Grungy Monday 3 - Colour Washes

Linda's Grungy Monday challenges are all about the techniques and products of Tim Holtz, and this week our task was to use Adirondack Colour Washes. No dilemma for me about what colours to use as I only have two: Lettuce and Denim. I've had these for ages and it's a while since I last used them. I started yesterday and wasn't happy with two attempts that I made. I went to bed leaving on the table the bits that I thought I might still be able to use, and as often happens, I woke up with not just one but two new ideas. The night before I'd been playing with some cream coloured cotton fabric which has a butterfly design in white. I had found that the white acted as a resist to the colour wash. So I decided to try out one of my ideas: inking up another piece of the fabric with Denim, drying it and then passing it through the Big Shot with the Brolly Man die. Then it was out with the clear embossing powder and stamps to create a resist background, and the Distress Stains - Peeled Paint, Wild Honey and Faded Jeans. Then some more stamping and an edging with Walnut Stain on the blending tool. Stamps I used were Artemio, Paper Artsy and Tim Holtz. Then lacy flowers coloured with denim and some ribbons and fibres.

Somewhere I have some ribbon with butterflies on it and had hoped to colour it and use it but needless to say couldn't find it anywhere. However, while rummaging in my ribbon box, I found the lovely yellow lacy butterfly in the photo below. It's a bit crumpled so I plan to wash and starch it and put it on display. It has a brooch pin on the back, and mum used to keep it pinned to a curtain. I coloured the square of fabric on the left with Denim and Lettuce to use in an earlier attempt at the challenge, so I will keep it in my box of bits for future use. The metal flower is a first attempt inspired by Lin at Yours Artfully. I used the small Tattered Florals die, metalwork tools, Fresco paint and Denim Dimensional Pearls. It was based on the type of flower Lin makes using alcohol inks. I need a bit more practice and I see that Lin is planning another metal flower tutorial this time using the Fresco paints.

Do pop over to Linda's Studio L3 blog (link at the top of this post) to see lots of great examples of the use of the washes.