I'm travelling into a new way of working, a new country, a new language, and a new hobby which I'm passionate about. Come with me for some of the journey...

Friday 6 February 2015

Tic Tac Toe Time

Hello all!  It's time for a new Vintage Journey challenge - there's just time to squeeze it in between all the PaperArtsy excitement! - and our host for this fortnight is the wonderful Annie.  She's created a Tic Tac Toe board for us to play with, and for my turn I've created this pair of metallic ATCs.


Here's the board and, as you can see, I've played the first vertical line - Idea-ology or any Metal Embellishment/Paint/Foil Tape.

Idea-ology or any metal embellishmentSpraysRibbon/twine
PaintEphemeraDie cuts
Foil tapeTexture fadesStains

I've also, as it happens, played the bottom horizontal line Foil Tape/Texture Fades/Stains, but that was an accident!





I'd given myself the additional challenge of trying to see if I could use only the three chosen ingredients (absolutely not part of the main rules, you can use as many extra ingredients as you like, as long as you tell us about the three in your chosen line).

Then I realised as soon as I used the Texture Fade on my foil tape covered card that I'd failed, so a couple of other ingredients found their way in too!










Even so, they're pretty simple in the making.

I stuck a sheet of foil tape to some card and ran it through the BigShot with the Subway Texture Fade embossing folder.

Then I applied lots of blue/grey Distress Paints and spritzed with water to let them do their marbling magic.










After the paint was dry, I sanded back the raised areas to reveal some of the metal underneath.












I also did some extra distressing with the Craft Scratcher for a really weathered look.










I added some paint to my metal embellishments too, and there's some Distress Stain dribbled into the lettering too.














I also applied Mushroom alcohol ink over both the embellishments and the backgrounds.













I took my cue from one of the recent CHA videos where Tim was talking about how the Mushroom alcohol ink gives a really vintage look.













Finally, I mounted the ATCs onto black card which I daubed with Weathered Wood Distress Paint for a softer look.

And that's that!










Do hop over to A Vintage Journey and see the fabulous inspiration created for you by my team-mates, and we'd love you to come and Play Tic Tac Toe with us this fortnight.












Be sure to check out the challenge details in full as well as our Travelling Instructions to make sure you qualify for the prize voucher generously sponsored by Country View Crafts.  Hope to see you on the journey soon.

And I'll be back in almost no time with another exciting PaperArtsy release post... see you then!





Life is more fun if you play games.
Roald Dahl

There'll be some new twists to the games we play on A Vintage Journey after next month.  In March - can you believe it? - we celebrate our first birthday, and we're shaking things up.  Check out some of the details today over at A Vintage Journey, and we hope you'll enjoy travelling along with us for many years to come!

49 comments:

Julia Aston said...

These are wonderful Alison! It's funny - being ATC's I can guess that they are pretty small - but with nothing beside them to reference to - they could be 6"x6"! They must be adorable in their small size - love the subway embossing and the great colors and aging you achieved!

massofhair said...

Fantastic ATC's Alison, particularly enjoying the colours and the blingy metallic look. Not seen this texture fade before it is really effective and adds lots of shadows and depth:-) xxx

Annie said...

Love love love the industrial feel of your projects Alison :-) the foiled tape , embossing and paints make for a great background and the metal embellishments just add to the grungy look.
Must try the Mushroom AI on metal. Thank you for sharing your step by step.

Huge hugs Annie x

Rupa Swaminathan said...

Absolute faded beauty! I am in love with this one, Alison...the colors on the foil and the distressed look is just awesome.Thanks for sharing.

Marci said...

Even though you say they are pretty simple makes, they are marvelous! I love the monochromatic color scheme, and the raised design .

Rita said...

Wonderful set of ATC cards Alison. Love the texture and colours. Along with Ideology pieces you have created something marvellous. TFS you piece and how it was done. Hugs Rita xxx

Helen said...

Gorgeous Alison!

Inkypinkycraft said...

Great ATC 's and I love the look of mushroom alcohol ink x

sally said...

Love the ATCs Alison, mushroom ink looks like it needs to make it's way into everyone's shopping basket!

Sally

chrissie said...

Terrific colour blend for the background Alison-really fabulous ATCs

Love Chrissie

Alie Hoogenboezem-de Vries said...

Great grungy feel...and looks, Alison!
Have a nice day, Alie :-)

Neet said...

Love all things metal and these are just the ticket! Fab as always Alison.
Hugs, Neet xx

Jackie PN said...

Very very cool Alison! your embossing background is just fab! xo
thank you so much for all your visits- means so much to me ")

Ana K. said...

Oooo fantatsic Alison!!

Maggie said...

Fabulous metal ATC's Alison Love them! Great minds think alike I made ATC's and have linked to challenge already!! Lol feels so good to be back playing and crafting.

MaggieH

Jennie Atkinson said...

Fabulous ATCs Alison - the metal embossing and your choice of colours are just stunning. I may borrow this idea for a couple of makes for my friends when we go to New York. Have a lovely weekend. Jennie x

Pamellia said...

Fabulous Alison! Love the sanded embossing technique! Wonderful ATC's! hugs :)

Inky and Quirky Designs said...

Very,very yummy Alison,loving the blue tones,a lovely industrial look
Big hugs
Donna xxx

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE that background...just swooning! Mushroom Alcohol Ink is the best!

Terry said...

Alison, this is just so cool! I loved reading about your failure, which of course this is not!!! It drove me a little crazy not going out of the line, but that is a short drive these days! The texture fade is simply amazing and I love the way you turned it into two fabulous ATC's! Great finish with the metal embellishments! Hugs!

Kelly said...

You Salvaged awesome ATC. I love these those colors are so beautiful. I love that you keep trying things to get it to work to your satisfaction. One day I will try this out, on my list as I admire all your talent!
Hugs Kelly

Dorthe said...

A wonderful effect with the sanded down letters, Alison, and the ink in the metal letters !!
And the marbeling effect is gorgeous !!
Hugs and a great weekend to you, dear.

Lisa Minckler said...

Gorgeous work! I really loved the final touch of adding it to the black background and then weathering it. It gives off such a fabulous patina as well as a "tin sign" appearance. Fabulous work for this challenge. :)
Hugs to you and happy weekend, Ps...I must have been residing under a rock for a bit because I know not about this Mushroom ink you speak of...I WILL check this out now. Thanks :)
Lisa x

Redanne said...

ATCs might be small but you have certainly packed a lot of products and techniques into them Alison. The metallic weathering is fantastic on these beautiful creations! Hugs, Anne xx

Unknown said...

Gorgeous grungy cards, love all the distressing techniques that have been used to bring them to life xx

Chrissy said...

Fantastic Alison..this really does look like metal..a solid embossed metal plate..brilliant.

luv CHRISSYxx

Brenda Brown said...

Love these Alison, beautiful colours and a fabulous metallic look.They really do look weathered and 'salvaged' mini metal plates.
Have a great weekend.
hugs Brenda xxx

Jenny Marples said...

Another stunning project Alison. I love the colours you've chosen to layer over the embossed foil - perfect! Jenny x

craftytrog said...

Absolutely brilliant! Must dig out the mushroom AI! xxx

Deb said...

Amazing textures and colours, they look exactly like weathered metal! Thanks for your step by step, will have to get some mushroom alcohol ink I see!

Lynne Moncrieff said...

Such a beautiful effect you achieved ... oh I really do like these!
Wishes
Lynne

Astrid Maclean said...

Love the salvaged metal look on those two beauties Alison! The sanded back effect over the texture fades looks super, specially in that colour combo, and yes that mushroom alcohol ink really looks fantastic!

Julie Lee said...

Just trying to catch up after the PA busy-ness! I so love how these turned out! Fantastic effects. What lovely ATCs - that vintage metal look is great! xx

cathylynn said...

Fun tags! You're so creative!
Hugs, Cathy-Lynn

Unknown said...

What a lovely metallic ATC duo Alison! Love the moves you made-whether intentional or not :) Just fabulous little pieces of art!! XOXO-Shari

Cocofolies said...

Oh, fabulous texture on these two ATCs, it looks like Distress paints give very beautiful results on metal... not only alcohol inks thus. Gorgeous work Alison, I LOVE them!! Coco xx

sam21ski said...

Wow the sanding back looks fantastic - great effects xx

Sue said...

I really like these, the paint looks fab over the metal tape xx

Nikki Acton said...

The ATC expert - these are wonderful Alison. Great aged marbling and wonderful embellished. Nikki x

pearshapedcrafting said...

Can hardly believe that these are ATCs - they look so heavy! You really are the expert at deceiving with such beautiful transformations! Hugs, Chrisx

Juliz Design Post said...

Fabulous weathered look to these ATC's Alison and is hard to believe is not metal. I am waiting on my Mushroom Alcohol ink coming as saw this Tim video too.
Julie x

experiments in paper said...

These ATCs, as others have noted, more than stand on their own in size and effect! I am constantly amazed at how you manipulate paper, coloring and texture to produce such wonderful results (loving that Mushroom alcohol ink also!) I don't know how much you were able to explore New York City via subway on your recent visit, but these pieces certainly remind me of that particular transportation system! And thanks, as always, for your visit to my blog and supportive comments - always love to hear from you. xx Lynn

barbarayaya62 said...

Alison your works are always gorgeous! I am without my computer that has "left" me last week, I write with the laptop of my son and I apologize to you if I can not comment on all your work !! They are all beautiful, breathtaking !! This in particular I really love! Barbarayaya

sarascloset said...

Beautiful! I am in metal Heaven with this pair of ATC's! I love that you gave them a scratch after sanding, too, for a real finishing touch! Perfect choice of Texture Fade for this technique! My hat's off to you!

Ruth said...

Gorgeous distressed brushed metal effects on these atc's...and yes they look so much bigger! Loving these!! Ruth x

Margaret said...

Oh... I love the distressed lettering on the background and the metal tags work so well with it! These are fantastic!!!

crafty creations said...

wow these are absolutely stunning - brilliant

Kezzy said...

Oh wow wow wow those metallic ATC's are awesome, I so wish I could have a feel lol. Using the metal like you did is one of my favourite looks, I just can never get it right. Happy Art :-) Kezzy xxx

Mary Elizabeth said...

So very Tim inspired. I think in this your "failing" to stay with 3 elements of the tic-tac-toe column was really "succeeding" because I Love that subway texture fade. So very distressed with the craft scratching. Perfect note of vintage. Your Mom would really love that alcohol ink :) -- ME