Tim's 12 Tags of 2015 - January

Hello Everyone!

Ever since I discovered Tim Holtz two years ago, I have been watching and learning his techniques, but I have only started collecting his products quite recently. I just purchased my very first piece of Ideology - Chit Chat stickers, so imagine my joy when I saw Tim's January Tag!!

I took it as a sign that it was time to jump on the bandwagon, so off we go with Tim's January Tag!!

As you can see, I really didn't venture too far from Tim's version. I really wanted to concentrate on the techniques and the style. It's hard to resist putting flowers and pearls on a project! I did have to make some adjustments because I don't have all of the correct products, but I think I did a fair job with what I had.

I won't go into details about the techniques, you should really learn those from the master himself. I am only going to point out the items I jerry-rigged out of what I had on hand.

I made my own tissue with a bunch of Tim Holtz stamps, but honesty, it was a waste of time because you can't see the design at all. The letters were all cut out from Spellbinders Lowercase set three times and layered together to get them to look more dimensional. The 2 and the 5 were cut out from Tim Holtz's Vintage Noel die and also layered.

The arrow was cut out from Tim Holtz's Love Struck. I once again layered up three pieces of it and then I took some liquid pearls and drew on the top of it to give it that bevelled appearance, painted it all black and highlighted it with Tarnished Brass. I used the frame from Simple Sayings in Peacock Feathers and coloured the star with Sunset Yellow alcohol ink.

All of the rest of the products I used are the same ones Tim used on his tag. The only thing I forgot to do was outline all the chit chat stickers with a black marker...DOH!!!

That's it for today. Thank you for stopping in and for all the amazing comments. I read and appreciate every single one! If you have any questions, please let me know.

Frilly and Funkie - Be My Valen-Twine

Hello Everyone!

It's time for another fabulous challenge over at FRILLY AND FUNKIE. I have had a lot of 'firsts' this month at Frilly and Funkie. I have been DT for the first time, done my first Saturday Step-by-Step tutorial and done my first product Friday Focus! Only one thing left to do, and that's be the hostess for the very first time!!

So, for my first time as hostess, I have chosen the theme BY MY VALEN-TWINE. Feel free to make any vintage or shabby chic project you like, card, layout, 3D craft, tag...whatever romantic, valentine-ish thing you can think of. BUT, make sure to include some twine, string, cord or jute somewhere on your creation! One lucky winner will receive a $25 gift certificate for the fabulous Funkie Junkie Boutique. Here is my make.

For my main layer, I blended some Brushed Corduroy and Victorian Velvet with my blending tool and then did some spritzing with the sprays in the same colours. I flicked on a few splashes of water to antique it bit.

I took some homemade texture paste and mixed it with some Tim Holtz re-inker in Victorian Velvet to get this wonderful coloured paste. I applied it through the Tim Holtz Hearts stencil and then sprinkled on some Victorian Velvet distress glitter while it was still wet.

I cut the heart out from Tim Holtz Love Struck die, and used Victorian Velvet stain on the butterfly stamp to get a water colour style image. I edged the heart with Glossy Accents and Antique Linen distress glitter.

The background layer was done with the same techniques, but I used the Tim Holtz small flourish stamp to create a border all the way around the edge using Ranger Coffee ink.

The seam binding was also hand dyed using Victorian Velvet and Brushed Corduroy. The butterfly was coated with Glue N Seal and sprinkled with Antique Linen distress glitter, then I coloured the edges with Gathered Twigs.

I ripped a strip of vellum from my stash and stamped it with the butterfly strip stamp using Ranger Archival ink Coffee. The little embellishment was stamped using an Inkadinkado inchie with an epoxy sticker stuck on the top of it.

After the card was all put together, I took a small brushed and dipped it into Gathered Twigs distress spray and flicked a little here and there for some darker spots.

I stamped the flourish on a page that I distressed with Tim Holtz inks and sprays and then I fussy cut the entire thing out...oh what fun, but I love the result! The heart was coated with Wendy Vecchi texture paste and then I rubbed Antique Linen stain into the cracks and washed it off the surface, so the heart remained nice and white.

I am entering my Valentines card into the following wonderful challenges:

- A Vintage Journey - Challenge #24 - Love is in the Air

- Shopping Our Stash - Challenge #186 - Love Me Do

- Through the Purple Haze - Challenge #75 - Love is in the Air

- Sweet Stamps Challenge Blog - #206 - Stencils and Paste
- Time Out Challenges - #23 - Valentines Day with optional Twist of Hearts

- Come and Get It Challenges - Ribbons and/or Bows
- Crafting For All Seasons - Challenge #94 - Things with Wings
- Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge - #131 - Things with Wings
- Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog - #110 - Hearts and Ribbon
- Crafty Boots Challenge Blog - Butterflies

***

All of the following products that I used can be purchased at The Funkie Junkie Boutique


That's it for today. Thank you for stopping in and for all the amazing comments. I read and appreciate every single one! If you have any questions, please let me know.

Crafty Cardmakers - #131 - Combine Two or More Images

Hello Everyone!

It's time for another challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and More. This time Julie is our hostess and she has chosen the theme COMBINE TWO OR MORE IMAGES. She would like to see two or more images combined together digitally or by using the more traditional method of masking.

As you can see, I have packed my glitter and poinsettia die away for the time being and I am heading back towards a more summery style of card! As much as I love my glitter, I have to admit, I MISSED ALL THE PINK!! lol

I don't do digital, so I decided to do a bit of masking and a bit of layering with my stamps to create a 3D focal image. I used masking to merge together the Stamp-It clock and the Kaisercraft bird. I layered that on top of the Kaisercraft birdcage and Prima rose. The colouring was done with some Copic markers.

Hopefully you can see all of the wonderful layers that I used to give my little spring garden lots of dimension! Foam dots galore, so much fun!! lol

I told you that you would be seeing more of my new shabby roses and here they are! I coloured them with a touch of Tim Holtz Victorian Velvet and Scattered Straw. The leaves are from Spellbinders Foliage and were coloured with Scattered Straw.

The back layer was coloured with Tim Holtz Victorian Velvet and stamped with a border vine from Kaisercraft Lakehouse using Coffee Archival ink. The yellow layer was coloured with Scattered Straw, stamped with a Kaisercraft Script stamp and and edged with Gathered Twigs.

The tag was cut by hand, coloured with Victorian Velvet and stamped with an Impression Obsession rose background stamp. The sentiment is from Heartfelt Creations.

Let's discuss my New Years resolution, which is to use some of the many many untouched dies that I own. A couple of years ago, I spent a small fortune collecting every die set I could find but I never use most of them. I swore this year I would pull some of them out because there are just so many in my collection. I did a quick count the other day and here are the results.

I OWN MORE THAN 800 DIES!!!!!!!!!! so................

I pulled out the never-before-used Ornate Square from Spellbinders as well as 3 dies from the never-before-used Floral Flourishes. I like these flourishes, I'll be using them again!

OK, FOUR DOWN, 796 TO GO, SHEEESH!

I am entering my first spring card into the following wonderful challenges:

- Red Rubber Inspirationals - #204 - Focussed on Stamping
- That's Crafty Challenge Blog - Tick Tock
- Fashionable Stamping - Challenge #90 - Numbers
- Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge Blog - #64 - Anything Goes with a Twist - Add Layers
- STAMPlorations - January Challenge - Stamps & Inks

- The Crafting Cafe - January Challenge - Lots of Layers
- Craft Hoarders Anonymous - January Challenge - Choose Your Challenge
(I chose ink-twine-stamping-distressing-flowers)
- 613 Avenue Create - #108 - Anything Goes with the option to Create Your Own Challenge
(I chose image - die cut - solid colour paper - flowers - twine)

- The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers - #26 - Snarker's Choice (choose a previous challenge)
In keeping with my New Years Resolution, I chose the challenge 'U for Unused'

That's it for today. Thank you for stopping in and for all the amazing comments. I read and appreciate every single one! If you have any questions, please let me know.

Frilly and Funkie - Friday Focus - Mainly Metal

Hello Everyone! I am back today hosting my very first Friday Focus over at Frilly and Funkie! I will be focusing on some of my favourite Stampers Anonymous stamps sets and I will share some different techniques to make backgrounds, accents and embellishments using nothing but stamps!

I do hope you will join me there for lots more photos and detailed tutorials on how I made every piece of this creation! Thank you for stopping in and for all the amazing comments. I read and appreciate every single one! If you have any questions, please let me know.

Try it on Tuesday - Add Some Fabric

Hello Everyone!

First, I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who took the time to visit me at Frilly and Funkie for my first step-by-step this weekend! I so appreciate the generous praise and I was just tickled to see so many wonderful comments! You are the best!

It's time for a new challenge over at Try it on Tuesday and this time our theme is ADD SOME FABRIC - (ribbon does not count as fabric). Here is what I came up with.

For the background I tried a bit of a NEW technique for my wooden planks by painting a pre-textured paper with DecoArt Tan Acrylic paint. I think it adds a little bit more interest with the criss cross grain.

I also tried a NEW technique for my roses and I am really happy with how they turned out! You will be seeing lots more of these shabby roses this year! Die cut used here was Joy Crafts Flower 1.

I stamped the butterfly using a stamp borrowed from my good friend Cec (CW Card Creations), last time she came for a visit. I don't remember what company it was from though, sorry. It was stamped with Ranger Archival ink Coffee, then I fussy cut it out, shaded it with Gathered Twigs and highlighted it with a white pen.

That beautiful doily behind the heart is a NEW die for me! It's from Crafty Ann and it's called Ornament 1.

I would like to send out a special thank you to JULIA ASTON of Create With Me who really inspired me with her DT make for the Fusion challenge (which I am entering). You should really give her a visit, she is a talented lady with a range of styles you will just love! Here is her card.

The little pillow heart was made by taking two pieces of fabric (also supplied by my friend Cec) and sewing them together. I stuffed it with batting and then frayed all the edges. I smeared a little texture paste on the front and stamped a pretty flower image. Stuck a couple of pearl pins in the top to make it a little more feminine.

I am entering the following wonderful challenges:

- My Time to Craft - Challenge #275 - Love is all Around
- Creative Card Crew - Challenge #79 - Shabby Chic

- Sweet Stamps Challenge Blog - #205 - Hearts
- Inky Impressions Challenges - #192 - Monochrome
- That Craft Place Ltd - Love / Valentine
- The Sisterhood of Crafters - Anything Goes with a Twist - Add Something New
(my new Crafy Ann doily die - my new textured paper for the wood technique)

- Fusion - Two Hearts

That's it for today. Thank you for stopping in and for all the amazing comments. I read and appreciate every single one! If you have any questions, please let me know.

Frilly and Funkie - Saturday Step by Step - Festive Fun

Hello Everyone! I am super excited today because  I am hosting my very first Saturday Step by Step over at FRILLY AND FUNKIE!

I have created this festive Christmas card using some of the fun new products that I purchased at The Funkie Junkie Boutique. I do hope you will pop on over and visit me there for lots more photos and a step by step tutorial on how I put this together!

Thank you for stopping in and for all the amazing comments. I read and appreciate every single one! If you have any questions, please let me know.

Our Creative Corner - Top Talent

Hello Everyone!

I am super excited to be here as the Top Talent Spotlight over at Our Creative Corner! A special honour that I won in October for my Haunted House entry in the Go Rustic Challenge. I was so happy when I won and completely thrilled when Laura asked me to be in the spotlight, AND as you may know, I am now a member of the Design Team as well...it's like Christmas all over again! Thanks again Laura, it's an honour!

In keeping my very first challenge at Our Creative Corner, I have made a project for this month's theme CHRISTMAS LEFTOVERS. I have used the empty box from some Christmas Chocolates and transformed it into a receipt box for 2015, where I will stash all my craft receipts for the year. I do hope you enjoy, I have used lots of new products and techniques! 

HOW DID I DO THAT??

I used Mod Podge to adhere cheesecloth to the top of the box and some lace around the sides. I painted it with White DecoArt Acrylic paint and then used some homemade texture paste and a Memory Box stencil to add a design.

I cut four pieces from the Sizzix/Tim Holtz Hardware Findings die and two pieces of the Spellbinders Labels die out of a nice thick cardboard. I thought it was pretty funny when I turned the pieces over and saw that it read...PLEASE RECYCLE!

Thought I would try a few NEW techniques for this project, so after I glued the layers together, I coated them with thick paste and then treated it like stucco to make a really rough texture. I glued them onto the box.

I glued on all my other bits and baubles and then tried another NEW technique. I globbed on some Mod Podge and then covered the areas with my NEW tarnished brass distress glitter. The frame, the key, the lock on the front and the numbers were all handmade using crafter's clay and various molds.

I painted everything with another coat of DecoArt White Acrylic paint, and then whipped out my two NEW fabulous colours of Lindy's Stamp Gang Moonshadow Mists - Tawny Turquoise and Buccaneer Bay Blue. I also used some Gathered Twigs and Weathered Wood. I just sprayed and sprayed until I liked the look.

Lastly, I highlighted all of the raised areas with gorgeous Pale Pearl Blue and Pearl Champagne paints to give it a dazzling glimmer! This is one project you really need to see in person, it's almost iridescent with all the shimmering colours!

All of these areas that just look like MUD (so despressing) are actually a gorgeous shimmery goldish aqua that I could not seem to get the camera to capture! I hope you get the idea though.

I am entering my Receipt Box into the following wonderful challenges:

- 613 Avenue Create - Challenge #106 - 1001 techniques

- Fan-Tastic Tuesday - Challenge #68 - Anything Goes with a Twist - Use Something Recycled

- Country View Challenges - January - Use Something New to You
- Rhedd's Creative Spirit - January - Anything Goes
- Eileen Hull's Art with Heart Challenge - January - Fresh Ideas
- Inspiration Journal - January Challenge - Fresh Start
- The Mirror Crack'd - January - #5 Stencils
- Recycle Re-Purpose & Re-Invent - Anything Goes but must Recycle

- Mixed Media Mojo - January - New with a Twist - Use the Number 15

- The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge - January - #8 Something New for the New Year

That's it for today. Thank you for stopping in and for all the amazing comments. I read and appreciate every single one! If you have any questions, please let me know.