Eroded Metallic Altered Box

Hey CC3C artists!  I have been WAITING for this challenge.  I absolutely love this technique and I know you will, too.  There is real artistry here, a technique you can just play and play with, figuring out your timing for the steps, the amounts and methods for applying your medium, and where you are placing your effects.  So much fun!!

Turn to page 44 of Compendium of Curiosities Volume III to learn the Eroded Metallic technique.  You probably already have what you need to do it right in your studio!

As per the guidelines for our challenges, I won't give you any of the details of the technique here, but I will give you tips that helped me as I prepared the project for this challenge.  Tip #1:  There is a learning curve.  Determine to have fun with this and just play!  I knew I'd be creating an altered box, but I got myself a stack of manila tags and practiced the technique till I was comfortable with it.  I've got a bunch of tags ready to go for a future project, as well.

Am I the only one who has trouble throwing away the FABULOUS boxes that iPhones come in?  I went through my "Ready to Alter" stash and grabbed this for my project.

I cut black card stock to fit my box top.  The box measurements were kind of weird (6 15/16 long????) so I had to play with it a bit to cut a template that fit.

Ta da!  Eroded Metal.  I used Cracked Pistachio, Broken China, Faded Jeans, and Tarnished Brass Distress Paints.  Tip #2:  After working the technique, I rubbed some of the "undercooked" areas with a paper towel and got just a bit more erosion.  That may or may not help, depending on the result you have after you have done the technique yourself.  

Score tape around the edges of my iPhone box, ready to apply my Eroded Metallic cut out template.

I prepared some copper tape with Distress Paints and a little Pitch Black alcohol ink and Blending Solution. for the corners and unfinished edges of the Eroded Metallic template.

I think I went slightly crazy using Distress Paints and alcohol ink together.  Love it on these metal surfaces (copper tape and the metal corners).  Very interesting colors and texture combinations.

Here I'm working with the layout of the embellishments for the top of the box.  I've used some vintage ephemera I bought from my sweet friend, Lisa Pace.  Love her beautiful art!!  The collection she sent me included these vintage doilies and this gorgeous miniature silver spoon from Italy.  I don't know how she could bear to part with it.  Its laid on my desk for the longest time, waiting to be included in a mixed media piece.  It was a joy to add it to this one, giving it meaning.

The little Heirloom Roses are so pretty.  Here's a video from CHA 2015 with Tim showing a lot of the new Ideology releases and a demo coloring these little resin roses.

So there it is.  All you need to know to enter and win CC3C challenges is here on Linda Ledbetter's blog.  Be sure to:

• work from your very own copy Tim's book
• leave some love on each of the Curiosity Crew blogs
• link back to the sponsor for the current challenge.

Speaking of our sponsor, this time its our good friends at Inspiration Emporium.  They've got a truly generous $50 gift certificate for a random winner!  Our Curiosity Crew choice wins a super special prize from Tim Holtz himself, and his Logistics Director, Mario Rossi.  

You've got two full weeks to create and enter and the Crew will be watching eagerly for all your creative entries!!