T 4 2

Tea for two...and time to focus on the good times we have right now.  Hubby is having more health issues, including another site responding positive to cancer testing, so this seemed like a rather good message to have on this month's version of Tim Holtz' Technique Remix of paint resist and faux mosaic.


Surfaces:  manila tag, distress woodgrain cardstock (cool idea!), chipboard, paper scraps, blank sheet of newspaper

Ranger:  distress inks, distress stains, distress paints, Collage Medium - Vintage

Sizzix:  doily, mini cups, Typo Upper

Embellishments:  Harrod's tea bag package, metal corner, ribbon, watch face, tiny brad, spinner, Vial Label, Remnant Rubs, Small Talk sticker

I had to improvise to create the grout, glue and sealer but think I achieved the look.  The scraps were cut quite small and not easy to pick up.  It's not a technique I'll use often...way too fiddly for these arthritic hands...but fun to try.  And until you've tried something, you have no idea if it's your cup of tea or not!

So I'll raise my pinky to better days ahead!

Thinking of you

Yet another friend has lost her father.  I hope this isn't a growing trend.

On mixed media cardstock I spread a thin layer of gesso; let air dry.  I scribbled Tim's new distress crayons all over it.  I rubbed, misted, rubbed some more, heat set, scribbled some more, etc. until I was happy. 

Once again I used Wendy's Repeating Quilt Stencil but this time I used Jet Black Archival Ink on the whole thing.  I did heat set it before drawing diagonal lines using a gold Sailor pen.  'Thinking of You' was stamped with clear embossing ink and Ranger's Ultra Fine Gold Embossing Powder was added and heat embossed. 

This layer was added to a gold-rimmed layer (gold embossed same as above) then layered onto yellow cardstock that had shimmery gold dots/splats all over it.

Don't the gold lines add a whole new look to the stencil?

Happy Passover

Blue Bazzill card stock, kraft card stock, mixed media card stock

Distress inks and markers, clear embossing ink, silver ultra fine embossing powder

Mini doily stencil

silver Krylon Leafing pen; Twinkling H2Os (seder plate)

The stamp is from Artist Stamps, a company no longer in business.

Special memories

A friend of mine recently lost her father.  I was hoping that Wendy Vecchi's Repeating Quilt Stencil would look just as nice in masculine colors as it does in bright spring ones.  What do you think?

Here I used Gathered Twig and Hickory Smoke distress inks.  Using Wendy's new stencil I smeared Texture Paste through it; let it air dry; then colored it with distress markers (greens, browns, oranges).  The sentiment (coordinating stamp set with the stencil - Simply...Art) was stamped in Jet Black Archival Ink.  The card front was layered onto kraft colored cardstock then a dark gray card.

If you don't have this stencil, I think you'd really enjoy having it in your collection. 

Make a wish

Across the bottom of a sheet of mixed media cardstock I smooshed some green distress inks, misted, let run/pool, heat set.  On the opposite end I did the same but used blue distress inks.  Over this I placed Wendy Vecchi's new Picket Fence stencil (the large one) and added brown distress ink until I was satisfied.  Using Tim's Woodgrain background stamp I inked it up with a darker brown distress ink and with the stencil still in place I pushed it into the openings, creating a fence that looked more realistic.

From the Adirondack core'dination cardstock collection I cut a number of wildflowers (Tim's) and sanded the edges...very carefully as these are quite fragile.  The watering can (also Tim's) was cut from the same collection of core'dination and sanded.  Another watering can was cut from thin chipboard so it would be more dimensional. 

The message was stamped in JBAI before adding the wildflowers and watering can.  The card front was adhered to a half sheet of Bazzill card stock (peach in color).

Celebrate

Another distress crayon background and a crazy bird...fun combo to use for a birthday!

Ranger:  distress crayons, Black Fude Ball pen, Jet Black Archival ink, distress inks, distress markers

Sizzix: Celebration words: Block, Bird Crazy, Crazy Things

Stampers Anonymous:  Bird Crazy, Crazy Things

mixed media card stock, kraft card stock, Bazzill card stock

Hello friend

This is a Tim Holtz set I picked up at Michaels.  It comes with 3 mini bird stamps, coordinating dies, 5 sentiments and an embossing folder.  After running a piece of mixed media cardstock through my Big Shot Plus I colored in the scallops with Tim's new distress crayons.  I tried the finger rub method as well as a bit of spritzed water.  The jury is still out on these as far as I am concerned.  We'll see.

I stamped the words on cardstock with Jet Black Archival Ink and layered them onto a square of text from an old book.  The message then is dangled with a snipped of embroidery thread.

The bird was stamped in JBAI on mixed media cardstock and colored with the crayons, too.  Love that the coordinating dies are so intricate and eliminate the need for fussy cutting - something I don't enjoy.  The card front was adhered to a purple A2 card.

Distress crayons and Bird Crazy

Here's a background I created using Tim's distress crayons.  They are fun to play with but I don't see myself using them that often.

My little/only brother is turning 55 this year....not possible!!!  I still remember him running away from mom as she was called away to the phone during a re-diapering session.  He streaked out onto the wraparound porch just laughing up a storm at his freedom.

The base card is Bazzill, the next layer is kraft card stock.  The top layer is mixed media paper that's been covered with a thin layer of gesso.  This does help the distress crayons move easier with your fingertips.  I placed the mini gears stencil over it and carefully removed some color with a damp towel but it was a bit too damp because the colors ran more than I wanted.  To I let the surface dry then replaced it and used the gray distress crayon.  Nah, still not liking the look.  So I replaced the stencil again but this time drew in some of the shapes with a black Sharpie.  Now I'm liking the layered look. 

I used the mini movers & shapers gears dies to cut out multiple pieces from a sheet of mixed media card stock that had been colored with the crayons and smeared with water.  The color was too plain so I smooshed a brown distress ink pad onto my work surface, misted it with water then drew the gears through it.  After letting the ink dry I went around the edges with black Sharpie before adhering them to the card front. 

The birds were stamped in Jet Black Archival Ink onto watercolor paper and colored with distress inks and markers (my all-time favorite way to color an image).  I did the same for the party hats then cut them out with the coordinating dies.  I needed to ground the birds so I smeared the edge of the JBAI pad across the bottom then smudged the ink with my fingers. 

From gray cardstock I die cut the words using an Impression Obsession die (159-M).  I handwrote the other bit using a black Fude Ball Pen.  The eyes were colored with Glossy Accents.  Both birds have foam tape behind them to give the card dimension.

Watercolors are perfect for sympathy cards

A friend from NJ recently lost his 92-year old sister.  I know the family loves watercolors as much as I do so this image was perfect.

The image is 'Gentian' by Art Declassified and was stamped in Jet Black Archival Ink on watercolor paper.  I used various distress markers and a water brush to color the image.

I applied Versamark Ink to Tim Holtz/Sizzix 'Swirls' embossing folder.  I carefully placed the card front over the folder, pressing firmly all over to transfer the ink.  This was done a 2nd time but to the mat behind the image.

The message is from My Sentiments Exactly and was stamped in Jet Black Archival Ink.



This is the 5th sympathy card in the last month or so I've had to make.  I hope the trend doesn't continue.

Life is simple

Don't you just LOOOOVE this Repeating Quilt Stencil by Wendy Vecchi/Studio 490????  Here I've chosen Broken China and Crushed Olive to illustrate the look when the stencil is rotated.  I colored the solid bird/branch with distress markers (Broken China, Peeled Paint, Vintage Photo), misted it then stamped.  I continued around the card front until I was satisfied with the look.

Using a Black Fude Ball Pen I drew a dashed line around the card front.  I also used it to draw the line holding the birdhouse.  The birdhouse (another Wendy Vecchi super stamp - Simply...Art) was inked with Jet Black Archival and stamped onto watercolor paper and colored with distress markers and a water brush.  I put a small bit of foam tape behind it for dimension.  The WV sentiment was stamped in JBAI.  The card front was then layered onto Bazzill card stock.

More cards coming later this month using this stencil....so many ideas, and I don't mean just color options!