Monday, August 2, 2010

The Compendium of Curiosities Challenge - Week Eight


Week 8 already....this week we're back to basics, and it's all about inking grunge.  For details and to hear about the great prize this week, click on the link above to be taken to Linda's blog.
So, what I was thinking was, since this is a technique I've used a gazillion times, probably every time I reach for distress inks (which would be just about every day), I really ought to do something a little different to make it a real challenge.
So, this is what I came up with:
It's a 6x6" piece of black bookboard covered with some paper from Tim's Retro Grunge stack.  When I look at it, for some reason I keep thinking, if this were a page in a child's reader, it would be called "fun with steampunk."  Hey, I don't know where these thoughts come from.
Anyway.....the inking of the grunge in this piece is all on the gears which I cut from grungeboard with Tim's Gadget Gears die.  I think I used aged mahogany, vintage photo, and rusty hinge.  If you look closely, you might see the splatter stamp and another kind of ink blot stamp, the name of which escapes me.
I thought the fellow with the birdcage hat was appropriately steampunky, and he's from the Pen and Pencil set.
Behind the gears are some hot air balloons, from a stamp of unknown origin.  I bought it years ago on ebay and even the seller didn't know who made it.
In the lower left hand corner, the stamp says "art saves."  Can you guess why I wanted that one?  LOL.  I have to thank my friend Nancy for turning me onto that.  It's from a set of clear stamps, each done by a different artist (yep, the one I chose is Tim's!), and each saying "art saves."  Which, it certainly does.

37 comments:

Mary-Beth said...

Fabulous Eileen!!!

Tammy D said...

Very fun page.

Netty said...

Terrific, Annette x

Vic said...

I love the steampunk-ness of it!!

Hels Sheridan said...

Fabby card, loving that fella with his fancy hat :O))

Tracy Evans said...

Love your steampunk theme, and the man with a cage for a hat is COOL, love him. The cogs work beautifully with this theme and this weeks technique. Great piece of work. Tracy x

Anonymous said...

LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!Loved reading about it too!!!

Nancy said...

Very cool!!!
I have the "Art Saves" set, too - really like how you used Tim's here.

Kerry said...

Love it Eileen! I especially love how you tell us the how and why of the page! Thanks for taking us on the journey with you.

Sherry said...

What a brilliant steampunk piece! That stamp is so right for you too!!

Linda Ledbetter said...

Eileen, this is absolute steampunk perfection! You made that grungeboard SING! Love the gears and the great use of those texture stamps, and the "Birdcage Man" with his arrow hat is darling! You have indeed inked grunge like the master you are, and I love, LOVE this work of art!

Oh, and I love the "Art Saves" stamp. You're so right. It does.

SusanK said...

I can almost hear those gears turning! Really cool effect!

Helen said...

Just love this, Eileen. You are always so quick off the mark with your challenge.

Angie Hall Haviland said...

ABSOLUTELY FUN with SteamPunk, Eileen!! Love this piece!

MarleneMAZ said...

Fast and fabulous as usual!

Nancy Lynn said...

Your piece is really nice. Gears are one of my favorite Tim things. I loved how you used the Art Saves stamp too. When I saw that I just knew you would love that set.

lena-dailyscrap said...

Great work! I simply adore those gears and -yes, I think that steampunk is a right description too...

inge said...

Hello Eileen,

nice steampunk work !
I like the inked gears a lot with stamps you used on top of the distress inks. It makes them look more old.
funny man stamp with strange hat :)

greetings from belgium
INge

Sherry Goodloe said...

I love this piece Eileen. As soon as I looked at it I was reminded of the cruise last October! It looks nautical to me. *sigh* I wish I was on the ship and not at the day job today *bigger sigh*

Lori said...

Oooo, love this! You nailed the steampunk theme head on! Love all the gears, and the stamps you chose are just superb. Love the art saves stamp, is that cool or what? What I really love is the statement at the top of your blog, without art, we are but monkeys with car keys, I laugh every time I read that.

Bearcrazyman said...

Look at you, number 1! LOL
Love it.

Terry said...

Well I am going to have try some steampunk! Love your fabulous piece! Very cool!

Kathy Eddy said...

Another great piece Eileen!

Minxy said...

Quirky and creative 10 outta 10

Shelann said...

Love it. The gears are cool, mine are on order. I'll have to invest in the steampunk guy though since he goes so well with the gears and gadgets!

CuddlyBunny said...

WOW! Love this piece! I want to turn the cogs!

Nan said...

This is so neat..I want to turn the gears ! Great job!

Patzee said...

Great job with your good friends Distress Ink and Grunge. I can see why you use it so often--great effects. It's cool to see the gears turning in the head of a man who wears a birdcage on top of his hat. Only in your wonderful world! Thanks for the steampunkin'!

minnie_mac said...

Love all the stamps you have used with these beautiful grungey cogs.

Marilyn

Diann said...

It looks just like those gears will turn - I kinda fell for the steampunk look this has! Great piece of ART for the C of C...love the use of the grunge gears!
Diann

Art By Wanda said...

Very cool!!! Great job!!!

Barbara Mason said...

This is such a manly man card!!! Love how it all works so well...& amen to Art Saves....

donna said...

This is fantastic and fun and wonderful!

Jean Franks Beck said...

Beautifully done - what a fun and funky piece!

Chris Arlington said...

Love this and how you attached the cogs, great artwork

Jennie -The Artistic Stamper said...

Wow , this is gorgeous :))

toni said...

Eileen... just love your tag... I am a lover of steampunk and this is fab. Also just love your blog name, art truly saved my life and still does every day.... ;)