Season's Greetings Christmas Card

Hey Everyone, 

It's October 1st, so it's ok to post Christmas cards now!

This is one of the cards I made for the new Christmas release from Tim Holtz and Stampers Anonymous.  I  loved this one because all of the elements really came together. And the pinecones; I'm a sucker for pinecones.  I apologize for the cruddy photos.  I had to get a new phone and these were taken with the old guy.  They are a bit darker than I would like them.

I started by taking the Stamptember set from 2018 and using archival inks in Peeled Paint and Vintage Photo.  I used specialty stamping paper and stamped the images in the corners.  I wanted a good portion of the image, but still blank space in the center so the sentiment would draw your eye.
 I blended old paper, antique linen, and tea dye distress inks all over the entire background. I lightly spritzed on distress spray stain in tea dye and quickly blotted it so it just makes the paper look like it's foxed. I added highlights using a gold gel pen.

  The sentiment is from the new Christmastime 2 set(CMS389).  It was stamped and then embossed using Ranger embossing powder in gold. 
The specialty stamping paper was then backed with brown kraft stock.

The next layer is the snowflake acetate sheet from last year's Ideaology Christmas Stack. 
The gold metallic kraftstock was stamped with the new Lumberjack set(CMS384) using archival ink in Vintage photo. 

I dyed some sari ribbon using all(yes all of them) the green Distress Inks.  I smooshed then all on my glass mat and ran the damp sari ribbon in it until I was happy with the color.  I added a bit of Vintage Photo Distress Ink to pull in the brown.  The ideaology pinecones were colored using gold and mushroom alcohol inks.  They were tied on with an ideaology tiny bell.  I glued the ribbon to the back of the layers and then used a final layer of kraftstock as my card base. 

I hope this starts to get you into the Christmas spirit!
Happy making,
Jess

We're going shopping!

The theme this week is Transport It.

When I saw these ladies in the latest Tim Holtz Found Relatives pack I knew I had to use them and I knew it had to be snarky.  This week's challenge seemed to work out perfectly for them.  These ladies look ready to transport a ton of merchandise and fun!
I started by taking a number 8 tag and covering it with a bit of Chipped Sapphire and Broken China Distress Spray.  I didn't want too fine of a mist, I really wanted blotches of color so I took the topper off and dripped some of the Spray onto my craft mat.  I sprayed it with a bit of water and then dabbed the tag in the color.  I dried between layers until I got a color I was happy with.  To fill in the gaps I used Cracked Pistachio Distress Ink and my blending tool.
I used Tim Holtz's Cityscape stamp set to cover the background.  I used bits and pieces from each city and alternated my archival ink colors.

Using a glue stick, I lightly skimmed over areas of the tag and used Rangers Foil sheets to give a hint of gold shimmer.  Random scribbles of gel pen complete the background. The edge of the tag has a bit of Gold paint pen on it .

A bit of gold metallic kraft core paper is behind the photo and I sanded the paper before gluing the ladies down.
I used a teeny bit of the Tim Holtz Classic kraft stock and stamped on the kraft side.  I used the Ink Road Mean Girls set and stamped in Black Soot Archival ink.  This was mounted on a bit more of the Classic Kraft in Dusty Concord just for a pop of color.

I attached the sentiment using a mini Tim Holtz paperclip.  The teeny plane charm from the Tim Souvenir charm set is tucked under the sentiment and glued down.
A bit of vintage seam binding was threaded through the hole at the top of the tag and a wire pin hold a variety of charms.

There it is! A quick and simple tag for your snarky friends.  I hope this project transported you to your creative space and you are ready to join the challenge!
Jess

As always Simon Says Stamp will be giving away $50 voucher to shop at the fabulous Simon Says Stamp Store

Follow Simon Says Stamp on Instagram

Do you use Instagram ?  If so please add  #sssmchallenge so we can see your entries there too

You have until Monday 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in 

Tim Holtz Cityscapes Stamp set
Distress Spray Stain in Broken China
Distress Spray Stain in Chipped Sapphire
Distress Ink in Cracked Pistachio
Ranger Foil Sheet
Ink Road Stamp set On Wednesdays 
Tim Holtz Found Relatives
Tim Holtz Metallic Kraft paper
Tim Holtz Classic Kraft paper
Archival ink in Black Soot and Vintage Photo
Tim Holtz Wire Pin
Tim Holtz Souvenir Charm
Tim Holtz Mini Paperclip
Mini Blending Tool
Gold Paint Pen
Metallic Gel Pens

Adventure Awaits My True Friend

It's time for a new Monday Challenge!

The theme this week is Vacation!

I started by covering my vignette box inside and out with a thin layer of Picket Fence Distress Paint.  Once the paint was dry I used college medium to adhere the travel collage paper to the outside of the box.  A bit of Tarnished Brass Distress Paint was added here and there on the outside of the vignette box.
Using a piece of matching travel paper from the 8x8 etcetera pad, I glued it to the back the inside of the box.  I sanded the paper so the map appears aged and covered it with Pumice Stone Distress Ink.  The final touch was to splatter on some Black Soot Distress Paint. I snapped one of the ruler pieces in half.  I just held mine in my hand and snapped it.  I didn't want it to be even.  If you wanted an even cut you could cut it with your craft knife or even use a pair of Tim's scissors to snip it.  I wrapped the ruler in a piece of craft thread and added the compass charm.   I then glued the ruler inside the box about two thirds of the way down.

A couple clipping stickers were added to the top of the box.  I centered them so they would be above the baseboard doll's head.  Then outlined them using a gold paint pen.
The bottom part of the box has a vintage clock face.

The baseboard doll was colored using a Distress Crayon in  Cracked Pistachio.  The tiny flower was colored using Wild Plum alcohol ink and added to her hair.  Two sets of transparent wings were added to her back using foam tape.  The wings got a tiny bit of Wild Plum alcohol ink and some Tarnished Brass Distress Paint added to them.  I glued a little clipping sticker to her center and then I glued the doll to the box using several bingo markers to hold her upright.

The bottom of the box is covered with vintage paper flowers.

I covered the lace baseboard frame with crackle texture paste and let it air dry.  Once the crackle was dry I sprayed it with Distress Oxide Sprays(Pumice Stone and Cracked Pistachio). Some of the crackle flaked off and I was totally okay with this. The exposed areas suck in the spray and you get all that wonderful oxidization.

I took a ribbon from the Ideaology Ribbon and bow assortment and colored it using Tarnished Brass Distress Paint.  Before the paint is fully dry, I wiped some off to expose the metal underneath.
I used a chip quote and banged up the edges by running it along my desk.  The edges got a coat of Tarnished Brass Paint.

The finial was painted with Black Soot Distress Paint and then given a couple sprays of the same Oxide Colors I used on the frame.   The little grooves were painted using the Tarnished Brass Paint.

Using a strong glue I added the fence to the back of the frame and then glued the frame to the vignette box.

I hope you enjoyed my take on this weeks theme.  And now it's your turn to create a Vacation themed project!

Jess

As always Simon Says Stamp will be giving away $50 voucher to shop at the fabulous Simon Says Stamp Store

Follow Simon Says Stamp on Instagram

Do you use Instagram ?  If so please add  #sssmchallenge so we can see your entries there too

You have until Monday 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in 

Tim Holtz Lace Baseboard Frame

Tim Holtz Chip Quotes
Tim Holtz Cracked Pistachio Distress Crayon

Tim Holtz Ribbon and Bow Assortment

Tim Holtz Vignette Box

Tim Holtz Souvenir Adornments

Tim Holtz Finials

Tim Holtz Metal Gate

Tim Holtz Ruler Pieces

Tim Holtz Travel Collage Paper

Tim Holtz Distress Collage Medium

Tim Holtz Clippings Stickers

Tim Holtz Oxide Spray in Cracked Pistachio

Tim Holtz Oxide Spray in Pumice Stone

Tim Holtz Spray Stain in Tea Dye

Tim Holtz Picket Fence Distress Paint

Tim Holtz Baseboard Dolls

Tim Holtz Transparent Wings

Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink in Wild Plum

Tim Holtz Etc Paperie Stash 8x8

Tim Holtz Black Soot Paint

Tim Holtz Tarnished Brass Paint

Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Pumice Stone

Ranger Crackle Texture Paste

Beacon Three in One Glue

Wear it again tomorrow

Hi Guys,
I'm up on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog today.

I've been in a bit of a snarky mood lately and when I saw this lady I knew she needed to be used for a project.

I started by taking my Laurel Frame and covering it with a layer of gesso using a foam brush.  Using the same brush I added some Dina Wakley Paint.  I didn't clean the brush between uses so there was still gesso in there creating different shades of blue.

Using the script stamp from the Tim Holtz Entomology Set(CMS328). I stamped across the frame in Hickory Smoke Oxide Ink.  I sealed the ink using Micro Glaze.

This photo was cut to fit inside the frame.

For the back panel I used a 5x7 canvas board and loosely painted it using the paints pictured.  I added some stamped bits from the Time Holtz Mini Media Marks(CMS364).  These were done with Archival Ink in Black Soot and Hydrangea.  Before I finished my project I added in a bit of Victorian Velvet Distress Paint to pick up the pink you see in the background piece.  

To mount the photo I used a piece of humble cardboard.  Peel parts of the top layer to expose the corrugate and then cover with gesso.  I did a couple thin layers to cover all of the brown.  I added some collage paper to the bits that still had the full cardboard using collage medium.  To color the cardboard and collage paper I used Distress Crayon(Victorian Velvet, Cracked Pistachio, Worn Lipstick, and Gathered Twigs) and water to give it a dreamy hazy look. Pearl details were added to the frame and the snarky sentiment. 

To complete the piece I painted a set of  Mini Petal Corners using Dina Wakley Ancient Paint.  

 A couple close ups of the finished details. I ended up going back with Jet Black Archival ink and restamping the script on the frame.  I added a bit of DIstress Crayon in Gathered Twigs to dinge it up.  There is a teeny bit of the Dina paint in Ancient on there too.

I love the grungy look the cardboard gives. 

Layers and details.  

I hope you like her and take her sage advice!

Jess

The Joy of Christmas

Hi Everyone,

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas.  I wanted to show you one of the Christmas cards I created this year.  Although Christmas is over, you can use this technique year round.
You don't need a ton of stamps to create a beautiful card.  This lovely  card uses just one stamp.
Start by trimming your card to the size you want it to be or use a pre-cut card.
Mount your Holly and Branches Stamp to your stamp platform.  Color the stamp using various markers Distress Markers.

Don't be afraid to layer your colors.  The leaves will all turn out just a tad different and add a more realistic feel to your card.  If the marker dries as you are coloring just breathe on the stamp and it will rehydrate the ink.

Cover the entire piece of the card.  Once the holly is all stamped cover the entire card with a bit of Pumice Stone Distress Ink to age it.  

Mount the base to the card.  Add a bit of ribbon.  

Punch a circle out and color it using a bit of Pumice Stone Distress Ink.  Use the outer ring of the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Doily and emboss it using Charred Gold.  Attach the doily to the circle.  Attach the circle to the card. 

Use the Tim Holtz Script to die cut the word "joy" and adhere it to the center of the circle.

Using the funky festive dies cut out some holly and pop it on the corner.  Your card is now complete.

I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season.  Have a happy and safe New Year!
Jess

Dreaming of a White Christmas

Hi Everyone,

 

My favorite day of the year is coming up.  Each year my mum and my  sister come to my house for cookie day.  We bake all day long, I'm talking like 7am-9pm.  We have our favorite recipes we use year after year.  We keep those in a little notebook.  We do like to try new recipes each year too.  More and more often we are finding new recipes on the internet.  I thought it was the perfect time to make a Christmas themed phone/tablet holder so we don't get baking supplies all over our phones.
 These phone holders are so easy to put together(there are only three pieces). They would make an awesome gift!

Paint the base white.  Make sure the edges and at least one side are really well done since they will be exposed.  Paint the edges of the other pieces white too.  The other two pieces get covered with patterned paper.  I used some of the Tim Holtz Christmas wallpaper to cover the back piece.  This paper looks and feels like real wallpaper.  It's nice to add the tiny bit of texture to the project.

These snowy flourishes are coming to the shop soon.  You get two in a pack.  Paint both pieces white, then cover them with a clear Rock Candy  glitter.  

Insert the pieces into their slots. Don't forget to add a bit of glue to hold them in securely.   Technically your piece is completely put together at this point.  But we will embellish this! Glue to snowy flourishes to the back of the piece.  Then cover the base with Grit Paste from Ranger.  While the paste is wet sprinkle on more rock candy glitter.  Leave the space where your phone will sit paste free.  

Paint an ideaology resin snowman and cover him with rock candt glitter.  Add teeny mercury glass holly berries to his hat.  While the grit paste is wet stick the snowman in the paste.  In front of the small piece of chipboard add a chip quote Christmas saying.  Again, do this while the paste is wet and it will dry in place.  

One the back add a couple bottlebrush trees, teeny presents, a deer, and peppermints.  Another Christmas sentiment will complete your project. 

I hope you have a great kick off to your holiday season!

Jess