WMS Team Talk - Christmas Tag

Today I'm posting over at the Waltzingmouse Team Talk Blog.  I'm sharing 3 holiday tags -  here's one of them.

I'd love if you'd take a peak at the other two over at Team Talk

I'm also linking this tag to:

Loll's 12 Tags of Christmas

CASology - Festive

Addicted to Cas -  Tags

and I hope you'll stop by later tonight - I'll be joining the Waltzingmouse Pajama Party!  Are you coming?

A Vintage Journey #19 - All Sewn Up

Welcome to this fortnight's A Vintage Journey Challenge - All Sewn Up.  Brenda is our host for this challenge and here are her instructions:  

This is simple - a sewing inspired creation, any style as long as you tell us what the Tim influence is in your project (that could be that you have used a Tim technique, some of Tim's products, maybe you will case one of his tags but make it sewing based,  you choose but please make it clear what the Tim influence is as so many people disqualify themselves from being able to win the prize as we are not sure how it fits to our challenge blog.  Be adventurous and make whatever you like, it doesn't  have to include real sewing but must be focused within that theme.  So what are you waiting for?

While cleaning up my craft room the other day (cleaning up is a constant in my room, I'm always doing it and never finishing it!) I found - in a pile of papers - on the floor - in a corner -  a free tutorial for a fabric basket I had printed from a web site in Feb 2010!  I loved the shape of it when I saw it - but, of course, just never made it.  Enter Brenda's wonderful challenge - and Tim's lovely new fabrics, and this sweet little fabric basket was born!  It measures approximately 4"x 4 1/2" x 4".

  Here is the link to the free tutorial for this cute bag.  Her measurements are in cm so I roughly converted mine to inches.  2 pieces fabric A -  9" x 2 1/2"   1 piece fabric B - 9" x 8" 

The lining and iron on interfacing should be same size as the 2 A's and B sewn together, I cut each piece 8" x 12".  The interfacing gives the cloth some sturdiness.

 After ironing the interfacing to the wrong side of the lining piece - you fold outside and inside pieces in half - right sides facing in and sew up the sides with 1/4" seams - leaving the tops open

 Then you need to square the corners  - this was a little tricky - you fold the piece neatly with the seam in the middle and draw a line across (I drew it where the line measured 3" across - see my penciled line near the bottom??).

 Sew along your drawn lines on all the corners.

 Then you cut off the corners just below the stitching and it squares the bottom off nicely!

 You turn the outside piece right side out and insert the lining.  Starting at the seams, fold down the edges all around and pin.  Slip your ribbon handles between the pieces at the seams and sew all along the top with your sewing machine.

 And you are done! HOW CUTE IS THIS??!!!

Then I went to work on dressing it up - Tim Style!

I looped Linen Ribbon through a Word Band/Observations and tacked it onto the bag through the end loops.  I adhered a Game Piece (which are also featured on the cloth!) with Glue N Seal.

I rubbed Fired Brick Ranger Distress Paint over the Word Band and dried it with my heat tool.

I added a Remnant Rub to an Enameled tag, looped it through a Ring Fastener and poked the fastener through the ribbon so the arms of the faster are inside the ribbon loop.

I rubbed a little bit of Fired Brick Ranger Distress Paint over enamel tag with my finger, wiping some off for lighter spots.

I added a second Word Band on the other side of my fabric basket.

For the fourth and final side - a adhered some Alpha Parts/Newsprint letters to spell the word 'create'.

I rubbed Fired Brick Ranger Distress Paint over the letters with my finger and adhered them using Glue N Seal to the bag.

My thought is to have this on one of my work tables in my craft room to hold bits and pieces.

So thank you to Brenda for pushing me to make a sewn project!  I am SO happy with my little fabric basket - and I hope to make several more!  I think I'll use this one in my craft room to hold little bits I don't want to lose!

Our challenge sponsor is Country View Crafts.  They are offering one winner, chosen by the Creative Guides, a £10 voucher to spend in their on-line shop.  

 I hope you will be inspired to play along with us -  you have 2 weeks - you will find all the details at the A Vintage Journey Blog - along with some wonderful "All Sewn Up" inspiration by several of my very talented fellow Creative Guides!

Here's what I used:
Eclectic Elements 12" Fabric Crafting Pack - Traveler - Tim Holtz,  Idea-ology - Word Bands/Observations, Linen Ribbon, Enameled Tags, Remnant Rubs/Botanicals, Ring Fastener, Alpha Parts/Newsprint, Game Pieces;  Glue N Seal - Ranger,  Ranger Distress Paint - Fired Brick,  sewing machine, thread, Fabric Basket Pattern  from vlijtig.blogspot.com

Christmas Greetings in a Bottle

Just wanted to share a little gift box I made using a sweet template from Creations by AR.

 A Bottle of Cheer, is an awesome Wine Bottle gift box.

You slip off the little tab around the neck and the bottle tops open to reveal a place to tuck a gift or gift card!

 I used my Cameo Silhouette to cut out the template but it also comes in a PDF format that you can print and hand cut out.  It really works up quickly - and what an exciting way to give a gift card or small gift to someone!

A Bottle of Cheer

Stamps: Mini Holidays 5 - Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous 

Paper:  Brushed Silver - SU, Tan - Prismatics, DP - Merriment Paper Pad - Tim Holtz.

Ink: Archival Jet Black, Ranger Distress Vintage Photo

Accessories:  Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive, Tinsel Twine - Idea-ology/Tim Holtz, Antique Enamel Dots - My Minds Eye, Silhouette Cameo, A Bottle of Cheer Template - Creations by AR.

12 Tags of Christmas with Loll Thompson

I am so happy and excited (!) to be joining the wonderfully talented Loll in her 12 Tags of Christmas posts running from Nov 3rd through Nov 14th.  You MUST check it out as there is so much holiday inspiration to be seen!!  Today I am joining her on Day 9.

I made my tag very much in the Tim Holtz style -  using almost all 'Tim' materials!

 Here's how my tag started.  I die cut a piece of Merriment DP with Tim's Tag die and adhered it to the manilla tag.  I embossed Tim's Christmas Stencil with white embossing paste and added Christmas Remnant Rubs

 After the embossing paste dried (overnight), I sponged over the tag and Tinsel Trim with Ranger Distress Vintage Photo ink.  I sponged the Alpha Chips and Natural Trimming and Game Piece with Fired Brick.

Then a 'whoops' happened -  I wanted to rub on some Ranger Distress Brushed Pewter Paint - so I was shaking the bottle as directed -  and somehow pulled off the whole top (instead of just the cover - it has a dabber top) and the paint plopped ALL OVER my tag!  After saying a pretty bad word, I quickly dabbed up the paint with a paper towel and said - "well I guess I'll put it there, and there and there!!" - so much for having to decide just where to put the paint on the tag!

 I purposely dabbed the paint on the letters and metal skate charm (!) and inked the Mirrored Stars with Archival Red Geranium ink.  I added the Trimming and Jute String to the top of the tag using a Ring Fastener and finished off my tag by layering it to a slightly larger piece of black cardstock

I hope I have given you a little inspiration for a Christmas tag you might create.

Please be sure to check out Loll's blog to see all of her 12 tags of Christmas as well as those by a different guest designer each day!  She's also offering a prize to one lucky tag maker!

You'll find my tag on her blog post here.

Thank you so much Loll, for including me in your creative and festive holiday event!!

Paper: True Black - PTI,  Manila tag, DP Idea-ology Paperstash/Merriment

Ink:  Ranger Distress Fired Brick and Vintage Photo

Accessories:   Ranger Distress Paint - Brushed Pewter, Tag and Bookplate Die - Alterations, White Embossing Paste - Wendy Vecchi, Christmas Stencil - Tim Holtz, Idea-ology Adornments/Ice Skates, Game Pieces, Alpha Chips, Ring Fastener, Jute String, Trimmings Naturals/Black, Cream, Mirrored Stars, Glue N Seal - Ranger.

Fusion Card Challenge - November 6th

Well, here we are in November, can you believe it??!!  AND it's Thursday - which means it's time for a new FUSION challenge.  We can be inspired by the lovely ombre colors, the cake, the rose or this fun sketch -  or you can do a FUSION and be inspired by both!

I was inspired by the rose and the ombre color for my card today.

To get the ombre effect on my CAS card - I used one of my square clear acrylic blocks - brushing Ranger Distress Markers (Salty Ocean, Broken China and Tumbled Glass) over the block in three sections- the darkest at the top and the lightest at the bottom.  Then I spritzed the block about 5 times (every time you do this it will come out different!) and pressed the acrylic block (color and water side down) onto a panel of watercolor paper.  I lifted the block off and picked up the panel to let any drops drip down.  If there were big puddles I dabbed them with a paper towel - then dried the panel with my heat tool. I stamped the rose from Roses in Bloom by Waltzingmouse and the birthday sentiment from Cake and Candles by Avery Elle on the panel using Archival Jet Black Ink.  I added 3 sequins from Avery Elle and layered the panel to a slightly larger black panel and then to the white card base.

How will you be inspired with this week's Fusion Challenge?   We hope you will join us and link your card over at the Fusion Blog - where you will all the details of the challenge as well as plenty of wonderful inspiration from the rest of the very talented Design Team!

I'm also entering my card in the following challenge:

Cas on Sunday - One Layer Wonder

Stamps:  Roses in Bloom - Waltzingmouse, Cake and Candles - Avery Elle
Paper:  Watercolor paper - Ranger, True Black and white - PTI
Ink:  Archival Jet Black
Accessories:  sequins - Avery Elle, Glue N Seal - Ranger, Ranger Distress Markers - Salty Ocean, Broken China and Tumbled Glass, Mini Mister - Ranger, water.

Nov Mixed Media Card Challenge - Christmas - Bells Optional

If you are looking for my Words 2 Scrap by card please scroll down.Or click here.

It's the first of the month - and Shery has a new Mixed Media Card Challenge for us!

This month we have a sponsor for the challenge - STAMPlorations - see below how you can win some stamps!

In honor of our sponsor - the Design Team is using Stamplorations' Holiday Sketches - Christmas Bells stamp set on our Mixed Media Cards.

To add texture to my card -  I used silver embossing paste with a Check Mate stencil -  randomly adding the paste over the stencil leaving some open spots.  After the paste dried, I die cut the panel with Tim Holtz Arch Frame Die.

I embossed the bell stamp with Wendy Vecchi Watering Can Embossing Powder, then colored the bells with a silver Wink of Stella.  I colored the ribbon with a red sparkle Spica Pen and some of the plaid lines with a Black Glaze pen - which leaves a lovely texture as you can see in the close up below.  I colored the holly with a Sparkle Green Gelly Roll pen and added home made enamel dots for the berries.  I cut out the bell and adhered it over the arch with foam tape.

I stamped the sentiment in Watering Can Ink and die cut it with a Stitched Mat rectangle die from Lil Inker Designs.  To finish it off, I added 3 silver half pearls. 

You will find lots more inspiration from the rest of the Design Team over at the Mixed Media Card Challenge Blog -  we hope you will join us and link up your Christmas theme card!  You have until Nov 25th to get it done!

Here's how you can win by linking your card this month:

Prizes:
1 winner - $15 gift certificate (randomly drawn from entries with optional element)
1 winner - choice of stamp set from select categories (randomly drawn from all entries)

Remember - mixed media means using texture, dimension and techniques! 

Stamps:  Christmas Bells - Stamplorations

Paper:  Soft Stone - PTI, Brushed Silver - SU

Ink:  Wendy Vecchi Archival Watering Can

Accessories:  Wendy Vecchi Silver Embossing Paste, Silver half pearls - Michaels, Wendy Vecchi Watering Can Embossing Powder, Heat tool, Silver Wink of Stella, Sparkle Red Spica, Sparkle Green Gelly Roll - Sakura, Black Glaze Pen - Sakura, home made enamel dots from Perler Beads, Arch Frame Die - Tim Holtz Alterations/Sizzix, Stitched Mat Rectangle die - Lil Inker Designs, Glue N Seal - Ranger, Check Mate Stencil - Wendy Vecchi.

Words 2 Scrap By - Guest DT!

I'm so excited to be the Guest Designer today for the November Words 2 Scrap By Challenge!  I won the honor with this card I made for their September challenge.

The words for November are:  

You cannot do a kindness too soon because you never know how soon it will be too late - 

Ralph Waldo Emerson

That quote inspired me to create this card:

This willow tree and sentiment are from a set called Blessed by You from Waltzingmouse.  Perfect for this quote I think!  I stamped the tree right on the patterned paper with Archival Potting Soil ink - then stamped the sentiment on a rectangle of Soft Stone cardstock and layered it over the tree with foam dots.  I added a fiber trim to the top and bottom and adhered 3 kraft sequins with Glue N Seal.

What do these words inspire in you?  I hope you'll join us at the Words 2 Scrap challenge!  You'll find all the details here.  Maybe you'll be chosen to be the guest designer for an upcoming challenge!
Oh, did someone say PRIZE?  Yep, we did!  In addition to being the Guest I-Teamer in January and being awarded the winner badge for your blog...there's this fantastic Mini Blueprints stamp set by Tim Holtz that will be mailed to the challenge winner! 

Stamps:  Blessed by You - Waltzingmouse
Paper:  Soft Stone, Dark Chocolate - PTI, DP My Minds Eye/Cowboy
Ink:  Archival Potting Soil
Accessories:  Kraft Blend Sequins - Avery Elle, Trimmings - Naturals/Black Cream Tim Holtz Idea-ology, foam dots, Glue N Seal - Ranger.