Saturday 25 August 2012

Texture With A Steampunk Theme. . . . .

I noticed a few weeks ago that there was a Design Team Call at Creative Expressions. I've been deliberating on this - as I do - and have finally decided to put in an application.

Whilst making my piece for Sunday Stampers, I thought I could use this to demonstrate my use of stamping and texture for the challenge at Creative Expressions. The theme chosen by Hels this week is 'Steampunk' and I love this theme so hope the tag I've made fits the requirements for both. I'm also going to enter my tag at Simon Says who have an 'no rules' theme this week.

I love stamping and building texture into my work and I'm constantly learning new techniques and tricks. I've gone back to one of my great loves this time though: embossing with powders and folders. I've also had a go at using Tim's kraft resist technique with picket fence stain - got into a bit of mess with that one but attempt two was better than the first!

Here's my tag and yes, there are flowers - of course - but no glossy accents! Hope you like it:

The completed tag which was made on a base of TH Kraft Resist substrate. I really like this product but I haven't quite mastered his technique with the picket fence stain yet - I'm probably too heavy handed!

Die cut flowers from kraft resist. Each layer was coloured with distress stain, distress inks, stamped with a vintage man image and finally embossed with aged silver enamel. Two die cuts were then layered to create the flower and attached using a brad.

The base layer was covered with a piece of embossed kraft resist which was coloured using distress ink - love the way the original varnish on the card shows through the ink. The sentiment was produced using my label maker, coloured with distress ink and the edges were heated with a heat gun - I found that this turns them black so no need to add ink! The small flowers are my favourite Martha Stewart punch - inked, shaped and a little embossing enamel melted in the centre.

A 'steampunk man' was stamped in the centre along with various other stamped images and text. I love these footprints and gave them texture by embossing after inking with clear powder. I also masked my man before stamping the footprints because I wanted them to sit slightly behind my man. Picket fence distress stain tones down the colour of both background ink and the stamping ink.

A couple of screw head brads were used on my tag - these were embossed with enamel before being attached to give them a more aged look. I was going to do this to the smaller brads in the flowers but didn't - wondering if I should have done this now??

This image shows another 'flower' steampunk style! The lower part is a die cut and the top layer is a wooden cog. The cog was embossed with three layers of enamel and before the final layer set, I stamped the footprint stamp into the molten enamel to create additional, relevant texture - I love doing that but always hold my breath before I've checked that my stamp has survived! The flower centre is another brad treated as explained previously.I stamped an image of a compass type thing under the flower and embossed it with clear powder so that it blended in with the existing resist images.
A silver ball chain was added to complete the look.

I hope you like my tag and please keep your fingers crossed that the people at Creative Expressions like it too! Good luck to Buttons who I know is applying for one of the posts too and to all the other crafty people who put in an application.


32 comments:

  1. This is completely fantastic - colours, design and so many, many fabulous techniques, brilliantly put into use... I completely love it, and wish you loads of luck for the DT call - I'd've thought they'd jump at you!
    Alison x

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  2. ...loVe your Tag Julia, the foot prints are so cool and a cool idea to stamp one right in the middle of the cog really neat...loVe these steampunk colours too, the aged silver embossing powder is one of my fave's...good luck with Creative Expressions, not that you need any luck your work speaks for itself...Melx :)

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  3. WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWW Julia this is a great piece of Art.
    Love every detail on it.

    Greetings Janny

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  4. Love the footprints, love the 'man' flowers, love the silver enamel. A fabulous tag Julia and good luck!! xx

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  5. Lovely tag, good luck with the DT! Valerie

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  6. Hi Julia, your tag is brilliant, love all the techniques you have incorporated, the flowers are gorgeous in a steampunky way, the footprints are are a great addition and love the man stamp too. Wishing you much luck with the DT call, you certainly deserve to be selected!! Crafty hugs, Anne x

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  7. this is a fab tag..i love steampunk and love the flowers .fab!it is a wonderful make , good luck with the dt call...fingers crossed for you...still making mine...hope to blog in day or two!! good luck, trace x

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  8. I love this tag Julia, with all the steampunk details, the embossing(great!) and your nice story how this tag came alive! You did great...again! :-)

    hugs, Alie :-)

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  9. I'm missing words, that's a fantastic tag, so many wonderful details.

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  10. Wow Julia, this is absolutely fantastic! I love simply every part of it. It is soooo cooool!! Who makes the silver embossing powder you used? That's so great, and I love the irregular way it's gone on, too. And that footprint stamp! Awesome... What a simply brilliant tag! So glad your stamps arrived from Ryn - it was a great pleasure to tell everyone about her as she's so lovely and her work is outstanding. I've got my stamps now, too.

    Thanks for your lovely comment on my blog - it wasn't directed exclusively to WOYWW members, but most of the comments come from them and I didn't want them to feel abandoned!! I really appreciate your kind thoughts. I've been very exhausted today (I have M.E.) with all the stress of the last few days so my hubby went to visit Dad on his own, and said that despite the treatment and getting rehydrated, he's not doing well, and is very confused and out of it, and looking very frail. He's lost quite a bit of weight which he couldn't afford to lose. He's very old, so we hope it's just that the treatment is taking a bit longer to work than in a younger person, and he'll soon be himself again, but I don't think he's got many reserves to call upon.

    Shoshi

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  11. Wow Julia you can see you've gone to a lot of effort to produce this tag, great textures and love how you've used the kraft paper but my absolute favourite are those embossed boot prints, they are fabulous.

    Good luck with the DT call.

    Sam xxx

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  12. Good for you Julia it's a brilliant tag :) wishing you all the best :)
    Von ♥

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  13. I am for real and so is this fabulous steampunk tag! Love what you did with those flowers and all the images! Best of luck!!!!!

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  14. Hey you, thanks for the mention/good luck wish. Same back at ya in buckets. CE would be mad not to take you on board. Yet again you have produced a tag that blows me away and requires a second/third/fourth look to appreciate all the detail, texture and elements. Loving your work. Hugs, Buttons x

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  15. Fabulous tag Julia.. amazing work as always... The detail is fab, the footprints,flowers,embossing... I could go on..on Simple perfect good luck! Hugs May x x x x

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  16. Your steampunk tag is really cool. I love the dimensional flowers and how you have really made them work with this steampunk theme. Nice job! Thanks for joining us at Simon Says Stamp and Show. <3 Candy

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  17. Fab steampunk style Julia, love all those details and elements... good luck with your app for the DT - and thanks for joining in with the Sunday Stamper x

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  18. Just popping on to let you know that you have won the giveaway from last weeks Sunday Stampr... please can you email me and I will let you know how to claim your prize!! xx

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  19. Good luck on the DT application, your tag is just lovely with all the dimension and texture!waving hi from the hills of North Carolina :)

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  20. Gorgeous creation Julia. I love the colours & textures. The silver embossing is fabulous ! Great work ! Happy Sunday, Shirleyx

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  21. Seemed to have missed a few of your creations so had a good look through your blog and loved the box and wow those crows are amazing with this kind of versatility you are a sure thing for the DT job

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  22. Seemed to have missed a few of your creations so had a good look through your blog and loved the box and wow those crows are amazing with this kind of versatility you are a sure thing for the DT job

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  23. HI, Great to put a face to a blog name, was nice to meet you today.I love this tag, That steam punk image is a fave of mine, I really like the boot stamp as well, where is that from??
    happy stamping, Really enjoyed todays class.
    mark x

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    1. I did send an email reply to this just now but then realised that it's to a no reply address!! Stupid woman. . . . . OK, the stamp is from a Creative Expressions plate by Sam Poole called Urban life. The footprint comes as a pair but I cut them apart for more versatility.
      I'll keep an eye on your blog and visit when I see something new! I enjoyed the class too. Just started the Andy Skinner Timeworn which I think you've already done? May need to pick your brains!
      Juliaxx

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  24. Very nice tag. Hope they have a DT spot for you.

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  25. Really great tag...I am not "flower girl" but yours flowers are amazing. Godd luck with DT application!

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  26. That's a lovely tag you have made but I have not got a clue about the technique you mention - some times I think I must sleep through all the information LOL. Good luck with the DT call.
    Hugs, Neet xx

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  27. Hi Julia. :) Thanks so much for coming by this weekend. It was great to see you!
    I thought of a challenge that is just up your alley, but turns out you're already there: The Simon Says Stamp and Show vintage challenge. :) On your project today, I LOVE the aged silver embossing. I've never heard of it before. It has *such* a gleam to it!

    Check out this link for submission guidelines and deadline for Stampington: http://www.stampington.com/submissions/callsChallenges.html#tss
    I know I am really pushing you -- LOL -- because I think you've got the steampunk thing mastered! I don't subscribe to the mag, or even get a chance to buy it that often (it's $15.00 in US), but if you ever get accepted, I want to be the first to hear about it!!! LOL

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  28. Your tag is stunning julia, it's sure to impress! I love the footprint in the silver embossing,good luck! xx

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  29. Gorgeous work as usual. Love the embossed boots and that beautiful textured blue down at the bottom. Good luck with the DT call!

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  30. Fantastic! LOVE the silver embossing and those awesome boot prints!

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  31. Absolutely rocking awesome!!! Every single element...original and fantastic!

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Juliax