E-Team Special Mission: Claudine Hellmuth Studio Paints!

Happy day, everyone! It's the sixth installment of the eclectic Paperie E-Team's "It's Better with Color" series, and this time around we're playing with one of my favorite product lines in the entire universe: Claudine Hellmuth Studio! 

I had the incredible good fortune to spend a morning learning techniques from Claudine herself a few months ago, and one of the projects we worked on was a little wooden caddy. Unfortunately, I totally messed it up in class, trying too many techniques in too short a time (like I tend to do...), and finally gave up and went to lunch. I brought that poor little caddy home and it's been sitting at the back of my work table ever since, just waiting to be redeemed. Last week, I sanded it down, started over from scratch, and got all painterly with it: 

The texture was created with a thick coat of Claudine's White Gesso, applied with a palette knife. After it dried, I covered the entire surface with her Classic Teal paint, then wiped it with a soft cloth to remove some color from the raised areas.

I used five colors of Claudine's Studio Paint for the stamping: Yellow Pastel, Landscape Green, Altered Orange, Modern Red, and-- yes!-- Painterly Pink! The images are from several of her Creative Layers Foam Stamp sets: Bloom, Doodles, Domestic and Nature. I love these stamps, with their sweet, funky designs. Very happy and mod, and very Claudine.

As with every E-Team Blog Hop, Daisy from eclectic Paperie has some prizes up for grabs, and all you need to do to be eligible is leave a comment at each artist's blog. Easy as pie, and you have until Thursday, September 1 to get those blog visits in. Daisy will randomly choose three winners from among all the comments, and each will win a brand new set of Claudine Hellmuth Studio Mini Acrylic Paints (they are SO cute and handy!), along with some surprise eP goodies.

Remember to visit the eclectic Paperie blog, too. Leave a comment about your favorite tips or techniques for using acrylic paints, and you might win a $25 gift voucher!

All winners will be announced on the eclectic Paperie blog on Friday, September 2.

The eclectic Paperie E-Team is:

Daisy Sparks, our Fearless Leader

Broni Holcombe

Latrice Murphy

Linda Duke 

Linda Ledbetter (That's me!)

Micki Harper

Sherry Cheever

Starla Nelson is sitting this one out, but be sure to stop by her blog and see what kind of gorgeous creations she's been working on!

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have fun hopping with the E-Team!

Hugs,

Linda

Grungy Monday 21!

Happy Monday, and welcome to Grungy Challenge number 21! This week we're going to explore some really cool ways to use Idea-ology Fragments, with some hot-off-the-press techniques from Tim's Blog! Who knew you could use clear embossing powder to create an etched glass look, and that an easy trick with packing tape could turn a Fragment into a cool, dimensional vehicle for image transfers? Well, Tim knew, but I sure didn't! Check this out:

Tim Holtz Blog: Transparent Illusions

I'm always thrilled when Mr. H posts a new technique on his blog, but I've gotta say, this is one of my favorites ever. Four clever new ways to rock the Fragments! For the purposes of this challenge, you need only try ONE of the four techniques, but really, they're so much fun, I bet you'll want to try 'em all.

I had a blast with this, and put together a little homage to my favorite beverage using images and text from an old magazine and an empty bag of Starbucks Sumatra. The background is Sticky-Back Canvas:

As I mentioned last week, I'm going to be taking a few weeks off to re-group, plan the autumn Grungy Monday challenges and do some SERIOUS blog visiting! Rather then shut down the party, though, I'm going to leave Challenge 21 open through Sunday, September 18. So, you've got tons of time to get yourself some Fragments, experiment with the awesome techniques in Tim's blog post, and enter the challenge as many times as you wish! Please link from your blog or an online photo album, and be sure to include the link to Tim's blog.

Oh, did I mention that someone's going to win a prize? A REALLY COOL prize, with lots of Tim Holtz goodies? It's true, and all you have to do to be eligible is enter Challenge 21. I'll announce the winner and ship the prize package before I leave for the cruise.

Sanded and Embossed, backed with Kraft Resist:

Alcohol Inked:

(Starbucks Sumatra Tiger! ROAR!)

Packing Tape Transfer:

Remember to share your creation at the All Things Tim group, too! Lovely List Mom, Gloria, has a special photo album just for your Grungy Monday masterpieces!

Okay, go get 'em, artful friends! I can't wait to see what you create with Fragments!

Hugs,
Linda
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Grungy Monday 20!

Featuring Special Guest Star Designers

Gillian Simson

Jason Melford

Happy, happy Monday, everyone, and welcome to Grungy Monday number 20! WOW-- number twenty?! We've done some serious distressing these past few month!

Before I introduce this week's challenge, I want to take a moment to sincerely apologize for being so behind in visiting your blogs. Some aspects of my life have been intense lately, and I got a little overwhelmed by it all. My intention with these challenges has always been to be a good cheerleader for the participants, and I haven't been able to pull that off these past few weeks. I'm truly sorry. Things are coming together now and my goal over these next few weeks is to reconnect with my blog friends. Thanks for hanging with me during a rough time-- you guys are awesome artists and downright wonderful people!

Next week is Challenge 21 (preview: Be sure to have some Fragments on hand!), and after that, I'll be taking September off to catch up, plan the autumn and winter challenges, and prepare for the big Scrapmap cruise with Tim! When Grungy Monday resumes with first week of October, look out, because there's going to be something extra exciting happening! More on that later...

Right now, let's have a party! That's right, it's a...

Distress Stickles PARTY!

Grab those sweet little squeeze bottles and Distress Stickle the living daylights out of your art! That's the only rule, but please remember, regular Stickles do NOT qualify for this challenge. Distress Stickles is a completely unique product, chunkier than regular glitter glue and more matte in its look, and this week is all about exploring the bazillion things you can do with those pretty, grungy sparkles!

This week's special guest star designers made absolute magic with Distress Stickles, which is no surprise given how talented and creative they both are. Huge thanks to:

Gillian Simson

Gillian's Mixed Media Musings

Jason Melford

Creative Scrapping Guy

Fantastic art, Gillian and Jason! You guys rock!!

Here's mine:

Please click here for my product list. 

Okay, it's your turn! Show us the brilliant ways you use Distress Stickles in your artwork. When your piece is ready, link it here using the InLinkz button below. You'll need to have a blog or an online, public photo album to participate, and please remember to include a link to www.TimHoltz.com in your post!

Don't forget to share your art in the Grungy Monday photo album at the All Things Tim group at Yahoo, too!

Thanks so much for being part of Grungy Monday! I'll look forward to catching up with your awesome artwork, and hope you have a wonderfully creative week!

Hugs,
Linda
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Grungy Monday 19!

Featuring Special Guest Star Designers

Christine Nay

Julie Forest

Happy Grungy Monday, everyone! I apologize for the technical difficulties with Blogger right now-- all the text in this post vanished between the time I scheduled it and the time it posted, and I have no idea why! Anyway... onward, and let's dive right into a fun technique from Mr. Holtz's most recent holiday celebration:

Tim Holtz 12 Tags of Christmas 2010, Day 10!

I'm delighted to introduce you to two incredibly talented designers who are certain to inspire you to let your creativity run wild! These ladies are brilliant. Check it out:

Christine Nay

Change of Heart

Julie Forest

Jul's Art Niche

I love how Christine and Julie used the same technique yet came up with such wonderfully unique pieces. Beautiful art, ladies!!!

Here's mine...

Please click here for my product list. 

We'd love to see your take on this clever use of packaging material! Visit the link above to Tim's blog for you inspiration, then create your own artful piece this cool packaging recycle technique, then add it here using the InLinkz button below. You'll need to have a blog or online, public photo album to link from. Don't forget to include a link to Tim's blog in your post or photo description!

Remember, too, to share your masterpiece at the All Things Tim group at Yahoo, where fabulous Gloria has set up a photo album just for Grungy Monday art! You'll never find a nicer, more supportive bunch of people, so if you've not a member, join up!

I hope you all have a fantastic, artistic, inspiring week!

Hugs,

Linda
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Grungy Monday 18!

Featuring Special Guest Star Desingers

Inge Bekaert

Judy Wood

August greetings, blog friends, and welcome to the 18th installment of Grungy Monday! The summer certainly is flying by, isn't it? Just to speed things up even more, let's look back at another of Tim's fabulous holiday techniques, which is, of course, completely adaptable for non-holiday projects:

12 Tags of Christmas 2009, Day 8

I'm honored to introduce this week's Special Guest Star Designers, two incredibly talented and creative ladies who truly took Tim's technique and made it their own in the most fabulous way! Huge thanks to:

Inge Bekaert

PinkePinke

Judy Wood

A Brush with Angels

Here's mine:

Please click here for my supply list

Okay, it's your turn! Visit the link above to Tim's blog for the fun technique, then create your own artful piece and add it here using the InLinkz button below anytime between now and 8pm MDT next Sunday, August 7. You'll need to have a blog or online, public photo album to link from. Remember to include that link to Tim's blog in your post or photo description!

Don't forget to share your art with the awesome folks at the All Things Tim group at Yahoo, too! Lovely list mom, Gloria, has created a photo album especially or Grungy Monday, and everyone is welcome to join this fun, supportive group!

Thanks for being part of Grungy Monday! I hope you have a wonderfully creative-- and just plain wonderful-- week!

Hugs,
Linda
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