Showing posts with label Distress Spray Stain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Distress Spray Stain. Show all posts


A peace-hand sign always makes me think of the 60s with the decade’s bell bottom jeans, long hair and tie dye clothing. I decided to attempt a tie dye background for the Simon Says Stamp Still Here stamp set*, part of October’s Sending Cheer release.


I experimented with several techniques to get a tie dye look. Using just the edges of a rainbow of Distress Ink cubes, I made concentric rectangles on a 4.5 x 6.25” (that’s A6 size) piece of Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor paper. I added water to the very center and hoped it would give a tie dye look as the water spread. It almost worked, but left a distinctly rectangle shape of ink swipes on the paper. I abandoned that one and then just tried to use my Distress Ink Sprays on wet watercolor paper. I used Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry, Abandoned Coral, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, and a very small amount of Shabby Shutters (barely visible). That worked better, but I still lacked the concentric circles I was looking for. I took this panel and simply added big concentric circles with a paintbrush dipped in clean water. That got closer to what I wanted, and I stopped there to dry the panel and flatten it under some books for a little while.


Next, I stamped the peace-hand sign in black VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink in the middle of the panel. I did the same with the 2 sentiments. I die cut this with one die from the Spellbinders Essential Modern Ovals die set. I cut a larger oval from Taylored Expressions Lollipop Cardstock.






I really wanted a sunburst in the background of my oval, but I ran into a problem (and found a workaround). I had a great 6x6” Sunburst Stencil from Waffle Flower but it didn’t cover an A6 panel. I ink blended with Altenew’s Maple Yellow ink from the center outwards with a large blending brush. On the left and right, I could go to the edge of the paper before I ran into the edge of the stencil. However, on the top and bottom, I had to make sure I didn’t touch the frame edge of the stencil with my blending brush. I removed the stencil and then extended the sunburst ray edges with Post It tape and kept blending to the edge of my paper. It worked great. (See photos for details)





I trimmed about 1/8” from each side of my yellow sunburst panel and used foam adhesive to mat it on an A6 piece of black cardstock. Next I glued on my oval. I added just a couple gems in the center of the largest flowers for a bit of sparkle.


If you shop from the highlighted product links above, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. It is much appreciated and helps fund my crafting. Also, any item first marked with an asterisk * was provided by an online store. Otherwise, I bought my supplies. 



About a year ago, I discovered this utterly adorable artwork by the one and only Stamperia at Simple Pleasures in Colorado Springs (y’all, this IS the mothership of papercrafting and they ship). I bought the chipboard pieces, several 12 x 12 pieces of the darling paper, and had no idea what I’d do with them. About a month later we learned we’d be grandparents for the first time. I had an idea. I bought more of the Hidden Grove paper line from Simon Says Stamp. The grandbaby showed up early so I put the pedal to the metal in late January and made these three mixed media hoops.




Except for the moon on the largest hoop (which was made with Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Spray, Scattered Straw Distress Spray and Pumice Stone Distress Ink together with his Moon Mask), everything you see is part of the Hidden Grove line from Stamperia. If you’re not familiar with this company, all their artwork is divine. Be prepared to fall in love.




Each hoop has a few pieces of chipboard embellishments on it, especially on the edge of the hoop. And there are a few pieces of the Hidden Grove chipboard in the backgrounds. However, the majority of the images were fussy cut using my favorite detail scissors from We R Memory Keepers. I used similar or identical paper to the background, and once it was cut, I inked all the edges just a tiny bit with Frayed Burlap Distress Ink. Next, I backed each of the pieces with a chipboard harvested from old mailers, notepads, etc. I simply traced around my fussy cut pieces and then cut the cardboard out inside the trace line by about 4mm, to ensure it was smaller than my artwork and wouldn’t show. It wasn’t pretty looking but it made the pieces sturdy. Then, I raised the cut pieces up from the Hidden Grove paper background with a LOT of craft foam. I ended up using a combination of 2mm fun foam and 4mm fun foam from the hobby store. I used Bearly Arts glue for everything on this project. It’s my favorite liquid glue.





The hoops themselves came from Goodwill (the largest one) and Amazon (the 2 smaller ones). I bought a $0.69 bottle of walnut colored stain from the same hobby store along with some cheap foam brushes. It took no time at all to stain the hoops (separated inside from outside hoop) and have them dry.


The very back of the hoops is more chipboard, which I covered with solid cardstock to make it look better from behind. The ribbon I got from the Etsy seller named Delainenoe.


This was a labor of love and now hangs in the little guy’s nursery using Command Adhesive Velcro Strips.


Affiliate links are used in this post at no cost to you. This means I may receive a small commission when you click through and shop using the links I provide. This helps support me in creating and posting my crafts. Items marked with an asterisk * at first mention were provided by a store or manufacturer. Otherwise, all items were purchased by me. I do not get paid to promote any products.


SUPPLY LIST




I recently got several packages of Tim Holtz’s Palette Paper Collection. It is absolutely dreamy. I’m so glad I got the Orange Tim Holtz 8x8 Palette Paper Collection, because it made the most ideal carrots. I used the Tim Holtz Abstract Elements die set to cut out 3 different sizes of carrots and then I edged them with Rusty Hinge Distress Ink to really make the orange pop. I used one die from Trinity Stamps Wildflower Clippings die set to create the carrot tops, cut from watercolor paper sprayed with Peeled Paint Distress Spray Stain.


I created Mr. McGregor’s Garden by taking Canson XL watercolor paper and dipping and drying it in a series of inks and sprays: Vintage Photo and Ground Espresso inkpads along with Frayed Burlap and Walnut Stain Spray Stains. I made dirt! I die cut this one large piece using the Lawn Fawn Puffy Clouds Border dies and a die from the retired Mama Elephant Slim Window Dressings Die Set. It was a bit of a trick getting the carrots glued just where I wanted them and then gluing the levels of dirt all together. I’m sure I did it the hard way.



I computer printed the “Mr. McGregor’s Garden” text onto Stampin’ Up! Crumb Cake paper and then cut it out (along with some green cardstock) using the sign dies out of the Tim Holtz Road Trip die set.

I made a tiny sentiment from the old Colorado Craft Company Bunnies and Robin stamp set.

I used a homemade cloud stencil along with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink to inkblend clouds in the sky.

I adhered the entire garden scene with foam tape on top of the cloud background. I was happy with how my garden grew. ;-) I am entering this in the Pick Three Challenge using text, slimline, and die cuts.

Affiliate links are used in this post at no cost to you. This means I may receive a small commission when you click through and shop using the links I provide. This helps support me in creating and posting my crafts. Items marked with an asterisk * at first mention were provided by a store or manufacturer. Otherwise, all items were purchased by me. I do not get paid to promote any products.


Mixed Media is a marathon. A card idea can come together and get produced relatively fast most of the time, but a big mixed media project takes time. The Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge to use a bit of green sent me off in every direction. This giant tag is 6 1/4" x 9 1/4". I started with Tim Holtz Backdrops Vol 5 and chose an "Old Paper" piece. I cut it to a tab shape and matted it on black cardstock.  Instead of using actual stitching around the edge, I used a very old 49 & Market stamp set called Gabi's Line Stitching and stamped my stitching around the edge. Using Tim Holtz Blossom Stencil and his Opaque Crackle Paste I stenciled onto the paper. To knock down some of the brightness of the crackle paste, I dabbed on Old Paper Distress Ink. 




I rarely use my alcohol inks because I am usually not happy with my results, but this time I just wanted green. I used Ranger Alcohol Ink in Moss along with a little bit of Chronicle on a piece of Duralar paper to just get a mass of green. I die cut this with Tim Holtz Nested Hexagons dies and made a lot of hexagons and hexagon frames. I glued those down, some with foam adhesive. I splattered the tag with Distress Paint in Picket Fence. I took Tattered Rose Distress Spray Stain and Antique Linen Spray Stain and made a mass of an orange-y coral color on Canson XL watercolor paper. I cut 2 of the Tim Holtz Scribbly Butterflies from this and glued them together at the center. 




Next, I fussy cut these 2 amazing flowers from another sheet from the backdrops. That took time. Since the big flower was so fragile, I glued it to a piece of heavyweight vellum that I had already heat embossed with Peeled Paint Distress Embossing Glaze and Tim Holtz Floral Outlines stamp set (my favorite TH stamp set). I glued the small flower directly onto 2 hexagons. Since I wanted to lighten up the area behind my big flower, I put some thread along with a strip of Tim Holtz Mummy Cloth beneath it. I adhered the flower and vellum with carefully hidden foam adhesive. 


Finally, I inked and matted 2 phrases from Tim Holtz Idea-ology Clippings Sticker Book onto black cardstock and adhered them with foam adhesive. I tied some beautiful green Vivant ribbon around the hole I punched at the top. 


I am entering this into the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and the Make My Monday Challenge and the Inspiration Station Challenge.


Affiliate links are used in this post at no cost to you. This means I may receive a small commission when you click through and shop using the links I provide. This helps support me in creating and posting my crafts. Items marked with an asterisk (*) at first mention, were provided by a store or manufacturer. Otherwise, all items were purchased by me. I do not get paid to promote any products.


Here with another slimline card. This one has all sorts of ingredients in it. I'll go front to back. First up is a leaf created with the Tim Holtz Leaf Fragments die set (awesome set). I cut it from watercolor paper and used first some Uncharted Mariner Distress Spray Stain, then added Winter Frost Distress Mica Spray on top. The three-layer piece beneath the leaf is tied up with some linen thread from Stampin' Up! The layers consist of a piece of orange Core'dinations cardstock that has been dry embossed with a Fun Stampers Journey embossing folder called Wind and Water. Underneath that is a scrap of Stamperia paper from the Cosmos paper pad. Beneath that is a piece of Tim Holtz's Black Kraft Heavystock that was embossed with the Fun Stampers Journey embossing folder called Diamond Netting. I sanded this one a little to bring the kraft part out. 



And speaking of kraft. These pieces all sit on top of a piece of Stampin' Up! Crumb Cake stamped with my favorite Tim Holtz Stamp set called Floral Outlines in black ink. The card base is (I think) Stampin' Up! Dapper Denim. I used some Tim Holtz Distress Black Soot paint to splatter on the card. I enjoyed using this many layers. Thanks for looking. Happy 20th anniversary to Distress inks! #sss20yearsofdistress


Whew! January was a wild ride. Briefly, my daughter got married January 26 and I was the wedding planner. It wasn't an easy job, but everything went off without a hitch. 

On to Valentine's Day! I love making Valentine cards because I love the color schemes that include plenty of pinks, reds and purples with lots of white thrown in. 



I've made 15 different cards with Simon Says Stamp's Outline Love wafer die set and the Heart to Heart Background cling stamp. This combo is so much fun. I love all the different combinations of die cut inlay you can do with the die. I also put my Sizzix Sticky Grid paper to the test by cutting out the word LOVE and one of the dies from the Paper Rose Stitched Rectangles set all at the same time.




 

First I heat embossed the background stamp with Brutus Monroe's excellent Alabaster embossing powder. Then, I used the dip and dry technique with a combination of Tim Holtz's Spray Stains and his Mica Sprays for most of my backgrounds. I used SO many and had a blast. That Mica Spray really gives a pop of glimmer where you need it. 




The You die is also from Simon Says Stamp. My embellishments are from my stash. And the cute Valentine cookie cutters are from my friend, Kristen. 



Who needs handmade cards? Well, most of us have a use for some all year long. But - and I'll admit to being a full 3 years late to the party - there is an on-going drive for handmade cards put on by Scrapbook.com. The program is called Cards For Kindness. You send them handmade cards with matching envelopes and they send these cards to nursing homes, hospitals, organizations that help kids, etc. They have an ever changing set of needed cards, so it is very important to follow their guidelines and quantities (no less than 10 cards in a package), and fill out the submission form, when you mail them cards. I recently sent them 15 cards including this one. I found this fantastic stamp set, called Good Feelings, in the Stampin' Up! catalog and realized how ideal it was for many of their on-going needs. Not to mention, these giant sentiments are in beautiful fonts and take up plenty of real estate on a card front. 




You might notice I have some delicate patterned paper on this card. I could give you 100 guesses and I doubt you'd guess it was the backside of a bridal shower invitation for my youngest daughter, Lila. The hostess had a stack of extra invites and gave them to me. One I'll keep for a scrapbook, but just when I was about to toss the rest into recycling I noticed the backside. 

The die cuts are all from some Tim Holtz Sizzix Sets. Some use solid Stampin' Up! paper and the others are colored with Distress Spray Stains. All the ingredients for this card are below. Can't wait to try out these fun sentiments in lots of different ink colors.

Stamp: Good Feelings stamp set, Stampn' Up!
CS: Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke, Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler, Soft Sable, Pear Pizzaz
Dies: Stitched Rectangles by Paper Rose, Tim Holtz Sizzix Funky Foliage, TH Sizzix Garden Greens
Distress Spray Stains: Victorian Velvet, Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap


When does a Tim Holtz Moon Mask not make a moon? When you use it to make the Earth! 

This one was a doozy of a make. I had an idea and I ran with it -- but it was a marathon. I'll describe all the layers from bottom up, okay? The bottom layer is a piece of Bazzill cardstock in a taupe brown. With the exception of a little foam tape, I used my trusty Bearly Arts glue on every layer and flower. The next layer was a scrap from the Tim Holtz Paper Stash Wallflowers 12x12 paper pad. 



Ideaology no longer makes these but you can still find them online. I cut the piece into a tag shape by simply snipping the corners of a long rectangular piece. I inked the edges with Frayed Burlap Distress Ink, splattered some Frayed Burlap Distress Spray Stain on, then stitched with a dark brown thread around the edge. I made some tiny rips on the edges to add to the aged look. Next, I stamped the Don't Forget and the April 22 with a Point Planners roller stamp by American Crafts. Finally, I went back to stitch on the Ideaology tag.




The Earth was created with watercolor paper and the large and medium Tim Holtz Moon Masks by Stamper's Anonymous. I dusted my paper with anti-static powder, then smashed a Versamark embossing ink pad through the largest moon mask onto the watercolor paper. I applied  Peeled Paint Distress Embossing Glaze and heat set it. Next, I masked off a portion of the medium moon mask so that I wouldn't catch any edges, just the blobs. I positioned it where I wanted it and did the same technique with the Versamark and the embossing glaze. I used my dear old Coluzzle cutting tool to cut a circle around the green blobs. 

Now that I had my Earths with the green continents, I needed oceans. I started by using the Distress Ink pads in Tumbled Glass and Broken China. I smooshed then onto a silicone mat, spritzed with water, then dipped and dried my circle. Next, I did the same technique with a liberal amount of Mermaid Lagoon Ink. Finally, I did the same technique, very sparingly, with Uncharted Mariner. I was happy with the results. I decided to ink the edges with a medium gray ink (not Ranger) to make one side of the Earth look like it had more shadow and was turning toward the sun. I ended up making three of these images - the first 2 I used to experiment with splattering and inking. The third Earth was what I chose to use.

I had the idea of making it appear like trees and flowers were popping up from the Earth's surface. I started by making a LOT of ink backgrounds in a variety of vivid Distress colors including Salvaged Patina, Fossilized Amber, Seedless Preserves, Faded Lipstick, Shabby Shutters, and Spiced Marmalade. My largest piece was using Peeled Paint as it is my go to color for greenery. I used Funky Foliage (#663087) and Funky Nature dies (#665215) to cut out lots of flowers and foliage. After I'd cut pieces out (I used solid brown cardstock on a few branches and trees), I spritzed the cuts with Frayed Burlap Distress Spray Stain. I took a white circle of cardstock just a fraction smaller than my Earth and glued the foliage along one-third of the diameter. I attached this to the Earth with foam adhesive, and used the same to attach both to the tag.



I added two fluffy clouds and a little red heart, all from the Christmas Cutouts die set (#666064), just above the Earth and behind the greenery. I inked the bottom edge of the clouds with a tiny bit of Lost Shadow Distress Spray Stain.

I cut the LOVE out of red, textured cardstock using the new Bulletin alphabet (#666281) by Sizzix and Tim Holtz. I glued the letters to the outlines in an offset way, then onto the tag. I cut the YOUR twice from turquoise cardstock and stacked it, using the Alphanumeric Thin alphabet set (#662226). I cut PLANET (making me Interplanet Janet #IYKYK) from an olive green cardstock and from tan foam, stacking them, using Alphanumberic Bold (#665205).


Finally, I put a hole in my 11.5" x 5" tag and added a hole reinforcer donut in the same taupe cardstock. I added some hemp rope and then some turquoise hemp twine to finish it all off.

Happy Earth Day on April 22!!


I'm loving both Tim Holtz's new Ideaology Backdrops Volume 5 TH94309 and the Alphanumeric Bulletin dies #666281.


For this make, I wanted to do a typographic approach to an Easter make, and the rainbow in the new Ideaology papers made it so much fun to choose decorated pastel pages to cut from. I started with a beautiful dark green floral piece from Backdrops Vol. 5 as my base. I inked the edges with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink. Next, I found this fantastic monochrome catalog cover on a sheet of 12x12 paper in my Wallflower Tim Holtz Paper Stash pad. That was my real jumping off point. I distressed the edges with the Tonic Paper Distresser tool. I wanted more "age," so I daubed some brown distress ink (Ground Espresso I think) through the Tim Holtz Speckles stencil on the corners.

Next, I sorted through the new Ideaology Backdrop papers for a range of pastels with some printing on them. There were SO many choices, but I finally made my selection of papers ,and decided precisely where on the papers I wanted to cut from. I used the awesome new Alphanumeric Bulletin dies to cut EASTER. I also used a brown cardstock to cut the letters, but I only used the outlines. I wanted some depth and support for the letters, so I also cut tan foam with the same letters and glued the letter and the outlines onto it.



I liked the idea of a window with flowers outside. For the greenery, I used both Funky Foliage and Garden Greens to cut some watercolor cardstock that was dipped and dried with Peeled Paint and a little Forest Moss Distress Inks and sprays, as well as some Peeled Paint Distress Oxide Spray. I used watercolor paper colored with Victorian Velvet, Tattered Rose and Spun Sugar inks to cut flowers from Funky Foliage. Because I wanted the flower stems to "land" in just the right place, I decided to first glue my dimensional letters onto an Ideaology Baseboards Window Frame. Then, I actually glued all the flowers and most of the greenery to the back of the window. A few pieces of greenery I glued to the catalog cover paper. I used some particularly thick foam tape strategically placed on the back of the window so everything would be very dimensional when it was glued down. I was thrilled that this worked out so well.

I wanted a sentiment after the word Easter, but I still wanted to preserve the lovely picture of the nest on the catalog page. I finally decided to use the rose gold colored paper from the Tim Holtz Kraftstock in Classic Metallics to cut out WISHES using the Sizzix Alphanumeric Bold #665205. I cut out two additional 'wishes' from Ranger's Tim Holtz Kraft Heavystock and stacked the metallic letters on top, again for dimension. I glued these down onto the catalog cover image. I seriously considered stopping here, but I finally decided to add some velvet trim and a bow (from my stash, but it could be Ideaology) below 'wishes.' The finished piece measures 5.25" x 7.75". I'm very happy with how it turned out.

Happy Easter, everyone!

Like many, I am a huge Tim Holtz fan. I wanted to make a TH themed St. Patrick's Day card using just his products, with the four-leaf clover from the Sizzix Lucky Love Impresslit. I am not a natural at mixed media. I have to experiment, think, study Pinterest, and more, to come up with a mixed media piece I really like. I found a wonderful card by a Finnish artist named Riikka Kovasin here that I loved. Her layout and her use of some of the embellishments inspired me most. 


I started with Canson XL watercolor paper (like an entire sheet as I didn't know what I would want to use from it). I used a piece of acetate with a spritz of Antique Linen Distress Spray Stain on it and "rolled" the spray onto the card, creating a long splotch - ideal as I knew I wanted a slimline card. Next, I used a paintbrush to put down some Shabby Shutters and Forest Moss spray stain on top of that. I splattered some ink off the brush tip also. I used my Stampers Anonymous TH Ledger Script stamps (held in my hand, not on a block) with Vintage Photo Archival Ink to stamp some script images around the watercolor. 


I used a foam blender to lightly dab some Shabby Shutters Distress Ink through the TH Bubble stencil. I used Translucent Distress Texture Paste through the Halftone stencil to add a little shine (which really didn't show up well). I even dotted on some Gilded Foundry Wax on the bottom right to give it some golden shine (also hard to photograph).

For my focal point, I knew I wanted to use the Lucky Love clover. I made several clovers using TH shiny gold Kraft stock, brushed gold cardstock, heavystock covered with Mowed Lawn Distress Oxide, and Peeled Paint Distress Oxide, and finally I recycled an old scrap of watercolor paper that used Peeled Paint Distress Ink smooshed on. I edged this one with Gathered Twigs ink. This last one was what landed on top of a stack of three clovers that I glued together.


I used the Tim Holtz Floral Outline CMS430 stamp heat embossed in white detail powder on a piece of heavy vellum. Then, I turned to the TH Sizzix Stacked Tiles Hexagons thinlits to create these little frames made from Tim Holtz Wallflower Paper Stash by Ideaology. I just love hexagons.

My inspiration piece has this wonderful piece of torn heat embossed vellum just below the focal image and I loved it. I broke out my Tim Holtz Floral Outlines stamps from Stampers Anonymous and stamped with embossing ink then used white detail powder to heat emboss. Like in the inspiration photo I cut and tore the vellum and also added twine behind my focal point.

I added the stickers from Tim Holtz Ideaology Metallic Sticker Book. I used Gilded Foundry Wax to recolor the heart from the Adornments pack by Ideaology and placed it in the center of my clovers. Finally, I added the 17 cut from brown cardstock, like the matted piece below, from the new Sizzix Everyday 2023 release Alphanumeric Bulletin Thinlits. I just love how big and delicate these letters and numbers can be.


Whew, I think that covers it.

I am entering this in a few challenges: Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, 
Double Trouble Challenge, (Thing 1 and Thing 2)


 and the 4 Seasons Challenge, 




Poppystamps Basic Junk Journal 14-piece die set is the definition of cute. If you're into junk journaling or adding little labels, corners, pockets, envelopes or folders to cards or scrapbooks, this is an indispensable set to have. 


There were so many fun pieces to work with and I wanted to show off as many as I could. I started by cutting the mini folder from gray double-sided patterned paper. I folded the built-in pocket up and glued it down along the provided tabs. One great thing about this set is the score lines that are on every piece. There's no need to guess at where to fold something. I next cut out a lot of shapes without a real plan. I needed to play.

I wanted to provide some bright contrast to the gray, so I used the Cornelia Variegated Wide washi tape from Memory Box to cover a piece of white cardstock. I cut the largest pocket and one label from this. I kept going and cut out a lot of shapes using both solid cardstock and cardstock colored with Distress Inks and Spray Stains. Check out the tiniest envelope ever made! 



I thought it would be cute (and cute is the key word here) to add butterflies and flowers. Poppystamps has SO many dies to fit that bill. I used the new Teardrop Butterflies die set along with the Layered Pointy Petals dies. To provide a background to the label that I stamped on Stampin' Up!'s Purple Posy cardstock, I took the exact same label cut from the washi-covered cardstock and cut it in half and adhered it so it looked like a bigger label. The stamps are from the Whittle Wild Animal and Life is Sweet stamp sets by Poppystamps.



Then, in true junk journal form, I just played with all my pieces and adhered them down in an arrangement I liked. My Elizabeth Craft Designs tweezers were essential for this project. I even added a tiny paper clip from Tim Holtz to one itty-bitty label I decorated with an itty-bitty flower from the same floral dies. 

Do you use a junk journal?


Today's your lucky day! Even though it's Friday, the 13th, I'm serving up this colorful, glittery Valentine's card. I started with Poppystamps' new Vintage Scalloped Heart die set. I love that this comes with 2 dies: the heart with the 'sunburst' slits in it, and the bigger scalloped heart background. 


I cut the heart from fine, red glitter paper by Core 'dinations, and contrasted that with a brushed gold cardstock for the scalloped shadow.

 


I wanted something different for the background so I turned to my trusty Distress Spray Stains and created a background on watercolor paper with Speckled Egg, Salvaged Patina, and Frayed Burlap. For a final touch, and to tie in the brushed gold look, I spritzed my paper with Tarnished Brass Distress Mica Spray. I cut that piece down just a bit and matted it on the piece of brushed gold cardstock I used to cut the scalloped heart from - yay for no waste. I glued this onto a Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla card base.




I also wanted a unique way to attach a sentiment. I decided on some recent Tim Holtz Ideology purchases - the Hearts Adornments and the Mini Pins. I stamped the You are the Sweetest from the Poppystamps Colorful Life stamp set on a piece of vanilla cardstock with Versafine black ink, cut it out, and then rounded all four corners. I punched a tiny hole in the top left corner and ran the safety pin with the dangling heart on it through the hole. To add just a little red, I added three tiny gems from the Poppystamps Christmas Fairy Jewels set. I decided to use my trusty foam adhesive to give dimension both under the heart and under the sentiment.

I like to send about a dozen cards for Valentine's Day. Do you send out Valentine's? To whom?




We're throwing our daughter and her fiance an engagement party between Christmas and New Year's Eve. I'm also throwing a bridal shower for a friend this summer. Both brides love the woodland theme for their wedding. I decided to hand make a banner featuring lots of Tim Holtz goodies.


I started with the Sizzix 3D Tree Rings Embossing Folder. I inked the deboss side of the inside of the folder with Ground Espresso Distress Oxide and ran Bazzill's Dark Kraft cardstock through. When it was embossed, I used a domed foam blender with walnut stain and inked in circles over the paper to color the raised portions. I inked the edges with Ground Espresso Distress Ink. The layer below that is from Tim Holtz Wallflower Ideaology Paper Stash 12 x 12" pad. I stitched around the edges in dark brown thread. The bottom layer is Bazzill's Capers cardstock. For all the embellishments I used watercolor paper. I used almost exclusively spray stains to color all the Sizzix die cuts using the sets Funky Foliage, Funky Insects, and Garden Greens. I used a few ink pad smooshes too. I used a spritz of Frayed Burlap on many items too.






The pink flowers use Victorian Velvet and Antique Linen. The smaller purple flowers use Seedless Preserves and Fossilized Amber. The yellow flowers used Frayed Burlap and Fossilized Amber. I used a brown Copic Marker for the donut shape in the center of the purple flower and the stem of the yellow flower. The greenery uses Shabby Shutters, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, and ink in Crushed Olive and Forest Moss. The red mushroom features Lumberjack Plaid and Frayed Burlap, and the blue one uses Stormy Weather, Speckled Egg and a tiny bit of Salvaged Patina. Tiny flowers use Milled Lavender Distress Ink.

The dragonfly is Wild Honey, Speckled Egg and Frayed Burlap. The ladybug used black cardstock and Lumberjack Plaid.

The giant letters are Stampin' Up!'s Old Olive cardstock cut on electronic die cutting machine.

In between letters I tied on Tim Holtz Hearts Adornments by Ideaology. The beige velvet ribbon is from my stash.

It's almost Christmas and my crafting is finished. Now I cook (I wish I was half as comfortable with that as I am with papercrafting.) Happy Holidays!