Thursday 24 January 2013

Time At Artful Times. . . . . . And What I'm Known For At SSSS

The challenge at Artful Times is to make an ATC using the theme of 'Time'. I thought of the usual clocks, gears etc. but I wanted to convey the idea that time changes us all in many ways. Every time I look in the mirror I wonder who that is staring back at me!! Strange how you feel very little difference on the inside but the ravages of time are visible for all to see on the outside! I've decided that birthdays no longer count and I've chosen the age I want to be and I intend to stay that age for the foreseeable future!

My ATC shows a stamped image of a rather glorious man in his prime who would have been right up my street a few years ago (well, many actually!). I have placed him on an aged, rusty metal background to show two polar effects of age: young, youthful and virile versus worn, aged but perhaps still functioning - hope that makes sense to you. ( I fall into the latter group just in case you wondered!).

I also wanted to enter the challenge at Simon Says Stamp and Show but I've had to soul search in order to try to work out 'what I'm known for' to fit their latest theme. I still don't have the answer but I love to stamp, I love using paint to create backgrounds and I'm a stickler for attention to detail. Does this come out in my ATC? I'm not sure but I hope so. I'm really enjoying using the rusty look with my colour and stamping. . . . . . .for the moment at least! Here's what I made:



For the stamped image, I made a background onto painted chip board using dylusion sprays and some cog stamping using plum archival. The rather dishy chap was stamped in jet black archival. The text was printed out on a label maker and a little distress ink toned down the stark white of the tape.

Four eyelets were added to the piece and some rusty wire was curled into spring shapes and attached.

The background was created with a mask, some texture paste, various acrylic colours and a graphite stick. The 'metal' is aging but still looks as if it could work; the young man in comparison, looks in prime condition.

The paste was randomly spread in some areas and more precise in others.


Hope you like this piece. I am back visiting as many of you as I can and thank you so much for all the kind wishes with regards to my health. Summer (even our British version!) can't come soon enough for me!
Take care in the snow, slush and ice.

36 comments:

  1. Nice piece, love the rusty look. As we get older and rustier I think we can appreciate it more! Valerie

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  2. Wow! This is awesome. I love the background gear and rusty wires! And the man in his prime-this is such a well thought out piece! Love it! :)

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  3. Definite attention to detail here Julia and just love the stamped background for your dishy chap (would you believe I'm crafting with the same set - spooky!)
    The textured background is fabulous and love the eyelet and spring details.
    Fliss xx

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  4. Julia , this is wonderul.I love the cogs background, the effect you have created here is gorgeous! I love the image on the colours against the rusty cogs .This is a thoughtful, creative and accomplished make full of carefully thought out details....I'd say that's you!! Hugs trace x
    Thanks James is on the mend, hope you are of.trace x

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  5. Hope you are improving. Your winter has more surprises in store. Love your interpretation of time.

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  6. I think it's awesome, loved that background and that man is rather dishy looking! waving hi from the hills ofNorth Carolina ♥

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  7. Just amazing work as always Julia, very well planned and executed....you are such a crafting talent! xxx

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  8. Your time worn technigues are shining through on your absouluty brilliant ATC Julia :)
    Thank you for sharing with us at Artful Times
    Von ♥
    He can rock my boat any day tehe

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  9. fab texture and love the springs. x

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  10. Wow, Julia, this is amazing. I love all of it but the texture paste cog background is particularly brillinat. Right up my street! I'm feeling pretty worn and just about functioning myself LOL

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  11. What a beautiful write up! It was a meeting of two souls as I read your thoughts.
    The atc is stunning, I like everything about it and thank you for the detailed instructions of how you out it together it is a beautiful entry once more Julia.
    Hugs, Neet xx

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  12. What an amazing atc Julia...love the colours, so aged, great.
    And the wire coming through the holes: what a great idea....lovely atc!

    hugs, Alie :-)

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  13. That's a fantastic ATC Julia. I love the colour and texture and that wire brilliant. Hugs Sandra X

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  14. This is wonderful Julia - but then your creations always are. Your attention to detail really does come across in the ATC. It does in all your work! Love from Laura xxxxx

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  15. what a stunning atc, the bg is out of this world, lovely texture and the contrast of colour with the stamped image is brilliant, certainly we can see the attention to detail x

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  16. Well, I think you're beautiful inside & out Julia, & so is this wonderful piece of art! I love the rust effect, & the young man ain't half bad! Lol!
    Alison xx

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  17. Hi Julia, I am not sure I can add any more to all of the above comments! It is stunning, love your amazing background but most of all I like your thought processes on how you got to the end result.... and yes, this is very you! Hugs, Anne x

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  18. Your rusty work at the moment is just fabulous, Julia! That background is amazing - really want to get my hands on it, and feel all those rough textures, and I think it's brilliant how you've attached the image panel with the eyelets, and the rusty wire to top it off - amazing ATC altogether!
    Alison x

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  19. Oh, how much do your words resonate with me!! It is just like you to think outside the box on a theme like this and how much incredible detail can you cram onto an ATC!! Love all the rusting and the idea of the fading of youth. The only other thing I know you for is your stitching ability, but that would not have worked with the integrity of this and however much detail you include it is always balanced so well. Huge round of applause from this snowy corner of the UK for this Julia. Hgus, Jenny x

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  20. Oh wow Julia this is an absolutely stunning atc - love the concept.

    Sam xxx

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  21. This is one stunning ATC! Love the rustic look and all the pretty stamping you did! Thank you so much for joining us at Simon Says Stamp and Show! Hugs, Sandra

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  22. Amazing work, Julia! Wonderfully executed and well thought out. Love those 'rusty' springs, and the unbelievably real looking metal you created.

    Have to say I agree with you about choosing an age and staying there! I think mine will be around 39. LOL

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  23. This just fantastic and you have added so many things that depict time passing.

    Love Chrissie xx

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  24. You must be feeling wonderfully empowered by the wonderful and totally deserved complements that have been written by previous commenters.Love, your powerful little piece of art!
    You are so right re. time. I sometimes get a shock when I see other people around me aging and then realise I must be the same to them, lol. Your rust reminds me too of all the "creaky" bits that sneak up on us.
    Our wilful lavish land is now about to provide us with flooding rains. We are perfectly safe but went grocery shopping etc today as we will get stranded for a few days if this cyclone turns nasty.
    Happy 39th birthday too by the way.

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  25. An amazing ATC, loving the rusty look, so much interest has been built into this, it all just works so well. Belated happy birthday, had my act been together you might have got a card... need to work on the memory!

    Cassidy xx

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  26. Such a great piece! He is just striking and love all the details. Yes, you can see you take time can care to be very detail oriented. I think he is a handsome image and love the use of the rusty springs! Genius!

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  27. Wonderful steampunk and masculine ATC!

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  28. A wonderful masculine ATC and the background cogs are fabulous. I like the idea of choosing an idea and staying there!

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  29. A fantastic idea, great take on this theme, a gorgeous ATC.

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  30. Fabulous! Love the rusty background - and all that on an ATC! Wow! Chrisx

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  31. Fabulous artwork. This is really quite special!
    Julia

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  32. Way cool design! Love the position, and the wire, and the gear, and the image, and the I could go on and on...very cool work!

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  33. A fabulous ATC Julia - great design.
    xxx Hazel.

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  34. What an awesome piece... love the image and the texture on the background, and your awesome wire coils. Fabulous idea too on the aging vs youth. Have a wonderful weekend, Julia!

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  35. Again stunning piece of art Julia!!! I sorry not to be here more often!

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  36. Your musing has led you to quite the creative piece! The symbolism is fantastic and I love the rusty and worn parts (probably because I can relate...)decorating your fabulous ATC!

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