Sunday 27 April 2014

Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge 1

I decided it was high time I got back in  the craft room and what better to get my mojo started than a challenge? Linda Ledbetter, equipped with a great new team of inspirational helpers, is back for another helping of the Compendium of Curiosities Challenge, based on Sir Tim's new book. This first challenge from Vol 3 is paint marbling with Distress Paints. Here's my entry.


Now I must confess I only have two colours of Distress Paint (sorry Tim! I just have sooooooooooo much paint!!!), so I restricted myself to those two colours - Stormy Sky and Bundled Sage - for my marbled background. I result made me think of the sea so I searched out all my sea-themed stamps and went from there.

I stamped and masked the anemones image in Watering Can Archival (my new fave ink!) and added the netting and leafy fronds in Distress Ink. I quickly dabbed the ink on the fronds with a baby wipe while still wet to blur the image so it looks like the leaves are in water. I stamped the fish and shells separately and coloured with Distress Inks. I added a bit of Perfect Pearls to the fish to make them shimmery like the real thing! I finished with a bit of net ribbon secured using a piece of die cut rather than gluing behind the fine mesh.


LOVE this background technique - so simple even I can master it and it looks cool! And if the joy of crafty inspiration were not enough, INSPIRATION EMPORIUM are sponsoring Challenge #1, offering an amazing $50 gift certificate to one lucky participant!

Am hoping to keep up with at least some of the challenges (yeh, right I hear you cry!) and make the tags up into a little book when I'm done.

Stamps are by Art Journey (fish and coral), Crafty Individuals (seashells), Stampington (leafy frond) and PaperArtsy (netting stamp).

29 comments:

  1. To say you only have two colours you've done a great job with them here Katy. Love those blended fronds and the shimmery fish. Jenny x

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  2. Love your tag = those blended fronds are great. Another new ink to add the growing collection!

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  3. Great tag, I love your sea theme it works so well with you marble colour combination.

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  4. Stunning. Good to see you back in blog land. x

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  5. Love those stamps Katy, brilliant design too, love it. Michelle x

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  6. It is gorgeous Katy! Love the fish, texture and beautiful background.

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  7. I love your tag. The netting and background plants are such a nice touch and I love the fish. :)

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  8. It is gorgeous Katy. I adore the fishes, lovely background and netting texture, such a dynamic tag I can almost see the water move! With you on the watering can pad btw - LOVE it! So good to see you back. Kx

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  9. Oh WOW! Usually I think of Tim's marbled background with soft flowers or butterflies but you have proven to me that I need to expand my mind! haha I LOVE your marbled background and the fish! Oh the fish! They are awesome. Your stamping, the dimensional shells and the bits of "netting" are amazing! Thanks so much for sharing your art with us at CC3C. <3 Candy

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  10. Love your little fishes... great arrangement of shells, fish and netting... love it all... thanks for sharing... Love, Light and Peace...Bonnie

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  11. I love your fishy vintage tag! I love the muted sea colors. Your tag floats me away to the salty sea!

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  12. Oh love this Katy, the marbled background looks so soft and gorgeous and the layered stamping is amazing! LOVE those fish!!

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  13. Cor, this is a beauty Katy... love the under-the-sea theme and the marbling looks perfect behind those fabby stamped embellies... thanks for sharing your art with us and joining in with the CC3C x

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  14. Hi Katy, I love the background you have created, the colours are beautifully muted and those fish are fabulous. The mesh is a lovely touch too. Thanks for your visit and lovely comment. x

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  15. LOVE LOVE LOVE your fishy scene! The colors are perfect!!! Love the added embellies too! Thank you so much for playing along in our first CC3 Challenge!!!

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  16. Wow, Katy! I SO love the marbled water effect you achieved with just two colors of paint. Perfect! The fish are awesome! Thanks so much for playing along with us on this challenge!

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  17. Great take on this technique!! If you're going to start with just two Distress Paint colors, Stormy Sky and Bundled Sage are very nice choices. Very watery, flowy feel to your tag. Nice!

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  18. Your tag utterly took my breath away!!!! It is stunningly gorgeous and makes me want to find water to play in! Thank you for sharing you amazing creation with our first CC3 Challenge!!!

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  19. Beautiful and something different with the sea theme, gorgeous stamped images.

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  20. your tag is wonderful! Love the bits of net which tie in great. I only had 3 colours of the distress paint :)

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  21. Gorgeous tag, this technique works so well with the sea theme.
    Happy crafting, Angela x

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  22. I'm a little late with my commenting, but had to stop and say what a fabulous tag this is. I'm so impressed with the effect you achieved with just two colors. The dimensional fish are perfect. Thanks for participating in the first CC3 Challenge. Hope to see more from you.

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  23. Congrats on your well deserved honourable mention! Well done Katy

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  24. Congratulations on your lovely tag!

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