CREATIVITY IS CONTAGIOUS

LONDON CALLING ...

2012-02-19T23:00:00.014-06:00

SIMON SAYS TAKE YOUR PICK ... LONDON/PARIS/NEW YORK.

In honor of my British buddies I've come to know and love, I'm "chuffed" to say that I chose LONDON. I "lurve" that city...it's beautiful architecture, it's rich history and SOME CRAZY TALENTED PEOPLE! (smile)

This week, yet again, I am stepping out of my comfort zone to try a new transfer technique that I incorporated into a 5x7 canvas featuring LONDON!

I began with a basic canvas that I painted with Claudine Hellmuth's wonderful Studio Paint color, Traditional Tan. While that was drying, I pulled out my new set of "London Underground" Artistic Outpost Stamps. LOVE THEM!

I wanted to cover most of my canvas with the Union Jack but the stamp was smaller. What to do.... Ahhh!!! Idea!!!! Using Stormy Sky and Barn Door Distress Inks, I brushed color onto the Union Jack Stamp and stamped it onto a piece of white cardstock. Then I scanned the stamped image and saved it to my computer. I could then size the image to the 6 1/2" x 4 1/2" size that I wanted it to be. I printed it out on white paper, cut it out and using Matte Multi Medium, I glued and sealed it in place on the canvas. Perfect!

I then created a wash with a little water and the Traditional Tan Studio Paint and added it all over the Union Jack image. For more depth of color, I created another wash using a little water and Sable Brown Studio Paint and washed the outer parts of the canvas with it. Now only a hint of the Union Jack remained in the background but that was okay because I was adding lots of images and elements on top of it.

Now...for the new transfer technique....Big Ben. I intentionally left a strip of Traditional Tan so that my black illustrated image of Ben Ben would show up better. I found the image online and sized it to fit my canvas. Then I printed out the image on a LASER printer. That is important! This technique works much better with a Laser..not inkjet..printed image. I turned the image facing down onto the canvas and applied a heat tool to it. This heat tool has interchangeable tips. The one I used has about a 1" flat round head that you can apply directly to a surface in order to transfer an image. It worked really well as you can see from this picture. Big Ben is behind Queen Elizabeth. Then I added just a little more paint wash to blend the image into the canvas background. Love it!

Next I added the other background stamped images; all from the London Underground set. Next to Big Ben is a partial image of a London Newspaper. Cheerio! is a blend of two inks: Archival Manganese Blue and then a touch of Stazon's Stone Grey to tone down the brightness of the blue. "KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON" was stamped using Blank Canvas Studio Paint and then outlined using a black permanent marker. If you look closely, you can see the remnants of the Union Jack I used as my background behind "KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON". Underneath "Keep Calm" are a couple of London Beefeaters stamped in Jet Black Archival Ink. That completed the background for my canvas. Then I added the "vintage postage stamp" to give a bit of red color on Big Ben.

Now to add the other elements that really gave my canvas that British spirit! What would a London piece be without the Queen? Queen Elizabeth was taken from a "vintage" souvenir London postcard. I sized her and cut her out, inked the edges with a Sepia Black cats eye ink pad and glued her in place using Matte Multi Medium. Then using Stardust Stickles, I gave her crown and jewels some sparkle.

Next I added the beautiful Parliament Buildings in front of Queen Elizabeth. I found them online, sized them and cut them out to fit my canvas. Again, I edged them with the cats eye ink pad to remove any white paper edges. I ran a piece of Tim's Traveler Tissue Tape across top of the Parliament buildings and heat embossed "UNDERGROUND" on top of the tape using Black Embossing Powder.

The inspiration for this entire piece was given to me by this precious little vintage British girl that I found online. Isn't she just adorable? I sized her to fit the canvas, cut her out, lightly distressed her with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and then edged her with a black cats eye ink pad. Then I pop dotted her in place.

Finally, I added pieces of Ideaology to give the canvas some dimension and I love metal! There is a Game Spinner and a Sprocket Gear right underneath "KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON". Then I added this stacked Ideaology pieces consisting of an Ornate Plate, a Time Piece and a Regal Adornments Crown. I think it resembles a royal crest. I antiqued all of the Ideaology pieces with a Juniper Paint Dabber.

That's it! Cheerio and Carry On right on over to SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW to see the wonderful creations that my Design Team buddies have waiting for you! Inspiring!! Then create your own piece of art showcasing London/Paris/New York and post it to our blog. You could be the lucky winner of our randomly chosen ....

Be one of the TOP THREE entries for the week and you'll receive special recognition on our blog and also a TOP THREE BLINKIE to proudly display on your blog!
I can't wait to see YOUR challenge piece!

A HEART TAG

2012-02-17T15:31:00.001-06:00

It's Friday! I finally had a chance to make a Valentine's style of tag for several blogs that I love to follow:

GRUNGY MONDAY- the challenge is to make anything with a Valentine theme using at least one Tim Holtz Product. No problem!

TIM HOLTZ - 12 TAGS - a new concept Tim has announced on his blog. Instead of his annual 12 Tags of Christmas that we've all come to know and love; Tim is switching it up a bit. He's still doing 12 Tags...only now it will be one a month, to feature a holiday or something that month is known for.

INSPIRATION JOURNAL - Simply make something with a heart on it.

Here is the large tag I have made for these three challenges...

I used an oversized manila tag and began with a masking technique used by Heidi Swapp. Then I started randomly stamping around the masked heart and blending the black around the heart outline. I then reversed the mask and used Fired Brick and Barn Door Distress Inks to color the interior of the heart. Then I randomly stamped the background of the tag using Black Soot Distress Ink and various Tim Holtz and Dyan Reaveley stamps. When I finished stamping, I added the colors of Vintage Photo and Barn Door to the background of the tag; blending them together.

I used Gold Embossing Powder to stamp over the wings and to create a crown at the top of the heart. I replaced the exterior of the heart mask over the heart and heat embossed the gold script in the center of the heart. I used Tim's technique to create the dimensional heart in the center using honeycomb paper. I cut a slightly larger mini heart out of Grungeboard to use behind the dimensional heart. I heat embossed it with Gold Embossing Powder and put all of those elements together. Finally, I added Gold Stickles to the honeycomb portion of the heart for that added detail.

Next I added some random Gold Embossing Powder around the edges of my tag and topped it off with just a hint of a Black Cats Eye Ink Pad swiped around the edge.

The bottom of the tag features a Tim Holtz sentiment that I thought was appropriate for this heart themed tag: LISTEN TO YOUR HEART ABOVE ALL OTHER VOICES. I first distressed a scrap of a manila tag with primarily Vintage Photo, some Gathered Twig and a hint of Barn Door. Then I used Tim's distressing technique; flicking water onto the tag. Next I sprayed the tag with a hint of Sunflower Sparkle to give it a subtle glisten. I tore the edges and distressed them with Gathered Twig and swiped a Black Cats Eye Ink Pad around the edges. I glued it in place and then added the distressed Grungeboard Keyhole and the "Memory" Word Key.

The keyhole is embossed first with Gold Embossing Powder then sprinkled with Black Embossing Powder and then topped with Clear UTEE. I added antique gold Long Fasteners that I pounded with Tim's Hammer Tool. The key is held in place by wire wrapping it in place. At the very top of the tag, I have placed 6 more antique gold Long Fasteners that have also been pounded with Tim's Hammer Tool.

Thanks for stopping by my blog! If you've not already entered these challenges, create something with a heart and enter them! Have a great weekend and take time to play!!

ANYTHING GOES

2012-02-12T23:00:00.029-06:00

Good Monday morning everybody! I hope you had a nice weekend! It's MONDAY and time for another Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge! This week....."ANYTHING GOES". Stop by the Simon Says Stamp and Show blog and check out the amazing creations the Design Team has for you this week. I just love the unique and wonderful ideas they come up with each week!

This time, three of us decided to use some of the most lovely and uber talented Dyan Reaveley's stamps in our projects. You would think that our projects would look a lot alike. But they don't! Ellen used Paint Dabbers, Tracy used Distress Stains and I used Distress Inks in conjunction with Dyan's stamps. I think this is a wonderful testament to how versatile Ranger's products And Dyan's stamps are. We used the same style of stamps yet we all attained amazingly different results by using the different mediums.

I've been a fan of Dyan Reaveley's work for a long time. But again...the old "fear factor" kept me from dipping my toes into the Dylusional waters. But this year, I'm all about getting out of my comfort zone (as I've done in a couple of my latest Design Team pieces). So, here is my first attempt at getting Dylusional.

The tag is a #8 manila tag that I lightly misted with water and then sprayed with Butterscotch, Sunset Orange, Stream and Red Pepper Color Wash. Although it's hard to see, I also added some random honeycomb texture using a stencil and Haystack Fresco Paint. To further enhance the background, I used Dyan's ghosting technique to add some shimmer.

It's hard to see in the picture but the technique is really cool. I laid a stencil with letters over the tag and then spritzed it with Sunflower Sparkle Perfect Pearls Mist. Then I removed the stencil and dried the mist with my Heat It Craft Tool. It's called "GHOSTING" because it's just a subtle effect. When you turn the tag, you can see the images of the letters glisten. Really cool technique.

After adding the ghostly letters, I stamped those lovely leaves from Dyan's Further Round The Edge stamp set. Aren't they fantastic? Next I painted in the leaves using my Small Sakura Water Brush and a mixture of Peeled Paint and Shabby Shutters Distress Reinkers for my color. Just a dab of color will go a LONG way when using it as a "paint" to fill in the spaces. Just like coloring! It's so fun!! Then I used my Inkessentials Opaque White Pen to add some highlights to the leaves. Finally, I used a black cats eye ink pad to swipe the edges of my tag and the background was finished!

My colorful girl was put together from a couple of Dyan's stamp sets. She is stamped on white cardstock using Jet Black Archival Ink. Her body is from Doolally Dorris and her head is from Pondering Petunia. That is one of the wonderful things about Dyan's stamp sets. So many of the images are interchangeable and not to mention complete FUN! I again used Distress Reinkers to "paint" my character using my Sakura Small Water Brush. I used Spiced Marmalade, Broken China and Mustard Seed for her clothes. Her light brunette hair was achieved using Tea Dye. Her face has that fleshy tone thanks to Tattered Rose. Her eyes are a Tumbled Glass blue and her lips are courtesy of Worn Lipstick. I gave her "goggles" using Glossy Accents. The mushrooms are from Doolally Dorris and were colored in using Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade and Broken China Reinkers. It only takes a drop of each color on a Non Stick Craft Sheet to fill in everything! And when you're finished with each color, just swipe the water brush a few times to clear the color from the brush and move on to the next color. When you're finished coloring, just wipe the remnants of color with a paper towel and the mess is gone. It's that simple of a clean up! After everything was dry, I cut out each of the pieces, leaving just a hint of a white border and glued them in place.

Dyan has some wonderful sentiments on her stamp sets. I chose this one from The Right Words. It was stamped onto white cardstock using Jet Black Archival Ink. I cut out each word, leaving a bit of white cardstock for border and glued them in place. HOW FUN!

Now it's your turn to cut loose and create! ANYTHING GOES! Post your creation to our challenge and you could be the lucky winner of our generous sponsor's ...

You may also be selected as one of the TOP THREE artistic entries for the week and receive special recognition. So, remember ANYTHING GOES!!

THANK YOU WENDY!!!

2012-02-10T11:06:00.002-06:00

Guess what?!?! I was just looking at all of the blogs I follow and low and behold...I WON one of WENDY VECCHI'S new stamp sets... CALL IT ART! Here it is:

I LOVE this set as well as so many other of her new releases! Don't you just LOVE the vintage gentleman and the vintage telephone? I love it all and I can't wait to get it and create something wonderful with Wendy's fabulous designs!

If you've not already, you need to check out Wendy's BLOG. She's so generously offering many of her new release stamp sets as prizes just for leaving a comment!

THANK YOU WENDY!!!

SIMON SAYS SHOW US A RECIPE

2012-02-05T23:00:00.046-06:00

SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW is all about details this week....in the form of a "RECIPE"...as in the ingredients for a project. If you haven't already, stop by the challenge blog and take a look at all of the wonderful projects the Design Team has posted for you this week!! Mind blowing!!

I went WAAAAAY outside of my comfort zone this week! I did something I have never done before but I had so much fun doing it! I have wanted to try this for a while but I had to work up the courage. Why are we like that? That fear of trying something different?

Anyway....

This is an 8x10 stretch canvas. I saw this technique on a YouTube VIDEO posted by the very creative, talented artist and a fellow Ranger U grad in my class last April, Christy Tomlinson.Take a few minutes to check it out. It's way cool!

My dimensional canvas has a lot of "ingredients" in it's "recipe", but that is what makes it so unique. I think the end result is worth it! Here are all of the "ingredients" for this recipe:

The Basic Canvas

1. Gesso

2. Classic Teal Studio Paint

3. Matte Multi Medium

4. Blank Canvas White, Altered Orange, Dab of Yellow Studio Paints

5. Copper Inka Gold

The Dimensional Heart

1. Terra Cotta Paint Dabber

2. Teal, Landscape Green, Dash of Red, Altered Orange, Dab of Yellow Studio Paints

3. Wild Honey, Broken China, Picket Fence Distress Stains

4. Vermillion, Lettuce, Jet Black, Monarch Orange Archival Inks

5. Bitty Grunge, Artful Artifacts, Ultimate Grunge, Papillon Tim Holtz Stamp Sets

6. The Right Words Dylusions Stamp Set

7. Black Embossing Powder and Versamark Embossing Ink
8. Book pages

Embellishments

1. Various sizes of White Prima Roses

2. Marigold, Jazz Blue, Dreamsicle Glimmer Mist

3. Word Keys, Ornate Plates, Keyholes Ideaology

4. Juniper, Gold Paint Dabber

Here are the instructions for putting all of the ingredients together:

The Basic Canvas

Begin by painting the canvas with Gesso. When dry, cover the canvas with a basecoat of Classic Teal Studio Paint. When that is dry, add some old tissue pattern pieces to the canvas using Matte Multi Medium to glue them in place. When that is dry, add interest to the canvas by stamping the wire mesh looking image from Tim Holtz' background stamps onto the canvas. Paint Blank Canvas directly on to the stamp, stamp the design and then be sure to immediately wash off the stamp. Make a thinner paint out of the Altered Orange by adding just a little water and mixing it with a brush. Flick the paint on the brush onto the canvas, creating the little random orange splotches on the background. After I added the dimensional heart, I went back and added some Copper Inka Gold in random areas of the background before I added the embellishments.

The Dimensional Heart

The dimensional heart is made out of rolled pages from an old book. Using thinner paper works better on this as it rolls so easy. Tear pages out of a book. You can leave them plain or add patterns and color to them. Above are the pages I made using various paint and stain colors. The polka dot patterns was achieved by stenciling paint through some sequin waste. When I finished applying all of the color I wanted to, then I used Jet Black Archival Ink to stamp random images onto some of the pages.

Closeup of a section of the rolled book pages that formed the heart shape.

I began in the center of the "heart" and worked down to the small point at the bottom of the heart. I used Matte Multi Medium as my "glue" to adhere the rolled paper to the canvas in the shape of a heart; measuring and tearing smaller strips when necessary to achieve the heart shape. Once I completed the bottom of the heart, I moved from the center upwards to create the top of the heart. Then I stamped Dyan Reaveley's sentiment out on manila cardstock and heat embossed it using black embossing powder. I cut out around it and used color coordinated cardstock to double mount the sentiment. Then I pop dotted the sentiment onto the dimensional heart.

The Embellishments

Some of the embellishments are made from Prima Roses that are lightly sprayed with Marigold Glimmer Mist.

The largest of the roses is nestled in a shabby bow made from white Hug Snug that is sprayed with Jazz Blue and Dreamsicle Glimmer Mists. I tipped the edges of this rose with Altered Orange Studio Paint.

The little Prima roses at the lower left are glued into two large plastic buttons: one bright yellow and one bright orange to coordinate with the canvas and the dimensional heart. There is also sprayed ribbon behind them.

The little Prima heart on the lower right side of the canvas is nestled in the center of an ornate plate that has a key hole stacked on top of it. The Ideaology pieces have been given a patina look by rubbing a little Juniper paint from a dabber onto the metal surface, using my finger. The ornate plate is glued onto a corrugated heart that has been painted first with gesso then Altered Orange Studio Paint. I then added a touch of Picket Fence followed by edges of Juniper paint to antique the heart and pick up more of the colors from the canvas and dimensional heart.

The upper right corner of the canvas features a Tim Holtz Word Key with some more dyed Hug Snug ribbon dangling from it. This ribbon was sprayed with Dreamsicle and Marigold Glimmer Mist. Finally, the little "broach" attached to the dimensional paper heart is just a little decorative brad I had laying around and loved the touch of "bling" it added.

So, that's my recipe and my finished dimensional canvas. I love it and it will be hanging in my studio as soon as I can find a nail and a hammer. (smile)

Now it's YOUR turn to share your recipe for your entry into our challenge this week. If your entry is chosen by a random drawing, you could win a .....

And... if you are chosen as one of the TOP THREE entries this week, you will receive that special recognition on our blog and also a TOP THREE BLINKIE to proudly display on your blog! So...get out your "ingredients" and start creating!

KINGS AND QUEENS...and maybe a Jack.

2012-01-29T23:00:00.005-06:00

I hope everybody had a great weekend! Winter CHA is underway and I'm sure the showroom floor is just brimming with the latest and greatest new products that will soon be hitting the stores! I know I, for one, am so excited about all of the new Tim Holtz and Ranger products...among others!

Check out SIMON SAYS STAMP for all of your crafting needs. They will be carrying all of the new as well as your current favorite things!

THE SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW challenge theme this week is: KINGS AND QUEENS. What a great subject! Stop by the challenge blog and see all of the really creative, fun ideas my Design Teammates have posted for you this week!

My piece for this week is a sample that I made for Ranger that was not chosen for CHA. But, that means that I get to share this one with you! It's a 6x6 chipboard piece that focuses on the use of Distress Stains. I titled it "MAGIC"; reminiscent of clowns doing card tricks and other magical, mysterious things you would see at a circus or carnival.

Besides the King of Clubs and Queen of Hearts, I added the Jack of Diamonds to my piece. He is part of the set of playing cards on Tim Holtz' Poker Face Texture Fades. I didn't want to offend him by not including him this week. (smile)

I began by distressing a piece of manila cardstock with Scattered Straw and Broken China Distress Stains. I did this by rubbing the Distress Stains next to each other on my craft sheet and then spritzing them with water in my Mister Bottle. Next I dragged my manila cardstock through the color and heat tooled it dry. I repeated this process until I achieved the blended color that I wanted on my background. Then I cut out a 6x6 piece and glued it onto the 6x6 chipboard using 1/2" Wonder Double Sided Tape. Finally, I dusted the background with Sunflower Sparkle Perfect Pearls Powder, then laid it to the side.

I stamped the clowns and the clock/spinning wheel from Tim Holtz' The Big Top stamp set onto manila cardstock using Jet Black Archival Ink. I embossed the three playing cards on to manila cardstock that had been distressed with Scattered Straw Distress Stain. I then lightly brushed over the embossed areas with some Black Soot Distress Ink on a Blending Tool. I colored the "J,Q, and K" and the diamond, heart and spade using a Small Sakura Water Brush, and applying a touch of Barn Door Distress Stain I added to the brush.

Next, I colored in the clown faces using the Small Sakura Water Brush and the following Distress Stain colors to add detail to their faces and hats: Scattered Straw, Barn Door, Dusty Concord, Tumbled Glass,Broken China, Peeled Paint and Wild Honey.

Next I rubbed the edges of the playing cards and the perimeter of the 6x6 board with Distress Embossing Ink and then sprinkled Black Sparkle Embossing Powder over the edges covered with embossing ink. If I got too much in an area, I simply took a small dry paint brush and brushed away the excess powder before heat setting it. I heat set the edges so that they would have a "magical, mystical" sparkly contrast to the background.

Next I inked the Game Spinner and fastener and "MAGIC" - letters from Tim Holtz' Alphabet Soup Grungeboard Letters with the Distress Embossing Ink and covered them with the Black Sparkle Embossing Powder. Then I heat set them. I love the contrast between the teal-ish background and the sparkly black letters. The Game Spinner really stands out against the background on the clock/spinning wheel that has been colorized with Scattered Straw Distress Stain and then some Sunflower Sparkle Perfect Pearls Powder added to the center circle. Barn Door Distress Stain is painted around the perimeter.

I chose some decorative Grungeboard brackets from Tim Holtz' Elements collection to attach the clowns to the background. This also allowed a pocket for the playing cards to be placed. The Stars are also from the Elements collection. I inked all of them with Distress Embossing Ink, sprinkled them with Gold Embossing Powder and heat set them. Then I lightly rubbed some Black Soot Distress Ink over them to dull the shine and give them a more vintage appearance. Then I glued them all in place...pop dotting the larger star over "MAGIC". I pop dotted the clock/spinning wheel in place to give it more dimension. Finally, I slipped the playing cards in their rightful place, among the clowns. Hmm...I wonder what cards the lead clown has up his sleeve?!?!

Now it's YOUR turn to create something "magical" using "Kings and Queens" as your theme. Then post your entry to our blog. You could be the winner of our sponsor's very generous weekly prize of a.....

You could also be selected as one of our TOP THREE artists for the week. In doing so, you will receive our TOP THREE BLINKIE award to proudly display on your blog. So, get busy and get creating!

GRUNGY MONDAY~DISTRESS CRACKLE RESIST

2012-01-24T13:04:00.000-06:00

I love this technique and wanted to play along with Grungy Monday's Challenge this week. It's Distress Crackle Resist. If you're not familiar with this cool technique, here is Tim's video to show you how it's done.

Here is my tag that I made using the Distress Crackle Resist technique in part of my background.

I started with a plain manila #8 tag. I used Dried Marigold Distress Crackle Paint on my background. When that had dried and crackled, I added Broken China and a little Wild Honey Distress Ink to colorize the tag. I flicked a little water on the Distress Ink areas so that I could get a little of that splattered look.

Here is my background before embellishments were added.

Next I ground a little Broken China followed by a hint of Black Soot Distress Ink down into the cracks and wiped away the excess ink. Then I heat embossed Tim's butterfly using black embossing powder and I also stamped a few areas around the edges of the tag with black embossing powder. I stamped some script, some little numbers and a little of Dyan Reaveley's harlequin stamp using Jet Black Archival Ink. I cut up a piece of scrap Mica Tile into little pieces and added it to my tag using Glossy Accents.

Here is a better look at the butterfly and the background behind him. You can see the Distress Crackle better in this picture.

I added Tim's Weathered Clock stamp to the tag only with a twist. I cut out the center of the clock and added a piece of Mica behind it. Then I replaced the center of the clock...so the Mica looks like an old watch crystal. The clock is distressed using Broken China and a touch of Wild Honey and Black Soot Distress Inks. I also added just a touch of Gold Paint Dabber to bring out some highlights. Then I added Crackle Accents randomly around the exterior clock ring. You can see the small hairline cracks in it as well. The Ideaology Game Spinner and Sprocket Gears have been touched with a Juniper Paint Dabber to make them look patina. "FLY" is Tim's Ransom Alpha Parts that have been dabbed with a Gold Paint Dabber and then a touch of Juniper Paint Dabber for the patina look.

"Wish" is stamped on watercolor paper that has been distressed with Vintage Photo and then spritzed with Sunflower Sparkle Perfect Pearls Mist. I added some Gold and Juniper to the Ornate Plate to make give it an antiqued patina finish. Then I added some Crackle Accents to "WISH". I love that crackle effect. Then I added a Swivel Clasp with some patina Ideaology and charms to dangle from the edge of the Ornate Plate.

Here is a better look at the lower half of the tag.

I hope you're having a creative day!!!

SIMONS SAYS SHOW A SONG TITLE

2012-01-22T23:00:00.033-06:00

WELCOME TO ANOTHER SIMON SAYS CHALLENGE! THIS WEEK IS "A SONG TITLE".

This is a fun challenge because there are as many possibilities as there are song titles! I am a huge Marilyn Monroe fan so this challenge was easy for me....

"DIAMONDS ARE A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND"

This is a 6x6 chipboard that I first coated with white Gesso, adding a little more on the right hand side of the chipboard. Then I stamped into that heavier buildup of gesso on the right side with Tim Holtz' Large Harlequin Rubber Stamp. After it dried, I mixed Claudine Hellmuth's Painterly Pink and Blank Canvas Studio Paints to create my nice soft "girly" pink background. Then I took just a bit of the Painterly Pink on a paper towel and lightly blotted it all over the chipboard, creating the light and dark hues of the pink.

When all of that was dry, I distressed the edges of the background using Black Soot Distress Ink. I added definition to the diamond shapes of the harlequin pattern using Glam Pink and Star Dust Stickles. I filled in rows of harlequins (using my finger to apply the color) with the Glam Pink and then outlined the diamond shapes with Star Dust. Then I laid that to the side and the real fun began!! Marilyn....

Marilyn began with the dress form from Tim Holtz' Sewing Room die cut. I cut the dress form from Grungeboard and embossed it with Tim Holtz' Flourishes Texture Fade. Then I painted the dress form with Charcoal Black Studio Paint. When dry, I gently (using my finger) swiped Painterly Pink over the high areas of the dress form, revealing the pattern and creating almost a brocade effect on the dress. I added the sparkle on the pattern using Glam Pink Stickles. I love that look!

To complete Marilyns' dress, I added gathered pink tulle for the skirt and also the little ruffle at the bodice. The lovely rose is one from Tim Holtz' Trimmings that is sprayed with my own concoction of Worn Lipstick Reinker/Forever Red Perfect Pearls/Water. Then I topped the rose with some Star Dust Stickles for that extra pop and dropped a "diamond" in the center of the rose. Finally, I added just a touch of the pink marabou behind Marilyn's shoulders. Tim's simple dress form really looks different now!

Next, I needed a Marilyn head and some paper doll arms. I found some online that were PERFECT! So, I sized them and added them to my dress form (before I added the tulle ruffle at the bodice and the marabou). Marilyn's head is pop dotted on top of the neck for more dimension.

Notice the beautiful "diamond" waterfall earrings Marilyn is wearing? Those are Star Dust Stickles! The huge bling necklace and bracelet she's wearing is some old trim I found at a flea market. Perfect! Her ring is a clear dot from Hero Arts Gemstones.

Next I added the crystal flourishes to the background before I added the song title.

"Diamonds" is from Tim Holtz' Ransom Alpha Parts. I brushed the top of the black letters with a Snow Cap Paint Dabber. Then I added Star Dust Stickles to make them sparkle as if they were diamond studded letters. I dotted the "i" with another of the big diamonds from my flea market trim. The rest of the letters were computer generated and then matted on black cardstock.

Just think of the endless possibilities of using a SONG TITLE as a theme! Check out the TRULY AMAZING, JAW DROPPING CREATIONS that my Design Team buddies at SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW CHALLENGE have for your viewing pleasure this week!!! Then start getting ink and join the fun! Post your artful creation to our blog and you could be the lucky winner of our weekly random drawing for a ....

If your entry is chosen as one of the TOP THREE projects for the week, you will receive our TOP THREE BLINKIE for your blog! I can't wait to see what you come up with for this fun theme!

VALENTINE SPOOLS

2012-01-21T15:00:00.003-06:00

Me again! My friend, Jeanne found the cutest blank cardboard spools at Red Lead Paperworks. She bought some and invited me over to her house to play and make some vintage Valentine spools. So, I packed up some Valentine papers, some Valentine stuff that I always keep on hand and off I went for a play date.

Here is what I made ...

The spools come in a package of 6; three different sizes. We covered them with Valentine papers and then embellished them, using stuff we had on hand. It's amazing how quickly they went together for us! It was so much fun!!!

Here is a closeup of my first spool. The paper is from Hobby Lobby. It's cute paper just covered with Retro Valentines. The little heart on top of this spool is from some treat bag toppers (package of 24) that I got less than half price last year after Valentines. They match the paper! The little red bead garland is from Christmas stuff, as is the tinsel garland. Add a glittery red heart and some pretty red ribbon and wha-lah...spool number one!

The second spool is my favorite. It is covered with My Minds Eye paper. Then I added a piece of glittery adhesive rick rack (from Christmas stuff) to the center of the spool and a little "jewel" heart on the free space of the bingo paper.

The little hearts cascading down the spool are punched from Valentine papers that I had. This is a Martha Stewart punch. Then I punched a little hole in the top of each heart and gently ran some red wire through each heart and wrapped it through the hole as I added them to the wire. Then I glued the top and the bottom of the wire to the spool. Next I added the little pieces of red tulle, tied to the wire. The little hearts are free moving and I love that!!!

Another Jeanne "find" from Red Lead....these Penny Dolls. Aren't they fabulous? They come in a box of 5 and they are a white bisque finish. I loved the dolls but didn't like the flat white bisque finish. So, here's a trick...

I covered the dolls with Glossy Crackle Accents. When it dried, the dolls were glossy like porcelain and had all of the little hairline cracks you see in them. Then I added just a little Gathered Twig to the dolls and wiped away the excess. I LOVE THEM NOW!!! They look so vintage and just like they have been dug up in the factory yards of Germany! I made the crepe paper rosette that they are standing on. It's cream crepe paper (aged with Gathered Twig) and edged with Xmas Red Stickles. I glued the crepe paper rosette in place. Then I glued on the dolls, added the glittery heart behind them, then the little glittery sticks to the left. Finally I added the little tinsel garland around their feet to hide all of the gluing.

The third spool is the smallest one. It features Tim Holtz' Cupid Movers and Shapers die cut at the top. He is set in a "flower" made out of pink tulle. The spool's top is edged with vintage pink tinsel garland.

Cupid was cut out of chipboard. I wanted him to look really old and almost like a thin porcelain piece. And since there was so much cream in my Valentine paper, I wanted my Cupid to be light, not red or pink. So, I gave him a basecoat of Butter Cream acrylic paint. When that was dry, I covered him in Distress Rock Candy Crackle Paint. When dry, I added just a little Fired Brick Distress Ink to give just a hint of red or pink tones. Then I added some Vintage Photo and Gathered Twig to bring out some sepia tones. He still wasn't quite right so I added some Gold Paint Dabber to his edges and washed a little Gold Paint Dabber over him; wiping off the excess. Perfect! I love the imperfections that the Distress Crackle Paint left behind! It gives him that much more character and makes him look even older.

Cupid is hold a little bouquet of flowers that I wired together, added a gold glittery heart (that was a leaf until I cut it into the shape of a heart) and added a gold wire bow.

I added some little red rosebuds to the pink tulle he's standing in and one bigger glittery heart to help support him on the top.

It's amazing how something so plain can turn into such cute Valentine decorations with not a lot of expense!

Valentines Day will be here before you know it!! Why not make some spools? You think they are cute for Valentines Day? Imagine Easter....Halloween....Christmas!!! Oh boy...I better order some more!

AREN'T GOOD FRIENDS GREAT?

2012-01-20T16:20:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I spent the day crafting with four of my favorite people...Lois, Glendene, Jeanne and Debbie. We have been "buds" through thick and thin for about 5 years. Three of them I see a lot. But Debbie, I don't get to see as often. Still, she is one of those wonderful friends that even if we don't see each other for months, the second we get together; it's like no time has passed at all. She has the kindest heart and I love her dearly.

We all got together at Debbie's house, had lunch and made Valentine 5x7 canvas boards together. Debbie...bless her heart...had little bags of the coolest ephemera waiting for us when we arrived. So, we all played and laughed and shared and enjoyed each other's company as we just created away!

Here is my 5x7 Valentine board. Debbie had put white gesso on the boards before we arrived. I covered mine with some old 7 Gypsies tissue paper that had all sorts of Valentine-ish words on it. Then I distressed the tissue paper with Fired Brick Distress Ink. I had forgotten to bring my Sunflower Sparkle Mist with me to add some sparkly to the tissue so I improvised by smearing a little Platinum Stickles on little sections of the board with my finger. I added some ribbon at the top and made a little hanger out of it.

I found the vintage photograph of the little boy and girl online and thought it was so cute. Very "Valentine-ish". Debbie gave us all of the other little vintage images. Aren't they just awesome? I added some gathered cream crepe paper that I lightly distressed with Gathered Twig behind the "Be Mine" heart cupcake pick. Then I added some red tinsel type garland (actually Christmas stuff) behind the heart and glued the heart to the gathered crepe paper. I went around the outer edge of the crepe paper with Xmas Red Stickles to give it that extra pop. I stuck the little stick through the back of the adorable little vintage boy and girl and pop dotted them on to the board to give it more dimension and depth.

I added a piece of scrap lace to the bottom of the board and then added gathered crepe paper to another heart. This time, I edged the heart with Platinum Stickles. Then I highlighted both of the hearts with Platinum Stickles. Debbie had bent the red pipe cleaner into the shape of a heart with little curly tails. I decided to stick that behind yet another heart with a vintage Bingo "14" marker pop dotted on top.

I'm so thankful that I have such wonderful friends to craft with! Creating is so much fun ... even if you are by yourself. But, I love how crafting also brings people together. So, enjoy your weekend. Grab a crafting buddy and create something really fun together!

SIMON SAYS ANYTHING BUT A CARD

2012-01-15T23:00:00.005-06:00

I love SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW CHALLENGE this week because it is so open...any subject, any medium, just NOT A CARD! Check out the blog to see the wonderful ideas that my Design Team buddies have come up with for you. What a wide range of fantastic!!

I wanted to just be simply artsy this week, so I did something that is easy to do but I think the results are pretty cool. If you're snowbound this week or just wanting to take little time for yourself to "play", try out this simple background technique. I think you'll like it.

I used a #8 Manila Tag to create this fun piece. I love Distress Inks! I also love the Ink Blending Tools for applying the Distress Inks. Usually I use a circular motion and "walk" the color onto my project. But, for this tag, I wanted to create an entirely different background. So, instead of using the Ink Blending Tool to blend the inks, I used it essentially as a stamp.

I inked up the pad and then pressed it down on to the tag in a random pattern. The Distress Ink colors I used were: Wild Honey, Evergreen Bough, Festive Berries, Mustard Seed and Black Soot (around the edges). When I finished stamping the entire tag with color, I lightly spritzed it with water from my Mister Bottle and let the colors blur just a bit. That gave it more of a watercolor look rather than clear, deliberate edges. Then I heat set the colors using my Ranger Heat It Craft Tool.

This tag features one of my favorite stamp sets from the very talented Wendy Vecchi. All of the eyes are from Wendy's appropriately named An Eye For Art stamp set. All are stamped using Jet Black Archival Ink. I started at the top right then the bottom left then the center. I loved the eyes in the circular and square "frames" as well but they wouldn't all fit on the tag. So, I decided to stamp those two eyes on a separate piece of manila cardstock that was also colorized using the Distress Inks. Then I cut them out leaving just a little of an edge around the stamp. I ran a black cats eye ink pad around the edge and it really finished out the circle or square images. I later pop dotted them on top of the tag. I really liked the extra dimension they added.

Next I stamped the sentiment, "Art Begins With A Vision". Boy, isn't that the truth? Finally I found some little flourishes that would work perfectly on the tag to fill up those blank areas. They are from Wendy Vecchi's Art Parts stamp set. I didn't attach them to a block. I just inked them up and partially stamped them onto the tag, rolling them off of my fingers.

Then I did something I've never done before. I used a White Opaque Pen to add highlights to the tag. I highlighted the eyes, filled in circles, drew in circles, shadowed letters, added short lines, followed the curves of the flourishes and even added in a zig zag pattern around the square frame. It was really fun and I can't believe the difference just that little bit of white made! Finally, I distressed the edge of the tag with just a bit of Black Soot to really bring out the vibrant color and pop the black eyes even more.

I'm anxious to see what you come up with for this week's challenge. The sky is the limit, as long as it's NOT A CARD! So, create your piece and add it to the SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW CHALLENGE. You could be the lucky winner of our random weekly drawing

for a ...

$50.00 gift voucher to our fabulous store! And...if your design is picked as one of the TOP THREE, you will receive our BLINKE to proudly display on your blog! So...have fun with this challenge! Make your project and enter today. GOOD LUCK!!!

FAUX TIN TYPE TUTORIAL

2012-01-14T11:58:00.003-06:00

I have had several people ask me to do a tutorial on the faux tin type photographs that I have used on a couple of my recent Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge pieces. They are basically a transfer on to metal technique. These faux tin types are very simple to make and a lot of fun...and what a difference they can make on a vintage piece! So...here we go....

This is a technique taught by Ranger Designer, Claudine Hellmuth. A video of this technique is on Ranger's blog. My twist is that I am using Ranger's Metal Foil Sheet instead of a piece of metal flashing or a more substantial metal surface.

You will need the following supplies for this: a Non Stick Craft Sheet, about an inch wide paint brush, a jar of Matte Multi Medium, a piece of Ranger's Metal Foil Tape Sheet, a Bone Folder (for burnishing), and a photograph.

I have the best results when using a black and white photograph that is printed on an ink jet printer using inexpensive copy paper. If you want to use a color picture, I would suggest that you use one that has already muted colors, not bright vivid ones. It just doesn't look as "vintage". Take a color photograph and photo edit it to black and white. Another thing to remember is that when you are doing a transfer technique, the image will be REVERSED on the metal. So, if you are using an image that has text or writing on it, you will need to reverse the picture BEFORE you print it out. That way, the text will be correct on your transferred image. Size the photograph to whatever size you need. Cut out the picture, leaving a little area around the picture to hold on to while you're adding the Matte Multi Medium.

Work on a Non Stick Craft Sheet or a piece of wax paper to coat your picture with Matte Multi Medium. Be sure that the surface of your metal foil sheet and the surface of your picture are clean. Dip the paint brush into a jar of Matte Multi Medium and brush the medium onto the picture surface. Be sure that all of the picture is completely covered, including all of the edges, with a layer of Matte Multi Medium that is about the consistency of spreading mayonnaise on a piece of bread.

When you've finished that, put your brush back into the Matte Multi Medium or into a bowl of water to keep the brush from beginning to harden. Next, pick the printed photograph up by the excess paper you left around the edges and lay it face down onto the shiny side of the metal foil sheet. Carefully run your fingers over the back side of the photograph to make sure that it is completely making contact with the metal foil sheet. Use the bone folder to LIGHTLY burnish the photograph on to the metal foil sheet.

Now you wait....until the Matte Multi Medium is completely dry. This might take a few hours. You can also leave the picture dried on the metal foil sheet indefinitely. That doesn't hurt it at all. You just need to be sure that the paper is dry before you do the next step. ( I like to make up several of these at at time for future use.)

When the paper is completely dry, begin spritzing it with water from a Mister Bottle. Lay the picture on a flat surface so you won't wrinkle or damage the metal foil sheet as you are working to remove the paper.

Begin GENTLY rubbing the center of the paper in a circular motion. Then the magic begins to happen! You will begin peeling away the pulp of the paper to reveal the image that has now been transferred to the metal foil sheet.

Continue spritzing with water and gently rubbing the paper off of the metal foil surface. I like to have my paper fairly wet when working with it....not soaking wet, but wet enough that the paper peels up fairly easily. This step takes quite a while to do but the results are so worth it.

Even after you think you have all of the paper rubbed off, there will still be little fuzzies of pulp that sometimes are not visible until the metal foil sheet is dry. Spritz the image again and gently wipe over all of it with your fingers to remove those pesky little hanger oners. I also like to spritz the picture with water and use a Cut N Dry Pen Nib to GENTLY rub over the surface of the photgraph to remove more of the little fuzzies. Then let the image dry. I have even used my heat tool to lightly help along the drying process...but remember...the back side of the metal foil sheet is adhesive. Don't do extensive drying with the heat tool because you could damage the adhesive side of the sheet.

Sometimes part of the original photograph will also come up with your paper peeling. As you can see in this picture, there are a couple of little areas where the shiny tin is showing through. This usually happens when you get too aggressive with rubbing off the paper but sometimes it just happens. If you don't mind the shiny showing through, just leave it. But, you can also add a darker ink to those areas and feather them out to resemble an old tin type photograph that has dark spots from age.

Now that your faux tin type is ready, you can finish it out however you choose. Sometimes I like to lightly brush over my tin types (especially around the perimeter of the metal) with Distress Inks to age them even more. I particularly like Gathered Twig. It adds such a rich, warm sepia tone to the picture. Add a touch of Black Soot around the edges and it really begins to take on an aged look. Then peel off the paper backing of the adhesive sheet and affix it to whatever surface you choose. Use them as is or showcase them in a frame made from Tim's Vintage Cabinet Card die cut and the Mini Cabinet Card Die Cut used together to create a frame. They look amazing!

I have also attached the foil metal sheet to a piece of Grungeboard or chipboard and Die Cut it (example: Tim Holtz' Mini Cabinet Card Die Cut) prior to starting the transferring process. It works fine that way as well. If you get the Grungeboard or the chipboard wet, it will eventually dry out or you can use a heat tool to help the drying process.

If you've got some time this weekend, try this technique. I promise you...you will love the results!

A RED LETTER DAY

2012-01-08T20:01:00.001-06:00

Happy Monday everybody! I hope this first week of the New Year has been good to you!

This week, SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW'S challenge theme is "A RED LETTER DAY". A red letter day is a date that is important either to you personally or globally. It is a day that made a significant difference in the course of your life or in the course of history. I chose a red letter day that impacted the world. September 2nd, 1945 better known as "VJ Day" is the day that Japan formally signed surrender documents, ending World War II. My challenge piece depicts that time.

I started with a 6x6 piece of chipboard. The background is a 6x6 piece of Metal Foil Tape Sheet. It is adhesive backed already, which makes it even that much easier to use! I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS STUFF!! It is so versatile. I used Claudine Hellmuth's transfer to metal technique to transfer vintage picture of the celebrating soldiers onto the Metal Foil Tape Sheet. Then I lightly distressed it with Gathered Twig Distress Ink. Love the rich, vintage feel that the Gathered Twig adds. I sliced the background behind part of the soldiers so that I could later insert that famous picture of the sailor kissing the nurse in Times Square at the announcement that the war had ended. I had all of my elements made and ready to lay down BEFORE I adhered the Metal Foil Sheet to the chipboard. That way, as I was laying the adhesive metal piece down, I could insert my picture underneath part of the soldiers. I liked that look.

Here are all of my elements and how I made them:

I found the vintage pictures on the Internet and sized them to fit my project. I printed them out, used a little Vintage Photo Distress Ink to age the pictures and then a little Black Soot Distress Ink around the edges to age them even more.

The bunting at the top is cut from blue and light tan cardstock with a vintage red cardstock center. I used Tim Holtz' medium size rosette from his Mini Paper Rosettes Strip. I laid the tan strip on top of the blue strip and taped them together before folding them. Then I made the rosettes the way you normally make them and glued them together using hot glue. When dry, I distressed the edges of the rosettes with Faded Jeans Distress Ink and cut the rosettes in half. I used the halves to make the bunting. The middle rosette is pop dotted high enough to clear the two side rosettes and then hot glued in place to overlap. I left the bunting in this state until all of the other elements had been added. The last thing I did was to finish out the bunting with the more elaborate cardstock and ribbon finishing touches. I'll go into more detail about that later ....

See the little film reel above the newpaper? That is two of the larger gears in Tim Holtz' Mini Gears set cut out of Grungeboard with the little gear ends cut off. Then I heat embossed them with Silver Embossing Powder. Then I rubbed over them with Black Soot Distress Ink to make it look more vintage. The center piece that holds the Film Strip Ribbon is a little piece of dowel rod that I cut and distressed with Black Soot then hot glued to the centers of the Mini Gears. I hot glued the Film Strip Ribbon to the dowel rod and rolled the "film reel" to completely cover it in the Film Strip Ribbon. The I hot glued the film reel in place and carried the other end of the ribbon behind the pocket watch. But before I did the pocket watch, I used a piece of 1/4" Wonder Double Sided Tape to adhere the bottom of the newspaper in front of the film reel and added just a dot of hot glue on the back of the newspaper where it is touching the reel (to hold it in place).

Tim Holtz' Pocket Watch features "1945" from his Newsprint Alpha Parts. I used Glossy Accents on top of the numbers to give them even more dimension. While they were drying, I chose a little map of the Pacific Rim from Tim Holtz' Crowded Attic Paper Stash. Tim is such a smart guy! One of the pages in his paper stash is sized in 2 inch squares. These are PERFECT for using on the interior of his Pocket Watch! Then I added a little waving American Flag image I found on the Internet. When "1945" was dry, I glued it on top of the map and flag using Glossy Accents. I added a few red and blue little confetti stars, sealed up the Pocket Watch and hot glued it into place.

The little "September 2nd" banner across the bottom is the medium size banner from Tim Holtz' Tattered Banners. It is cut out of manila cardstock and distressed with Vintage Photo and Black Soot Distress Inks.

Going up the left side is more of the Film Strip Ribbon that is attached to the chipboard base with Tim Holtz' Tiny Attacher. I have to admit, I didn't think of adding that until everything else was already glued on. So, the tiny attacher was perfect for adding the filmstrip without showing hot glue. The little gadget has really come in handy for me!

The Mini Gadget Heart attached to the famous picture was cut from Grungeboard and painted with Fired Brick Distress Crackle Paint. Once dry, I stamped "V J Day" in the center and embossed the heart with Clear Embossing Powder and hot glued it in place.

Finally, I finished out the elaborate bunting by adding a piece of the vintage red cardstock (edges distressed with Faded Jeans Distress Ink) along the top edge of the 6x6 chipboard and to hide the rough edges of the cut in half rosettes. I took some white Hug Snug Seam Binding and sprayed it with my own concoctions of Fired Brick Reinker/Perfect Pearl/Water in a Mini Mister and Faded Jeans Reinker/Blue Patina Perfect Pearls/Water in a Mini Mister. I loved the vintage red and blue ribbon those sprays created. Next, I added a piece of Wonder Tape to the top of the cardstock and loosely ruffled the ribbon onto the top of the cardstock. The edges were gently swept to the back of the chipboard and hot glued. Finally, I tied double knots in the left over ribbon and cut the loose ends to resemble little bows. I hot glued them in place between the rosettes and the elaborate bunting was complete.

Why don't you join us at Simon Says Stamp and Show's Challenge? It's so simple! Just create a Red Letter Day piece and include it on our blog. You could be the winner of our random drawing for a .....

Your entry could also be voted on by our Design Team as one of the Top 3 entries. This is quite an honor and you will receive our TOP THREE BLINKIE to proudly display on your blog!

Speaking of the Design Team...check out their Red Letter Day pieces on the blog this week!! I am so proud to be a part of this team! Their work is always so good and this week is no different! Check out the wonderful artistic pieces that are there just for you!

Thanks for stopping by and remember to take time out to PLAY!! It's SOUL FOOD!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIM HOLTZ/GRUNGY MONDAY

2012-01-03T14:22:00.004-06:00

What fun is this??? Check out my friend, Linda Ledbetter's blog at GRUNGY MONDAY. She's throwing a birthday party for ... guess who ... TIM HOLTZ! His birthday is January 7th and Grungy Monday is celebrating with a birthday card (for Tim) challenge this week! Hop on over to Grungy Monday and leave a card for Tim!

Here is the card I just finished for him and am posting to Grungy Monday's challenge.

I know Tim loves Mickey Mouse. And for some reason, the idea of using Tim's Weathered Clock as a vintage Mickey Mouse clock popped into my head. So I set out to find a vintage image of Mickey online. I loved this one and altered it just a bit, to remove his arms. Then I used Claudine Hellmuth's technique of transferring pictures on to metal using Matte Multi Medium. My "tin" is a piece of Ranger's Foil Adhesive Sheet. It is the coolest technique! It makes pictures look like old tin types. I love it!

The picture doesn't pick it up that well, but Mickey looks like an old tin type on the metal background. I then fitted the tin transfer to the center of Tim's Weathered Clock die cut, so that Micky could be the center of my vintage clock. I distressed the edge just a little with Gathered Twig Distress Ink. I love how the Distress Inks are transparent enough that the old tin look still comes through the distressing.

Next I distressed the Weathered Clock (cut out of Grungeboard) with Black Soot Distress Ink. I then coated the Weathered Clock in Embossing Powder and lightly sprinkled some Black Embossing Powder, followed by Queen's Gold Embossing Powder randomly over the clock face. I wanted to give it that aged, metal peeling feel. I did the same thing with the Weathered Clock hands. Then I heat set everything.

I found the little Micky hands on line as well and sized them to fit my Mickey. I covered them in Clear Embossing Powder and heat set them. Then I glued Mickey's hands to the ends of the clock hands and fastened them on Mickey with a Long Fastener. They will really move. It's so fun to play with Mickey's hands and move them around the clock!

Here is more of a closeup of the results of sprinkling Embossing Powder . I also rubbed the edges of the vintage red insert on the cover of the card with Embossing Powder and sprinkled Queen's Gold Embossing Powder around the edges. I brushed some of it away with a dry paint brush and then heat set the rest. I love this technique for adding interest to edges of things.

The clock is telling everyone it's time for a party!! I got the letters "PARTY TIME" from Tim's Seasonal Salvage Stickers and popped them on the card front using black pop dots.

Then I hot glued the Weathered Clock in place around the center rim. Finally, I placed Mickey Mouse in the center and pop dotted it as well with the black pop dots.

I have not signed the card yet, but here is the interior of the card. I distressed the edges with a little bit of Gathered Twig and used the January calendar from Tim's Lost and Found Salvage Stickers. I circled Tim's birthday, in case he forgets (smile). Finally, I stamped my sentiment. I thought it was perfect for this card! It speaks to the child in all of us when it comes to birthdays, parties and blowing out candles. Oh ... and Mickey Mouse!

SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TIM!!! I hope you have a MAGICAL day!

I'M A RANGER GIRL THROUGH AND THROUGH!!

2012-01-02T15:49:00.000-06:00

Yippee and YaWhoooEeee! Why am I so excited you ask?

Well... one of the samples that I made for CHA's summer show in Chicago last July is being featured on RANGER'S BLOG right now! I made the slideshow on their home page! Check it out!

HERE is the link to go to the actual project.

It's a BINGO Pocket Tag.

See Rangers' blog for the complete list of supplies and instructions to make this easy and fun project! With Ranger products, you can't go wrong! I LOVE them! They make crafting so much fun because you KNOW what your results will be when you use them.

Thank you, Ranger Industries for featuring one of my projects. I'm still pinching myself.

I hope your 2012 will be a year full of fun, friends and lots and lots of creativity! After all....

CREATIVITY IS CONTAGIOUS!!

SOMETHING OLD...SOMETHING NEW...

2012-01-01T23:00:00.015-06:00

Happy New Year Everybody!

Let me take this opportunity to thank everyone who has followed my blog and also my contributions to Simon Says Stamp and Show. I really appreciate all of your support and wonderful comments that you leave. They inspire me and encourage me. My wish for you is that your life will be so richly blessed in 2012.

And now...for the first challenge of 2012...
Simon Says Show "Something Old ... Something New..."

When I saw that, the first thing I thought of was a wedding. You know...Something old, Something new, Something borrowed, Something blue. One of my passions is taking something brand new and making it look really old. So, my challenge piece this week mimics one of those ornate pages from an old photo album and I made a vintage frame out of it.

I started with a piece of Ranger's Manila Cardstock and cut it into a 6" x 7" piece. In the center of that, I die cut Tim Holtz' Vintage Cabinet Card (to create my opening). I then cut a back for my frame out of chipboard and another piece of Manila Cardstock 7" x 8".

I cut the manila cardstock an inch larger so that I could cover the chipboard and leave a 1/2" border all the way around. That would allow me to make nice covered edges and miter the corners.

Next I distressed the Manila Cardstock with a mixture of Brushed Corduroy, Wild Honey and Picket Fence Distress Stains. Then I lightly distressed the edges with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink. When the was dry, I lightly misted the front and back of the frame with Pearl Perfect Pearls Mist. I love the sheen that the pearl mist gives. It's subtle but really amazing! Next I used a Gold Metallic Pen and edged the Vintage Cabinet Card cut out and the outside edge of the picture frame. Finally, to add the intricate design work to the frame, I used the larger flourish from Tim Holtz' Fabulous Flourishes stamp set and Ranger's Queen's Gold Embossing Powder.

Before I began embellishing the picture frame, I needed to add a backing. The perfect solution for this is Tim Holtz' Small Easel Die Cut. I cut it out of chipboard and colorized it using Brushed Corduroy Distress Stain. Then I hot glued it onto the back of my frame.

I attached the frame front to the back using 1/2" Wonder Tape on the sides and the bottom. I left the top open so I could slide pictures in and out of the frame.

Let the embelllishing begin!! I began by cutting three vintage pink Tattered Pine Cones from Tim Holtz' Kraft Core Nostalgic Paper Stack. Instead of pine cones, I made little sweetheart roses. I also cut greenery from the Tattered Pine Cone die cut. I also used the mum looking flower from Tim Holtz' Tattered Flowers die cut. I used two different greens from the Nostalgic Paper Stack on the greenery.

Behind the roses is something blue. This is made from Tim Holtz' Distressed Doily On The Edge die cut. I cut the doily out of white crepe paper that I then sprayed with my own concoction of Tumbled Glass Distress Ink Refill, Biscotti Perfect Pearls and Water in a Mini Mister. I used that color combination on the doily and also on the "vintage" ribbon you see mixed in with the roses.

I also cut a mum Tattered Flower out of white crinoline and sprayed three layers with my concoction of Dried Marigold Reinker, Sunflower Sparkle Perfect Pearls and water. I also tipped the distressed doily with that orange-ish color and accented some of the greenery by dragging them through the color spray. The other three layers of the mum are sprayed with my concoction of Mustard Seed Reinker, Sunflower Sparkle Perfect Pearls and water. I alternated the layers of color on the mum and distressed some of the edges with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink. I smushed the mum up and glued it on to the lower left corner of the frame. Then I added the blue "vintage ribbon" and also a ribbon sprayed with Sunflower Sparkle Perfect Pearls Mist. I created a double bow and stuck them in place above the mum and among the sweetheart roses. I also sprayed the roses with a touch of the Dried Marigold color spray to highlight their delicate edges. Then I glued all of the roses in place.

I added an old piece of lace in the upper right hand corner with a Rosette partially resting on top of it. I highlighted the edges of the Rosette by heat embossing them with Queen's Gold Embossing Powder. Layered on top of the Rosette is a gathered piece of blue tulle. On top of the tulle is an adornment made out of a Tim Holtz' Accoutrements Fanciful Button (highlighted by a Gold Paint Dabber), Tim Holtz' Baubles and Tim Holtz' Heart Charm from his Adornments Ideaology. The heart is distressed with a Gold Paint Dabber. All of those elements are put together with Tim Holtz' Jump Rings. I added a little more vintage lace, reminiscent of a bridal bouquet and a date of October 19, 1946 on a little banner at the top.

OH...and that beautiful bride and groom that is in the center of my frame...that is my parents on their wedding day.

Now it is YOUR turn to create "Something Old...Something New". Stop by Simon Says Stamp and Show to see all of the absolutely beautiful ideas my Design Team buddies have created for you this week. Then enter your piece in our weekly challenge. If you are the lucky winner of our random drawing, you will be awarded a fabulous

If your work is voted as one of the top three, you will receive that special recognition on our blog and you will also receive a TOP THREE BLINKIE to proudly display on your blog.

Here's to a creative 2012!!! I can't wait to see your entries!!

SIMON SAYS CREATE SOME TIM HOLTZ INSPIRED TAGS

2011-12-18T23:00:00.023-06:00

Can you believe that Christmas is less than a week away? Where has this year gone? And...can you believe that Tim Holtz' long anticipated 12 Tags of Christmas are already finished for another year?

Simon Says Stamp and Show wanted to keep the creative juices from the 12 Tags of Christmas flowing!! So, let's create some Tim Holtz inspired Christmas tags!!

My Design Team buddies have created some really unique and beautiful Christmas tags for you to see over on Simon Says Stamp and Show's blog. Hopefully they will inspire you to get out those art supplies and create some magic!

I created three tags to share with you...each has their own style.

Peace is a gentile tag that makes me feel tranquil just to look at it. I began with a manila tag that I colored with Stormy Sky, Tumbled Glass and Picket Fence Distress Stain. I used Tim's technique from his Day 4 Tag to create the background by swirling the tag through the colors that were randomly placed on my craft sheet.

Next I ran the tag through my Vagabond using Tim's Tall Pines Texture Fade. I further colorized the pines using Evergreen Bough from Tim's New Winter Seasonal Ink Pack. I colorized the trunks with Frayed Burlap Distress Ink. While I had the Frayed Burlap out, I randomly stamped some music on the tag from Tim's A Joyful Song stamp set. Next, I created snow using a Snow Cap Paint Dabber and lightly touched the tree branches and the ground. Then I sprinkled some Art Institute White Glitter on top of the wet paint. I distressed the edges of the tag using a Paper Distresser followed by inking the edges with Frayed Burlap. I added the "Star in the East" by heat embossing a Gold "star" and adding a bling center. "PEACE" is created from Tim Holtz' Newsprint Alpha Parts and then topped with a Gold Paint Dabber.

Finally, I added the little family of reindeer from two of Tim Holtz' Reindeer Die Cuts. They were cut out of Grungeboard and Natural Sticky Back Canvas. I distressed them with a Tonic Scratching Tool and Frayed Burlap Distress Ink. I added a little bit of gold tinsel and a gold jingle bell to the momma deer's neck.

The more traditional Christmas tag in the center was first stamped using Black Archival Ink on a Manila Tag. Almost of the images are from Tim Holtz' Mini Holidays stamp set,randomly stamped into a collage. "Merry Christmas" is from Tim's Mini Holidays 3 stamp set. The background was colorized using Tim's new Winter Seasonal Distress Ink Pack plus Scattered Straw Distress Ink. Then the tag was sprayed with Pearl Perfect Pearls Mist for that really shimmer "frosted" finish.

I added Tim Holtz' Holiday Lamppost die cut from Grungeboard and heat embossed it with Black Embossing Powder. The holly leaves are coated with Picket Fence Stickles, as is the snow on the top of the lamppost and on Santa. I added a piece of Mica for the glass in the lamppost and fashioned a "flame" out of Goldenrod Stickles. I really liked the vintage feel that added..something as simple as a flame. The spruce greenery on the lamppost is from Tim's Tattered Pine Cone die cut. I added the Goldenrod Stickles on those as well. Then I added a little golden bell.

Santa is colorized using colored pencils. I flocked his beard and fur trim on his hood. I then matted him on a scrap of black cardstock and edged it with a Gold Paint Dabber. I added some gold tinsel behind Santa and hot glued him in place next to the lamppost.

Merry Christmas was stamped in black in and then sprinkled with Gold Embossing Powder then heat set. I edged it with Frayed Burlap and pop dotted it in place.

The Snowflake Christmas Adornment at the top of the tag was originally silver. I lightly hit the high spots of the metal tag with Gold Paint Dabber on my finger and turned it antique gold...it goes with my tag much better!

Finally, I added the red ribbon to the top of the tag and to the holly on the lamppost. Both started out as white Hug Snug and I colorized them with Festive Berries from Tim's New Winter Seasonal Distress Ink Pack.

The Shabby Chic Snowman is a favorite of mine. I truly LOVE the vintage roses that you can make from Tim's Tattered Pine Cone die cut. More about that in a minute...

This manila tag was first colorized with Iced Spruce and Evergreen Bough Distress Inks (both from Tim's new Winter Seasonal Distress Ink Pack). Next, I dry embossed the tag with Tim's Vintage Holiday Texture Fade and dabbed a Gold Paint Dabber on all of the embossed images. Then I misted the tag with Pearl Perfect Pearls Mist and LOVED the result! I distressed the edge of the tag with a Paper Distresser and inked it with Frayed Burlap Distress Ink. I returned to Tim's Day 4 tag as my inspiration for the wonderful crackled snowman! First I painted some Grungeboard with a Snow Cap Paint Dabber and then (when dry), die cut the snowman from Tim's Winter Wonder die cut. I used Tim's Mini Hearts die cut to create the heart in the snowman's tummy. Next, I painted the snowman's hat with black paint and then crackled the surface of the snowman using Distress Rock Candy Crackle Paint. Once crackled, I added some Tumbled Glass Distress Stain and then some Frayed Burlap Distress Ink to further colorize the snowman. I found a Santa image that I loved in Tim's Seasonal Paper Stash and glued him underneath the snowman. Then I completely covered the Santa image with Glossy Accents and let it dry.

I created my sentiment, "All Hearts Come Home For Christmas" on my computer and cut it out using the medium size of Tim's Tattered Banners. I distressed it with Frayed Burlap and Black Soot Distress Ink just on the edge. Then I smeared Rock Candy Stickles all over the banner. I added a piece of vintage lace at the bottom of the tag.

I created the vintage roses out of some paper from Tim's Distress CoreDinations Paper Pack....probably Victorian Velvet in color. Then I tapped the edges with a Gold Paint Dabber and lightly misted them with Pearl Perfect Pearls Mist. The Greenery is also from Tim's Tattered Pinecones. It was cut from a goldish paper and then I added the snow highlights.

I hot glued everything in place and added the Baubles and Heart Adornment at the top of the tag. The ribbons are colored from Victorian Velvet Distress Ink. I also just sprayed some white ribbon with Sunflower Sparkle Perfect Pearls Mist and combined them on the tag. There is also a little white tulle that is torn and tucked in with the vintage roses and also around the snowman's neck. Finally, the snowman's hat has a holly sprig that has some snow on it and then berries made from Fruit Punch Stickles.

Now I can't wait to see your Christmas Tag Creations! Link them up to SIMON SAY STAMP AND SHOW! Our amazing sponsor is offering their very generous prize of a

$50.00 CREDIT VOUCHER to their randomly chosen winner! How wonderful is THAT?

In addition...if your entry is voted on as one of the TOP THREE, you will be recognized on our blog and also given a TOP THREE BLINKIE to proudly display on your blog.

So, pull out those tags, inks, die cuts and whatever else you need to create some Christmas magic!!

SIMON SAYS MAKE SOMETHING WITH DEPTH

2011-12-11T23:00:00.017-06:00

Hello bloggers! Can you believe it's already the LAST DAY of Tim's 12 Tags of Christmas? Wow! That went by so fast! I had such fun with his tags this year. I think half of the fun is meeting with friends and making tags!! We had the BEST time, learned some new techniques and had fun gabbing as were were creating! Thank you Tim for your inspiration, your techniques, your always positive creative energy and for bringing people together!!!

And now, it's Monday and time for yet another Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge! This week, we're asked to travel through the looking glass and create something with depth or dimension. If you're having trouble with that concept, be sure to stop by the Simon Says Stamp and Show blog. My Design Team buddies have created some BEYOND GORGEOUS things for you this week! Each is so different, so festive and just waiting for you to see!!! Seriously...they ROCKED the challenge this week!

Since Christmas is getting closer and closer and we all know that Santa is getting ready to make his magical Christmas Eve flight, I decided maybe Santa would like a new sleigh! So my dimensional piece for this challenge is a fairly simple thing to make .....

A "vintage" Santa's sleigh.

Ever since I saw Tim's Holtz' Vintage Noel die cut, I've wondered if it could be used as a sleigh runner. Answer: Yes! It can!

And my little sleigh only required one compartment from a Configurations Box. So, if you're not in the mood to do a whole box, you can just use one or a couple of compartments and create you own "mini magic"!

I started with a 2" x 3" empty compartment from a Configurations Box. I painted the interior and exterior of the box with a Cranberry Paint Dabber. Then I cut a 2" x 8" strip of cranberry card stock and glued it to the bottom and sides of the Configuration Box; to create the shape for my sleigh. To hide the seam that showed between the Configuration Box and the card stock, I hot glued a piece of thin tinsel garland over the seam.

Next I cut 2 of the NOELs out of heavy chipboard and using Tim's technique in his Day 1 Christmas Tag, I applied Glue N' Seal to the chipboard and glittered them with Martha Stewart White Gold Glitter. (NOTE: One of the NOELs has to be reversed in order for them to match when you glue them to the sleigh bed. Be sure that you are glittering the correct sides.) Then I sat those aside to let them dry.

I found a page of vintage Santas that I love in Tim's Seasonal Paper Stash. I picked the one I wanted to use as the back on my sleigh and cut him out. Then I smeared Rock Candy Stickles over it, for that added vintage subtle glittery effect. Then I edged the Santa picture and around the top of the Configuration Box with some Antique Gold Rub N' Buff. Then I glued the Santa on to the cranberry cardstock and gave it a curl by rolling it over a glue stick. To add a decorative top to my sleigh, I added a piece of Tim's new Vintage Lace die cut that is also glittered with Martha Stewart's White Gold.

The other end of the sleigh also curls. On this edge, I used a Martha Stewart Deep Edge Snowflake Punch. Then I added some Antique Gold Rub N' Buff for just a hint of that antique gold coloring. Then I edged all of the cranberry card stock that was the shape of my sleigh with Platinum Stickles. I also included the top of the Configuration Box.

Now that my sleigh was taking shape, I needed to embellish the front and back of it. On the back, I made what sort of resembles a license plate. It says "BELIEVE" from Tim's Mini Holidays 2 stamp set. It was heat embossed and also edged with Super Fine Detail Silver Embossing Powder. I also heat embossed the Snowflakes from Tim's Mini Holidays stamp set in the silver. Around "BELIEVE" are different Holly Leaves cut from Tim Holtz' Holiday Lamppost die cut. Some I put Rock Candy Stickles on and some I edged with Platinum Stickles. I also added some berries using Candy Cane Stickles. Next I added three little jingle bells on wires and a cute little red bow made out of a tinsel pipe cleaner. I pop dotted that on the back end of Santa's sleigh.

The front of Santa's sleigh says "Merry Christmas" (from Tim Holtz' Mini Holidays 2 stamp set), stamped and heat embossed with the silver embossing powder. Again, I added the holly leaves and berries around it and pop dotted in place.

Before I added the NOEL runners to the sides, I felt like the top of the sleigh needed something else. So, I sprayed a piece of ruffled elastic trim from Tim Holtz' Trimmings. I sprayed it with my own mix of Fired Brick Reinker, water and Sunflower Sparkle Perfect Pearls in a Mini Mister. I hot glued a piece on to each side. You can see that on the picture below.

Then I lined up my NOEL runners...one side reading "NOEL" the other side reversed so that the runners' curl would be the same. They really DO look like runners when they get glued into place!!

Finally, I added some long golden reins for Santa to guide his reindeer and a soft, cushion for Santa to sit on during his long Christmas Eve flight. The cushion is sitting on top of two 3/4" wooden blocks that are glued together and painted with Cranberry Paint Dabber. I cut a piece of chipboard a bit shorter than the width of the interior of the sleigh and covered it with some quilt batting. Next, I covered the chipboard and the batting with a piece of striped material and hot glued it on the underneath side. Then I hot glued it to the wooden blocks.

There is another of Tim's vintage Santa pictures at the front end of the sleigh. It is also taken from that same sheet of wonderful vintage Santa images as the one that graces the back of the sleigh.

It was my intention to cut out a couple of the leaping reindeer from Tim Holtz' Reindeer Flight die cut and hook them up to the sleigh. However, I thought they were a little small for the sleigh. So, I improvised with some adorable little furry reindeer that I have. I also added a vintage Santa ornament to take his place in the sleigh. I have to say, I love how they all look together!

Now it's your turn to create something with dimension or depth and enter it into our weekly challenge. If you are the lucky winner of our sponsor's random drawing, you will win a wonderful $50.00 CREDIT VOUCHER TO SIMON SAYS STAMP!!

If you are chosen as one of the TOP 3 creations for the week, you will be recognized on our blog and also receive a TOP THREE BLINKIE for your blog.

So come join the fun and join Simon Says Stamp and Show's challenge! I can't wait to see your dimensional creation!

VINTAGE SANTA BLOCKS

2011-12-05T15:08:00.001-06:00

I just finished making some vintage SANTA blocks and wanted to share them with you.

They began as 3 1/2" plain wooden blocks that I painted with a metallic vintage-ish red on all of the edges. Then I cropped and sized vintage Santa images from vintage postcards and glued them on the sides. Each side has a different vintage Santa image.

Next I created the fronts for each of my blocks using a 2" chipboards letters painted with the same vintage red color. I smeared Rock Candy Stickles over the letters and edged them with Platinum Stickles. Behind the letters is gathered cream crepe paper that I smeared with Fruit Punch Stickles and then edged with the Platinum Stickles. Behind the crepe paper is a large glittery snowflake that I found at a local craft store.

Next I stickled all of the vintage Santas and added either Rock Candy to the beards or in some cases, I flocked the Santa's beards. Below are a couple of closeup pictures of the flocked and stickled Santas.

When all of the sides of the blocks were finished, I began embelllishing the tops of my blocks with vintage Santas that I had. Below are pictures of each of the block and their tops.

Finally, here is a view of the back side of the blocks so you can see the back and also see some of the different vintage Santas.

Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I have always have a loved Santa and every year, I try to make at least one new decoration for my home. I hope you are enjoying your December so far!

ELEMENTS OF TIME

2011-12-04T23:00:00.036-06:00

First of all, I just have to say that Tim's 12 Tags of Christmas are absolutely AMAZING this year! Well...they are EVERY YEAR. But, I am so excited about all of the techniques and ideas he's sharing with us. If you're not a part of Tim's 12 Tags of Christmas, you should be! Here is the link to TIM's BLOG. It's an early Christmas present to all of us!

This week's SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW CHALLENGE is all about the "Elements of Time". But exactly what are the "elements of time"? For me, I wanted to think beyond the obvious...just watches or clocks. We also measure time by calendars and photographs. So I incorporated those items into my piece as well as clocks and watch parts. I call it my "Dimensional Cuckoo Clock".

I started with some extra pieces of Configuration Boxes I had left over from previous projects: 4 small squares and 1 large square. I covered the interior sides and bottom compartments with various scraps from Tim Holtz' Lost and Found Paper Stash. Next I covered the exterior of all the boxes with the clock faces paper from the Lost and Found Paper Stash. Then I put all of the boxes together using Tim Holtz' calendar image from his Traveler Tissue Tape set.

I glued the two side compartments (stacked smaller squares) onto the center compartment (one large square) and let it try. Next I distressed the exterior of my Dimensional Cuckoo Clock using Broken China, Gathered Twig and Vintage Photo Distress Inks. Finally, I added Metal Corners to the top two corners of my Dimensional Cuckoo Clock.

The front of my Cuckoo Clock features doors that open and close. This "window" is from Scrap FX. I love how it can be interactive. I distressed the window with Gathered Twigs and then inked over it with Distress Embossing Ink. Next, using my fingers, I randomly sprinkled some Queens Gold and then some Copper Embossing Powders and heat embossed the window. I added the "panes" in the large movable doors on the window by stamping a crosshatch pattern with Queens Gold onto tracing paper and cut it to fit the opening. The little knobs on the exterior of the doors are two copper brads (minus most of their metal prongs) and hot glued in place.

When the doors are open, a Tim Holtz Time Piece, Game Spinners for hands on the clock and Fanciful Button for the center of the clock is revealed. To further embellish this portion of my Cuckoo Clock, I added two copper Chain Tassles to the bottom and some Sprockets and Gears to the very tip of the clock window. Underneath the top part of the window, I have added a little "screen" made from Grungeboard that was die cut using Tim Holtz' Ornate On The Edge die cut. It is distressed using the Broken China and Vintage Photo Distress Inks and then heat embossed using the text design from Tim Holtz' Letter to Santa stamp set.

Each of the side compartments features an element of time. The first compartment contains a medium sized Tim Holtz Vial that is filled with little watch parts suspended in time. I did this by heating some Clear UTEE in a Melting Pot and then gently pouring it into the Vial in stages; alternating UTEE then watch parts, then UTEE, etc. I then distressed Tim's "Time" Word Stick using a Juniper Paint Dabber and my finger to get the paint down into the crevasses of the "Time". I attached the Word Stick to the Vial with a piece of gold wire. I also included a smaller Vial with some sand; representing "the sands of time".

The next compartment features the number "8" from Tim's Metal Numerals. Eight rerpresents "infinity" because there is no beginning or ending. I first painted the 8 with "Sky" followed by "Haystack" Fresco Paints. Then I attempted to crackle it. I was not very pleased with my results so I heat embossed the 8 with Clear UTEE to give it that enamel effect. I wrote "infinity" on the 8 using a black permanent pen.

All good fairy tales start out with "Once Upon A Time...". I created my text on my computer and sized it to fit inside a 7 Gypsies Optical Lense. I distressed the paper using Vintage Photo and Broken China and glued it into place. I added a charm hanging from the Optical Lense for more interest.

Calendars also measure time. So, I created my own little mini calendar to stick in the last compartment using Tim's calendar images from the 6x6 portion of one of the pages in the Lost and Found Paper Stash. I joined all of the calendar pages together using black masking tape as a binder. Then I rubbed Rock Candy Stickles over the top of the calendar for a more vintage feel.

The sides of my Cuckoo Clock are also embellished. I used Tim's Ornate Plates with watch parts trapped inside of them using Clear UTEE and gently pouring into the Ornate Plate cavity. Both Ornate Plates are topped with Tim's Foliage flower. The left side features Tim's Philosophy Tag.

The right side features Tim's Muse Token.

The back of the Dimensional Cuckoo Clock is full of die cuts. The sides feature Tim's Mini Gears die cut in combination with Spockets and Gears Ideaology. The die cut gears have been heat embossed with Copper and Gold Embossing Powders. The center portion features a Weathered Clock cut out of Grungeboard, distressed with Gathered Twig and then heat embossed with sprinkled Gold and Copper Embossing Powders. Finally, I heat embossed all of that with a coating of Clear UTEE. I love how it looks and feels. The center box features words to a song that I dearly love. I thought the words were perfect for an "Elements of Time" piece. It reads:

"Every day is a bank account.

And time is our currency.

No one's rich and no one's poor.

We all have 24 hours each.

So how are you gonna spend?

Will you invest or squander"

Try to get ahead or help someone who's under?"

Makes you think, doesn't it?

The top of my Cuckoo Clock features more clocks, my "Cuckoo" bird and a film strip with pictures of my life...from birth to my first meeting with Tim...milestones for sure and measurements of time.

The clocks are taken from Tim's clock paper in the Lost and Found Paper Stash. I cut them out and rubbed Rock Candy Stickles over them. When dry, I added the Game Spinners for hands and the Hitch Fastener for the centers. Then I glued them in place and lightly went around the edge with Platinum Stickles.

The Cuckoo is actually a little feathered bird I found at a craft store and I covered him with Tim's Tissue Tape. I distressed it with Gathered Twig Distress Ink. I added the Ideaology Foliage pieces to create a top knot on his head and also a fancy tail.

(You can see the top of the Cuckoo Clock and the tail section of the Cuckoo better in this picture.)

Then I distressed a pair of the smaller wings from Tim's Regal Adornments set using the Juniper Paint Dabber and hot glued them in place. The cuckoo is sitting on a multi layered flower I created using what looks more like a mum from Tim's Tatterred Flowers die cut. I cut several layers out of Glassine Paper, crumpled them up, distressed them with a Juniper Paint Dabber and stacked them one on top of the other. The cuckoo sits in the middle of the flower on top of the Dimensional Cuckoo Clock.

Now it's YOUR turn to create something using "The Elements of Time" and then link it to our blog. If you're having trouble coming up with an idea, stop by SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW and check out the fabulous ideas our Design Team has waiting for you! Then ... get busy!!! You could be randomly chosen to receive our generous sponsor's prize of ....

And if your work is chosen as one of our top three entries, you will receive special recognition on Simon Say Stamp and Show's blog as well as a TOP THREE BLINKIE for you to post to your blog.

NOW IT'S THE CHRISTMAS SEASON.....TIM'S TAGS HAVE BEGUN!!

2011-12-01T06:17:00.002-06:00

IT'S DECEMBER 1ST AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS....TIME FOR

TIM'S 12 TAGS OF CHRISTMAS!!!

IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE 12 TAGS OR IF YOU'VE BEEN A FOLLOWER OF TIM'S FROM THE VERY FIRST YEAR, YOU ARE IN FOR A TREAT! THERE IS NOTHING LIKE TIM'S TAGS! THEY ARE TECHNIQUE RICH LITTLE WORKS OF ART. HIS VIDEOS AND STEP BY STEP TUTORIALS ARE AMAZING!

AND TO KICK OFF THIS SEASON ... DAY 1

Isn't it fabulous?

This is Tim's Tag for Day 1, from his website.

Visit TIM'S BLOG to see it all ... the BEAUTIFUL tag, the instructional video, the fabulous pictures and tutorial, the list of supplies used to make this tag AND you can link up your creation!

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT TIM'S VIDEO ON MAKING THE PINE CONE AND FLOWERS. IT REALLY IS AWESOME!!

TIM IS DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT THIS YEAR. YOU CAN ACTUALLY CLICK ON THE PICTURE OF SUPPLIES THAT TIM HAS USED ON THE TAGS AND INSTANTLY BE WHISKED OVER TO SIMON SAYS STAMP FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPLY NEEDS!

AND ... YOU CAN LINK YOUR TAG TO TIM'S BLOG (JUST LIKE YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE LINKING PICTURES OF YOUR ENTRIES INTO SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW CHALLENGE!)

LET THE FUN BEGIN!!!! THANKS TIM!!!!!!

STAR LIGHT STAR BRIGHT ...

2011-11-27T23:00:00.017-06:00

Happy Monday everybody! I hope everyone (where appropriate) had a Happy Thanksgiving. I truly am blessed and hope to be more mindful of the little blessings that come my way every day.

Have you checked out the new challenge for this week on SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW? Simon Says Show "STARS". Hop on over to the blog and check out what the "STARS" of the Design Team have made for you this week! They are jaw dropping examples of what you can do with STARS!

I'm really in the Christmas spirit and wanted a new "vintage" tree topper for a vintage tree I am creating. So, I made a vintage "Christmas Star" tree topper featuring a beautiful Santa that I found online and sized to fit my large glittery snowflake aka my "Christmas Star".

I love texture and dimensional pieces. Even though this image of Santa is one of my all time favorites, I wanted him to appear even more lifelike. So, I lightly tinted some white Fun Flock to diminish the stark white and make it appear to be aged flocking. After all, this is a VINTAGE piece! Then, using my finger, I spread a little glue everywhere I wanted to attach the flocking; the brim of Santa's hat and on his beard, mustache and eyebrows. I sprinkled the flocking over the glued area, lightly patted it in place and shook off the excess. Next I pinched some Art Glitter Crystal Ultra Fine Glitter in my fingers and sprinkled it on Santa's flocked beard and hat brim. I love it when Santa has a magical sparkle about him! I also added some Rock Candy Stickles to his red hat. They dry clear but leave a really neat vintage chunky crystal glittery effect.

I stickled around the perimeter of my Santa with Platinum Stickles for an even more vintage look and to better define him.

When I was little, I remember that crepe paper or something that looked like crepe paper was oftentimes a part of Christmas ornaments. I took some white crepe paper and sprayed it with my own concoction of Tea Dye and Vintage Photo Distress Ink Refills mixed with water in a Mini Mister. That instantly aged the white crepe paper. Then, using a needle and thread, I gathered the crepe paper into a ruffle that would encircle Santa's head. I cut another of Santa's head out, only a bit smaller than the one I'd just flocked and stickled. Using 1/4" Wonder Tape, I attached the crepe paper ruffle to that smaller cut out. Then I added a piece of vintage red and silver tinsel garland that would also encircle Santa's head.

(Here you can see all of the layers behind Santa's head, including the Angel Hair Halo.)

When dry, I popped my Santa head on top of the layers of the big glittery snowflake, the gathered crepe paper, the tinsel garland and the angel hair halo. Speaking of Angel Hair....

It was also used a lot on vintage Christmas ornaments and tree toppers so I decided to incorporate a little of it onto my vintage tree topper. I wanted the Angel Hair to represent a halo or a beautiful aura behind Santa's head. I lightly twisted some Angel Hair onto a thin wire and glued the two ends underneath where my Santa head would go, giving a halo effect. Above Santa's head, I added 5 gold stars I punched out of a thin piece of gold sheet metal. Then I stickled them with Platinum Stickles to better match the other metallic embellishments. I glued them into place on the Angel Hair halo using Glossy Accents.

I wired the jingle bells onto the exterior limbs of the snowflake. I love it when they jingle! And I love the way they accented the ends of the snowflake.

I used the hard cardboard roll that my thin sheet of metal was stored on as the "sleeve" for my new Christmas Star Tree Topper. (The top of my tree can just slide down into the hard cardboard roll for it's placement at the top of my tree.) I covered it with a scrap of Graphic 45 candy cane striped paper and distressed it with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink (from Tim Holtz' Limited Fall Collection). Then I hot glued my Christmas Star Tree Topper to one side of the roll. On the back side of the roll, I hot glued another plain large snowflake in the opposite direction of the one on top. That way, I got a much more interesting snowflake pattern to accent my Christmas Star Tree Topper.

Now all I have to do is slide my new Vintage Christmas Star Tree Topper in place and hopefully it will grace our little vintage Christmas tree for years to come.

Now it's YOUR turn to create something wonderfully vintage or Tim Holtz-ish using STARS. Then enter it in our Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge. YOU could be the lucky winner of our generous sponsor's

$50.00 CREDIT VOUCHER!!!! And...if your entry is voted on as one of the TOP THREE entries for the week, you will be recognized for your wonderful art with our coveted TOP THREE BLINKIE to proudly display on your blog.

So, get the stars out of your eyes and into an art project! I can't wait to see what you've created!

QUIRKY TURKEYS

2011-11-22T15:42:00.001-06:00

If you haven't done so yet, you have GOT to check out Tim Holtz' blog!!! He's made the cutest "Quirky Turkeys" out of his rosettes. He's blogged a tutorial and included a pattern for the turkey bodies!!!

Here is a picture of his "Quirky Turkeys".

Here is the link to TIM'S BLOG to check it out...
These are so stinkin' cute!!!

SIMON SAYS SHOW TICKETS

2011-11-20T23:00:00.020-06:00

Simon Says "Show Tickets!" Hmm...what to do?? With the holidays fast approaching, I wanted to make something Christmas-y. But TICKETS ... CHRISTMAS .... how can those two go together? I'll show you my creation in a minute. But first ...

I hope you'll take the time to stop by SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW'S BLOG to see what wonderful creations my Design Team buddies have conjured up for you this week! It's all about "TICKETS" and their ideas are AMAZING!

Then, create your own vintage or Tim Holtz-ish style design using tickets and enter them in our challenge! You could be the lucky winner of our sponsor's most generous gift of a .....

... AND if your entry is chosen as one of the TOP THREE, you will receive special recognition for this honor with a TOP THREE BLINKIE you can post on your blog.

Here is my "TICKET" design. This big ticket could easily be used as a package decoration or as an ornament on a Christmas tree.

This started out as a plain extra large manila tag (8 1/2" x 4"). I used my Martha Stewart Score Board (I LOVE THAT THING!) and scored 1/4" inside the tag on all sides. Then used a 1" round punch to clip off the edges...making my extra large tag look like a ticket.

I used a combination of Gathered Twigs, Stormy Sky, Black Soot, and Tumbled Glass Distress Inks to colorize and distress my big ticket's background. I then used a combination of the larger and smaller snowflake stamps from Tim Holtz' Mini Holidays 2 and Winterwonder Stamp Sets. I heat embossed the snowflakes using a mixture of Rangers' Queens Gold and Copper Embossing Powders.

Finally, I stamped a Ranger Distress Embossing Ink Pad over the entire ticket and covered it with Clear UTEE. Then, I melted the powdered UTEE; sealing my ticket and leaving a lightly pitted enamel effect. In the picture below, you can see some of the scoring, the embossed snowflakes and the pitted enamel background.

I found a wonderful vintage Santa image, sized it to fit my ticket and cut it out. I used my Tonic Craft Knife Tool to slice the edge of Santa's glove so that I could add more tickets underneath. Then I glued the Santa in place, leaving under his glove unglued.

I have been anxious to try some of my new Tim Holtz' Christmas die cuts! I chose to use the Tattered Pine Cone and the Vintage Noel die cuts. I cut the pine cones out of cream cardstock that I had distressed with Gathered Twig and Walnut Stain Distress Inks. I cut the pine needles out of a dark green cardstock. I glued the pine needles in place and then stickled them with three different greens: Firefly, Eucalyptus and Patina. I followed the instructions included with the die cut to make the pine cones and set them to the side. I also added some Eucalyptus and Patina Stickles to the holly leaves on Santa's hat.

I used a red cardstock as the base for the NOEL die cut. Then I brushed over the letters with Matte Multi Medium and sprinkled NOEL with Siren Art Glitter Dazzlers. It is like a chunky vintage glitter. I love the look I achieved with it.

I then added some festive narrow gold ribbon and the Tattered Pine Cones. Hmmm...it still needed a little something to "lighten" things up a bit. So, I decided to add some Mini Snowflakes cut from Plain Grungeboard and painted with a Snow Cap Paint Dabber. When that dried, I covered the snowflakes with Star Dust Stickles to give them that glisten of freshly fallen snow and glued them in place.

Finally, I added the tickets that Santa is holding in his hand. They were fashioned out of manila tag board that was colored with Fired Brick, Picket Fence and Barn Door Distress Stains. Then I lightly spritzed over it with Biscotti Perfect Pearls Mist for that subtle shimmer. Using Tim Holtz' Odds and Ends stamp set, I stamped two plain tickets onto the vintage red background and wrote "NAUGHTY" on one and "NICE" on the other. Then I glued them underneath Santa's glove.

So, there's my "ticket" for this week's challenge ... an extra large ticket with Santa holding tickets! If Santa asked you to choose a ticket to describe how you'd been this year...which one would you choose..."NAUGHTY" or "NICE"?

Have a great week and take time to PLAY!!!

WE'RE OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD...

2011-11-13T23:00:00.011-06:00

This week Simon Says Show something for WOMEN ONLY.

I decided to take a trip to Oz and I'm taking my suitcase with me! I actually started this project a while back and recently completed it. When I saw this week's challenge, I decided this Wizard of Oz Suitcase was definitely for women. After all, I think probably more women than men LOVE the Wizard of Oz. And... let's face it...three of the main characters were female: Dorothy, Glinda the Good Witch and The Wicked Witch. And...oh, the lessons we can learn from these three gals! (smile)

I started off with a plain wooden suitcase, just like the one I created with the Butterfly Suitcase a few months ago. I covered the exterior of the suitcase with those fabulous Magic of Oz papers from Graphic 45. I also used some of the coordinating Chipboard Tags from sets 1 and 2 for luggage tags and some of the embellishments on the interior.

The front of the suitcase features the main characters from the movie. Each is holding a little trinket that is so much a part of their characters. If you're familiar with the story, you know that the Cowardly Lion found his "courage" while on the road to Oz. Here, he is wearing his little Courage Medal given to him by the Wizard. It was made from a small cross that I purchased at a local craft store. I went online, found the actual medal from the movie, sized it and glued it on top of the cross using Glossy Accents. Then I added the little red and white ribbon to look like the medal in the movie.

The Tin Man received a "heart" from the Wizard...a ticking clock in the shape of a heart. I found a plain little red heart charm, added the chain and the clock face that I sized on my computer to fit the heart. Then I went around the edges with Platinum Stickles.

The Wicked Witch is holding a crystal ball charm that I found at a local craft store. Remember her big crystal ball in her scary room in the castle? More about that later ....

The Scarecrow was hoping that the Wizard of Oz could give him "a brain". Upon his meeting the Wizard, he was given a diploma. Here I have made my own diploma on my computer. I distressed it with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and went around the edges with Platinum Stickles.

Dorothy is wearing a little bracelet, showing off her feisty terrier, Toto and her ruby slippers are accented with Xmas Red Stickles. You will see those ruby red slippers again on the interior of the suitcase!

All of the characters on the front are cut from one piece of Graphic 45 Paper. Aren't they great?

The back side of the suitcase features more of these amazing graphics from the Magic of Oz papers. The pocket itself features the theme for the whole suitcase..."The Magic of Oz" with the Scarecrow and the Tin Man looking on. I went all around the exterior of this with Platinum Stickles...a great accent tool when working with vintage.

I have created a pocket to hold a Song Book; complete with all of the song lyrics from the Wizard Of Oz Movie. I created the pages of the book on my computer and printed them out on newsprint; so they would look and feel older. The cover of the book is taken from two 6x6 squares from the Magic Of Oz papers. There are so many wonderful graphics on these 12x12 sheets!

The luggage tags on the exterior are taken from the coordinating Chipboard sets and backed with some of the blue and white gingham paper from the paper stack. I distressed them with Vintage Photo and attached them to the handle with some blue and white fiber-ish cording.

All of the hardware on this suitcase was originally shiny silver. I altered its appearance by using Metallic Mixative Gold and then Ginger Alcohol Inks. I also used this same combination on the little hinges. It coordinated perfectly with the beautiful rich vintage tones in the papers.

The interior of the suitcase is very intricate and tells the story of the Wizard of Oz. The back paper is taken from a different paper stack and features the Emerald City. Popped in front are all of the main characters on the yellow brick road, making their way to Oz. Up in the sky, the Wicked Witch is flying by on her broom, writing her ominous words "SURRENDER DOROTHY" in Gunmetal Stickles.

Along the way, they encounter a poppy field. The paper background on the fold down is another of the Graphic 45 papers covered with poppies; distressed with Vintage Photo and sprayed with Sunflower Sparkle Perfect Pearls Mist. The poppies in THIS field are actually taken from a white silk hydrangea plant. I sprayed the flowers with (appropriately enough) Oriental Poppy Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist. I sprayed the corsage leaves with Sunflower Sparkle Mist and hot glued them in place. I loved the large image of the Scarecrow on the left and made my own gate fold mini book to show all of the characters in the movie.

All of the characters in this book are from one sheet of the paper in this collection! I cut them out, mounted them onto a piece of 2.5 x 3.75 sheet of black cardstock. I put them in the order that they appeared in the movie. I accented all of the pictures with Platinum Stickles. The little closure on the front of the book is made with pieces from Tim Holtz' Ideaology line: Hitch Fasteners, a Charm Clip, a piece of Lace Chain and a Chain Tassle. The tickets across the bottom are also from the Chipboard Tags that match the Magic Of Oz papers; mounted on black cardstock and Platinum Stickles run around the edge. I also ran just a hint of Antique Gold Rub N' Buff around the edge of the black cardstock. The little book is then mounted on a piece of green paper with Tim Holtz' Metal Corners used as accent pieces on the four corners.

Lift up the pull down and you will be making your way down the yellow brick road. "There's No Place Like Home" is another of piece of the Chipboard Tags. I altered it just a bit by adding some Platinum Stickles around the edge, two red brads that have been topped with Christmas Red Stickles and a piece of red sequins put into place using 1/8" Wonder Tape.

As you know, when Dorothy's house fell into Oz, it fell on the Wicked Witch's sister. The House is Tim Holtz' Rickety House die cut that has been painted with a cream acrylic paint. I used pieces of Mica (torn from a thin sheet) in the windows to represent broken glass. The house is outlined with Platinum Stickles and distressed with Vintage Photo, Black Soot and Walnut Stain Distress Inks. The witch's legs are taken from yet another of the wonderful graphics from the paper stack and glued as if the house has just landed on the Wicked Witch!

Making her entrance in her floating bubble, Glinda sweeps across the fields onto the yellow brick road. Glinda is yet another of the graphics found among these papers. She is highlighted with Fruit Punch, Cotton Candy Pink and Stardust Stickles. She is mounted on a piece of glittery paper and then adhered to half of a plastic Christmas ornament ball that I bought at a local craft store. Then I glued her into place using Glossy Accents and went around the perimeter of the bubble with Stardust and Waterfall Stickles. I love how she really looks like she's floating in a bubble!

Now for my favorite part of this suitcase....the compartments in the bottom!

I covered the inside of the suitcase with Dorothy's signature blue and white gingham pattern from her dress. I loved this paper and knew the second I saw it that it would be the lining of my suitcase. Remember the picket fence that was all around Dorothy's farm house? Well, these compartments were formed by cutting chipboard into strips and topping them off using Tim Holtz' On The Fence die cut. I painted each strip with Picket Fence Distress Crackle Paint and let it dry. Then I lightly distressed each one with Weathered Wood Distress Ink. Next, I love the heart paper from the paper stack and used it on each compartment. The edge is done with Tim Holtz' Mini Scallop On The Edge die cut. They are lightly distressed with Black Soot Distress Ink and glued onto the "fence" compartments.

Each compartment is filled with special pieces from the movie:

Dorothy's Ruby Slippers - little silver doll ballet slippers that I covered with Christmas Red Stickles.

The Scarecrow's Diploma - a larger version of the diploma that the Scarecrow is holding on the front cover.

The Tin Man's heart. This is a clear plastic heart ornament that I painted with a Christmas Red acrylic paint on the INSIDE of the heart; so that the exterior would be smooth and shiny. It took a couple of coats for good coverage. Then I sized a larger clock face to glue onto the heart with Glossy Accents. I also went over the clock face with the Glossy Accents so that it would give the face some dimension. When dry, I went around the perimeter of the clock face with Silver Stickles. The heart has a thick silver chain on it and it is attached to the wall of the suitcase with a brass 7 Gypsies hook.

Glinda's magic wand was made from a dowel rod, painted silver and wrapped in tulle with Silver Stickles added for that extra "magical sparkle". The star on the top is a mini Christmas ornament I bought at a local craft store and hot glued to the top of the dowel rod. "There's No Place Like Home" is a piece of ribbon that I had and I think it fits perfectly!

The Hour Glass is one that I purchased online. I have done nothing to it. It looks so much like the Wicked Witch's Hour Glass that I didn't think it needed any further embellishing (smile).

Finally, my favorite piece....the Wicked Witch's Crystal Ball. Remember when she had Dorothy locked up inside her tower? She turned over the hour glass and told Dorothy that she would be alive as long as the sand was running through the hour glass. Dorothy was crying over the crystal ball when all of a sudden, Auntie Em's image began to appear. Dorothy called out to Auntie Em, trying to reach her and then the image began to fade.....

only to be replaced by the haunting image of the Wicked Witch, laughing that screeching, sinister laugh. The crystal ball is a clear plastic ornament that splits in half. I found an image of Auntie Em and of the Wicked Witch online and sized them to fit the ornament. I glued them back to back and then glued them into the ornament. The base of the crystal ball is a wooden wheel that fit perfectly for the base. I painted it with a Gold Paint Dabber and then mounted the crystal ball on top of it. I embellished the base with another strand of the red sequins and a little pair of ruby slippers taken from The Magic of Oz papers.

So, there you have it...my Wizard of Oz suitcase. My daughter has already told me that I better will it to her (smile) because she loves the Wizard of Oz as much as I do!!

My amazing Design Teammates at SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW have created some really extraordinary "WOMEN ONLY" pieces for you to see! Hop on over to our blog and check them out. Then create your WOMEN ONLY piece and enter it into our challenge. You could be the lucky winner of our sponsor's amazing ...

$50.00 credit voucher!!! How cool is THAT? And...if your creation is deemed as one of the TOP THREE entries, you will receive out coveted Top 3 Blinkie Award to be displayed on your blog.

Okay everyone....time to make something for WOMEN ONLY!!!

I WON!!!!

2011-11-07T15:48:00.002-06:00

I am so excited that I'm doing a Snoopy Dance!!!

Karen Hall aka "Kaz" of THE LITTLE SHABBY SHED notified me this morning that I have won the prize in her giveaway. It's a "Doolally Dorris" Stamp Set by that wonderful artist, designer and NEWLY ANNOUNCED SENIOR DESIGNER FOR RANGER INDUSTRIES..... (drum roll..... ta-dah.....) DYAN REAVELEY of Art and Soul. Here is a link to her online store ART FROM THE HEART.

I have really been intrigued by Dyan's art. It's so unique and fun. When my friend, Kaz became a part of Dyan's design team, I became even more interested in Dyan's work. Her journal work and her products are incredibly cool. Check her out!!

Here is the stamp set I've won...

I have recently purchased some of her other stamps...I'm waiting on them to arrive so I can play play play!!!

Thank you, Kaz for this wonderful giveaway! I never win anything so when you notified me this morning that I had won, I about wet my pants!!!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day...I know I am!!!

SIMON SAYS RECYCLE

2011-11-06T23:00:00.010-06:00

It's another Monday and you know what that means....another SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW CHALLENGE! This week, Simon Says "RECYCLE!"

I chose to recycle a couple of things; a plain wooden frame, a Christmas napkin and some Tim Holtz packaging from his Muse Tokens. Combining all of those things, I came up with this cute little "glitzy" vintage/retro Christmas decoration. As a child, I remember lots of shiny tinsel and sparkly things at Christmastime. So, I tried to incorporate some of my childhood recollections into this piece.

I started with a plain wooden frame that measures 8 1/2" x 6". The opening in the center is suitable for a 4" x 6" picture or, in this case, my own little recycled packaging collage of retro Santa faces.

I began with just the wooden frame, a Christmas napkin and some Ranger Natural Melt Art Beeswax. Instead of using my craft sheet underneath this piece, I used a piece of wax paper on top of newspaper. If you get beeswax on your craft sheet, it's a dedicated beeswax craft sheet from them on! So, when working with beeswax, use wax paper underneath your work. I heated the beeswax in my Ranger Melting Pot and then brushed two or three light coats onto the front and sides of the plain wooden frame. (When you do this, use an old craft brush because once it comes in contact with the beeswax, it will be a dedicated beeswax brush!)
Then I gently used my heat tool to smooth out the beeswax.

Next I laid the Christmas napkin on top of the beeswax and positioned it how I wanted the design to appear on the frame. Then I took my Hot Wax Art Stylus (similar to a little quilter's seam iron) and pressed it onto the napkin until the wax began to seep through. I repeated this all over the front and sides of the frame until the napkin was soaked into the beeswax. Then I turned the frame over and adhered the napkin to the back of the frame using the same technique.

To give the frame some extra "umph", I lightly brushed Perfect Pearls over portions of the frame with the larger Perfect Pearls brush. First Sunflower Sparkle followed by Forever Red on some of the poinsettias. Finally, I added a little Kiwi and then some Forever Green to some of the leaves. I wish you could see the shimmer and iridescence that the Perfect Pearls add!

I added a snowflake in the lower corner of the frame by adding a little more beeswax in that area and then pressing a rubber stamp snowflake into the hot beeswax. Let it cool and then pull up the rubber stamp. I then smoothed out the remaining beeswax around it with the hot wax stylus and added some Sunflower Sparkle Perfect Pearls to the snowflake. It's a subtle but neat way to add detail to beeswax pieces.

To further add some "glitz", I added some sparkly accents to the frame with Patina and Platinum Stickles. (If you wanted to just make the Christmas frames, you could stop here, stick a 4x6 picture in it and have inexpensive but lovely Christmas frames to keep for yourself or give as gifts.)

Now that the basic frame was finished, I began to alter the The Muse Token packaging to fit in my open space. It has twelve 1" round bump ups that accommodate the Muse Tokens. So, I chose to take advantage of those little bump ups to showcase Retro Santa faces. I went through my files of Vintage and Retro Santas and found several that I liked. These Santas are so familiar to me! When I was a child, these were the Santa faces I remember.

I cropped them into circles and sized them like inchies ....1". Then I printed them out on a sheet of quality paper and punched them out using a 1" Round Punch. I inked the edges with a Chestnut Roan Cats Eye Ink Pad.

Next I laid them one at a time underneath where the bump up would be and glued them into place. When I had all my Santas in place, I made or found little knick knacks to put inside of each bump up that is reminiscent of Christmas. A couple of the Santas are completely covered...but they are there. Some have little candy canes, little sleigh bells, little Christmas bulbs. There is a little present, a poinsettia, a little pine cone, a sprig of holly and even snow and a snowflake.

To keep the items in place, I ran a piece of 1/8" Wonder Tape between the rows of bump ups. Then I laid the packaging over the Santa faces and pressed it into place. You could see the Wonder Tape through the clear packaging so I decided to put more 1/8" Wonder Tape on top of the packaging; between the rows of bump ups (just as I had done underneath the packaging). Then I pressed some sparkly gold and silver Christmas ribbon on top of the Wonder Tape. I love the result. The sparkly ribbon better defines the bump ups and adds more sparkle and glitz to my piece! Gotta love the glitz when you're doing Retro Christmas!

I slipped my new glitzy Retro Santas into the frame but it still needed something to complete my vintage retro look. I found some gold tinsel pipe cleaners that I rolled up into a sort of flourish design and hot glued them to the upper portion of the frame. Then I tied three little gold bells to some shiny gold cording and staggered them down the left side of the frame.

Finally, I took 5 corsage leaves and wired them together. I sprayed them with my own color mist of Broken China Reinker and water in a Mini Mister to make them match the leaves in the napkin. Then I lightly brushed over the leaves with Sunflower Sparkle Perfect Pearls and barely touched the edges of the leaves with Antique Gold Rub On. Finally I hot glued a Prima Poinsettia on top of the leaves and my vintage/retro Christmas decoration was complete! Every time I look at it, I am taken back to my childhood Christmases with the old fashioned light bulbs on our Christmas tree, dripping with long silver tinsel. I can almost hear Bing Crosby singing "Jingle Bells". I have to admit, when I was working on this piece, I wasn't sure where it was going or if I would like it all that much. But, when it all came together ... I love it!

Isn't it amazing what you can do with packaging? I blogged a few months ago that Tim says never throw packaging away...because it really is useful in projects. This is a perfect example of that!! Now, go look at your Tim stuff and see if you don't start to see all of that packaging in a whole new light!! (smile)

Here is a piece I made last year using Tim Holtz' Ideaology Time Piece packaging, a 5x7 canvas, Ten Seconds Metal that I dry embossed and sanded, a scrap of Tim Holtz' Seasonal Paper Stash, some green tinsel garland beneath some little die cut flowers (I think they were the smallest of Tim Holtz' Tattered Florals) that I alcohol inked. The pictures in the round bump ups are very special ones. They are family pictures starting with myself and my brother when we were very young, sitting on Santa's lap; then of my children sitting on Santa's lap and then of my three grandsons' first Christmases on Santa's lap. Like I said, it's amazing what you can do with some packaging!

Now, let's see what YOU can recycle into something wonderful! If you need more inspiration, stop by SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW! My Design Team buddies are so creative! You will be amazed at what they have recycled!!! Then enter your creation in our challenge. You could be the lucky winner of our most generous sponsor's weekly random drawing for a .......

and....you could be selected as one of our TOP 3 creations for the week! So...get that creative thinking cap on and GO FOR IT!!! Recycle!

TRASH TO TREASURE GIVEAWAY!!!

2011-11-05T08:46:00.001-05:00

It's Saturday!!! YAY!!! Here's a quick blog post for you...

If you're not already aware of it, Lynn Stevens of TRASH TO TREAURE is having a fantastic giveaway to celebrate her third year of blogging. Here are her "treasures" she's giving away:

and this...

AND this....

AND THERE IS EVEN A BONUS that she's giving away...but you'll need to hop on over to her blog to check it out! Read her instructions carefully and enter to win!!

Have a great weekend and be sure to take time to PLAY!!! It's SOUL FOOD!!

SIMON SAYS SHOW A HOUSE

2011-10-30T23:00:00.035-05:00

Happy Monday Everybody!! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Did you see the BIG NEWS over at SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW? We are so excited to now have 1,000 FOLLOWERS!!! Yippee and Ya-Hoowee!! Thank you to everyone who is a follower...and if you're not one, why not sign up? We'd love to have you on join us! While you're signing up...check out the Design Team's creations for you this week!!! They will knock your socks off! This week's challenge theme....."A HOUSE".

I decided to make that plural and make a vintage shabby chic row houses triptych.
(Isn't THAT a fancy word for a three paneled something or other?)

Because of the length of the triptych, it is hard to get a really good picture showing all of the detail. You can click on the picture to get a larger image.

I began with three plain chipboard houses. Each house measures 5 1/2" x 4". Each of the houses features a different dimensional window. The chipboard windows are from an Australian company, ScrapFX. Aren't they awesome? In each window is a beautiful little vintage girl from a collage sheet I purchased from Dezinaworld. Love them!!

The first house was sprayed with some Snow Cap Diorama Paint I found on a clearance aisle at a local craft store. The fact that it looked like stucco fascinated me, so I bought it. I sprayed it right onto the chipboard and let it dry. I love the texture it gave! Then I distressed my "stucco" house with Scattered Straw followed by Tumbled Glass Distress Ink. Next I heat embossed a Tim Holtz flourish from his French Market set using Ranger's Antiquities Verdigris. I love the variation in color and texture you get with this embossing powder. I then distressed around the edges of the house with my new favorite Tim Holtz brown, Gathered Twigs.

Next I added the dimensional window. There are two pieces to this window. I pounced Silver and Gold Paint Dabbers onto the chipboard window to create a weathered metallic look. The under piece has what I thought could be a "curtain". So, I first painted that area with a cream base and then went over it with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink. Then I masked it off and heat embossed a script design from Tim Holtz' Mini Ornates stamp set using Ranger's Queens Gold Embossing Powder. I used a piece of scrap paper as my background for the window and placed the beautiful little vintage girl, longingly looking out the window. A silver Ideaology Corner that has been lightly touched with some paint from a Juniper Paint Dabber (for a more patina look) is at the top of the window.

Isn't she a lovely little girl, looking out of the window?

Next I added a Grungeboard fence using Tim Holtz' Iron Gate On The Edge Die Cut across the bottom of this house. It was also pounced using a Silver and Gold Paint Dabber and patina-ed with a Juniper Paint Dabber.

Finally, I made a little hanging basket out of silver wire and added some delicate vines and flowers using Flower Soft's Sweet Pea for the flowers and a mixture of Shamrock and Christmas Green for the greenery. The basket is hung in place on the chimney of the house using an Ideaology Sprocke t, a Charm Clip and a "bling" brad.

The second of the row houses features a large window with moveable shutters. I love the detail on this window frame!! (More about that in a minute.) The base of this house is white watercolor paper that was colored with a mixture of Picket Fence Distress Stain and Claudine Hellmuth's Painterly Pink Studio Paint. I distressed the edges of the house with Gathered Twigs. Then I lightly spritzed the front with Sunflower Sparkle Perfect Pearls Mist. Although it is mostly covered up, I stamped the house with the script text from Tim Holtz' Papillon stamp set using Sepia Archival Ink.

A close up look at the Copper Paint added to the frame.

Next I added the dimensional window that was first inked with Gathered Twig. Then I lightly brushed some Copper from a Paint Dabber onto the brown, using my finger. I love the results of doing that. The flower bough at the top of the window was also made with the Flower Soft products used on the first house. However, making the bough was more detailed than making the hanging basket.

First I fashioned the bough out of white wire. Then I used Glossy Accents to glue the green Flower Soft particles onto the wire, making my leafy base. I wanted the flowers to look more like bunches of lilac type hanging flowers, so instead of just adding some glue and sprinkling the flower particles on the greenery, I made individual bunches of flowers by gluing them onto white wires and then hot gluing them into the green bough.

The detail in the shutters of the window was done by heat embossing a design using Gold Embossing Powder on typing paper, then cut to fit the shutter and glued into place. The shutters are held in place using medical tape that is colored with Gathered Twig Distress Ink. The medical tape allows the shutters to open and close. I love interactive, dimensional things!

Again, a lovely vintage girl is wistfully looking out of the window; up towards the Ideaology bird from Tim Holtz' Adornments that is making a nest in her chimney. A copper Corner with some Juniper accents adorns the peak of this house.

The third and final row house is completely covered in various Tim Holtz Tissue Tapes that have been colored using Broken China and a touch of Scattered Straw Distress Inks. The edges of this house are also inked with Gathered Twigs. I used the larger of the Tim Holtz' Fabulous Flourishes to heat emboss the background of this house using Queen's Gold Embossing Powder. There is also some gold heat embossed accents along some of the edges. This house features an arched picture window that is colored using a Butterscotch Paint Dabber followed by heat embossing some Queens Gold Embossing Powder scattered on top. Then I lightly added some Juniper paint.

The window box is made from Grungeboard. It is colored using the mixture of Painterly Pink and Picket Fence Distress Stain. It is die cut using Tim Holtz' Plaque and Postage die for the top and bottom detail. The hanging vines and flowers in the window box were made from the same Flower Soft products as the previous two houses.

Since this window is not a dimensional window, I did the best I could to make it appear to be one. I made a "curtain" out of a distressed piece of pink crepe paper and placed it behind the sweet vintage girl who is sitting at the window. Then I pop dotted the window on top of the house and pop dotted the window box out even further to wrap around the window. The peak of this house also has an antique gold Ideaology Corner that is lightly touched with Juniper paint. There is also a little lion head door knocker to the right of the window that is holding a small metal key.

The intricate ScrapFX Chipboard Gates have also been pounced with a silver and gold Paint Dabber and lightly touched with a Juniper Paint Dabber for that aged, worn and weathered shabby chic look. The two gate handles (purchased at a local craft store) are an antique gold finish and also touched with Juniper paint for a patina look.

The back of all the houses are covered in a scrap piece of Glitz Design paper that I had. The "hinges" are actually one of Tim Holtz' Movers and Shapers Mini Labels that have been colored with the silver, gold and Juniper Paint Dabbers.

Houses....such fun! Now it's YOUR turn to create something to do with houses and post it to SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW CHALLENGE. You could win a

How cool is THAT?!?! And ... you could be selected as one of our TOP THREE entries and receive our coveted BLINKIE for your blog! Good luck! I can't wait to see what you create!

SIMON SAYS BE MONOTONE!!!

2011-10-23T23:00:00.007-05:00

Hi Bloggers!!! This week, Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge is all about ONE COLOR....ANY COLOR!! Sound boring? Well...it's not! It's fascinating to see what you can come up with only using one color and the shades of that color.

I LOVE BROWN!!! So I chose to do my piece in shades of BROWN on an extra large tag.

Kaz of The Little Shabby Shed recently sent me a beautiful large tag she had made for me and I loved the size! I've not seen them in stores where I live, so I made my own. It measures 8 1/2" x 4". This is the first one of these that I've made.

The very first thing I did to my blank manila tag was to use Tim Holtz' DREAM Movers and Shapers die cut and cut it in the right hand corner.

I used ALL of Tim Holtz' browns in his Distress Inks line; including the NEW Seasonal Fall color - GATHERED TWIGS. I am IN LOVE with this brown! I started distressing my tag from the lightest to the darkest brown Distress Inks: Tea Dye, Vintage Photo, Brushed Corduroy, Frayed Burlap, Gathered Twigs, Walnut Stain. Next, I used Tim's splatter technique to distress the background. To do this, you simply cup your fingers and spritz some water into your cupped fingers. Then flick your wrist and quickly spread your fingers, releasing the droplets of water onto your inked surface. Because Distress Inks are water soluble; the water will begin to react with the ink, leaving a really cool random splatter pattern. Then just blot and/or heat tool the tag.

I was watching a Dyan Reaveley tutorial the other day and loved her idea of not using a block underneath a stamp when you're stamping if you're wanting a partial print. So, I used that technique on my background of this tag. I added portions of a mesh background from Tim Holtz' Ultimate Grunge stamp set. I stamped it in Coffee Archival Ink...a rich, wonderful dark brown permanent ink color.

Next I wanted to give some texture to my tag. I took a little of Claudine Hellmuth's Gesso and added a few drops of Coffee Archival Ink Refill Re-Inker to "brown it up". Remember...I can only use ONE COLOR and you can tint the white Gesso! Then I laid an alphabet stencil on top of my tag and swiped the colored gesso over the stencil with a Ranger Craft Scraper. (Immediately wash your stencil after using Gesso on your stencil. You don't want the Gesso to harden on it). Then I lightly heat tooled the Gesso to set it. The Gesso stays raised and it feels neat to run your fingers over it.

I cut a strap out of Plain Grungeboard from Tim Holtz' Hardware Findings die cut and a Grungeboard butterfly from Tim Holtz' Mini Butterflies Movers and Shapers die cut. The strap was inked with Coffee Archival Ink, dried and then inked with embossing ink. I then sprinkled Antiquities Rust, Espresso and Mushroom Adirondak Embossing Powders (all brown tones) and heat set them. The butterfly was inked with Tea Dye Distress Ink and then stamped with a script stamp using Coffee Archival Ink. The Pen Nib for the butterfly's body is alcohol inked using Espresso Alcohol Ink.

I found the vintage picture of this angelic little boy in my computer files and edited it to add a few more sepia tones. I sized the picture 2" x 2" to fit onto a Tim Holtz' Square Fragment. I first alcohol inked the fragment using Ginger and Caramel Alcohol Inks. Then I removed the alcohol ink from the center of the fragment by using some Alcohol Ink Blending Solution. Next I used some Glossy Accents to attach the vintage picture to the fragment. I cut out a larger square out of kraft paper, distressed the edges with a Tonic Paper Distresser and then inked the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. I glued the kraft paper in place, wrapped some brown-ish twine around the tag, tied it off and then glued my vintage portrait on top.

Underneath my vintage fragment picture, I stamped one of Tim's Sayings ... "In dreams we catch glimpses of life larger than our own." That stamp is from Tim's Mini Ornates stamp set. I love that saying and thought it went well with the "DREAM" die cut. I stamped the saying in Coffee Archival Ink and to add texture, I sprinkled Ranger Clear Embossing Powder over the top of it and heat set it.

At the bottom of the tag, I used Tim's Filmstrip Ribbon and repeated the vintage photograph of the little boy four more times; sized it and glued it onto the filmstrip using Glossy Accents. I then glued the filmstrip onto the tag. To the left of the filmstrip is another of the Pen Nibs that has been alcohol inked with Espresso Alcohol Ink.

As you can see...using one color doesn't have to be boring! Be creative in how you use texture, mix colors and blend shades of one color to create a monotone masterpiece!

If you've not stopped by Simon Says Stamp and Show's Challenge yet, you really need to do so! My Design Teammates have once again outdone themselves to bring you such delicious monotone art! Check it out!!!

Then create and enter your Magnificent Monotone in our challenge. You could win a......

from our generous sponsor! You could also be selected and recognized as one of the TOP THREE entries for the week! So, get busy!! I can't wait to see where your creativity takes YOU!