My latest rescue dogs

A more personal post to explain my absence. In my spare time I rescue dogs, primarily German Shepherds, and this is my busy season for dog rescue because I feel so alive and I am able to give more of myself to the rescue effort.  

Jazzy 1.7 yo GSD

I do have many more projects to share, and I still intend to explore more on rusting techniques when I am able to get back to that rather messy obsession. For now I am getting this very new mom used to motherhood. Jazzy and Kye were both surrendered as a bonded pair, and to our surprise, they were a full family soon after they arrived. We are feeling very blessed, but there is so much work to be done as Jazzy and Kye were on the Rescue Only list, therefore deemed unadoptable for 5 long weeks. For now, I can only sneak in a few minutes here and there to do some creative work. 

I have introduced Kye and Leo into my pack. I am waiting to see if Jazzy can be parted from Kye, or if I'm keeping them both or surrendering them both to the same home. Whatever happens, they will get the best life R.A.I.N. Rescue can find for them. We call it the "Jack Pot".

Kye 1.7 yo GSD

Leo 2 yo Mini Pincher

Up next... I am releasing a new line in my Etsy store. It is scrapbooking quick pages concept, which I am calling Print and Place. I am gathering my details and I will be sharing that very soon! 

Steampunk Tissue Box

One thing I can not get enough of is embellished home decor. The simple side of me suggests that the tissue box is decorated all nice and pretty from the manufacturer, and when you're done, you recycle the box. 

But I need these sturdy pieces scattered around my house so I can remember to do the things I love to do. And that would be cut paper, paint, and distress! I have spent a good chunk of my life trying to make something really cheap look really authentic. 

This is a wood tissue box from Craft Warehouse in Vancouver, WA. This is my favorite wood tissue box from all the stores I shop at. It has the open bottom and it's heavy and loose around the tissue box.

The majority of the die cuts I used are reclaimed chipboard sheets from a manufacturing department, but I found a way to make them look like real weathered metal items. 

I will eventually get to a place where I can show you step by step how I create all the layers, but for now, please enjoy the finished projects while I make sense of some "behind the scenes" photo's I have taken for that purpose. 

Supplies: I bought pretty much all of my dies and embellies from Joann's. They have amazing sales on scrapbooking supplies and tools, you get the best deals. But you have to get it on sale, because sometimes, and especially with the dies, they mark them up so the discount seems bigger. The 40% sale is my rule.

joann.com

Tim Holtz - Weathered Clock

Tim Holtz - Gadget Gears

Tim Holtz - Clock Face

Tim Holtz - Metal Box Corners

Tim Holtz Idea-Ology - Sprocket Gears

modernmasters.com

Modern Masters - Reactive Metallic Paints

Vintage Trunk

 I was especially proud of this project. It is a rather large trunk that I bought at the Craft Warehouse in Vancouver, WA. It was on sale, but still a pretty penny. I thought this wooden box would take a lot longer to complete, but I actually finished it in a day.

I painted the box frame with Modern Masters, to create this great rust effect. I used paper from a steampunk theme cardstock pack from the Hobby Lobby, and used the Cricut to cut out his monogram for the top, which I wanted to fit into the white space. 

The front is a stencil that I made with my Cricut (Indie Art, I believe) and stencil sheets from the Hobby Lobby. I rubber stamped his birthday in the crest just to make it personal. 

The inside is from the same paper stack, and really not that hard to cut it to size. This is another one of those stack-able projects. Some things need to be simple, so they are not just clutter and dust collectors. Keep it simple and it will last forever.