Challenge: February Color Challenge

I've been buying Lindy's Stamp Gang products since the days they were called Moon Shadow and other such names, but am embarrassed to admit that I have never actually used any of my now large stash of sprays and powders. Part of it is that, until recently, I have not been a real fan of sprays, as I seem to have no real control over them, and being the obsessive neatnik crafter that I am, that was a put-off. However, I have come to learn to embrace the lack of control of sprays by taking Tim Holtz's Creative Chemistry classes and by participating in a number of challenges beginning in late 2014.

Part of my reluctance also is because the sprays need to be "activated" and I never got around to that. All of my sprays were, until today, still in powder form! 

I have been fascinated for the past three years or so by the Lindy's color challenges, but I never had the right color spectrum of Lindy's product to meet the specifications and was unwilling to put out for the monthly kit tailored to the challenge being issued.  Another excuse, right?

​Here is the inspiration photo and color palette for the February 2017 Color Challenge:

Naturally, again, I didn't have any product that fit the palette. But  I loved the colors.So...  I caved and bought the mega kit for the Lindy's February 2017 Color Challenge! 

Now to set about using my new sprays and embossing powders.

First I selected some Dusty Attic die cut chipboard peacock feathers, inked them with Versamark and embossed them with the kit's embossing powders:  “Hibiscus Rose Orange”,  “Cookoo Clock Cardinal”, “Terra Cotta Rust” and  “Midnight Bronze Obsidian”. 

I also tried using the white powder in the set but it didn't really take to the chipboard so I'm not counting it here.

Next up was a base for the feathers. I had just received some of Tim Holtz's new heavy card tags and decided one of them was the perfect size for the feathers. I gessoed the tag and then applied texture paste through a layering stencil. When thoroughly dry, I sprayed the tag with Starburst Sprays “Frozen Jack Frost”  (which doesn't really show up except as a faint sparkle in the white areas), “Saltwater Taffy”  (which faded out somewhat under the next spray) and  “Dark Chocolate Truffle” (I really like the bronze effects around the edges of the texture paste that this spray caused but it doesn't really show in this photo). 

I pulled a word stamp from my stash and stamped it randomly (and upside down in some places by mistake!) over the tag using Versamark. I then heat embossed it using the "Cookoo Clock Cardinal" EP. 

Using a blending tool and Distress Inks, I "distressed" the edges of the tag:

Time for assembly. I knew where I wanted the feathers but was unsure of other embellishments so I did a lot of dry-fitting. My final layout evolved by placing the feathers, then adding pearls to the feathers, and finally adding flowers and pearls around the feathers......

After adding an organza bow to the top, the tag was finished:

Products used in the creation of this tag were:

• Stamps: Hero Arts “Four Bold Messages” (CL226)
• Inks: Lindy’s Starburst Sprays “Frozen Jack Frost”, “Saltwater Taffy” and “Dark Chocolate Truffle”, Distress Inks “Black Soot" and "Hickory Smoke”; Versamark
• Stencils: Stampers Anonymous  Layering Stencil “Splatter” (THS009)
• Embossing Powders: Lindy’s “Hibiscus Rose Orange”, “Cookoo Clock Cardinal”, “Terra Cotta Rust” and “Midnight Bronze Obsidian” 
• Die cuts: Dusty Attic “Peacock Feathers” (DA0568)
• Embellishments: Making Memories Sticker Gems “Tie The Knot” (36849); Hero Arts 3mm Pearls (CH136); Petaloo Botanica Minis XII "coral" (1101005) and "red" (1101105); Best Value (Joann’s) Organdy Ribbon "red"
• Media: Dina Wakely Media “White Gesso” (MDM41689); Ranger Texture Paste
• Substrate: Stampers Anonymous Etcetera “Small Tag” (THEC003)
• Adhesives: Ranger Multi Medium Matte