Frilly and Funkie Challenge #16 "Back To Nature"... Pick Ur BEACH!

   As per my usual- the last to get done is the blogging post...within hours of deadline, even though it looked like I was going to make it a full day earlier. Best laid plans always go wishy-washy on me. But, the important part is not WHEN you show up, but the showing up itself.
    I spent some time looking at journals and booklets, and especially the projects posted online (Facebook- Tim Holtz Addicts) and got some awesome ideas puppy-running in my head! So this was my chance to try out a couple...

                 Let's begin with the video, so I am not typing so much under the photos, but allow the photos to just give further closeup still shots at the work done. In the video, I explain the difference I have encountered between "regular" cheaper cardstocks and the Tim Holtz cardstocks. Since that made the biggest part of this challenge to be...well, rather challenging...we'll start there.

I'm not 'knocking' this type of cardstock (nor any other brands) and will likely keep buying it as I choose for whatever needed solid-color projects. It IS still very useful! (And bargain priced for several types of things.) BUT- it does tear too easily when you are using adhesives and need to remove/replace/repair your project along the way. That was my main point.

Starting this book- measuring and cutting for my own likes and specs.

This is the FUN way to CREATE a unique project all your own design!

Here, I have the basic background for the book, and am choosing not to add any ink or edging to 

to it at all- just the covering backgrounds of TH cardstocks/paperies. This matched very nicely with my theme and is the main reason I used this stock. 

I'll break in here for a minute or two so I can show you how I made the fish!

The first step was to make a page of 'deep ocean' where the fish would be;

this required some Ranger Alcohol Inks, Ink Blending Tool, and Alcohol Ink Blending Solution.

Now, while I got to use my new Tim Holtz Glass Media Mat...

I totally forgot to add that new Alcohol Lift Ink Pad and the Lift ReInker!!!

BUT- there is STILL fun to be had with the Alcohol Inks and Blending Solution, so...

here's my take on The Deep Blue- complete with Blending Solution droplets

to look like fish air bubbles.

Shrinky Dink "paper" can be found at just about any store that carries copy paper or paper supplies.

This particular kind (shown here) can be printed with your computer (I use Canon Pixma or my travel Canon Selphy) OR used with a good permanent ink (I chose my Ranger Archival Black)…

the trick is to SAND THE PAPER DOWN FIRST! 

You can use any stamps after sanding, and I happened to have a full set of ocean-themed clear stamps that came in a box of yard sale goodies for a bargain of $5 a couple summers ago (but never got the chance to use them for the right project). They are clear, when I really prefer TH's red rubber stamps, but they were too cute and I love anything ocean!

After making 6 of the fish, I decided I needed just ONE fish to "escape the bunch caught" and wanted him to look different. My mind went to 'numbers' and 'statistics', so I got out my TH red rubber sets that had anything numbers, etc on them (he has quite a few that qualify) and chose the Reflections with the numbers. The Mind-Puppies got me going here thinking fish will swim ANY WAY they can  in order to escape: upside down, sideways, backwards (if they can), and so on.  So why not have the numbers taking the escaped fish off into the hiding place?! He's not about to let himself become a statistic being caught and eaten! 

Here is the fish being stamped with the Reflections Stamp....

those of you who have done this before will notice that I am actually going BACKWARDS with the technique: the fish stamp is the one holding still, and the Reflections Stamp is doing the moving.

I put the sanded Shrinky paper on top then gently rolled it without allowing it to move.

 A plain stamping block worked well for this and it was only ONE fish.

If I was going to do several... I'd make it work in the Stamping Platform!!

The end result was pretty COOL, and even MORE SO once it was shrunk!

Using the block came in handy for heating and shrinking, since the shrink paper WILL curl.

The 6 regular fishies…

...and "the one that got away"!

Now, let's finish out the rest of the photos...

This was an extremely FUN (very challenging, too) project, and I am not ashamed

to admit that I was completely OBSESSED with it- from start to finish- I couldn't seem to just leave

it 'be' till it was totally finished! I would even wake up after a few hours of sleep and think "Omygosh; I've got a thought of how I can fold that!" and run off to do it before I could forget.

Now THAT is "OCD"...in a good way, of course. ;)

I also need to take a sec here to shoutout:

"THANK YOU!!!"

to you folks leaving such SWEET comments on my previous projects!

As much as I am on the run all the time (as I can be and then down flat from all the running after it hits me), I try to leave notes for the projects that really strike a chord in my Artful Muse, because it can be a real up-lifter to an artist when others see their work. Sharing is the basic theme of what it's all about- no matter what kind of art you are into, and no matter what talent you have (and our Creator GOD has indeed given EVERYONE a talent...they just have to discover what that talent is)!

On that last note about sharing...

these projects can be seen as entries on 

The Frilly and Funkie Challenge Blog 

and every entry is automatically in the drawing for a $25 Gift Certificate sponsored by

The Funkie Junkie Boutique

where you can find just about anything you need to make any of these projects

at a cheaper price than in most stores.

THANKS! for everyone checking in on this post,

and so many other posts in the archive!

I find myself truly HUMBLED to think others actually LIKE some of these

crazy creations my Muse has me making!

So, until the next Challenge post....

Stay Safe &

HAPPY BLOGGING!