Hello! What a wonderful Wednesday! Thanks for visiting the Savvy Projects blog today! What a blessing this month has been with all of the terrific guest designers who are so uber creative!!! I am so excited to be the Guest Designer for today!
I have always been so inspired by the Victorian era. I love the shoes, the dresses, the bustles, layers of fabric, etc. I was also inspired by an article that I read in the recent "Somerset Life" magazine. "Art Money." The art community in the Netherlands is where it is being used the most at the moment. What a concept and a gives a new meaning to putting value on art. So I thought that I would make some of my own art money. Above are a few pieces that I made. The images are stamped with Black Tuxedo Momento ink and colored with Copics. Then I covered the art money with wax paper and stitched around it with my sewing machine. How fun! I had been making crochet hearts for Valentine's projects earlier this month and added one to one piece of art money and cut the wax paper out to expose it. "Artful" is what I named my art money line.


This card was fun as well. I borrowed the birdcage die from a friend (made by Sizzix/Tim Holtz) and embellished it with pearls (which look almost clear in the photo... strange) and bling from the Clear and Pearl Gem collection. I used Robin's Egg DCWV cardstock behind the paper doily that I saved from my dessert plate from dinner we attended a couple of weeks ago. Not a recycle, but an Upcycle. :) The stamped image is accented with Copics. Victorian Charm (T3241) can be found in the Fall Supplement ~ and is on sale the month of February. To make the birdcage 3-D, I used some left over stamp cling and attached it to the sides of the birdcage.


This next card uses T3224 - Victorian Backgrounds for the music score background. I purchased the berry sprigs, lace and butterfly from a local craft store. I so love this image of the woman playing the violin. It just exudes elegance! I collect old books - and have one from the Victorian era called "The Model Wife."It is in the stack behind the card. I thought it fitting - the model wife entertaining her guests with a lovely violin Sonatina.


My last card was a learning opportunity! I am usually very linear in my cards and for this one I stepped out of the box - and tweaked the image. (gasp!) LOL The background is torn pages from an old dictionary that I distressed with Burnt Umber Palette ink and a sponge. I then stamped the lovely lady with Noir Palette ink randomly onto the dictionary background. After I stamped the images, I sprayed it with Shimmer Spritz in Copper. Not thinking this all the way through  (the learning opportunity) - the ink was not set yet - and some of the images ran - here is what it looked like...
See how the middle image is really blurry? (not my photo skills. lol) So this is when I decided to add an image at the center for a focal point. I have also had so much fun creating distressed flowers! This one I used dictionary pages that I inked with Belle Rose Palette ink and Marvy flower punches in two sizes.

I punched the flowers from the dictionary pages and black card stock. I then rumpled all of the flower pieces, layered them and attached them all together with a brad. I then sprayed the flowers one layer at a time with water - just a little bit. I often use Shimmer Spritz instead of water as well - just adds more bling!


I then pinched each flower into the center, gathering it at the middle using the brad as the anchor. Be careful because the water makes the paper delicate and it will tear easily.

Then one by one, opened the flower petals... carefully. I also used a wooden skewer to help round the petals. 


These little flowers are fun and easy! Any flower shape can be used - as well as circles cut at varying sizes.


One last little project to share. This one is a work on progress... an ongoing, changing goodie that I am working on and plan to change it out with the seasons. I also saw this idea in "Somerset Life" magazine. Upcycling - l love this word... I started with an egg carton and painted it with a shimmery gold acrylic paint. I then used spanish moss and little eggs, a birdie, antique wooden spools of thread, berry sprigs, etc. to decorate the egg carton. I still plan to add some ribbon, antique buttons and other goodies as I collect or create them.


You can see in this close up shot of the cute little birdie - the stamped crown, using a crown from one of the images found in Victorian Charm.

I hope you enjoyed the day of Victorian Charm!
You can check out more Victorian inspired projects and other paper crafting projects on my blog - Stamp Candy.

Inky hugz,

Candi

***There are links above so that you can purchase the product I have used from my secure shopping site, but PLEASE purchase from your ANGEL demonstrator if you have one! (Thank you, Heather for letting me copy your words.)



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