/* */ Beulah Bee: January 2014

January 27, 2014

The Little Cowboy

This is a photo of my Dad (who is now 83). He must have been quite proud of his cowboy outfit but this may have been one of only a few happy moments in his otherwise, bleak childhood.

He joined the navy at 17 and got a lot of tattoos and when I was a kid, I remember how we would ask about them, where he got them and what they meant.

So this was my inspiration for creating a collage, using a background of torn book pages, an image transfer of his photo and a heart tattoo, a scrap of sewing pattern tissue paper and text cut from a ticket. Colored pencils and acrylic paint were used for color.

I've linked it to the Monday blog challenge at Simon Says Stamp, where the theme is "this is where the cowboy rides away." It doesn't qualify for the random drawing because it is not a new work but it is the first time I've ever shared it with anyone.

January 20, 2014

Forgotten wishes

I transferred this image (from Iran's first women's magazine) to a tag using solvent.

With the SSS Snowflake stencil, embossing ink, and clear embossing powder, I created a resist for the watercolor background and lady's dress.

I applied gold embossing power on the harp body but didn't like it so I ironed it off.

The faint impression of gold color which was left behind works for an aged-effect.

Some text seems appropriate to finish it off but this was only an experiment in techniques.

I decided to just let the image (and the post's title) speak for itself.

I've entered it in the drawing at the Simon Say's Stamp Wednesday blog challenge, where the prompt is "emboss it."

Hester Prynne

Published in Somerset Studio Gallery Winter 2012

The letter "A" is the prompt for Monday's blog challenge at Simon Says Stamp. This entry may not qualify for the random drawing because I made it two years ago, but I've never blogged about it and linked it anyway.

It seems many others do not enter "new" work because less than one hour after the post, there will be like 10 or 20 entries already of real elaborate items that I just know took longer than one hour to make.

So I'm guilty as charged because I wanted to have my post appear higher on the list so maybe more people would come visit and see what I made. How desperate and pathetic is that? I do enjoy the challenge of creating new work based on the prompts and will try my best not to post things made prior to the challenge date just to be first in line. There, now I feel better and it's good to get things off your chest (sorry Hester, no pun intended). She also chose not to conform to rules and beliefs, so I guess this piece is rather appropriate for today's post.

(Hester Prynne is the main character in a classic work of literary fiction written by Nathanial Hawthorne titled, The Scarlet Letter.)

January 13, 2014

Anna


I watch very little television (I'd rather spend my free time crafting) but I am absolutely smitten with a PBS series called Downton Abbey along with millions of others who've made it the most-watched drama on TV right now.

Last night's episode was another gem with lavish costumes and great dialogue but also included a story line that must have taken everyone by surprise. I should have known something was up--it was the first time the network gave a pre-show warning that some content may not be appropriate for all viewers.

Poor lovely, kind, helpful, Anna. Her behavior after the attack isn't surprising given the taboos of this era but I'm sure her husband will get wind of it and go after the perpetrator even if it means a lifetime jail sentence or death.

I made this tag in response to last night's show and am linking it to the Simon Says Stamp Monday blog challenge where the theme is "anything goes."

The stamp (face) is a LaBlanche, the teacup was cut from a Trader Joe's grocery bag, a hand made stencil was used to embellish, the background is a paper from Idea-ology, and the color scheme was influenced by design team member Tracy Evans' recycled packaging design.

January 09, 2014

Ice Ice Baby

The Wednesday blog challenge at Simon Says Stamp is "ice inspiration."

So I made this tag.

The ice cube faces were stamped (Hampton Art, Paris Moments) as well as the table top (Inkadinkado, News Print) and the rest was drawn by hand using a permanent fine-tipped marker.

For color, I used Dusty Concord, Faded Jeans, Spun Sugar, Vintage Photo, and Black Soot Distress inks.

The bubbles were made with the Simon Says Stamp Falling Snow stencil.

Cocktails anyone?

January 07, 2014

Color Blind


Inspired by the Monday blog challenge at Simon Says Stamp where the theme is "blue," I have created a manila tag covered with watercolor canvas, stamped (PaperArtsy) with archival ink, tinted with watercolors and distress inks, and finished with a stencil using a light touch of off-white acrylic paint. Tinting the bottles was inspired by design team member Dan and his monochrome approach to this week's challenge. Thanks Dan!

January 06, 2014

New Leaf Day

I did this journal page a few years back to motivate me to change some bad behaviors. It says, "New Leaf Day."

(turn over a new leaf kind of day)

And I did.


This time, to tie-in with the Wednesday blog challenge over at Simon Says Stamp, I've created a couple of tags that are "new" in many ways:


New because I just made them (duh)

This is Magellan, made with a new background stamp

(I won the $50 draw a few weeks back--thanks SSS!)

It portrays an explorer of the New World

I used new paper tape for the sails (thanks again, SSS)

It will end up on a new blog where I post only tags

and

then

there's


Mercury (image courtesy of Hendrick Goltzius)

Made with a new background stamp (thanks again, guess who?)

And also a new SSS Falling Snow stencil ($50 goes a long way)

And it symbolizes my new, stronger resolve to create simply for the joy of it.

There are no rules.

Period.

Happy New Year everyone!

January 03, 2014

Take Time

I made this to commemorate the first Tim Holtz tag of 2014, where he reminds us to take time to do something creative.

While I lack all the nifty die-cutting equipment and assorted goodies, I did receive a collection of miniature Tim Holtz stamps for Christmas that I was happy to use on this tag.

The background is from the French Industrial Paper Stash that I enhanced with Distress inks, a bit of colored pencil, and rub-on text.

Taking time to create is how I escape from daily stress and all the problems in our world that I feel powerless to fix.

I am so grateful to have this time and wish it for all those who seek it.