Linda at Studio L3 has started a new series of weekly challenges called Grungy Monday, based on Tim Holtz techniques. This is the first week for the new challenge and we are to use this Tim Holtz technique to inspire our work.
I began with a mask from Club Scrap and sprayed with my home made mist (Shabby Shutters Distress Reinker and Green Patina Perfect Pearls). I rubbed in some Dried Marigold and Broken China Distress ink. The music stamp (Club Scrap) was stamped on the Grunge Paper flowers and on a scrap piece of paper and embossed with Copper embossing powder. Everything was spritzed and rubbed with the home made mist. I tore a few pieces of scrap to give the illusion of a landscape, and created a faux banner. All of the pieces were grunged up with Walnut Distress ink and assembled. I couldn't find the appropriate embellishment, so I stamped the hummingbird and did a little free form stitching.

There are so many wonderful artists participating in the challenge. Stop by Studio L3 to look at all the beautiful interpretations...and thank you for stopping by.

.The colors aren't as bright as they should be in the photos, gray days here, making it difficult to get decent photos.

Have a great week - and 'Make Life Sweet'.

The Play Date Cafe is offering up a challenge this week using this photo as color inspiration:
I've never participated in a challenge on this site, but was quite enamored of these colors, so I thought I would give it a try. This is the card I am entering for the challenge:
The background paper was from my stash, something I had made using color wash sprays for another project. The postage stamp image was purchased a long time ago and I no longer remember who the manufacturer is. If you recognize the stamp and know who made it, please let me know.  The phrase is from Club Scrap.

I hope you enjoy a weekend of simplicity. Thanks for stopping by.

This is the finished piece of the sketch I shared a couple of days ago. I did take progressive photos while I was making this, so I could share a tutorial with you.

I shared the sketch I had started the other day of the flowers. This was done with a graphite pencil on the prepared masonite board. I was looking at a photograph, while trying to draw these.

 With all the frisket removed, I decided to use acrylics to try and paint the flowers.

I had lost most of the detail, so I went back in and used a charcoal pencil and tried to further accentuate the image. The trick is to use the charcoal, without smearing it.
I rubbed the charcoal a little with my fingers to blend it out. The final piece was coated with a matte finish acrylic spray.

I love the color of this piece, but wish I had done a better job shading the flower to make it look more dimensional. I'm planning to do another flower on the same size board and hang these pieces in my house somewhere.

They just say 'Spring' to me! Thanks for stopping by.

This post is for the frugal crafters out there. I just purchased a half sheet 28"x48" piece of masonite board from Home Depot ($5.50). This is a piece of 6"x9" that I have used to start a painting.
 My husband cut the board into various sizes for me, ranging from 4"x4" to 11"x14". I think I got 12 or 14 different pieces of substrate to play on. I read that if you apply 4 layers of gesso, with a sponge, it makes a perfect surface to paint/play on. These were sanded with a fine grit sandpaper between the 3rd and 4th coat and then again after the 4th coat. I now have several pieces of substrate to play on for $5.50.

Maybe when I grow up, I'll actually spend the money for stretched canvas, but until then, this works for me. I am taking photos of this piece in progress, come on back in a few days, we'll see how it turns out and I'll share a tutorial.

Have a beautiful week.

The photo isn't very good I see, but you get the idea. I'll be playing around a bit more with these trellis', after all, it is almost flower season where I live. Spring has officially arrived in Michigan, I spotted a few Robin's this morning and we still have snow on the ground here.

It has been awhile since I got out my pearlescent watercolors (Twinkling H20's) to just play. I had forgotten how beautifully they shimmer.

The tag challenge the past two weeks at Kard Krazy was to use the word 'Postcard' some where in the tag. I started this project kind of mindlessly, meaning no direction in mind. I layed down a little gesso and went from there.
 The main image is from 'Time to Stamp' with a vintage kind of beach theme. The image is probably from the 50's and made me think of my parents in that time period. I ran with it from there, and made a mock postcard that had been sent to my parents, from their best friends back in the day. The image was tinted with Distress inks.

It ended up being a walk down memory lane for me and evoked wonderful memories of my childhood. I love how the image came out fairly muted, looking old and time worn. Unfortunately, I didn't get it posted for the challenge soon enough.

Hope you have a wonderful week, I know mine will be busy.