Quiet, but not blind

Hi Everyone,

I have a great technique filled card for you today.  Let's jump right in!

Using Distress Heavy stock blend together several shades of Distress Ink (Scattered Straw, Squeezed Lemonade, Fossilized Amber, and Wild Honey).  Spritz with water and dry completely.  Take a tiny bit of Distress Micro Glaze cover most of the background.  Stamp the Floral Lace stamp using Vintage Photo Distress Oxide Ink and spritz with water.  Using the micro glaze on most of the background keeps the top layer of ink from blending into the background.  It also keeps some of the intricate stamp pattern, but not all of it.  The look is wonderfully aged and tattered.

Take clear texture paste and the Latticework stencil to the background.  Don't worry about it looking perfect.  Imperfect looks better! Once the paste is dry use the Forest Moss Distress crayon to scribble over the paste.  Smudge the crayon using your finger and the pattern pops up adding another layer to your background.

Stamp the Large Bird Man on Watercolor cardstock.  Color him in using a waterbrush and Distress Markers.  Once he is dry fussy cut the image.

To finish the background stamp your two sentiments( Oh darling  and I was quiet, but I was not blind) using archival ink.  Back them with black cardstock and play with placement on your background.  Once you're happy with placement you can glue them down.

Run plain black cardstock through your die cutting machine using the Botanical 3d embossing folder.  Take a Distress Crayon in Tarnished Brass and highlight the raised areas.  The slight gilded effect is so gorgeous.  Adhere this piece right under the focal background piece you created.

All that's left to do is layer up your background.  On this card the black is attached to a distressed piece of gold cardstock.  The gold is mounted to a sage green card.  A bit of burgundy ribbon was the finishing touch.

Happy Crafting,

Jess

Simple Christmas

Hi Everyone,
I don't do simple a lot, but when you need to bust out a bunch of Christmas cards I find simple is best!  Today I have two cards that use the same base, but I have changed them up just a tiny bit and the feel is very different on both. 

  The Star Medallions from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts come in a set of three.  For these two cards I used the small and medium medallions.  Paint both of the medallions using Dina Wakley paint in Gilt.  The small medallion got some pearl dots added to the points and a gumdrop colored with mushroom alcohol ink in the center.

For the background on this card use navy blue paper and emboss it using the Sizzix 3d Winter Snowflakes Embossing folder.  Cut out your sentiment using the Tim Holtz Holiday Words Script die. It's hard to tell here, but there is a tiny line of gold paper layered underneath the embossed paper.  

Mount your background on to  a white card.  

Add your bling and you're done! 

The pink card follows the same idea, but the center is made using the tiny tattered floral die and the festive foliage die from Tim Holtz.  

That's it! You could bust out all of your Christmas cards in an afternoon making them like this!

Jess

Key to my heart

Hi Everyone,
I have a fun little mixed media project for you today.  I love the idea that family is what you make it.  I am a strong believer in family doesn't have to be  blood.  Family is what you make it and this is my little homage to your found family.

Using Mixed Media Heavystock paper blend on several colors of Distress Ink (Wild Honey, Squeezed Lemonade, and Fossilized Amber).  Add a bit of Fossilized Amber Distress Oxide ink and flick with water.  Allow to air dry to get oxide effects.  Once the paper is completely dry, stamp the Small Crackle Stamp using archival ink in Coffee.

Using Potting Soil and Plum) of archival ink stamp your Floral Medallion.  Cut the paper and cover your chipboard house. Splatter on Black Soot Distress Paint and Tarnished Brass paint to add dimension to the background.   Don't forget to paint the edges of your chipboard unless you like the look of raw chipboard.

Cover your paper doll with clear gesso.  Once the gesso is dry color your image.  Stick to the same pallette you used for the background.

Glue the family to the chipboard house and add charms.  Add scribbles all over the front using gel pens.  

Cut up a chip quote and paint the edges.  Glue the quote to the backside of the house. 

There is a predrilled hole in the top of this chipboard house.  Thread wire through the hole and wrap around a key that had been distressed to appear aged.  

I hope you enjoyed it!

Jess

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge- Create your own background
Frilly and Funkie- Harvest of Gratitude Challenge

Does the bell still ring for you?

Hi Everyone,
I have officially started my Christmas crafting!
One of my favorite Christmas stories is The Polar Express.  Today's project is a little nod to the book.

When I started this project I didn't think I wanted a tag as long as the Extra Large Tag (it's 8 inches long and 4 inches wide), so I cut off a big chunk.  Thankfully I saved the piece I cut off because as my project evolved I knew I needed it!
Start by painting the entire tag white and then stamping a line of music notes (from the special Tim Holtz Stamptember Set from Simon Says Stamp) all over the back using Distress Oxide ink in Hickory Smoke.  Then seal the ink using Distress Micro Glaze.  Once the micro glaze is on add Vintage Distress Collage Medium to the entire piece.  The thicker the glaze, the darker the color.

Next paint a piece of  Christmas Distress Collage tissue. The collage tissue is black and white, but it can be colored.  Pick the area you want to show and on the backside apply your paint.  The paint doesn't have to be perfect, but it shouldn't go too far outside the lines(unless that's the look you're going for).   I used Forest Moss, Peeled Paint, Victorian Velvet, and Vintage Photo Distress Paints to color my tissue.  

Once the paint is dry adhere it to the bottom of the tag.  The tissue blends in so well it looks like it was part of the background all along.  

Add a bit of Charred Gold embossing powder from Emerald Creek around the edge of the entire piece.  

Paint the Frame in Tarnished Brass Distress Paint.  Once it is dry add Deco Art's Crackle Glaze.  The glaze makes teeny cracks, like you see on old china.  When the glase is dry rub Distress Crayon in the cracks to make them pop.  Glue the frame to the tag. Using a bit of foam tape, add a piece of patterned paper inside the frame.  Color your paper doll and adhere her to the patterned paper(she's popped up with a bit of foam tape too). Add a tiny bell to her hand.    

The paper doll had a little paper tassel on her hat, but mine ripped off.  So to give her hat a makeover.  Color a baubble using Spun Sugar Distress Paint.  Once the paint is dry add a bit of mushroom alcohol ink to age it a bit.  You can see the tiny cracks in the frame a bit better here too.  

Using the Tim Holtz festive foliage die make a bunch of flowers to adhere to the corner of the frame. 

Now here is the part when I decided I wanted to add more to my tag.  My sentiment wasn't working the way I thought it would and it just needed more.  I took the part I had cut off earlier and glued it to the base creating a little shelf.  Color the fringe using spray ink and alcohol ink and glue it to the base.  

Paint a salvaged santa using Distress Paint and Alcohol inks.  Once the paint is dry rub Hickory Smoke Distress Crayon to pick up the nooks and crannies. Paint the deer using gold alcohol ink.  Glue them all to the base.

One the opposite side glue a bottle brush tree decorated with vintage mercury glass. 

I added the quote token to the top of the tag to finish it off.  

I hope the bell always rings for you. 

Have you started your Christmas crafting?

Jess

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge- Make your own background