Old and new

UseYourStuff challenges you to use something old and something new in one project.
Not that this might pose a particular challenge, we all keep buying new things and incorporating them into our art. But think of it this way: there's bound to be some craft stuff that you are not just using, however tempting it has seemed to you long ago. Now challenge yourself to give that a second chance!

I have had these sporty gents in my stash for more years that I care to remember. But until now they got laid by the wayside, there were always some more interesting pictures to choose.

For the background I used some (old) paper from my stash and stamped it with my (new) hexagon stamp.

The rusty bits are eyelets from clothing tags, which were treated with Finnabair rust set (also new).

This is my last inspiration project for UseYourStuff - six months have gone by very fast. I am sad to leave, it has been great fun.

Dark matter

 Taas on tullut inspiraatiuon aika. OKTK:n nro 30 inspiraatio on tällä kertaa tummanpuhuva. Mustaa ja punaista, salaperäisiä sävyjä ja tummuutta. Osallistutko sinäkin? OKTK on paitsi haste myös samalla vaihto, lähetät oman korttisi ja saat toisen osallistujan kortin itsellesi.

Tällaisen setin tein, todella inspiroituneena väreistä niin ettei kuville oikein löytynyt sijaa. Kortit kertovat rakkaudesta, kuinka tarpeellista se on mutta miten vaikeaa kuitenkin. Päästätkö ihmisiä sydämeesi vai onko siinä monta lukkoa ja avain hukassa?

Tausta on pöydällä ajalehtivista paperisilpuista, jotka väritin yhtenäisiksi akryylimaalilla ja suihkemusteella.

Reunat tummensin. Leimasin mustaa kuviota pohjalle,

Sydänkin on leimattu, embossattu, sitten väritetty ja päällä vielä krakeluurilakkaa.

Lisäksi pala metalliketjua, avain ja sana.
Innostuitko? Tässä inspiraatiokuva vielä ja käypä katsomassa muidenkin inspiraatioprojekteja ja ilmoittaudu sitten vaihtorinkiin!

I was heavily inspired by a color board and this is what I made. Deep red and black, messy with torn papers, metal chain, a cracked (lacquer) heart, keys and some words.

This could be interpreted as Love= blessing, love= fear, love = magic and love= everything. We fear it but we need it and when we have it we are truly lucky and blessed.

entering in:
DreaminDarkness: September
Steampunk challenge: Anything goes

Pinnan alla kiehuu

... jo vain! Kaloilla on joskus merkillisiä ajatuksia.

Nämä suorastaan etsivät kalastajaa...

Nämä haluavat uida maailman ääriin...

Ja nämä vain yrittävät pärjätä.

Kalenterinlehtiä liimattu ensin kortin päälle, sitten distress-musteita, hieman helmiäistippoja ja löydettyjä sanoja. kalat on leimattu ja väritetty, helmiäismaalisilmät niilläkin.

KKVintage haastaa sinut tekemään kortin tai ATC'n aiheesta 'Pinnan alla'. Ja senhän ei tarvitse olla meri.

Inks and stamping

The badges of my last post were not all there. This sweet bird was deemed suitable for a Paris-themed card.  Text "Les heures glorieux" - glorious hours - a find from a book seemed to fit perfectly.

It's a huge stamp with lots of details. I colered it in with Distress inks, then added some glitter 'diamonds' and the bird badge perched on a paper flower.

entering in:
Fashionable Stamping: #126 Use inks any way you like
Moo-mania: Birds
Simon Says Wednesday: Anything goes.

Sweet fluff

ArtGrupaATC had a very broad theme this time: Badges. The theme could be anything really, as long as there is a badge included. Luckily my order from A Flair for Buttons had just come in. I ordered several designs, but Marie Antoinette'esque ladies just jumped at me and begged to be used.

I started building the cards with some rather romantic tissue papers I had been saving for too long. I
added some baby blue texture paste (Marabou) through a stencil.

Next I built up layers with scrap papers at one spot, added some thread and the badge.

Some decorative crystals rounded up the design. I had most fun finding the words for each of them.

linking to:
ArtGrupaATC: Badges
Take a Word: Old-fashioned

Back to normal

It's almost September, for most people the vacation is over and it’s back to real life and regular daily rhythm. For me it marks the end of my summer job, ten days quick study related vacation in Sweden where I intend to visit as many rune stones as I possibly can (as a private geeky enhancement for my curriculum) while possibly shopping for new shoes and finding the perfect pair that would go equally well with slacks and a skirt (so far an elusive expedition) ... a girl can dream.

This means my final semester is starting soon. I feel my mind expanding with each hpur and day spent at the uni.

But how did it all begin? As simple as ABC. Learning to read is the prerequisite. It all starts there.

Here's to everyone, big and small, just learning to scribble some letters in kindergarten or making your umpteenth PhD: brain is a wonderful machinery, capable of learning something new up to old old age.

There is a new challenge at UYS / UseYourStuff - it would be lovely to see you participate.

I'll be entering this project into:
Simon Says Wednesday: Back to school
TJK: Kouluun
TagTuesday: Back to school.

Itsevärjättyä

KKvintagessa on kesätauko loppunut ja syksyn avauksena pyydetään jotain itsevärjättyä. Se voi olla kukkia, kangasta, nauhaa tai vaikkapa taustapaperi.

Käytin näiden korttien taustaan tapani mukaan jos minkämoista paperisilppua. Lopputulos oli sekava kunnes yhtenäistin taustat värjäämällä ne samanlaisen laikukkaiksi.

Mainiot miehet ja pojat ovat Timpan paperinukkeja, kamerat ja ilmapallot jostain skräppipaperista leikattuja.
Toivottavasti inspiroiduit osallistumaan!

I made a set of vintage gents and boys ATCs. I started with a medley of various scraps, but it just looked too busy so I unified the backgrounds with a mottled wash of brown ink. The people are TH paperdolls, and the other images come from those clever scrapping papers with overall patterns. They just beg to be cut out and used on ATCs.

Colors galore

Today I was inspired by colors. Lots of them.
It all started with a piece of paper with random splashes of watercolor. Intriguing, and begging to be used. I added some more dots to enchance certain colors, then stamped on it with a hex background stamp in three primary colors. I was going with a certain color palette - you can view my inspiration at the end of the post.

Then I cut up some TH Paperdolls, using only their faces and feet. They all received striped stockings.

 Then they were clad in patterned dresses.

 Headgear - crowns and silly hats followed. And colorful wings of course.

Hopefully you feel inspired to join UseYourStuff challenge this week with something 'for the love of children'.

I am entering this set into:

SimonSays Wednesday: For a child

MixedMediaWorld: #28 Anything goes (moodboard: I was inspired by the colors more than by the pictures themselves.)

In memory of...

,,, no, nothing serious, just my birthday. It's sunny, it's hot, it is the quintessential day of summer, just perfect. Add a scrumptious raspberry-chocolate cake and it's even more perfect :-)

entering this in:
Rubber Dance Art: July / Ribbon or twine.
Simon Says Wednesday: Anything goes.

Bkground done with sanding a piece of cardboard, swiping distress ink 'linen' and dotting with distress paint 'Picket Fence', then stamping, coloring etc.

Earlier days

It has been busy times here with summer guests and my stuff moved about from the living room to closets - I even lost my ATC trading stash in the process. or should I say 'lost' - it will turn up somewhere, sometime, but it's embarassing to owe trades.

This little bird inspired me to make a collage. In fact, I made this as inspiration for this week's challenge at UseYour Stuff - go take part. This is your chance to use what is lying around on your work table.

also entering this in:
Three Muses: Clouds
SimonSays Monday: Red white and/or blue