SIMON SAYS CREATE SOME TIM HOLTZ INSPIRED TAGS

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

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

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

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.