TPC Goodness : )

Hi Ladies – Ngaire back again to share the fruit of my latest spoils from my2angels.

Tracy has listed some wonderful things in the store lately and I’ve had a lovely time playing with bits and pieces over the last week or so. I really like the vintage/shabby ranges that TPC Studio put out and their new Grandma’s Attic range certainly does not disappoint. The colours are gorgeous – a yummy rich chocolate, cream, sage green, powder-blue and pink – all in a faded out sort of look. The pink is a little hard to match with other things though (my only criticism) – sort of a peach/coral pink rather than a true pink.

The range was perfect for a photo of Madame I have been hanging onto for a while, waiting for the right range to scrap it with.

 I’ve used one of my new Martha Stewart punches on the base paper (Embroidery) for the layout. The design fits in well with the vintage patterns on the paper I think. Over this I put a trimmed down Antique lace, which I ripped out sections of to show the fleur-de-lys pattern on the paper below. I’ve inked the edges with some Java Brown Versamagic ink to keep the original border frame of the paper. The idea for ripping the sections out happened because I wanted to cut out the fan shape from the top paper and I really liked the way the underlying pattern was revealed. A happy accident more so than deliberate design, but hey – it works.

Along some of the ripped edges I put pieces of lace which I coloured with Hot Chocolate Chalk Glimmermist – less shimmery than the original Glimmermist, it was the perfect shabby, but rich, brown to go with the patterned paper. The darker tones on the alphas in the title come from overlaying a coat of the Hot Chocolate over some Java Brown. To get the textured shimmer I added some  Walnut stain Distress Stickles. Love that affect – it looks like there is crushed glass over the alphas. I wiped the edge of the brush that I used for the Stickles over the star flower you can see – which gives you a better idea of what the Distress Stickles actually looks like.

The stamp is one of my Tim Holtz sets (Regal Flourish) which I have printed (using my colour printer) onto a transparency sheet. No idea (as usual) on the dress form – possibly Twiddleybitz or maybe Dusty Attic. The pearls and rose are some oddments I got as a gift with a purchase at some point – they were sitting on my desk, so they got used. The leaves are definitely Scrapware though – their very useful large Foliage chipboard ones. The alphas of course are theirs too – Antique lower case mini – I think I have bought out all Tracy’s stock (again) at the moment, but she promises there are more coming soon.

More of Tracy’s Stemmed Star flowers. These were white, but they got a smear of Versacolor and then a spray of Iridescent Gold Glimmermist. I know they do still seem to come up white in the photos – but they aren’t in real life. I smooshed up some tulle (the Hot Chocolate again) to make a flowery thing – and over that put one of Tracy’s new pink resin Cameo pieces. These are just gorgeous. I used a bronze frame to place it in (Tracy has some lovely silver ones that are similar and would work too) which set it off nicely. There is also a Chocolate Resin Cabochon Flower. These are so yummy – I am so glad Tracy let me nag her into getting them – they look so cool. The white ones can be coloured with inks as well – so they are very versatile.

This is my favourite part of the Antique Lace patterned paper – this gorgeous little fan. Just too cute!! I cut it out and then punched an eyelet through the bottom to make it look a little more like the real thing. Through the eyelet I threaded some of Tracy’s Black Iron Chain to mimic the chain fan holders I have seen on some of my Nan’s old fans. A bit of lace along the top also helps to ‘pretty it up’ like the real thing.

The stamped flourish is from the same Tim Holtz set mentioned earlier. Just in front of it is one of Tracy’s gorgeous little Love pins. This is the cream one and it looks like she made it just for me to use on this layout.

I used one of the Bronze LOVE charms on my journalling tag, along with some Cream Organza ribbon and another star flower. I left some of the ribbon cream and coloured another bit with Hot Chocolate to add a little contrast. The stamps are more from the same Tim Holtz set and the key is just an oddment from my stash. I’ve taken to mostly printing out my tag journalling onto acetate and then gluing it down on the tag. It means that I can do whatever I want to the tag surface (some inks – chalk ink in particular – will not let you write on it easily) and still get my journalling on it.

Do check out the store and get some of this lovely range from Tracy for yourself. Not many stores (sadly) stock TPC Studio and when people find out who does, they tend to buy the ranges out quick – so get in before they do.

Have a great weekend!!