Ta Da - THE Grunge Book!

Well folks, this one was a challenge but in the end it was totally worth it!

The Challenge: A tag book in the theme of Grunge using 6 large tags for my yahoo group Art For The Creative Mind.

Having been a teenager in Southern California in the 80's, grunge is something I am familiar with. It wasn't my scene but there was plenty of it around me. I somewhat have an understanding of the culture and what the people who lived and breathed it were about. So this challenge was exciting and a sort of adventure into the world of grunge.

The Result: A book that pays homage to a culture and a time that has passed and hopefully brings in the end teaches us something.

I love this book...in fact, I don't want to give it up but alas it was created for a swap. So in an effort to preserve it for my memory and my desire to pass on all the techniques I learned I am sharing it with you here. Each day I will highlight a page, give you a supplies list, and instructions. Enjoy!

How it all began...

Front Cover

Supplies:

Tim Holtz Grunge Board "Elements" - hinges, keyhole, frame

Mini antiqued brads

Screw Brads

Rusty Key

Maple Business Card

Center back piece from suspenders

Chain, jump rings

Stamp Pads - Brown, Weathered Wood

Embossing powders - Clear, Gold

Distress Crackle Paint - Black

Alcohol Ink - Copper

Newspaper - assorted letters

Heavy gel medium

What to do:

 Rub entire face of tag with Weathered Wood stamp pad, sprinkle clear embossing powder over entire tag, flick the back to remove some of the powder, emboss, and let cool. Using a brown stamp pad rub over entire surface making sure to get the edges and all the areas where there is no embossing. Wipe off any excess with a paper towel. 

Using brown stamp pad, stamp entire surface of hinges and keyhole, sprinkle with gold embossing powder, and heat. Use a marker to color any edges that are uncovered.

Take the maple business card and rub it with a brown stamp pad, just enough to bring out the wood grain. Then randomly paint black crackle paint over the surface making sure to leave exposed wood. Use a heat gun to dry, this really makes the cracks deep and worn looking.

Paint frame with black crackle paint and heat to dry. Cut different letters out of the newspaper to create the word "Grunge" and paste into the frame.

Attach hinges, keyhole and frame with brads. Then use copper alcohol ink on a q-tip to rust them up a bit.

Next sand the suspender piece, or whatever you may have that will hold a key, and touch up with copper alcohol ink on the edges. Attach to with heavy gel medium.

Check back tomorrow for more.....