticking.  Rub-ons to the rescue.  In the end, I really love the way it looks.  I think we call that SERENDIPITY.

For those of you who LOVE coloring seam binding, here is a different technique.   I used Distress Stains topped off with  a few sprays of Glimmer Mist-for the sparkle.  To stain the seam binding, I simply laid the ribbon down on my craft sheet and ran the Distress Stain along the length, pressing down slightly to keep the fluid flowing.  I went about half-way down the length with Broken China and then finished up with Dusty Concord. I overlapped them slightly where they met in the middle.  After the entire length was colored, I crumpled the seam binding into a small pile and sprayed lightly with 5 or 6 squirts of a teal colored Glimmer Mist.  I squeezed it all together a few times to distribute the Mist and hit it with the heat tool. I love to keep the seam binding squashed in a ball while drying so the wrinkles stay.

I used the Distress Stains rather than my normal technique of using Glimmer Mist because I wanted the ribbon, the Shattered Stain butterflies, and the background to match.  I used the same colors of Distress on all 3.  Of course they are different products-and different  formulas- but the colors are as similar as they can be considering they are different products.  So what are those colors?  Broken China and Dusty Concord Stains on the ribbon with a hint of teal Glimmer Mist (I can't remember exactly which color); Broken China, Faded Denim, and Dusty Concord Distress Stain on the Shattered Stains; and Broken China, Faded Denim, Tumbled Glass, Dusty Concord and Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink on the background.

The tag began with the Blended Background technique using, as I said, Broken China, Faded Denim, Tumbled Glass, Dusty Concord and Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink.  Then I stamped with a background script and Silver Pigment ink.  The letters that spell "fly away" are Idea-ology Newsprint Alpha Parts.  I usually hit the tops with Silver Paint Dabbers which give the letters a very authentic metallic look, but I was getting a tad too "Matchy Matchy" with all the silver and purple so I kept them black.  The "5" is from the new Idea-ology Mini Numerals attached with a piece of foam tape.  The crystal below the word "fly" (I know it is hard to tell what it is in this picture) is a Joleé Gem Sticker.  Finally, the rub-ons are all 7 Gypsies Steampunk Collection Numbers which is a favorite of mine.

In the end, I like the way this tag turned out even without the mysterious disappearing butterfly. Have you ever lost an embellishment?  Did it turn up later?  Where did you find it?  It certainly is a huge improvement over my last attempt at Shattered Stains.

Laters Baby….