Neglected Dies at Frilly and Funkie

Hi everyone. Over at Frilly and Funkie it's the Funkie team's turn to show you their DT samples for the current 'Neglected Dies' challenge. As host, Rebecca wants us to choose a neglected die from our stash and see what we can create with it. "Think outside of the box... or in it!"

With the winner getting the chance to be a guest designer for a future challenge and a randomly chosen $25 shopping spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique up for grabs it's well worth entering.

I've been hooked on the flora and fauna dies recently so it feels like much of the rest of my collection has been ignored. In the end I decided to think inside and outside the box with this Movers and Shapers arrow die.

I'm on something of a mission to urge you all to use your much loved/stroked Tim Holtz Idea-ology papers. Having been designed to take inks, paints and stains they provide the perfect base for all sorts of projects, cards included.

I started this card by 'mapping out' the basic design with gesso and Distress Paints smudged directly onto the paper. Then a little base stamping in Archival Ink using the numbers line from Wendy Vecchi's License Plate Art set. Further strips of coordinating altered paper were added over the stamping and stencilling.

One of those 'outside the box' uses for my die was to cut a line of arrows into a strip of acetate (cut from the packaging around a set of embossing folders). It was great for applying embossing paste through, inking with Archival Ink and stamping through with another background stamp. The 'spare' acetate arrows were covered in a blend of Gold and Stonewashed Alcohol inks and inserted behind the lettering.

The most obvious use for the die was for cutting into the rectangular panels. As well as some Distress Crackle Paint and inking you will see small watch parts inset into these panels, fixed in place with Glossy Accents (which I subsequently 'cracked'). I loved this idea when first seeing it on one of DT team mate Trace's projects.

I do love this License Plate lettering, stamping mine with black embossing powder onto Specialty paper before 'painting' it with a mix of Archival Reinkers and surgical spirits (rubbing alcohol).  Final details included adding 'hardware' and some cog die cuts covered in Metallic Distress Paints. See how filigree metal corners become arrows when you cut them in half?! You may also notice from the close ups that the surface of the paste arrows and painted cogs is bubbly. I deliberately overheated both with my heat gun to add this extra textural element.

I hope you've got some of your own ideas from this 'walk through' and are inspired to start using your dies in a multitude of ways. Don't forget, you can also see how my DT team mates have tackled this challenge over at Frilly and Funkie for more inspiration, and then we all hope to see what you can do. With two great prizes up for grabs there's every reason to join in.

For now, take care of yourselves, Jenny xxx

Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Weathered Wood	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Antique Linen	Ranger Distress Crackle Paint - Picket Fence White	Stampers Anonymous Studio 490 Wendy Vecchi Stamps - License Plate Art	Stampers Anonymous Studio 490 Wendy Vecchi Stamps - Tic Tac Toe Background Stamp	Studio 490 Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste - Silver	Ranger Wendy Vecchi Archival Reinker - Potting Soil	Ranger Wendy Vecchi Archival Reinker - Cornflower Blue	Ranger Wendy Vecchi Archival Ink - Cornflower Blue
Ranger Archival Ink - Coffee	Ranger Wendy Vecchi Archival Ink - Watering Can	Mini Old Jalopy and Arrow Set Sizzix Alterations Movers & Shapers by Tim Holtz	Mini Gears Sizzix Alterations Movers & Shapers by Tim Holtz	PRE-ORDER Tim Holtz Ranger Metallic Distress Paint - Tarnished Brass	PRE-ORDER Tim Holtz Ranger Metallic Distress Paint - Brushed Pewter	Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Ink - Stonewashed	Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Ink - Gold Mixative	Corner Filigree Metal Pieces
Ranger Inkssentials Glossy Accents	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Long Fasteners	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Mini Fasteners