Repurpose your RW+B for a man!!

Good morning all on this damp, miserable day (no, this isn't going to be a depressing post! promise) and welcome to my new followers. OK, so maybe I'm being a bit overambitious here, but I have (almost) finished two projects to combine the following exciting challenges;

Studio L3 CC2 Challenge 8 - Repurposing Packaging

Sunday Stamper Challenge 208 - Red, White and Blue (Her Majesty)

The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog June Challenge - Red, White and Blue

The Stamp Man Challenge - Make It For A Man

Yep, it saves time, but more importantly it fit with what I needed to do, which was...

making my Dad a super card for Fathers Day as he has been an absolute star on so many levels; making another piece for the OH's birthday project; and a new Stampendous stamp set (squeal!!) to play with courteousy of a challenge prize from the wonderful Jill and Ian at The Stamp Man. What better reasons did I need?! So let's show you what I did in more detail.

Menu for the background(s) first. I used lots of Memento Paris Dusk and Lady Bug sponged onto white card and covered in white gesso to make a faded/distressed backing paper. The Union Jacks were created using Ranger Specialty Paper - it wouldn't work with anything else (and believe me, I tried!!) The paper was embossed using my Stamposaurus mask, stamped with Perfect Medium using the Artemio music score background stamp (manuscript one used for the ATC), and then sponged with Paris Dusk and Lady Bug through the mask. Finally I used my wonderful Stampendous balloon stamp and a smaller balloon image from an old issue of The Craft Stamper (Black Archival ink) over the top.

The bunting was cut from white card and stamped with a Kanban Union flag image coloured with Promarkers. DAD was embossed onto three of the flags, and they were arranged using foam pads to help make them more prominent.

So there's lots of red, white and blue, but where's the repurposing I hear you cry (in my head of course!!) On the middle-sized balloon I placed a metal bottle top (bashed flat by my resident strongman - OH) into which I had glued a watch face (stamped onto white card using Black Archival ink, highlighted using CS pearlescent mica paint and covered in a mix of Ranger Crackle Accents and Glossy Accents).

The wings were made from acetate (formerly the front of a Skylanders box from Christmas - not mine of course!!) I used a Kanban steampunk stamp, a mix of Stonewashed and White Mixative alcohol inks, and a heat gun - see TH's Compendium of Curiosities 2 for details of how to do this. Attention then turned to the ATC part of this project (the bit I have almost completed).

More acetate was used to cover the background completely for a reason. When completed, ATC collection for my OH is destined to stay at work with him to provide inspiration and encouragement whenever needed, and it is going to get pawed by grubby hands (manufacturing can be a mucky business you know!!) I didn't want the white to go grey, so acetate seemed a sensible solution. It got another TH technique (see the Compendium again please) and then had cogs - diecut from quiche tin/aged with Black Archival ink/steel wool - and an open brad applied on top. To finish this I intend to add an inspirational saying from one of Sam Poole's recent Arty sets, but they are still in the postal system somewhere and I had a deadline to meet so you'll have to imagine that part. Soz!

So there you have it. Challenges met (almost) and more learned along the way, which is what it is all about.

Thank you for stopping by - hope you like what you see enough to leave a comment - I really appreciate all the lovely messages received over the past few days. They lift the ole soul and make it all worthwhile. Before I get any more maudlin' it's time to sign off!! Hugs, as always, Buttons x