COMPENDIUM OF CURIOUSITIES CHALLENGE #31 - RUSTED ENAMEL

I can't believe it's already Challenge #31! This one was ALOT of fun to do!  I won't give away the technique of doing the Rusted Enamel.  You'll have to check out Tim Holtz' Compendium Of Curiousities book, page number 41 to figure that one out! But, I CAN tell you how I did the rest of the tag.

I used Tumbled Glass, Frayed Burlap and Walnut Stain Distress Inks to distress the tag. The stamps I've used on this tag are primarily from an Oxford Impressions set called "Steampunk Works". I LOVE the detail of these stamps! Check out the bird...his wings are measuring tapes! So cute!

I stamped a couple of designs right onto the tag after I did the Rusted Enamel technique.  The rest of the images were stamped onto an old manilla folder using black Archival ink. Then I inked them with Vintage Photo Distress Ink for that real vintage look. I cut out the center of the round frame style of stamp so that I could add a vintage picture. I chose a mustached man from Tim Holtz' Distressables and DooDads-Wings and Things #2. But, before I glued the man in place, I used a piece of plastic packaging from one of my MANY Tim products to make a little "glass" cover over the picture. It's cool when you hold the tag in the light because you can see the reflection of the "glass". I made my own STEAMPUNK "metal" tab out of the same manilla folder. I heat embossed it with copper embossing powder and then lightly distressed it with Black Soot Distress Ink. I used that same technique on the wind up key in the bird's back. Before putting STEAMPUNK in place, I put a piece of plastic over the opening, just like I had done on the vintage picture.  Finally, I stamped one of Tim Holtz' blank tickets from his 100th Collections-Odds and Ends stamp set. I heat embossed ART with copper embossing powder in the center of the ticket and stuck it into place with one of Tim Holtz' Memo Pins from his Ideaology line.

I pop dotted the mustached man's image and the steampunk bird for more of a 3D effect. And what's a steampunk tag without metal embellishments? I added a few of Tim Holtz' wonderful metal pieces from his Foliage and Sprockets and Gears Ideaology line. A little ball chain adds extra interest as it goes in and out of some of the elements on the tag. Finally, I colorized and distressed some Hug Snug seam tape and attached it to the top of the tag.  

It's COLD outside and more snow is on the way! What a good time to stay indoors and PLAY! Take some time to explore your imagination and see what you can conjure up! You may really surprise youself!