Farewell Two Peas

Wow, I can't believe it has been almost two months since I last posted.  Life definitely got away from me.  I just haven't had much crafting time lately.  Hopefully, I'll find more time to get inky. 

On a sad note, today was supposed to be the last day that two peas in a bucket, the online paper crafting store and message board, was to be open.  They have extended their final days to July 24.  I will definitely miss the wonderful stamping message board that two peas hosted.  Fortunately, I was able to participate in the last stamping fest on the two peas stamping message board last month.  And I'm going to share one of the projects I made for WSW14 (World Stamping Week). 

As part of the fest, the message board members post challenges.  This card combines four challenges.  And this card was definitely a problem child. 

You ever get an idea for a project and think that it is a brilliant idea. Then half way through the project, you realize that it wasn't the voice of genius but the voice of crazy behind the idea. This was one of those projects. For some unknown reason, I decided it would be a good idea to combine the Stamp-A-Dwelling and Stamping Triple Time Challenges.  The requirement for Stamp-A-Dwelling was to use at least three stamps to create a dwelling of some kind.  The Stamping Triple Time Challenge involved cutting light colored cardstock into 3 pieces: 2 x 3 ¼, 3 x 4 ¼, and 4 x 5 ¼.  Then you layer the pieces taping them with a temporary adhesive so you can stamp across all three layers.  Then you cut dark cardstock for mats into 3 pieces: 2 ¼ x 3 ½, 3 ¼ x 4 ½, and 5 ½ x 8 ½  square (fold for card base).  To finish, you layer the stamped piece on the mats.  The written directions may be a little confusing but it all make sense if you see an example.  So here is a simpler card I made for the Stamping Triple Time challenge. Although I reversed it, stamping the image on dark cardstock and matting with light cardstock. (The stamp is Hero Arts and I stamped it in white and colored it with colored pencils). 

 

 

 

Getting back to the dwelling, I started by cutting the white paper per the instructions for triple time and used temporary adhesive to stick them together. I first stamped the roof using the boxy boarder stamp. I added the triangle to the eaves. Then I used painters tape to mask the roof, mask off the divide between the first floor and the second floor, and then I masked to create boards before I stamped the wood grain stamp. The top floor had three boards. I remasked and did the same for the bottom floor, creating four boards. I stamped the fleur-de-lis to divide the top and bottom floors. I stamped the flower for the window.  Here's a closer look at the dwelling.

 

Next I stamped the balcony. I started with the corner stamp for the support. Then I used the bird cage stamp and masked directly on the stamp. I used my stamp-a-ma-jig to line it up. However, I mucked it up. So I restamped the balcony, fussy cut it out and attached it. I also had to paint the mucked up bit with white paint. I stamped the squirrel separately, fussy cut him and added him to the balcony.

Then I inked around the dwelling with mowed lawn and tumbled glass. I also colored the body of the house with Copic markers and the roof with faber castells.

 

Now it was time to assemble. I cut the mats out of pp that is a photo of grass. Since I wanted the door to open, I cut out the door on each layer before attaching everything.

 

I also cut out the flower window. To create the stain glass effect, I used a scrap piece of acetate on which I had practiced the oh so pretty technique. The oh so pretty technique was  another challenge, and it required that you give a particular   Tim Holtz Technique.  I had planned to make the stain glassed flower window open but I smudged the ink when I went to cut out the piece for the acetate and decided to strap that idea. I put the piece behind the hole and then put white paper behind it. I also punched the little flower in the door and backed it with another piece from the acetate. I added a brad for the door knob. When I was finished assembling, I went back and stamped the flower with Staz-On because the window didn't look quiet right.

I wanted the cottage to appear like it was in the middle of a flower garden. So I stamped the flowers to the side of the house and across the top. I also stamped some flowers coming out of the roof. Then I cut a piece of acetate to frame the house so you could still open the door. I stamped the flowers on the piece of acetate with Staz-On. Since I don't have purple Staz-On, I went over a couple of flowers with Bic marker. I attached the piece of acetate with foam squares to add dimension.

You can kinda see the acetate in this picture of the top.

I used my silhouette to cut out the grass and the flowers. I added stickles to the flowers. I used the grass, the flower, the dragonfly and the butterfly to cover the foam squares.

 

The dragonfly was created for another of the challenges, using a molded tissue technique.  You apply several single layers of toilet paper to a stamp using water and a paint brush.  It comes from Lynda Heines Blog.  After creating the piece, I colored it with Distress Inks.

 

For the butterfly, I used the Tim Holtz technique mentioned above.  I started by cutting it out with my silhouette. Then I inked it with alcohol inks. I then used a swirl stamp and Versafine ink. I figured out that I had to have the ink really wet to get it to work.

 

I'm not sure if this project was a labor of love or just a labor.

Stamps:

Roof & Balcony Support: Fiskar

Balcony: Hampton Art

Divider: Stampabilities

Triangle, Wood & Squirrel: Hero Arts

Flower window: Scrappy Cat

Flowers & swirls: Inkadinkado

Mouse: Penny Black

 

Here's a picture of the stamps used.

 

Thanks for stopping by.