All Good Wishes for Christmas

Today I have a Christmas Card  to share that I made to send to my fellow Creative Guides at A Vintage Journey. We are a Tim Holtz inspired group so I wanted to use his products and techniques on my card.

(I made 16 of these in a little assembly line over several days!)

For the background, I used the Stripes stencil with Ranger Distress Iced Spruce Ink on a panel of Kraft cardstock.  Then I stamped the sentiment and sleigh from The Mini Holidays 5 set using Archival Jet Black Ink.

I made the 'snow' with the Speckles stencil (one of my prizes for being one of the winners for my Tim Holtz Sept tag!) with Wendy Vecchi White Embossing paste - I cut masks to cover the stampings when I stenciled the snow.  

( I also had to keep washing off the Speckles stencil, as the paste really filled up the holes if I did too many cards at once and no more paste could get through, especially on the teeny tiny holes!)

I guilded the edges with some Gold Metal Leaf sheets that I've had in my stash for years - patiently waiting on the shelf for me to remember they were there!  I ran a Glue Stick over the edges of the panel and then applied the gold leaf with my finger - pressing it into the glue.  It's pretty messy and a lot of it flakes off (and all over my craft table, fingers, clothes, rug.....)

I'm happy to say that I have all of my Christmas cards done and in the mail!  Time to start on my stash for next year!

 

I'm linking my card to the following challenges:

Anything but Cute - You've Got Happy Mail

 Virginia's View Challenge - All About Glitter

Stamps and Stencils - Grungy Christmas

Frilly and Funkie - 'Tis the Season

4 Crafty Chicks - Non-traditional colors
Inspiration Journal - Tis the Season/Anything goes.

Stamps:  Mini Holidays - Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous
Paper:  Kraft, Smokey Shadow - PTI
Ink:  Ranger Distress Iced Spruce, Archival Jet Black
Accessories:  Stripes and Speckles Stencils - Tim Holtz, Eclipse tape (for masking), glue stick. Gold Metal Leaf - Stuart Superior, Wendy Vecchi White Embossing Paste.

Rustic Snow

I have a Mixed Media Christmas tag to share today.  I started my design with something I just saw in an advertisement for the Renegade Craft Fair in the December 2015 25th Anniversary Issue of Martha Stewart that came in the mail this week.   See the package in the middle with the foliage and red washi tape?

Here is how I used that inspiration on my creation.

I die cut the tag out of Kraft cardstock and then stenciled it with Tim's Stripes stencil using Iced Spruce Distress Ink.  I used Tim's Speckles stencil with Wendy Vecchi White Embossing Paste for the 'snow'.  I looped some Linen Ribbon through the hole and added a Jingle Brad.  The 25 is die cut out of Brushed Gold cardstock and layered with foam dots.

I used Spruce and Sprigs stamps and dies for the pieces of foliage.  I layered them with foam dots and added a piece of Washi Tape across their stems (it looks like I have the exact same tape they used on the package in the ad!).  I knotted a piece of tinsel string from Prairie Bird Boutique Etsy Shop around the tag looping the tails behind it.  I adhered two Small Talk/Occasions stickers and stamped Merry Christmas along the bottom.

To make this tag into a Christmas decoration that could be put on display -  I die cut Tim's small easel and adhered it to the back.

I'm linking my rustic tag to several challenges:

Anything but Cute - It's Ornamental

Verve Stamps Inspiration Challenge - Rustic Winter

Loll's 12 Tags of Christmas - Mixed Media

Happy Little Stampers Mixed Media Challenge - Tags

Virginia's View - Textures

Mixed Media Monthly Challenge - Texture

Stamps:  Spruce and Sprigs - PTI, Crazy Talk - Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous

Paper:  Kraft, Scarlet Jewel - PTI, Brushed Gold - SU

Ink:  Ranger Distress Iced Spruce, Classic Kraft, Simply Chartreuse, Scarlet Jewel - PTI, Archival Jet Black

Accessories:  Wendy Vecchi White Embossing Paste, Washi Tape, Idea-ology Small Talk/Occasions, Jingle Brads, Linen Ribbon, Tag and Bookplate Die, Small Easel, Stacked Words/Christmas - Alterations, Spruce and Sprigs - PTI, Speckles stencil and Stripes Stencil - Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous, tinsel string - Prairie Bird Boutique Etsy Shop.

Loll's Twelve Tags of Christmas - Day Eight

Today I am thrilled to have been asked back again this year to be one of Loll's Guest Designers for her Twelve Tags of Christmas. 

Our tags need to be Mixed Media - Loll has defined mixed media as stamps and ink plus two other elements that add texture and/or dimension.

The inspiration tags by the designers will be showcased from the 4th-15th of November and the linky will remain open until the 22nd November so it gives you plenty of time to enter.

Here is a list of prizes!

Winner - $40 gift certificate from STAMPlorations

Top Three - $20 gift certificate each from STAMPlorations

Random Draw - $20 gift certificate from Happy Little Stampers

Random Draw - One Christmas stamp set from Dee's Artsy Impressions

I used a technique from Tim Holtz to create the background of my tag today.  It's called Layering Stencil Monoprint and you can find it in Tim's Compendium of Curiosities Vol III page 48.  Basically, you rub Distress Ink all over the back of your chosen stencil (I'm using Christmas).  Then you spritz the stencil with water and press it against your surface.  I die cut my tag out of watercolor paper using Tim's Tag and Bookplate die.

When you remove the stencil - you have a negative of the stencil.  Your result will depend on how much ink and how much water you used on the stencil.  It can also vary based on what kind of paper you use - so if you try it -  try it out on different kinds of paper!   I'm happy with my 'partial' stenciling results here.

Then I sponged over the tag with Distress Twisted Citron Ink and sponged the edges with Distress Hickory Smoke Ink.  I also cut out some images from Paperstash/Merriment that I wanted to use on my tag.  I brushed Distress Clear Rock Candy Crackle Paint over the images (not the tag) and let them dry.

To add some texture to my tag,  I used the Harlequin Stencil with Wendy Vecchi Transparent Embossing Paste.  I only stenciled on the left side of the tag.  The paste is white when it goes on - but turns translucent when it's dry.

To add even more texture I poured some Copper Micro Beads over the paste before it dried.

I colored a Jingle Brad and Snowflake with drops of Citrus Adirondack Alcohol Ink, drying them with my heat tool.

I added a sentiment Remnant Rubs/Christmastime to the top corner and looped some wrinkled seam tape through the hole in the tag, also placing the Jingle Brad through the hole. 

I adhered the images from the patterned paper with foam tape, adding Special Delivery from Tim's Festive Ephemera pack.

I adhered the Adornments/Snowflake with a Star Fastener and placed a Big Chat Sticker in the right corner.

Here you can see the translucent stenciling  near my thumb.  It's a subtle texture.

I'm also linking my tag to the following challenges:
Happy Little Stampers

Christmas Challenge - Tag

Happy Little Stampers
Mixed Media Challenge - Tags

Virginia's View -  Add Texture

Please check out Loll's Blog for her tag today as well Lee-Anne's and my own!  You'll also find all the details of the challenge so you can join in as well!!

Paper:  Watercolor paper, DP Paperstash/Merriment - Idea-ology
Ink:  Ranger Distress Vintage Photo, Twisted Citron, Hickory Smoke
Accessories:  Wendy Vecchi Translucent Embossing Paste,  Harlequin and Christmas Stencils - Tim Holtz, Tag die - Alterations, Copper Micro Beads - Finnabair Art Ingredients, Idea-ology Big Chat Stickers, Remnant Rubs/Christmastime, Adornments/Snowflakes, Star Fasteners, Jingle Brads, Festive Ephemera,   Citrus Adirondack Alcohol Ink, Ranger Distress Clear Rock Candy Crackle Paint.

A Pinterest Anniversary

Today I joined in the Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge -  which was a Hearts Pinterest board.  I was inspired by this beautiful photo.

 photo source

I just got a beautiful new stamp set from Waltzingmouse called Scandi Doodle Christmas and the wreath stamp in the set was perfect for this inspiration. (the stamps are not just for Christmas!)  I stamped the wreath with True Black Dye Ink from PTI onto watercolor cardstock and then colored it with Copics.  To get the effect of the sand in the photo - I sponged the panel with Ranger Distress Tea Dye Ink and then flicked water onto it.  I dried the panel with my heat tool and it left all these wonderful splash marks!  The sentiment is from an older Waltzingmouse set called Frame It.

I'm linking my card to Virginia's View October Challenge - Coloring

 We are having a cold rainy day here in Massachusetts today - but luckily Hurricaine Joaguin is not going to hit us -  it is however, causing flooding in the Carolina's along the lower east coast of the US - and I hope any of you living in that area are ok!

Stamps: Scandi Doodle Christmas and Frame It - Waltzingmouse stamps
Paper: watercolor paper; Scarlet Jewel and Rustic Cream - PTI
Ink: True Black - PTI, Ranger Distress Tea Dye
Accessories: Copics BG99, YG03, E07, RV19, RV21, water

To Love and Be Loved is Everything

Today was my birthday -  Happy Birthday to Me!!  I had my hair cut, I bought two pair of shoes, 8 gently used books to read and, with Kent's help, cleaned up the house and deck to have my family over tomorrow for lunch to help me celebrate!   I also had quite a few " Happy Birthday" shout outs on facebook -  that was SO fun and made me feel all warm and fuzzy knowing my friends 'out there' were thinking of me today!

I also got to stamp today -  I wanted to make an anniversary card for our dear friends, Anne and Jay, whose anniversary is Tuesday.  Anne loves red - so my color was a given!

This lovely sentiment is from Happy Trails from PTI.  I embossed the little die cut heart with Wendy Vecchi Red Geranium Embossing Powder and layered it to a banner of chevron patterned paper.  I just cut a strip of the paper and then punched the ends on the corner of a square punch.  All the edges are sponged with Distress Tea Dye Ink.  I sanded the red Kraft Core Coredinations paper so some of the kraft showed through.

I'm linking my card to the following challenges:

 Freshly Made Sketches -  which was my design inspiration.

 Virginia's View Challenge - Geometric Patterns (on my banner)

We're having a long weekend here in the US - Labor Day is Monday - and the weather is like summer but with cool evenings reminding us Fall is just around the corner!

Stamps:  Happy Trails - PTI
Paper:  Kraft - PTI, Core-dinations Kraft core/Tim Holtz, DP from stash, matboard for heart - Sizzix.
Ink:  Wendy Vecchi Archival Tree Branch, Ranger Distress Tea Dye, True Black - PTI
Accessories:  foam dots, square punch, Wendy Vecchi Red Geranium Embossing Powder, Heart die - Movers and Shapers Tiny Shapes - Sizzix/Tim Holtz.

Cardz4Guys Challenge - Watches or Clocks

Today is my third week as August Guest Designer at the Cardz4Guys challenge -  this week the challenge is watches or clocks.

I just learned a new technique while participating in last weeks Split Coast Stampers Dare to Get Dirty week long challenges.  KelliJo called it a "distressed stenciled' background.  It involves a stencil, Distress ink and Perfect Pearls and water.  I used Perfect Pearls Mist already made up in a spray bottle - but  you can make your own spray by mixing water with Perfect Pearls powder.

First I inked up a white card stock panel by rubbing Ranger Distress Brushed Corduroy ink all over it.

Next, I took a stencil -  this is Clock Work from Tim Holtz -  I laid it on a piece of computer paper inside a pizza box (to contain the spraying!) and sprayed all over the stencil with Biscotti Perfect Pearls Mist.

Then I flipped the stencil over onto my inked panel (so the sprayed side is against the panel).  I placed another piece of computer paper over the stencil and pressed over it quickly with my fingers to be sure the stencil touched the card completely.

 Then I pulled the stencil off the card stock and was left with this wonderful shimmery design!  Cool, right?!!

I cut a clock face out of a piece of patterned paper from  Tim Holtz Paper Stash 8"x8" Collage (it fit perfectly with my 2" circle punch!  I layered it to a 2" circle of Kraft card stock to give it a little more  thickness.  I sponged the edges of both the clock and the stenciled panel with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink.

I embossed two Game Spinners and a Word Band with Vintage Photo Distress Embossing Powder.

I layered the clock face onto the panel with foam dots.

I looped a piece of Linen Ribbon through the Word Band and attached it to the panel with two mini staples.  I adhered a Small Talk Sticker that I cut in half and drew around them with a black Stabilo pencil and rubbed it with my finger to blur it.

I hope you'll join us over at the Cardz 4 Guyz challenge where you'll find lots of inspiration from the Design Team  -  there's a new challenge every Tuesday so I'll see you next week with another masculine creation!

I'm also linking this to the following challenges:

Mixed Media Monthly Challenge - Get Texty

Virginia's View - Embellishments 

House of Cards - Metallics

 Frosted Designs - Metal/Metallics

Paper:  White, Rustic Cream, Kraft - PTI, PaperStash 8x8 collage - Ranger

Ink:  Ranger Distress Brushed Corduroy, Versamark

Accessories:  Clock Work Stencil - Tim Holtz, Idea-ology Game Spinners, Word Bands, Small Talk Stickers, Linen Ribbon;  Mini Attacher - Ranger, Black Stabilo pencil