LAYER IT! ~ A CRAFT HOARDERS ANONYMOUS CHALLENGE

It's Monday!  

Welcome to my blog and my other Guest Designer Spot for Gloria Stengel's Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge.  The name of this challenge blog cracks me up because there are SO MANY OF US HOARDERS OUT THERE!!

This challenge is being sponsored by Lindy's Stamp Gang and Add A Little Dazzle. THANK YOU to these fine folks for their sponsorship!

For this challenge, we are asked to pull out all of our hoarded goodies and layer them up!  It could be papers, laces, buttons and trims.  It could be inks, texture pastes, paints and glitters.  It could be stamps, rubons, dies and punches.  Whatever you've got ... layer it up and join in on the fun of this challenge.

Grab a cuppa something and I hope you will enjoy this creative journey I am sharing with you as I definitely "LAYERED IT"!

The project I created is truly fitting for this challenge as it is layers upon layers of pockets and tags and flaps. Half of the pockets have layers upon layers of all sorts of things to create unique designs on each one.  I will open the box and reveal all of the layers in a minute.  But first, let me tell you about the box itself ...

This is a wonderful pattern by my friend, Jim The Gentleman Crafter.  It is appropriately called "The Falling Photo Box" and the pattern is available in his Etsy Store. Click HERE to whisk you away to the store and all of his amazing patterns. 

The box is a very showy piece measuring approximately 7 1/2" x 5 1/2". From the outside, it looks like an interesting but regular vintage box. But ... open it up and ...

Wha-lah!  The sides fall down and there are cascasdes of pockets and flaps and tags for journaling and matting treasured photographs!  Now you see what I mean about layers upon layers??

Just the exterior of the box contains several layers:  heavy chipboard, glue, Scor Tape, patterned cardstock, ink, lots of Tim Holtz Ideaology pieces including Box Corners, Pedestal Legs, a Pull Knob, a Monocle, Vial, Light Bulb, Link Chain, Enamel Tag with Rubons and ink, Type Charm, Cash Key and Collage Keys.  

While I would love to give you the step by step in creating this fabulous box, that would not be fair to Jim The Gentleman Crafter.  So, I will share as much as I can about the layers involved. You can purchase the easy to follow instructions from Jim and get all of the construction instructions from him.

After creating the exterior box and covering it with some papers I've had for a long time from Tim Holtz' French Industrial and Prima's Engravers, it was time to make all of the components for the interior.  I used papers from Prima's Ledger Pad to create all of the pockets.  

There are 17 pockets in all.  They all started out as pictured above ... the Ledger Pad paper that I then distressed with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink.  I used the lesser scripted papers to give half of the pockets their own special look.

For example ... here is one of the pockets in the beginning stages. I pulled out and tore some old book text; then distressed it with Gathered Twigs ink. Since this is a photo box, I really liked the sentiment on this piece of ribbon that I've had forever. So, I added the distressing with Gathered Twigs. I also liked the Prima brads. I would add more layers to this pocket, but this seemed like a good start.

Here is the finished pocket.  There are at least FOURTEEN layers on this: the base cardstock, the ink, the glue and Scor Tape used in adhering all of this pocket together, the "journey" stamp and ink, the distressed book text, the sentiment ribbon, the brad, the Journaling Ticket, the Remnant Rubons on the Journaling Ticket and the harlequin design on the pocket, the Tissue Tape of the eye glasses, the filmstrip, the measuring tape, the butterfly and dragonfly stamps, the Perfect Pearls Powders and water to colorized the butterflies and dragonfly and the lace. 

As you can see, each layer adds something of interest to this pocket and contributes to the design.  Don't be afraid to layer!  It adds so much!  

In this Falling Photo Album, I used primarily Tim Holtz stamps but there are some other random ones as well. I also used a variety of tissue/washi tapes that I have had for a long time, old buttons and laces; whatever I thought might look neat. Nothing is new.

So, how do you build layers?  

Well, here is a step by step example of how I did another pocket:

I began with the basic distressed pocket made from the Ledger Pad.  Using Jet Black Archival Ink, I stamped this beautiful face from one of Tim's Classics stamp sets.

I cut a "mask" out of manila cardstock and laid it over the face image.  Then I laid this beautiful Finnabair Prima vintage doily stencil on top of the pocket and masked face.  The color spray is Heidi Swapp's Teal (my favorite color) Color Shine.

Removing the mask to reveal this lovely subtle shimmery pattern, I then colored the face using various Distress Inks and a Detailer Water Brush. You can already start to see the "warmth" that the added layers provide. I also added a striped ribbon using 1/4" Scor Tape across the bottom of the pocket for interest and also to hide the obvious line at the bottom of her neck.

Next I added a piece of torn fabric that I gesso'd on the backside of the fabric so that it would soften the color and allow me to stamp a sentiment on it. I have a friend, Andrea Ockey Parr who does some AMAZING stuff with fabric. This is one of her little tricks; to turn the fabric to the wrong side. You still get the color and pattern.  It's just not as vivid.  Adding the gesso on top further softens the fabric color and patterns and gives you a good base to stamp a sentiment. Leave the stringy stings. They are fun!

  

I added a little almost dry brushed gesso over her head to try to remove the obvious line up there. Next I did a little more stenciling above her head and blended the colors of the pocket with distress inks, further erasing that line. Now, it almost seems as if her face is emerging from the background, not stamped on top of it.  Here you also see the added sentiment to the fabric strip (glued on using Matte Multi Medium) and a vintage button with one organza rose from Tim Holtz' rose ribbon trimmings (sprayed with pink) that was hot glued in place.

So this pocket has a total of at least TWELVE layers: basic cardstock, glue, Scor Tape, hot glue, ribbon, vintage button, sprayed organza rose, torn fabric strip, gesso, inks, stamps, stencil (spray). 

  

Here is another pocket with stamping, Remnant Rubons, Filmstrip Ribbon, stamped images and sentiments, stencils (done with Distress Inks), Tiny Attacher staples, Perfect Pearls Powders (mixed with water and used more like a paint), Distress Inks to color the gentleman with a Detailer Water Brush. 

Still more stencils, stamps, Perfect Pearls Powders used as paints, Distress and Archival Inks, Tissue Tape, a button

  

A pocket mainly done with stamping and both Archival and Distress Inks, a ribbon running across the top held in place by 1/4" Scor Tape. There are less layers here but sometimes not as many layers is still very effective.

A little more "artsy fartsy" design using Tim Holtz' dressform and sentiments paired with red washi tape, Dina Wakley's script stamp and Tim Holtz' Queens Gold embossed wings stamp. The little red circles are from a little stamp set that I've had for ages and ages.

I love this washi butterfly tape and I thought it went perfectly with Tim's Papillon butterfly stamp.  All are colored with Distress Inks and a Detailer Water Brush.  The black circles are from dipping a paint lid into black paint and randomly "stamping" it on the pocket. The script is added using Texture Paste and a Crafter's Workshop 6x6 script stencil. 

I HAD to include this sweet little gentleman from Tim Holtz' Paris Memoir stamp set. He is one of my favorites. I masked the center of Tim's famous Weathered Clock stamp so that I could add the sentiment. I like the way it turned out. The elephant at the top of the clock face is from Tim's Tiny Things stamp set. I really like his randomness as well. 

Here are all eight of the special pockets I created for the Falling Photo Box.  I love how different each one is and it is the LAYERS that really give them depth, color, interest and design.

Once the pockets are all made, they need to be attached to the opposite sides of the box so that when the box opens, they will cascade out.  I used 1/4" Scor Tape to attach each of the pockets to their perspective "tabs" created out of black cardstock. 

Here is one side of the Falling Photo Box with all of the pockets in place.  See how they cascade?  Isn't that cool? The opposite side of the box also has this same arrangement of cascading pockets. To the left, you can see the back of the box with the "tabs" in place to attach large tags for journaling.

And here are the large journaling tags attached to the back side of the falling photo box.  They will also be layered in between the photo pockets when the box is folded up. Each is distressed and stamped with various (mostly Tim Holtz) stamps at the tops.  But, they are mostly left blank so that lots of journaling can be done ... or more photos or other ephemera could be added here as well.

When the box is folded up, this what the interior looks like:  layers upon layers of pockets and large tags. 

Yet ANOTHER layer coming up!  These are the blank tags made from manila cardstock that are slipped into each one of the pockets.  Photographs are to be mounted to them.

And here is the way the tags look inserted into the pockets as they cascade.  I love it!

And again ... here is the Falling Photo Box when it is removed from the legged base, the top is removed and the box is left to open similar to a square "exploding box" design.

NOW do you see why this Falling Photo Box was such a perfect project for this Layer It Challenge?  Layers, Layers Layers!!!

I hope that you've enjoyed this blog post and that somewhere in all of this, you found some inspiration to start rummaging through your hoarded goodies and create something with layers for the challenge.  The link up your design to the challenge.  You may be a winner!

Thanks for sharing part of your day with me and GOOD LUCK with the challenge!

A "KRAFTY" MINI BOOK/GIFT CARD HOLDER AND TUTORIAL

Good Monday morning friends!  Isn't it a great day for paper crafting?  Simon Says Stamp and Show's Challenge this week is all about being "krafty"....using a kraft type paper that is!

For this challenge I decided to use Tim Holtz'  Kraft Resist Paper Stash to create a very cute and very easy to make mini book/gift card holder.  This definitely is a "krafty piece" made from Tim's paper stash for all of the covering and embellishing and kraft cardstock for the three little hinges that hold the coin envelopes in place.  I added some of Tim's Tissue Tape as a little embellishment. 

My friend, Jim The Gentleman Crafter did this little book as a make and take a couple of months ago.  I thought the idea was so cute that I wanted to try my hand at it.  I like working with kraft paper.  It sets the tone for a real vintage feeling. 

Here is my finished book.  Made with chipboard, less than a sheet of paper, 3 1/2 x 2 1/2 coin envelopes and 1/4" Scor Tape, you can put one of these little books together in a matter of minutes.  Then embellish away to give your little book some real character.

As I said, I started with Tim Holtz' Kraft Resist Paper Stash.  I used a couple of different sheets out of it to create my book covers and also to cover each of the coin envelopes.  But, you could complete this entire project with one sheet of paper if you needed to.  You don't have to cover the envelopes, but I think the book looks much more finished when you do.

Here is what you'll need to create this little book:

2 - 2 1/2" X 3 3/4" pieces of chipboard

2 - 1/2" x 2 1/2" pieces of chipboard

1 - 1" x 2 1/2" piece of chipboard

1 - 3 1/2 x 11" patterned piece of cardstock for the exterior of the book

1 - 2 2/3" x 9 5/8" contrasting cardstock for the interior of the book

3 - 1" x 2 1/4" strips of kraft paper (or leftover cardstock) scored lengthwise at the 1/2" line to make hinges

A Ranger Craft Stick, Scor Tape or a glue of your preference to glue everything together

Tim Holtz' Design Ruler  - THE HANDIEST RULER EVER! You will see why I say that in the instructions below

Bone Folder

3 1/2" x 2 1/2" Coin Envelopes - I used three in this project but you can add more or less

Putting your book together:

Lay your exterior cardstock piece face down on your work space.  Draw a 1/2" line across the bottom and the left side of your cardstock.  These lines will be your guides for placing your chipboard to keep it straight.  You will start at the left side and work towards the other side.

Glue the back of all of your chipboard pieces as you are putting them in place on the cardstock.  Start with a 2 1/2" x 3 3/4" piece of chipboard and place it on the 1/2" lines that you made on the left side of the paper.  Use your Tim Holtz Design Ruler (which just happens to be 1/8" wide) next to the edge of the chipboard that you glued in place.  The ruler will serve as your spacer between pieces of chipboard (so that the book will later fold perfectly).  Next glue and add a piece of 1/2" chipboard.  Line up the bottom on the 1/2" line and the side next to the ruler.  Next glue the other 2 1/2" x 3 3/4" piece of chipboard.  Using the ruler, line up the chipboard across the bottom 1/2" line and the edge of the ruler.  Next glue the other 1/2" piece of chipboard in the same manner.  Finally, glue and add the 1" piece of chipboard in place.

Now miter the corners of the cardstock.  To do this, use Tim's ruler and lay it (fat flat edge down) angled against each corner of the cardstock.  Use a Tonic Craft Knife to slice remove the excess cardstock.  Be sure that you have a cutting mat underneath the cardstock.  You can just eyeball the angle.  Do this for all four corners.  

Apply 1/4" Scor Tape down the outside edges of the chipboard.  Also run a piece down the center of each each of the 1/2" pieces of chipboard and two pieces of tape down the 1" piece of chipboard.  Remove the outside tape backing.  Fold the cardstock on the long sides first and glue the ends of the cardstock in place.   

Then use your bone folder to gently tuck in any possible excess edges of paper that might not want to lay down like they should when you fold the remaining cardstock over the edges of the chipboard.  Then fold and glue the short ends in place.

Ink the edges of your interior paper that will line your book.  Tape the outside edges of the back of the cardstock and run one piece down the center of the cardstock.  Remove the backing of the tape and press the interior cardstock in place.  Burnish all of the paper using a bone folder.  Then gently work the joints of the book so that it folds nicely.

Now to create the pages for your book using coin envelopes and hinges.

Take one of the three hinges that you have created from a 1" piece of cardstock that is scored down the center at the 1/2" line and tape both sides with a 1/4" piece of Scor Tape on either side of that center scored line.  You can either cover your envelopes now or wait until after you put all of the envelopes together (if you're covering the envelopes).  I did not want the hinges to show, so I decided to wait until after I hinged the envelopes together before covering them.  

Be sure that your envelopes are all facing the same direction; the open fold on the back is either up or down.  I chose to put all of mine down.  Remove the tape backing and adhere the first hinge on the backside of the envelope, along the straight folded edge of the envelope.  Then line up the next envelope and adhere the other side of the hinge in place on the front side of that envelope.  Repeat this process until all of the envelopes you choose to use are in place.  You will have one half of a hinge remaining on the back envelope.  That hinge will adhere to the back side of the cover, holding the pages in place.

BEFORE I adhered the pages to the book, I covered each of the coin envelopes with different pieces of paper from Tim's Kraft Resist Paper Stash.  I colorized the pages with Wild Honey and Peacock Feathers and a touch of Broken China Distress Inks.  I inked the backgrounds using my Ink Applicator.  I did the detail work using my Tim Holtz Detailer Water Brush.  I added bits of Tim's Tissue Wrap on the envelope flap front because I liked the way it looked.  I covered the backs of the flaps with various butterfly images from Tim's Kraft Resist Paper Stash. 

Here are photos of the interior pages.  I have coated all of the butterflies with Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint.  That added a little dimension to the butterflies but yet the pages can close flat inside of the book.

 Page 1

Then flip to Page 2.

Closeup of Page 2.

Then flip to Page 3.

Closeup of Page 3.

Then the back side of page 3 and the back cover.

The interior of the book was spotched by using Vintage Photo Distress Stain that I had converted into a 2 oz. Mister Bottle rather than using it in it's original container.  I really like the spotchy areas that I got from spraying the Distress Stain.  I also added a touch of Gold Paint Dabber along the edges and to the black photo corners that I added to the cardstock before I glued it into place on the chipboard.  Then I stamped the gears from Tim Holtz' Time Travelers stamp set on both the front and back interior covers.

For the exterior cover, I first added a couple of little rub ons from Tim Holtz' new Elements Rubons.  Love them!  Then I stamped the clock face from Tim Holtz' Elements Of Time stamp set on the front.  I added a beautiful butterfly from Tim Holtz' Papillon stamp set by first stamping with Jet Black Archival Ink onto Specialty Stamping Paper and then coloring in the wings with Broken China Distress Ink and a Detailer Water Brush.  Then I stamped another butterfly onto acetate and gently heat set it.  I added Broken China Distress Ink to the underside of the wings, cut it out and glued it on top of the other butterfly using Glossy Accents.  I added the wire antenna underneath the butterfly and set it aside to add as the very last embellishment. 

Next, I decided that I wanted to add a bit of "umph" to the exterior covers.  First I masked the clock face and added the smaller of the flourishes from Tim Holtz Fabulous Flourishes stamp set.  I liked that pop of gold and decided that the cover needed more of that.  So, I  randomly heat embossed some Queen's Gold Embossing Powder along the edges.  I love the way the light catches the gold.  

Then I stamped "The Impossible Is Often The Untried" from Tim Holtz' Words for Thought stamp set on the back cover.  

  
I added my dimensional butterfly to the center of the clock face on the front using Glossy Accents.  He was stamped onto Specialty Stamping Paper using Jet Black Archival Ink and then colorized using Broken China Distress Ink and Tim Holtz' Detailer Water Brush.  I then stamped the butterfly again onto acetate using Jet Black Archival and gently heat set it.  (Most acetate is not heat resistant ~ so be careful!) I cut out the wings and using Glossy Accents, attached them to the paper butterfly at the body.  After it dried, you can lift the wings to make it look more like the butterfly is fluttering.

Finally, I added a thin but very effective Velcro strip to the interior of the opening flap and my mini book was finished!  Love it and what a great gift it would make!

I hope that you like my little mini book.  Leave a comment.  I love reading them.  And, if you still need some inspiration for this week's Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge, head over to the blog and check out the beautiful projects my Design Teammates have created just for you.  Then, take that inspiration and create something fun with kraft papers.  Enter our challenge.  You could be the lucky winner of our most generous sponsor's 

   

$50.00 credit voucher.  You might also be named one of our TOP THREE artists for the week.  That is very high praise, considering the beautiful and unique creations we see every week!  Good luck.  I can't wait to see your "kraftiness".  

Here are the products available at Simon Says Stamp that were used in creating this fun and easy mini book:

InLinkz.com