Challenge #2 - June - Make It Masculine

Hello, Cec here and I am your hostess for the second challenge at Anything But Cute. We were pleased that so many of you joined us for our first challenge and you certainly  pulled out all the stops to make some fantastic projects. Don't forget to check back with us next Tuesday when Branka and the team announce the winners of the Vintage Garden Challenge. Now on to this month's theme.

MAKE IT MASCULINE

I decided to call the June challenge Make It Masculine and would like you to 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.

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The Anything But Cute design team has created some wonderful inspiration for you.  I encourage you to click on their name, which will take you directly to their blog so you check out all the details.

Cec - CW Card Creations

I made this Father's Day card for my husband and it features stenciling with both texture paste and distress ink, a panel covered in casting material, a handmade hot air balloon along with some metal embellishments. Lots of ink sprays and wax paste were added to create a unified colour palette.

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Branka - Vintage Handmade

I decided to create a steampunk style cardboard hanging plate with cogs, gears and pipes for my son. The pipes were made of plastic straws that left from my daughter's birthday party. I used black gesso for the base and then applied my antique paste in bronze. Also, I used an acetate package and a printable downloaded image. 

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Georgie - Little Blue Craft Box

To be honest I wasn't really sure how this would turn out. I had an idea in my head that I wanted to do a little deep canvas with cogs, Tim Holtz embellies and left over items from an Ikea haul ages a go. With this I just ran with the mojo, and a happy little helper, and created!

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Niki - Pawsitively Creative Crafts

This is my first masculine piece. It isn't a card, or a canvas, but recycled manila folders. With the 4th of July coming up, I first thought of our soldiers (masculine to the nines) and how much they have done for my country. This piece will be an abandoned art piece at a local Veterans Hospital to say thank you to whomever picks it up.  

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Pamellia - My Little Craft Things

I have been dying to try out some new earthy type techniques using my new DecoArt products, so this was the perfect opportunity. I have altered a book box for my Dad for Father's Day. Lots of faux bark, wood, leather and metal to make it masculine! It's sort of Steampunk meets the Deep Woods!

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Samra - Paper Talk with Samra

As soon as I saw the theme Cec picked for this challenge, I knew what I was going to make:this frame to put a picture from amazing 70,000 Tons Of Metal Cruise I went to with my husband earlier this year. This is the first time I used aluminum foil tape and it was so much fun!!! The gears were either die cuts or crafter clay molds and bolts and nuts were the real metal ones.

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Sara Emily - sarascloset

I had this cigar box on my shelf for over 2 years with one piece of home made background paper on it. I had visions of leather and rust when I started, and I hope I was able to convey that in using various products and techniques I've either picked up here and there or just experimented with. I probably used every single type of mixed media product in my Closet on this leathery-John-Wayne-turned-greasy Steampunk box I made for my husband.

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Now I hope we have inspired you to get your mixed media supplies out and create a masculine project to share with us.

The winner will receive the honour of being our Feature Artist for an upcoming challenge!

Here at Anything But Cute we just love to see all the seasoned and expert mixed media artists, but we also want to encourage those who are just getting their feet wet. Our design team will always be on the lookout for these exceptional projects and artists. You just never know when we might be giving out something special to a talented mixed media newcomer. We all have to start somewhere, right?
Be sure to add "newbie" after your name in the linky, so we know who you are.

Challenge runs until July 4th - we can't wait to see what you come up with! Be sure to review our guidelines. Happy Crafting from the entire team and thanks for visiting Anything But Cute!

An InLinkz Link-up

Spotlight Artist - Niki - Rusting Powder

Hello all! Niki here (Pawsitively Creative) and welcome to the first Spotlight Post at Anything But Cute! I have been asked numerous times about a product I use with my mixed media. This is going to be a heavy picture post so grab a snack and a drink, sit back and enjoy! 

Rusting Powder! Have you ever used, or even heard of Rusting Powder? It comes in a small container and sort of looks like gun powder, or embossing powder. I bought 3 jars because it is hard to get a hold of. I use Dusty Attic's Rusting Powder because that was the first kind I could find at an Etsy store-Moments of Tranquility but now that DA allows everyone to order from them you can find it HERE. There is also a Rusting Powder from Crafty Notions (UK) that our DT Branka uses. There are many, many different ways to use it and many different outcomes when using it. You don't need to heat it up, you just have to spray it with vinegar and wait. You can use Rusting Powder on Grungeboard, paper, chipboard, cardstock, canvas, and wood. I haven't tried it on metal-yet.

In order for the Rusting Powder to "stick" to your substrate you can use anything wet or sticky. Paint, VersaMark watermark, gesso, gel medium, elmers glue, a glue stick, or even Glossy Accents can be used to apply the rusting powder to your substrate. Here are a couple of ways I have used it recently:

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Rusting Powder added with VersaMark

The wet drop on this gear is the vinegar

Finished gears

For this first set of gears, I painted all with black acrylic paint and then embossed them with Rangers Verdigris EP. I then applied VersaMark's watermark to certain areas and added the Rusting Powder to that. Shake off the excess (just like embossing powder) and spray the entire piece with Distilled White Vinegar! Yep, I said vinegar. I use the Distilled White Vinegar because the smell isn't as strong as other vinegars. Once I spray my pieces, I then put them in the bathroom with the vent on, or I put them outside so my house doesn't smell. Lol! Wait 30-45 minutes and then go check your pieces. The magic happens with the vinegar and you get a unique rust effect.

White acrylic paint still wet and then the rusting powder poured directly on top of the paint, shake of excess, wait for paint to dry a bit then spray with your vinegar

Finished gears (I did add rusty hinge to these for more color variation)

This next set of gears were painted with white acrylic paint and I added the rusting powder directly to the paint while it was wet. I then waited for the paint to dry before I activated the rusting powder with the vinegar. Again, wait 30-45 minutes and see the dramatic change!

Gesso 

Rusting Powder added to wet Gesso (and I dabbed on some Distress Paint-Bundled Sage)

This final set (above pic) were painted with Gesso first and then rusting powder was added while it was wet. I waited for the Gesso to dry and then activated the rusting powder with vinegar and 35 minutes later it was done!

This last thing I am sharing for this post is an ATC base that was dry embossed, painted with silver paint and then I used Glossy accents to adhere the rusting powder to the ATC, before I sprayed the vinegar on it I added some Alcohol Ink-Pool and Rust to certain areas. Then I sprayed it with the vinegar.

Silver Distress Paint

Rusting Powder, Pool Alcohol Ink, Rust Alcohol Ink

Final product all dried and ready to create with!

The possibilities are endless with this powder! I hope you enjoyed and maybe learned something new. It was a blast and thank you for having a look see! If you have any questions please feel free to ask! 

Remember to check out our current challenge, Vintage Garden, hosted by the wonderful Branka! Maybe you see some rusty items in your vintage garden? Carpe Diem! Hugz to you all! ~Niki

Feature Artist for Vintage Garden - Welcome Ingrid!

Hello Everyone!

Pamellia here and I am so excited to finally get the chance to introduce you to our surprise guest for May. This lady has been such an inspiration to me. Not only is she talented, but she is a wonderful and sweet person. I feel so blessed to have found her in blog land and even more blessed to call her my friend! I do hope you will all join me in welcoming Ingrid of Ingrid's Crafts Corner!!

Ingrid here with a make for two special ladies in my life. One happens to be my dear Mum whose birthday it is today and this little canvas was made for her as a reminder that despite the fact we all become eeerm...vintage... one day, but the memories will keep the soul young. The second special lady is my dear friend Pamellia who has kindly invited me to guest design for you all today on her gorgeous new challenge blog. When creating this canvas I had both of them in my mind. For my Mum I used a photo she gave me... we stood in the field of flowers when this photo was taken nearly 30 years ago. I love that photo. I grew up surrounded by beautiful nature and, as we say, liked to play in God's garden. Being a child I picked some of those flowers so I do hope he's not cross with me :)

Pamellia's theme for this challenge is 'Vintage Garden' and I tried very hard not to sway from the theme... I used an old photo, used flowers, vines, fern, various leaves and more, I used Vintage Photo & Victorian Velvet Distress Inks to colour the artwork and a few tricks to age it even more. I didn't want this post to be too long so you will find more info and more photos on my blog Ingrid's Crafts Corner.

It all started with a bit of gesso, I added some left over small tags, a few burlap squares for extra texture. Next came the sand paste by DecoArt through the lovely Lattice work Layering Stencil by Tim Holtz. Then it was just about building layers with wooden pieces that came with the canvas and the two small canvases containing aged images. 

Some flowers I used were handmade using the Flower die by Joy crafts, some were paper flowers from my stash. The vines were added using my heat gun. I also sprinkled some micro beads & glass beads over a few areas, let it dry & painted everything with Gesso again. In the end I used the Victorian Velvet & Vintage Photo Distress Stains to add colour. Sponging some Potting Soil Archival Ink and a bit of Black Stazon just added to the aged look. The White Shabby frantage by Stampendous added highlights to the lighter areas. Here are some close ups... 

A little bit about me...

Ingrid Kristina V = a designer, a cardmaker, an amateur yet enthusiastic artist and an explorer of all artistic :) If you visit my blog you will find anything from cards, journaling, fun tutorials, results of my experiments and wild ideas, but mainly mixed media projects. I love creating abstract art and mixed media is my most go to when I create. There is nothing more satisfying that creating various textures and patterns and adding colour with a dash of grunge. I tend to create rather organic patterns and love using anything naturally aged. Fabric and other materials are so much fun too! If you share my passion I would like to invite you to join my blog Ingrid's Crafts Corner. I also run a mixed media challenge blog Mixed Media World where my dear talented friends and I share our creations organise fun challenges for you to join. If you prefer cardmaking then simply purchase an issue of the wonderful UK nationwide magazine Simply Cards and Papercraft where I share my projects as a Designer. Their current issue shows a few cards I made for a very special and exclusive interview with Tim Holtz! Don't miss it, it is certainly one to keep ;)

A big thank you to Pamellia for the invite and for being so wonderful. It is always a pleasure and an honour. I look forward to seeing all your interpretations of the Vintage Garden theme and hope you like mine ;)

Have a wonderful day!  Ingrid xxx

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WOW, WOW, WOW, isn't that inspiring! Ingrid has truly made a mixed media work of art! The textures and colours are just to die for!! I told you she was talented, didn't I! I hope that seeing Ingrid's wonderful creation will inspire you to join us for our current challenge, Vintage Garden!

You have until the 4th of June to play - and you'll find all the challenge details as well as lots of inspiration from the brilliant Anything But Cute design team by clicking on the challenge link.

Happy Crafting

Pamellia!

Challenge #1 - May - Vintage Garden

Hello Everyone!

Branka here, hostessing the very first challenge ever here at Anything But Cute.

With summer just around the corner, I find myself yearning for all things Spring. What I think about the most when I think of spring, is all the things you find in your garden. With that in mind I have chosen the theme 'Vintage Garden'.

What do you think of when you hear the word Garden? Is it flowers, birds, butterflies, dragonflies, bees, lattice, vines, fences? Whatever garden vision you have, we want to see it. But make sure it's in a vintage style.

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And now for some gorgeous inspiration from the talented Anything But Cute design team!

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Branka - Vintage Handmade

I remember how happy I was when visited my Grandmother during my childhood. When I'm thinking of that wonderful time I can see her vintage garden, an old fence, a lot of beautiful flowers and a fresh green grass, in front of my eyes. I was inspired by those lovely memories to create a canvas for our first challenge ever at Anything But Cute.

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Cec - CW Card Creations

My Vintage Garden began with this lovely vintage image of a woman and her children out in the garden.  I decided to go monochromatic and soft so I changed the image to sepia and then created a canvas full of texture, flowers and bits and pieces from my craft room around her.

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Georgie - Little Blue Craft Box

For me, Vintage Garden is akin to a Secret Garden. Capturing the majestic beauty of a hidden gem in a wondrously overgrown estate garden, lost in time but not in mystery and splendour. My mind goes to romantic bridges, overgrown walls with magical out door mirrors, the odd quirky outdoor garden feature... :) and then, this canvas was born. I used Prima resins, sprays, dry wall tape, crackle, micro beads... the list really goes on :)

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Niki - Pawsitively Creative Crafts

When I think of a Vintage Garden my mind automatically went to soft colors and lots of wonderful birds singing. Any type of garden inspires me because I do not have a green thumb at all and have mad respect for anyone that can keep any plant alive! 

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Pamellia - My Little Craft Things

I decided to build a 3d canvas for my Vintage Garden complete with an antique hanging birdhouse and an overgrown bird bath. I used lots of cardboard, paint and handmade flowers to create my scene.

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Samra - Paper Talk with Samra

Vintage Garden always sparks thoughts of  home and picket fence...That is why my card represents all that with addition of some handmade flowers and moss ...

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Sara Emily - sarascloset

I was inspired to make a 3 dimensional garden after attending our town's Spring Garden Tour 2 weeks ago. Each of the four sides of my birdhouse has a different garden scene including a fountain, a garden wall, a Wisteria patch and potting area, and a rose garden. I used many recycled materials and altered others. Paints, paper clay and a box of tissues helped me create this whimsical garden.

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Wow, what an amazing line up of creations from our design team! I am proud to call these gals my teamies! Please hop over to the team blogs to see more photos and get some details on how these projects were made. And don't forget to leave some bloggy love while you're there.

I hope that we have inspired you to head to your craft room and pull out those flowers, bugs and fences to create your own version of a Vintage Garden! The winner will receive the honour of being our Guest Designer for an upcoming challenge!

Here at Anything But Cute we just love to see all the seasoned and expert mixed media artists, but we also want to encourage those who are just getting their feet wet. Our design team will always be on the lookout for these exceptional projects and artists. You just never know when we might be giving out something special to a talented mixed media newcomer. We all have to start somewhere, right?

Challenge runs until June 4th - we can't wait to see what you come up with! Be sure to review our guidelines. Happy Crafting from the entire team and thanks for visiting Anything But Cute!

An InLinkz Link-up