Winter sunset scene - Make your Own Background

This card will be for my daughter's in-laws who have a little cabin in the woods, very remote and isolated in a heavy snow area - no running water or electricity. When Julie and husband Jeff went winter camping a few years ago, they took the skidoo up the mountain road and snowshoed into the cabin. They were walking on the snow at the top of window height level! Jeff had to shovel down to get into the door. There is a generator and Jotul wood stove, so once it gets warm, it is nice and cozy. They often hear coyotes howling in the nightime. There are a lot of sugar maple trees on the property and in the Autumn season, the mountain is ablaze with all the red and gold leaves. Actually, it is beautiful there in all seasons!

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For the background, I sponged TH inks (Spiced Marmalade, Wild Honey, Chipped Sapphire, Worn Lipstick and Dusty Concorde...in that order) on specialty paper creating a winter sunset sky.  I really like this product by Ranger as it allows you to "move" the sponged inks ensuring good blending. The ink doesn't soak into the cardstock  immediately upon application. I gave a quick burst with the heat gun to ensure everything was dry before stamping the trees with Versamark, applying detail black EP and heat embossing.  Hint.... If the distress inks are even slightly wet, they will pick up embossing powder and ruin your image! Finally, I gave a quick burst with TH Picket fence distress spray to look like snow in the air.

I cut a white "snow hill" layer of paper for the bottom section and created snow hills with distress inks. The white trees have an application of Deco Art snow and Stickles glitter, and the large one is popped up with foam tape. Stamped the verse on the very bottom with Archival black ink.

The coyote was cut from gray cardstock. Then I sponged Walnut Stain distress ink over his back and haunches creating dimension to the body. Gave a light touch of white pen to his tail and front of chest.  Now he looks more like a real coyote than a flat gray diecut.

Well, I think I captured the feeling of the winter scenery around the little cabin in the woods and a sunset winter sky.

Thanks for popping in and I love reading all your comments. They are truly appreciated!

Sharon
Dec. 14, 2014

Products Used:
- Ranger Specialty Stamping Paper
- Tim Holtz Distress Inks
- Hero Arts "Winter Trees Pattern" wood stamp
- Tim Holtz Picket Fence distress spray
- Impression Obsesssion dies - Fir Trees
- Deco Art Snow Painter
- Stickles Glitter Star Dust
- Verse stamp - Daniel Johnson 2006 - set of holiday verses
- PoppyStamps Inc. die - "Fine Foxes" (but I think it can also be a coyote LOL!)
- Recollections Mercury Glass paper - silver

Challenges:

Fashionable Stamping Challenges - Create your own background - winter sky

Craft Stamper - December Take a Technique  - distress ink sponged sky background

Little Red Wagon - Snow much fun

Faith Card

I had a request from my elderly neighbour to make a faith based Christmas card, fairly flat as she is mailing it abroad. She didn't want bows or anything too "frou, frou". I didn't know what I was going to create when I agreed, but I knew I had some angel stamps. Well, I found a stamp in my craft cupboard that must be at least 8 or 9 years old, which  I had forgotten about.
I seem to be giving love to a lot of my older stamps this season...LOL...however, I think it fits the request perfectly!

Click to enlarge

I created the background with TH distress inks by patting Wild Honey, Chipped Sapphire and Dusty Concord on a silicone mat, spritzing ever so lightly with water, then placing the cardstock on top to absorb the colour.  I had pre-planned where I wanted the colour to be such as yellow mostly where the stars were located, and each angel a different colour. The first one came out too wet and the colours too diluted. The second one was exactly what I was going for! Then I spritzed again lightly with  Glimmer Mist Heritage Gold. After the background was totally dry, I swiped the stamp with Versamark, and heat embossed the image with fine black powder.

I added a Northern Star cut from sparkly gold paper. Image is layered on gold paper.

I will give my neighbour the card tomorrow and hope it meets with her approval.  Thanks for stopping by!

Products Used

- Ranger Specialty Stamping Paper
- Tim Holtz Distress Inks
- Tin Can Mail wooden stamp
- The Frantic Stamper die "Northern Star"


Sharon
Dec.13,2015

Challenges:

Our Creative Corner - Stars

Craft Stamper - Take a technique and Share the Season
              (distress ink "marble effect" background)

JOY - Addicted to CAS Challenge

The challenge at Addicted to CAS is the word Joy.  I find it difficult to do "clean and simple" and I have been trying more cards with this style. Lots of white space!

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I stamped the pine needle branch with TH Forest Moss distress ink and drew in the main branch with TH Brushed Corduroy marker.  I patted the Forest Moss distress ink pad on a silicone mat and spritzed with water picking up the ink with a wet, fine watercolour brush drawing in more "needles".

I used an embossing folder creating swirls at the top over the pine needles and the hanging ornaments. Using a fine, flat edge 1/8" watercolour brush, I picked up some Adirondack Gold paint lightly painting over the embossed "chain" and top of ornaments. The ornaments were edged with Stickles Star Dust and Gold glitter.

The word JOY is a Tim Holtz die cut from gold paper that resembles mercury glass. I picked up a whole pad of this 12x12" paper with red, gold, silver and copper shades of mercury glass the other day at Michael's for half price! It is so pretty and I'm sure next Christmas season I'll get a lot of use from it!!

At last minute I added the tiny gold, cord bows. I just couldn't help myself....LOL!  I'm not sure if this is agreeable to the challenge rules, so if it doesn't meet the requirements, the judges can eliminate my entry.

Well, it's getting down to the deadline of mailing cards. I have two more to make, then I'll be done for this year.  I have nothing planned for today but being in my craftroom creating, then massive clean-up of all my christmas stuff which has exploded to every surface. LOL!

Enjoy your weekend!

Supplies Used:

- Crafts Too Embossing Folder - Swirl Baubles
- Hero Arts #H2887 "Real Pine"
- Tim Holtz Forest Moss Distress Ink & Brushed Corduroy Marker
- Ranger Adirondack Gold Paint Dauber
- Tim Holtz Thinlit Dies - Holiday Words
- Stickles Glitter Star Dust & Gold
- Recollections Christmas/Noel Mercury Glass 12x12 pad & gold cord

Sharon
Dec. 12, 2015

Honourable Mention

Good Morning:

I was just checking my email when I noticed a post from Pamellia of Anything But Cute  Ornamental Challenge saying I was an Honourable Mention with my "Night Before Christmas Frame".

I was so surprised because the talent on this group in all the entries was AMAZING.  I know this word gets overused, but you have to check the entries. Some of the creations (ornaments, houses, villages, ferris wheels)are all made of paper  Wowsers!!!

Thank you so much to the judges. I will proudly display the challenge badge,and look forward to future challenges.

Sharon
December 12, 2015

Ornament cards

Here are two cards using the Tim Holtz Carved Ornaments die I made this morning. I have gotten behind in creating cards, so I might do a few more of these as they make up fairly quickly!

I stenciled the snowflake pattern on the diecut with distress ink. Next I completely covered the diecut with Versamark ink, sprinkled with sparkle powder and heat embossed to give a shiny glass-like finish to the whole piece. I added a snowflake diecut, a jewel embellishment, some ribbon trim and silver cording to tie them to a pine branch border diecut. The embossed swirl pattern on the bottom is a cuttlebug folder.  I thought about adding Stickles glitter to the pine boughs and snowflake on the ornament, but then decided I liked the "clean" look.  The sparkle in the embossing on the ornament is hard to photograph but when held sideways there is the hint of it!

 I think I like the blue one the best!

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Products Used:
Tim Holtz Carved Ornaments Movers & Shapers Die
Memory Box stencil " Snowflake Lace"
Cheery Lynn - Snowflake 5
Memory Box - "Pine Needle Border"
CuttleBug - "Scrollwork" embossing folder
Tim Holtz China Blue and Festive Berries distress ink
Ranger Polysparkle embossing powder

Thanks for stopping by and I always enjoy reading your comments!

Sharon
December 8, 2015

Challenges:
Try it on Tuesday - Snowflakes and Winter Whites

Diecuts R Us - Challenge #38 Christmas

Simon Says Monday Challenge: - Christmas

Winter Wishes

I made this card for my crafting friend Marilyn (Crafts & Beyond blog). We had lunch, exchanged our Christmas gifts & cards,  had a good hour and a half gab session ending with a warm brownie & chocolate sauce dessert, and a bit of shopping.  Living a couple of hours from each other, it's always good to get together! Marilyn, we are definitely long overdue for a crafting technique weekend.

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The base was made by spreading Ranger Texture Paste over the whole surface of a 4x6" stencil by Memory Box -"Snowflake Lace", and sprinkling some Stampendous Frantage Chunky Enamel White embossing powder over the wet paste. Once the paste was dried, I lightly heated the EP.  You  have to be careful aiming the heat gun - if heat stays too long on one spot, the paste will bubble. Actually, if I were to do this technique again, I wouldn't use as much EP as I lost a lot of the snowflake pattern. The effect reminds me of tiny hail balls.

The large snowflake is a wooden stamp I've had for at least 10 years. It's always good to give favourite stamps some love every now and then LOL!  I stamped with Versamark and embossed with Wow Metal Rhodium Sparkle powder. This stuff has so much shine...wish I could have captured it in the photo! Also added Star Dust Stickles glitter.  I put some frayed silver, wide mesh ribbon fibres, and loops of silver cording underneath the snowflake. The flower (from Micheal's) has Stickles Silver, Platinum and Star Dust glitter and a sparkly centre jewel embellishment.

The little tag is a Spellbinders die, and words cut from glitzy silver Stampin'Up! paper are Tim Holtz Holiday Word Script dies.  The blue jingle bells music paper was spritzed all over with TH Picket Fence Distress Spray.

We are going to a Christmas party tomorrow night, and Pancake & Sausage Breakfast with Santa on Saturday morning with our daughter , her husband and  3 year old grandson. This is an annual fund-raiser for the local Help Line. Then the high school band Christmas Concert is on Sunday afternoon. Our daughter was in the band, Honour Choir and Jazz Choir all through middle school & high school. Of course, it was a "given" that we attend the concerts. We no longer know any of the kids, but we always appreciate and enjoy listening to holiday music they have spent many hours practicing.  'Tis the Season!  (busy, busy busy.....)

Thanks for popping in to read my blog, and have a great weekend.


Sharon
Dec. 3, 2015

Frilly & Funkie: 'Tis the Season

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

ABC Challenge  - W is for Wishes

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Let it Snow

Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Ornamental Christmas Frame

Over at Anything But Cute, the challenge for the past month is "It's Ornamental", deadline Dec.5th.

I created this project for my daughter which I called "Santa Claus is Coming to Town". The picture of my grandson Connor with a cookie for Santa, taken last year on Christmas Eve,  is pretty cute so I hope this doesn't disqualify my entry LOL!

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I started off with a  6"x12" frame from the Dollar Store which had a saying on it in black paint on burlap. I bought it thinking this is a good size for something creative - not too large. So many times I bring things home to re-purpose them and they end up sitting in my craft cupboard.  This one was only two days in the house and I had an idea!!!! I took out the saying that was inside the frame replacing it with new burlap.

Over the burlap I patted Ranger Texture Paste through the Festive stencil by Tim Holtz. When the paste was dry, I replaced the stencil over the paste and sponged on distress inks - Fired Brick, Forest Moss, Brushed Corduroy and Tea Dye. I also applied a thick layer of Picket Fence distress paint and distress glitter around all the edges to look like snow. Here's what it looked like before I started adding all the elements.

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I re- sized the photo of Connor, glued it to cereal box cardboard, rounded the corners with a punch,and placed self-adhesive acrylic over the image to protect it, topped with a wood star and cording.  There is a bit of glare on the right side from the camera because of the acrylic coating - hard to photograph.

The Santa face is a vintage cardstock sticker from Heartwarming Vintage Creative Scraps.I sponged around the edge with Tea Dye to further age. The other sayings (Santa Claus is coming to Town, and Believe) along with the pinecone 3-d stickers are from my christmas stash. I used a small tag die to cut the "24" tag, then stamped the numbers, sponged the edges and added red glitter, mounted on a TH pin. I created the pinecone using the Tim Holtz die, added some "snow" with paint and glitter. It is glued under a green crushed ribbon bow, along with some glittered leaves also from my stash.   I also added some bits of Stickles glitter here and there (Santa hat, berries, leaves, etc.)

After doing this frame and the tag below in a previous post, I think I have finally mastered the Tim Holtz pinecone die. I've only had it two years and was about to sell it (from frustration!) when I gave it one more try. I still feel like I'm all "fingers" while putting it together, but at least the finished item now looks like a pinecone instead of something squished!!!  Also I'm going to give the TH Festive stencil a break for this year or you all will be tired of seeing it.  LOL!

It was fun doing this and it didn't take all that long, except for one afternoon to do the stenciling paste. I hope my daughter likes it!

Thanks for stopping by to take a peek at my projects!

Sharon

Dec. 1, 2015

Anything but Cute - It's Ornamental

Deep Ocean Challenge -#118  Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Made my Day!

I just found out that my santa and sleigh scene card made Top 5 in Try It On Tuesday Challenge, and I get a badge to put on my sidebar.

This was an extra nice surprise to end the day!  Thanks so much to the judges!

Sharon
Dec. 1/15

Merry and Bright Christmas Tag

I had a nice Sunday afternoon crafting yesterday. I put on some christmas music and finished a tag I started a few weeks ago.

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For the background, I sponged a bit of Forest Moss and Shabby Shutters distress ink randomly over the surface of a kraft tag.  I put  some Ranger Texture Paste into four wells of an art palette and coloured each with TH reinkers - Fired Brick, Brushed Corduroy, Tea Dye, and Pine Needles. Then I spread the paste over a TH "Festive" stencil. When the paste was dry, I spritzed all over with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Irridescent Gold.

I cut some greenery using TH Holiday Greens thinlit dies from bits of TH Kraft-Core  paper, sanding off the surface in some places and sponging with distress inks to age.

From a Brick Red Kraft-Core piece, I cut the verse Merry & Bright from TH Holiday Word Block thinlit dies, and used a scrap of kraft cardstock to place behind the cut-out words. I thought the letters "R" and B" looked funny without their defining loops , so I glued on the little bits that pop out. If you have these dies, you know what I mean...LOL!   Now they look more like regular letters.  I also spritzed the gold glimmer mist over and fastened it to the tag with tiny gold star brads.

I created a bow from olive crushed silk ribbon, placing loops of metallic cord behind, adding a red metal bell, a pinecone (TH die) and two little gold, styrofoam balls. I recently bought a decorative sprig from Michaels for half price, $1.50, made with these little gold and silver balls - I thought they would come in handy as they were tiny enough for card making.

A pinecone brad and ribbon at the top finishes the tag.

It snowed overnight covering the lawns and streets.  Our first blanketing snow of the season!

Thanks for stopping by and reading how I made this tag.

Sharon
Nov.30,2015

Create a Scene Christmas Cards

The past two afternoons I have been playing with creating winter scenes using sponged distress inks and also watercolours, following tutorials on Penny Black YouTube videos (Heather Telford; Micheline "Mimi" Jourdain; and Jill Foster).  Last winter, I played around a bit with distress inks for snow hills and moons, but creating skies with watercolours is a new one to me.  I did several before having one I was pleased with...LOL!  All three of the ladies say in their tutorials they don't use many embellishments on the completed card as the scene is the main focal point....I tend to agree.

Also new to me is using Windsor & Newton Art Masking Fluid. Love this stuff! You flick it on the paper with a toothbrush, before doing any inking or watercolour, and it dries rubbery resisting the medium. After you  have finished your scene, rub it off with your fingers revealing white areas of "snow".  It goes on beige so you can see how little or how many flecks you have.

(1)  This card uses the sponged distress inks, Faded Jeans and Chipped Sapphire, for the snow and sky. The moon is masked off with a 1-1/4" inch circle while sponging. I applied the art fluid for the "snow". The tree is an old favourite one by Stampin' Up! stamped several times with Forest Moss, Pine Needles, and Crushed Olive inks.  The Santa sleigh and reindeer is a die by Impression Obsession; the word "believe" is cut from mat silver cardstock using TH Holiday Word die. I also stuck on two little silver stars - one by the moon, and other for the dot on the "i" in believe.     I recently read a hint on someone's blog to use stars, pearls, or a drop of stickles for the "i" , as the dot is such a tiny piece.  It's very easy to lose it when you punch the word from the die.  Good hint!

Click to enlarge

(2)  For this card, I followed the tutorial by Jill Foster for Penny Black. She has quite a few cards using this watercolour sunset sky for all seasons of the year. I used Cotman Watercolours -yellow, orange, pink and mauve for the sky; also Payne's Grey, Burnt Umber and Phalo Blue for under the trees and snow hill. The trees were stamped with Archival inks- Library Green and Black, branches in Coffee.  Snow is TH Picket Fence distress spray.  I don't have any Penny Black stamps for making scenes so I used my SU tree stamp once again, and the "branches" in the middle of the card are the tips of an older cling stamp by Tim Holtz. Deer dies are by Impression Obsession to which I added a few white details on their tails, spots, and antlers. I also added the TH words "peace on earth" cut from gold cardstock and a gold star.

I did a few of these sunsets skies while I had everything out, so I have some on hand for future cards.

We had a sprinkling of snow this morning on the lawn - puts me in the seasonal mood!

Sharon
Nov.  19/2015

Challenge:

Try it on Tuesdays:  Create a Scene

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - it's Christmas

Autumn and Halloween

I have been very lazy about my blog, and for a while I was going to stop posting completely. Having this discussion with stamping friends, I decided to keep it going, but maybe not as detailed as previous posts. Well, tonight I couldn't sleep so decided to surf Pinterest and other card sites. Whatever did we do without a computer in the middle of the night?  LOL.  After reading for an hour and looking at the incoming blog feed posts for the past week, I got inspired to post a couple of Autumn cards I made.  They are fairly simple, but just wanted friends to know I was thinking of them.

(1)  Free image downloaded and sized for a card. Tim Holtz pin and acrylic tag on which I cut out and glued an apple, copper metallic baker's twine.

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(2)  The background was made with sponging TH inks then overstamping with several leaf stamps on brown dotted paper. Snoopy image was coloured with Copic markers, popped up with foam tape. I cut out a few leafs and sponged with TH inks. Bow, brad and baker's twine.

(3)  I used TH Harlequin stencil to sponge rust and black pattern over dotted paper. Image is from Crafty Secrets. Some TH tiny seasonal word stickers, rub-ons (corner border and spider). Edge of tag was distressed and sponged with black distress ink. The spider web was stamped with black Stazon ink on self-adhesive acrylic, edged with black stickles over the design, and cut out. The medallion is from a 12x12 sheet of halloween paper which I cut several so I could cut and layer. I stamped and embossed with black EP the magic potion phrase, glued on 31 and dotted black stickles around the edge. Pom pom black ribbon for the bottom and different ribbons for the top.

(4)  The image is by Stampendous, stamped with Versamark, and embossed with black EP. The pumpkins were coloured with Copic markers, then I placed a mask over them and sponged TH distress inks to make the night sky and grass.  Bat die is covered with black Stickles glitter. I made another medallion from the same sheet of paper as in above post and edged with black Stickles. Pompom ribbon at the bottom.

I am working on a Christmas project for my daughter. Will post it when finished. Well, I am going to go to bed and see if I can get an hour sleep before the alarm rings for my husband to get up for work. Nighty Night or Good Morning? LOL

Sharon
Nov. 15/2015

Birthday Card - Perfume Bottles

This is another card I created in October for a friend's birthday at the end of the month.

The image by Stampendous (Three Gifts #CRW064) was embossed in black EP, coloured with Copic Markers, then cut out with a Spellbinders die. I placed little chitchat words and phrases by Tim Holtz around some of the bottles for "inspiration quotes".  I applied tons of Stickles glitter and a rhinestone to each of the tops of the bottles for feminine bling. Added some vintage lace to the bottom. The image is popped up with foam tape

The rose background paper is a sheet from a 12X12" paper pad "Tea Party" by Craftsmith, sponged on the edge with TH Seedless Preserves distress ink. I fussy cut out one of the roses, rosebud and some leaves, added Stickles glitter and placed it in the upper right corner.

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Now I'm all up-to-date with posting. I'm working on a Christmas frame for my daughter - will post that when it is finished.  Have a great day!

Sharon
Nov.16/2015

Spring Chick

Spring is very late coming to Nova Scotia. We still have 3 to 3-1/2 feet of snow in our backyard; however, with the warm sun today, I can see that the snowbank has receeded slightly. There is a tiny bit of grass at the edge of the front walkway. The poor robins have been scrounging in that little area for food. I put out bits of apple today and they gobbled it up!

I made this spring card with a stamp from Stampendous - love the sweet little chick all dressed up in her flowery bonnet. Lots of flowers in the background paper, and I also added a few to bring out the colours in the paper, and a leaf sprig (Quickutz die). The Spellbinders Opulent Ovals border frame is sponged with TH Tumbled Glass and a touch of Faded Jeans distress ink and covered in Rock Candy dry glitter added on with "heat & stick" embossing powder.  There is a touch of Rock Candy Stickles glitter on the flowers as well. The lattice in the background is a Spellbinders Shapeabilities Expandable die.  Inside the card, I used another Stampendous stamp "Happy Spring" (very vintage with filigrees all around the words). A big faux silk bow completes the upper corner. I hope all the bright colours will bring a touch of spring to my friend.

Sorry, the photo is a little over-exposed. It was such a dark day when I made the card. Then the sun came out briefly and I rushed to get a pic, so I could get the card in the mail.

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Happy Spring everyone!
Sharon
April 9, 2015

Challenges:

Simon Says Stamps - April Flowers

Party Time Tuesday - Anything Goes

Couple of Cards

I haven't posted in a while. Here are two cards I made recently.

My neighbour's husband passed away on the weekend, so I had a sympathy card to make which I always find difficult, especially a masculine one. For the background I embossed the Inkadinkadoo tree image with black EP, then sponged over with distress inks to create the grass and sunset sky. Added some gold corner stickers, and popped up the layer with foam tape. Embossed the verse at the bottom with black detail EP and added some gold string.  Simple, but I hope it's suitable.

The other card is created with found items from my stash box. The Stampin' Up label layer was created some time ago to use up distress inks left on my silicone mat from doing a Tim's tag.  I have a bag of them cut with ivory and white cardstock, so I just grabbed one and swiped it over the inks. Who knows when it might come in handy?  Well, it did for this card!  I also found the larger brown flower (TH Tattered Floral die) to which I added another smaller diecut daisy flower. The verse is embossed with copper EP. The blue border is also a diecut from my stash.  I cut another layer from dotted Bo Bunny paper and did the corners with a decorative corner punch. Added some gingham ribbon at the top of flower, and edged cream base with TH Honey.  This card made up quickly because of all the found items and I will send it to a friend for her birthday in April.

click to enlarge

Sharon
March 31/2015

Birthday Card

I made this birthday card for a friend who has her own line of cream made from beeswax and, naturally, she loves bees!

On the bee background paper, I used a hexagon stencil and lightly sponged TH Wild Honey to faintly resemble honeycomb. On the bottom I used an EK Success border punch. This is layered on a gold dotted black layer.

I used a new Cuttlebug die by Anna Griffin "Flourish Medallion" (bottom layer), and a Spellbinders die "Opulent Ovals"  to create the top layer which is popped up with foam tape. I cut another centre layer in cream cardstock which I sponged on the edge with TH Wild Honey. The verse, embossed in fine black EP, is from a set of Just Rite stamps " Botanical Butterflies", and the little bee is an embellishment from my stash. The dotted flight path stamp is one I've had for a long time - can't say who makes it.

I created the flower from a Joy Crafts daisy die, sponged with TH Wild Honey, a gold brad and a little stickles glitter in the centre. This is mounted on a gold thread/jute string bow.

That's all for today. Thanks for stopping by!

Sharon

March 13, 2015

Challenges

Simon Says Monday Challenge Letter "B"  (Bee)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge -Things That Fly

Party Time Tuesday - Anything Goes.

Tim's Tags of 2015 - February

Since it is so late in the month, I decided not to do a Valentine's theme for Tim's February, 2015 tag. I love butterflies - that will be my "love" theme for this tag.
However, I did follow Tim's tutorial for doing the collage background using snippets of paper from his 8x8 "Menagerie" paper pad, a bit of tissue tape, and one of the ideology tickets. I used a Brushed Corduroy marker instead of Black Soot to go around each of the bits of paper as I find it's not as harsh. 

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The butterfly is a kraft diecut from my stash which I covered with Brushed Pewter & Broken China distress paint, and Ranger Crackle glaze, along with some Pumice Stone distress ink.

The frame underneath is a Sizzix die, "Ornate Frames #2" that I cut from grungepaper. Then I sponged on Pumice Stone DI, and followed the technique for Rusted Grunge using Pumice Stone and Frayed Burlap distress embossing powder, sponged over with Broken China DI. I also added a bit of regular copper EP. I wanted the effect of weathered copper, though I'm not sure if I accomplished it. 

The embellishments at the top of the tag are a letter "B" chipboard diecut covered with Broken China DI and Wow Copper embossing powder. On the metal crown is a little felt bow (since Tim was working with felt hearts on his tag). It is part of TH "Mini Bunny & Bow" die set.  

On the bottom of the tag on the right side, I used Tim's Ideology Film Tape Ribbon to cover a little sticker. On the left side, the round butterfly is cut with my 1" punch from a sheet of images by Bottle Cap Inc., swiped with Broken China & Tea Dye DI, and covered with an acrylic dome.In my picture it is showing as more green than blue, but it IS blue in real life. Why do cameras do this? Lace cording is attached along the bottom (in place of Tim's little bit of lace on his tag).  The only thing I didn't do was the machine stitching.

Thanks for taking a peek at my tag!  

Sharon
Feb.26/2015

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Finally some crafting...

The past few weeks have been hectic- snowstorm shovelling and minding my 27 month old grandson. His father works out West so I try to help out my daughter as much as I am able while he's away on his two week rotation shift. However, that leaves little time in my craft room, along with the fact my creative fairy has gone MIA. Twice I have sat at my table routing through stamps and reading blogs, only to get nothing done. Very frustrating!  After two afternoons, I managed to finish one, yes only one, card.  Hubby said good thing I'm not getting paid by the hour. LOL!

click to enlarge pic

I've had this little Inkadinkadoo stamp for quite some time and when looking through my dies, it fit perfectly in the Spellbinders Decorative Label 8. Stamped the image in Memories Rich Cocoa ink  and coloured with Copic Markers. I stamped a second image, coloured & cut out the coffee cup section, and raised it up with pop tape to add dimension. The little cup has crystal glaze over it to look like china. For the card I used my two favourite colour combos - blue/green and brown (like my blog damask background!)

The line of cups, coffee verse, beans and caffeine word stamps are unmounted rubber stamps from www.blockheadstamps.com that I won many years ago. I used a Tim Holtz Brushed Corduroy marker and spritzer tool (old one from Stampin'Up!) to spray 'dots' randomly over the background. Also used TH distress tool on the edges of the background paper, and Tea Dye distress ink.

The little doily is cut from vellum and sponged lightly with TH Tea Dye Distress ink (Cheery Lynn "Sophie's Heart" mini doily).  The coffee mug die by SimonSaysStamp is cut from a scrap of linen patterned paper, also lightly sponged with Tea Dye. I used a scrap of the paper from the image frame to fill in the heart section. Freehand fussy cut some "coffee steam" lines coming out of the mug.

So that's it. Not much different in the way of design. Hopefully creative fairy has found her way home!

Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend!

Sharon

Feb.20/15

Challenges:

Make My Monday - Two Favourite Colours (blue/green & brown)

Addicted to Stamps - #132 Make your Mark (Copic Markers on image, Tim Holtz Brushed Corduroy marker spritzing, Tim Holtz Tea Dye Distress Ink sponging)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge -Texture (layers, vellum, shiny crystal glaze, distressed edge)

Word Art Wednesday Anything Goes

Beautiful altered box from Marilyn

I received this beautiful altered box for my birthday, yesterday Feb. 2nd.,  from my crafting friend Marilyn of Crafts and Beyond blog . It must have taken many hours of work with all it's textures and embellishments. Inside was a bar of chocolate soap which smelled so good, I could have eaten it! LOL

Marilyn, dear thoughtful friend, it has a place of honour on my dresser. Thank you ever so much!!!!

Love and Hugs,
Sharon

Compendium of Curiosities 3 - Challenge 21

The challenge on Linda Ledbetter's Compendium of Curiosities 3 is Rock Candy Glitter, using the technique on page 55 of Tim Holtz Compendium of Curiosities Book III.  One of the rules is to not post the actual technique, so you need the book to know what to do! I thought I was all out of Rock Candy as the jar looked empty. However checking once again, I found a very small amount left in the bottom. Now I know why I kept it in the first place - any tiny bit will work for something.

I was listening to the radio this morning and this song was playing,  "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" by Gerry & The Pacemakers from 1964. It's always been one of my favourites - they don't make songs like that any more. Now I'm showing my age. LoL! Anyhow, I thought it would be a great theme for a tag...you never know where inspiration comes from.

I started by laying a torn book page layer on the right side of the tag. It is from Homer's The Odyssey (my daughter's old university book) and the section talks about Artemis, the Greek Goddess of Light. Unfortunately when I  stamped/embossed the sun image (Inkadinkado), this section got covered up. Next, I covered the tag with a layer of mod podge and let dry. Then I dabbed some Mustard Seed distress paint on the top half, and Broken China & Faded Jeans on the lower half which I smeared around the tag. Spritzed the blue section with water to make it look like rain coming down; dried with heat gun,

After this was all dry, I used Tim Holtz Sun Ray stencil sponged lightly with Spiced Marmalade DI. I shifted the stencil to cover the inked areas, then spritzed with Yellow Gold Shimmer Spray on the uninked areas. Very shimmery rays in real life! Stamped and embossed the sun, lightly went around each ray with white ink pen. Black Stickles glitter on the glasses.

For the verse, I used a few TH chit chat stickers, some peel off alphabet stickers, and a couple I hand wrote (let, catch). Each was sponged with Antique Linen DI, and I used a distress marker Brushed Corduroy to lightly draw around each sticker, smearing with my finger as I went. Tim's technique from his January 2015 tag.

For the bottom section, I masked over the yellow half and spritzed some Perfect Pearls Blue Patina along with Perfect Pearls. Let dry. Next I stamped/embossed the lady's face (an old unmounted stamp from my stash), added black Stickles glitter on her lips, and a line of rhinestones representing tears.  I used a raindrop stencil to lay down some embossing paste (coloured with Broken China distess refill ink). Once this was dry, I repositioned the stencil over the dried embossing paste and sponged some more Broken China adding the Rock Candy glitter following the technique in Tim's book on page 55.  This didn't work as well as I hoped because of the rough surface of the paste drops, but some did stick adding a bit of glimmer. It's a learning process!

A few gold and blue-green sequins adds dimension to the tag.  I wanted to keep this tag fairly simple, so didn't add any more embellishments except the ribbon at the top.

Well, this was a fun tag to do, and I'm getting a bit more comfortable using/colouring the embossing paste.

Finally, if you enter CCC3 challenge, there is another prize from Inspiration Emporium of $50 gift certificate. To be eligible to win, simply link your project to CCC3 and include a link to INSPIRATION EMPORIUM in your blog post.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Sharon
Feb. 3, 2015

Challenges:

CCC3 #21 Rock Candy Distress Glitter

Our Creative Corner Tic,Tac,Toe  Line#1 Paints; Line #2 Stamps; Line#3 Stencils

Tim Holtz inspired Valentine for Hubby

Hubby is away in a curling bonspeil, so last night I didn't have to make supper. Had the whole late afternoon and evening for crafting. Wahoo! A glass of wine, some cheese and crackers was my supper.

I was watching some of Tim's Youtube videos from CHA, in particular the one where he was demo'ing diffusers. I have a set of ovals and rounds but have never gotten around to using them, so this started the thinking process.  I was also given a link to a challenge blog A Vintage Journey which stresses Tim Holtz techniques, etc. After reading a quote on their site for the current Love is in the Air challenge, "A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and a man cannot live without love", I used this as the basis for my card for hubby.

click to enlarge

The first thing I did was to cut a 4 x 6" sheet of Tim's Coordination paper and embossed it using the Sizzix Bingo card folder. The oval diffuser was used leaving an unbossed area near the bottom. Tim's hint: when using diffusers, remember they replace one cutting pad. The cutting sandwich is - diffuser on bottom, embossing folder, then cutting pad on top.  I sanded off the top surface exposing the kraft paper underneath, and distressed the edges.

Next I created a flower using the Alterations Tattered Florals die and canvas fabric. I stamped images on each petal with TH Ultimate Grunge stamps, dots and checks (though they are hard to see, they do add some dimension to the plain canvas) I sponged and frayed the edges finishing with a heart brad. Used Barn Door, Aged Mahogany, Brushed Corduroy, Tea Dye and Vintage Photo DI.

I found a chipboard kraft heart with an opening in my stash which I placed over the #14 of the bingo sheet. It was swiped with TH Gold distress paint and Aged Mahogany DI. 

Using Spellbinders heart dies, I cut a heart from a brown paper bag, spritzed it with water to crumple and crease. Let dry. Then I stamped a love definition verse, the words xoxo, hugs, kisses and a small heart over the verse. Flicked some dots of ink and swiped over the surface with Tea Dye and Brushed Corduroy DI. Distressed the edges and swiped with Barn Door and Aged Mahogany DI.

The little cherub is a Quickutz die I've had for ages. I used the same paper as the card base, brushed some TH Gold Paint on the wings, and Aged Mahogany over the edges of the body. The bow and arrow is cut from gold cardstock.

In the area of the bingo card where the diffuser was placed, I used TH kraft chit chat stickers. I went around each sticker with TH Brushed Corduroy distress marker (the technique Tim used in his January tag). The "i" sticker is smaller than the other two but I like that!

A Tim's ticket and gold key completes the card.

All in all, this card took quite a bit of time to put together, but I know hubby will like it and I enjoyed the quiet evening crafting! I've made him a few Tim's tags for bookmarks which he faithfully uses and he seems to take an interest in my crafting, especially the different techniques!

Sharon
Jan. 23, 2015

Challenge:

A Vintage Journey Love is in the Air


Craft Hoarders Anonymous -Choose your Challenge    Column 1 paint,ink, markers; Column 2 canvas; Column 3 die cutting, stamping; Column 4 sandpaper distressing; Column 5 ephemera,flower

Try it on Tuesdays: Add some fabric - handmade canvas flower

Valentine Shaker Card for Grandson

After swimming laps at our local pool this morning, I made a cup of tea and started this "clean and simple" shaker card for my grandson who is 2+.  My daughter & husband have a Springer Spaniel, Bella, who is Connor's best friend.

click to enlarge

The image is a Penny Black dog stamp ("Crush" #3786F), coloured with Copic markers. At first I stamped and coloured this image to look like Bella, who has a mostly dark brown face with some white spots, but it seemed too dark inside the shaker. So I did another one just shading with light gray.  Dalmation? LOL!  I put googly eyes on the dog, Stickles red glitter on the heart & collar, and inserted some micro beads, and round & heart shaped sequins inside.

The heart die in the corner is by Simon Says Stamp, "String of Hearts", and bottom verse by Penny Black, "Hugs and...." #3316F.

Connor can have fun shaking this card!!

Sharon
Jan. 23, 2015

Challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Have a Heart

Addicted to Stamps #128 Holiday - Valentine Day

"Grungy" Tim Holtz inspired Valentine

Here is a grungy Tim Holtz inspired Valentine I made for a friend who also enjoys doing Tim's techniques:

click to enlarge

I started with the verse from the "Good Thoughts" Tim Holtz collection, Stampers Anonymous CMS085. This was stamped on cream cardstock distressed with Antique Linen, Tea Dye and Pumice Stone distress inks.  The heart was coloured with Hot Cinnamon Twinkling H20 paint edged with red stickles.

I also wanted to try the Wendy Vecchi embossing paste I got just before Christmas. So on a piece of patterned paper by Antiquities (which I first distressed on the edges, and swiped several colours of DI to further age) I positioned a heart stencil in the upper left corner and applied the paste creating three hearts. It was aside to dry.

Using the Alternations Mini Lock & Key die and TH grungepaper, I cut a set and did the Rusted Grunge technique on pg. 45 of the first Compendium of Curiosities book.

After the paste was thoroughly dry, I repositioned the stencil over the hearts, sponged them with TH Barn Door distress ink, and stamped each heart with a different stamp in gold ink. As the surface of the dried hearts is not completely smooth, it is hard to get a clear stamped image, but there is a crown & butterfly on the smaller hearts and roses on the larger one.

Several flourishes are embossed with Fine Gold EP on the background paper.

I took a piece of cream and black patterned paper from my stash and cut a doily (Cheery Lynn Designs DL103, Italian Flourish). Then I swiped Barn Door, Aged Mahogany, Tea Dye and Brushed Corduroy inks over the surface. It was then cut in half and placed at an angle under the verse and near the embossed paste hearts.

The lock and die is joined with a TH ideology pin, tied with burgundy/gold ribbon and attached over the doily.

I am entering this card in several challenges as noted below.


Sharon
Jan. 22, 2015

Challenges:

Cheery Lynn #168: Sweethearts   Italian Flourish Doily die

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge  Have a Heart

Craft Hoarders Anonymous: Choose your Challenge- One item from each column:
Medium - Ink; Fibre - ribbon; Technique - stamping; Texture - embossing/paste; Embellish -ephemera (pin).

Valentines

I made a few valentine cards recently so will post each one individually.

This one was created following the sketch challenge at Crazy 4 Challenges; however I turned the sketch upside down and added the hearts.

Papers used are from a 6 x 6" pad by Fancypantsdesigns.com called "Love Notes". There are 18 different papers all co-ordinating in shades of red, black, pink and grey. The red heart is a paper doily from my stash, and the white heart I cut from cardstock using the Simon Says Stamp "Large Heart Doily" #SSSD111325.  I added two loops of red dotted grosgrain ribbon, a red wooden button and silver string ribbon to the centre of the hearts.

I cut the black border using a heart doily edger punch (although the heart openings are somewhat hard to see in the black/white square patterned paper), and added 3 heart gemstones at the lower right top edge of the border.

click to enlarge

Sharon
Jan.22, 2015

Challenges:

Crazy 4 Challenges: Sketch Challenge C4C269

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Have a Heart   (Simon Says product "Large Heart Doily" die #SSSD111325)

Really Reasonable Ribbon: Hearts & Ribbon

Party Time Tuesdays #194 - Anything Goes

Birthday Card for Nephew

My nephew is turning 25 this year on Jan.25th. What a fine young man he has grown into, and has a very responsible job in the tech business that takes him occasionally from Halifax to the big city of New York! Who would have thought that Tommy, who was into competitive go-karting as a young boy, then motorcycles, would be wearing a suit in the Big Apple!  You just never know...

He always enjoys getting my cards. When he was a little boy, he loved doing crafts and knows how much time goes into creating.  I learned today from my sis that Tommy has kept all the birthday and christmas cards I have sent to him over the years. Awww...that made my heart smile!

He likes vintage things, and this old typewriter reflects the way work used to be done, not like computers now-a-days.

Click to enlarge

I used stamps from Crafty Secrets Clear Art Stamps "Office 101".  On a small ledger sheet, I punched holes on the edge to look like a refill sheet, stamped the background images in TH Pumice Stone distress ink, and shaded the edge with Tea Dye distress ink.

The typewriter is embossed with ultra fine black EP, and shaded on the edge with Tea Dye DI, raised up with pop-dots.

Ticket tag is a Tim Holtz stamp. I circled Tommy's birthday date, and numbered it 25.

I downloaded a vintage typewriter keys graphic and printed out the sheet on cardstock on my printer. Then punched out the letters T, O, M with a one-half inch punch. Swiped over the letters with Tea Dye DI, and then covered with Stampin'Up Crystal Effects. They look like stickers.

Background dotted paper was edged with an EK Success punch, and I placed a brad at the top. I thought it resembled a type key.

I'm entering the card into the challenge at "Cards 4 Guzs, Happy Birthday".

Sharon
Jan.13, 2015

Other Challenges:

Party Time Tuesdays - Anything Goes