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Sunday 16 September 2012

In a Heartbeat

Hello all, and a happy Sunday to you!  There's a brilliant challenge recipe over at DragonsDream Tag It On, set by the amazing Trace from Inkypinkycraft.  It's called "In a Heartbeat", and it calls for a beating heart, a weathered timepiece, and some grunge - and for this challenge, only a tag will do.  Not only is the work from the Design Team totally inspirational, but there are some absolutely cracking entries too - well worth a visit, and still a couple of days left to play as well.

For what it's worth, here's what it summoned up for me...





I went slightly sideways to create the idea of the heart 'beating', and went for a musical 'beat'... so both my heart and my timepiece are made with musical notation.





The clock is a sheet of music from an old songbook, backed onto chipboard and cut with Tim Holtz's Weathered Clock die.  I distressed it with Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain DIs and some Vintage Photo Distress embossing powder for extra rusty texture.



The heart is one of the lovely rusty ones available from the Funkie Junkie Boutique (now with a whole new dot com shop), edged with some extra Walnut Stain, and stamped in Staz-On black using the Kaisercraft music stamp.  

It's mounted over the inner circle of the clock die, which got a hit of the grunge stamp as well as a coating of Rock Candy Crackle Paint.





I had an absolute ball making the background.  I stamped the Kaisercraft Grunge stamp quite randomly in black and coffee archival, and then stuck a layer of my bread wrapper wax paper over the whole of it, keeping plenty of wrinkles for texture.

I added some more of the Grunge stamp in a few places - I like that some of the grunge is below the wrinkles, and some more sharply above.








I then brushed Black Soot DI over to highlight the wrinkles.  I blended on some other DI colours, and used some Pewter Perfect Pearls Mist for some gleam, but it still wasn't quite hitting the right note for me.  Finally, I added some Rust Alcohol Ink to the mix, and that gave more richness to the colour, as well as adding a lovely lustre.





I adorned the top of the tag with black paper string ribbon, knotted, and some white raffia ribbon, inked and shredded, and added some rusty bells to help "keep the beat".





Yes, keep the beat, as the sentiment says - the musical beat, the heartbeat - up to you... It's stamped onto paper, and mounted in one of the Funkie Junkie's rusted bottle tops, which I then filled with Crackle Accents.  Took an age to dry fully, or I could have posted last night!

It also caused the ink to run it seems (even though it was Archival), but I quite like the 'bruised heart' look of it!
















As you can probably see from the photos, it's altogether a grimmer, greyer morning today, so perhaps yesterday's post really did tap in to the 'last days of summer'.  But, even without the sunshine, I have to say I'm happier with today's project - more at home than in yesterday's slightly too girly world!

Do hop over to DragonsDream to see lots of fantastic creations out of the same inspirational recipe.  I look forward to bumping into you again soon, either here, or elsewhere in Craftyblogland... and in the meantime, have a wonderful Sunday, whatever you're up to!









I'm entering this - did you guess? - in the In a Heartbeat challenge at DragonsDream Tag It On
At Happy Daze, they're having a Steampunkery challenge - hope it's got just enough!
And with all those rusty elements from the FJB, I'd like to offer it up in the Sunday Share at Frilly and Funkie

The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature.
Joseph Campbell

42 comments:

Netty said...

Loving your fabulous mechanical tag with terrific background and embellishments. This would also be perfect for the Happy Daze challenge this month. Annette x

Annie said...

This ia absolutely fabulous? Love all those fantastic techniques so beautifully pieced together. TFS Annie x

Redanne said...

This really is a beautiful tag and I love how you have used the musical beat, very inventive and it works so well. Great background, can see why you had fun doing that. Craftyhugs, Anne x

Sam & Poppy said...

WOW!!! this is truly amazing! Fantastic.
Thanks so much for joining in with us at Happy Daze :o)

ElizabethR said...

Fantastic tag and I love your musical heartbeat. Thanks for sharing with us at Dragons Dream. Elizabeth x

Andrea Small said...

Ooh, lovely. And is there honey still for tea? x

Words and Pictures said...

Oh, well spotted Andrea - that's the time I tend to set my clocks to... Rupert Brooke, Grantchester for anyone who's confused!
Alison xx

Martina said...

Wow Alison - this is very impressive!!!
Stunning work. Love your creation.

Sue said...

This is fabulous Alison, I love the musical theme running through your tag. Thank you so much for sharing with us at TIO, and hope to see you again next time x

Sarah said...

You have perfectly captured that grungy, weathered, worn look. I especially like the background.

Claudia N. said...

One more cracking entry now, I would like to say, Alison ;)

Soooo love the rusty look and pieces on this absolutely stunning tag!!! Your bread wrapper wax paper background is simply brilliant!!! Love the wrinkles and the feel of it (can even feel it from far away ;)

The vintage photo distress embossing powder immediately went onto my wish list for my next shopping!!!! Looks fantastic and gives a lot of vibrance to the whole project!!!

Hugs,

Claudia xxxx

Alie Hoogenboezem-de Vries said...

What a lot to read and see...but also to admire Alison! Love the grungy look, it makes this tag so special.
It will fit perfectly in the challenge at TIO!!!
Good luck

greetings, Alie :-)

Alison said...

A fabulous rusty creation Alison! Love it! x

Keren Howell said...

This is glorious Alison! I love the grungy background, it is fabulous! xxKeren

catherine said...

oh my Alison this is just stunning and love everything about it
x catherine

Janny Jager said...

Wowwwwwwwwww Alison what a great tag
Love all the details and the grungy look very much

Greetings Janny

Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...

Hi Aloson, gorgeous textural tag. Love love the rusty elements, right up my street. Love the use of music paper and your background adds wonderful texture and interest. Love the weathered clock too. Tracy s

Carol Q said...

oooh, lovely yummy grungy distressed tag Alison.

froebelsternchen said...

That´s simply GORGEOUS!

xxx from AUSTRIA
Susi/froebelsternchen

May said...

WOW, WOW, WOW AmAzing work Alison.. fabulous detail love everything about it. the music theme is perfect!! Thank you for joining us at Dragons Dream.TIO..May x x

Chrissy said...

Amazing Alison, your tag in stunning, love the rusty look..all the details and design are fantastic.

luv CHRISSYxx

Shannon said...

Oh my gosh, I just love the rustic look of this tag, it's so beautiful. I also wanted to thank you for stopping by my blog as well. Your kind words meant a lot to me. Have fun with your new Lynne Perrella stamps, it's hard not to go crazy making pieces with them. I always enjoy making new blog friends. Take care!

Inkypinkycraft said...

This is a wonderful tag! There are so many wonderful elements and all perfectly combined!! The colours and rusty bells are just up my street and love what you have done with the weathered clock die! A fab make,,,thanks for dreaming at TIO too!
Hugs trace x

Brenda Brown said...

Absolutely fabulous my friend. Love it.
Have a great week.
Hugs Brenda xox

Unknown said...




waouh superbe bravo

Anonymous said...

Wow! Love the effects you have created Alison. Another stunner.
Regards Florence x

Mrs.B said...

Hi Alison, Fabulous tag - I love all your little rusted elements, great idea with the music beat.
Avril xx

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

Swoon!!! DARK and YUMMY!!! Love that the clock is lighter and pops off the tag!!! The heart is gorgeous and textured! Fab tag!!!

cbee said...

ooooohhhhh that's so beautiful too ... really stunning!!

Linda S. said...

You and your bread wrapper backgrounds...absolutely fabulous, and very creative. Linda S. in NE

Monique's art said...

Wow this is so beautiful thanks for sharing at tio

Kate Yetter said...

I love your tag! Love the rusty, grunge look.

fatmonica said...

Fabulous tag!

BLockHEad said...

Such yummy vintage goodness!

Bärbel said...

Alison, mir fehlen die Worte bei diesem wunderbaren Tag. Schon der Hintergrund ist grandios gestaltet!

Kjersti said...

A wonderful vintage tag Alison!
Hugs Kjersti:)

Silvia(Barnie) said...

I'm missing words, that's a wonderful tag, great texture on it. Thanks for dreaming with us at TIO.

scrappymo! said...

This is just great...love all the textures and detail.

Marjie Kemper said...

Love this! Your clock looks fantastic with the music paper and I love all the rusty parts.

Claudia N. said...

Congrats, Alison,

for the "Dreamboat Three" at DDTiO!!!!
I knew, this gorgeous project would win!!!!

Wishes,
Claudia xx

Jenny Marples said...

Don't know how I missed this beauty but thankfully your deserved win over at Dragons Dream TIO has rightly showcased it. Superb make with a background to marvel. Hugs, Buttons x

Linda Coughlin, the funkie junkie said...

Your art is always so magnificent, Alison! I am always bowled over and don't even know where to start to say I like this or I like that...I just adore all the rusty ancient patina that you apply to all your art AND I love seeing what you do with all the rusty metal pieces from my boutique. I think it's time I expanded my offering of rusty stuff! I really like your music sheet clock and how you just scattered a bit of rusty embossing on it - like a little frosting on the cake!

Always a pleasure to have you sharing your art with us over at Frilly and Funkie - and for Sunday Share too!

Hope you are having a great week.

Hugs,
Linda