Refrigerator art - it's not just for kids!

A number of years ago I purchased a cartridge of laminate/magnetic material that would fit in a Xyron 1200.  I didn't own that size but felt the price of $5, originally retailed at >$80, was too good to pass up.  One way or another I was going to be able to use the cartridge.  The magnetic material is quite thin so it's not that great for holding things up.

I often make holiday magnets to use as decor.  How about using Tim Holtz (by Sizzix) Bigz & mini movers & shapers dies to create a scene...or 2?  Hmmmmm...so I adhered black cardstock to the sticky side of the magnetic sheet (pulled some off the cartridge) so I could color the images if I chose.  Most I left as black...looks sharp on my white refrigerator. 

I took a small piece of cellophane and colored it with Sunshine Yellow alcohol ink and adhered it to the back of the lamp post.  The holly leaves and berries were colored with distress paints.

'Joy', 'Wish', and 'Noel' were painted with Tarnished Brass, Distressed Pewter and Antiqued Bronze distress paints.  I wasn't too careful about painting them as I wanted some of the black to show through.  I also left the texture for more dimension.  A bit of brown and black archival inks around the edges and smeared across the ornaments and word help created more patina and age.  In person you'd be hard pressed to know they weren't actually old metal pieces.  The smaller bells got the same treatment but I added Pumice Stone and Antique Linen distress glitters over the top of the paint (acts just like a liquid adhesive!).

On our side-by-side refrigerator...the lamppost, victorian carolers, snowflake, cardinal, branch, 'wish' and 'joy' are on the left side.  The deer, trees, snowflake, 'Noel' on the right.  The smaller bells are below the handle on the freezer (bottom of the refrigerator) as if they were dangling.  It's difficult taking a photo of all the magnets in place because of the glare but I did my best.

You still have time to create your own display...or maybe make some for gifts...they work up so quick and easy. 

Gingerbread treats

I LOVE gingerbread...cookies, bread, muffins...doesn't matter. So making a gingerbread man cookie would be perfect for the 12 tags of 2013.  If you haven't tried Clearly For Art by Studio 490, you're missing out!  Add Tim's Frosted Film and your art takes on a new look.  Using both, my cookie takes on dimension and a slight shimmer as if sprinkled with sugar. 

I had a dickens of a time getting the 'icing' to stick to the colored Frosted Film.  Multi-medium finally took hold.  Then I covered the paper icing with Enamel Accents for dimension and shine.  The brads were colored with white distress paint and glossy accents.  The metal sticker strip made me think of the cookie sheet he would be baked on.  The Cropadile was used to create the bite out of his head.  Yummy!

Here's what I used to create my #8 tag..the last of 2013.

Sizzix: Gingerbread Bigz die, movers & shapers heart

Stampers Anonymous:  Holly Bough stencil, Mini Holidays 5 stamp set

Studio 490:  Clearly For Art (clear)

Ranger: Antique Linen Distress Stain, Superfine Detail Black Embossing Powder, embossing ink, distress inks, distress paints, Enamel Accents (white), Jet Black, Potting Soil, Red Geranium Archival Inks, Glossy Accents

Idea-ology: Frosted Film, metal stickers

Miscellaneous:  ribbon scrap, brads, Hero Arts alphabet stamps

Time to go bake some holiday treats!

Christmas is coming!

front

Have you seen this Merry Christmas Configuration Book by Jan Hobbins?  While perusing the aisles of my local Michaels recently I found a lone configuration book on the shelf.  Hmmm...why not give it a try?  I did use a lot of Jan's ideas but added quite a few of my own, including making my own candles.

I'll list the items I used but not the colors; I couldn't keep track of all that I pulled out and used.

spine

 

inside

close up of upper left

close up of upper right

close up of center

close up of lower left

back

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sizzix:  Window & Window Box, Pine Tree, Packages & Bows, Christmas Bells, Tattered Poinsettia, Tattered Pinecone, Holly Branch, Victorian Carolers (Bigz); Stacked Words-Christmas, Holly, Beaded & Snowflake Garland, Festive Greenery (dec. strip); Branch, Bow, Deer, Cardinal, Pine Tree, Snowflakes (mini m &S); Snow Flurries, December Calendar, Textured Poinsettia (Alterations)

Idea-ology: Holidays Past Paper Stash, Seasonal Salvage Stickers, Grunge Board, Grunge Paper, Christmastime Remnant Rubs, Christmas Tissue Tape, Configuration Book, metal word bands, glass vial

Stampers Anonymous: Mini Holidays 5 (shrink plastic Santa)

Ranger:  Glossy Accents, Multi-Medium (glossy & matte), Rock Candy Distress Stickles, Clear Rock Candy Dry Glitter, distress paint, distress ink, distress stickles

Core'dinations: Adirondack, Kraft Core, Distress

Miscellaneous:  shrink plastic, wreath (bleached), made my own candles from tiny dowels & flame punch, Darice tiny silver bottle cap, Deco Art Glistening Snow Writer & Snow Writer & Snow-Tex, Floracraft Diamond Dust Twinklets, silk ribbon, button, metal sheet, fence (painted white), gold beads, brads, Provocraft embossing folder - Tartan

Now that my Frosted Film has arrived I can start work on my version of Tim's December tag for 2013.  And maybe participate in more challenges now that I have proper reading glasses (just 1.25 magnification...lower than the doc suggested but working just fine!) and can see what I'm doing.

Giving thanks

Today I'm giving thanks for all that I have.  I am not a Black Friday shopper, not even from my computer.  We don't exchange gifts so that helps.  But there's nothing I really need or want so sales haven't even tempted me.  Boy, is my husband surprised!  But pleased!

I still am struggling with cheaters (cheap reading glasses) so it took several days to make this adorable little milk carton that showcases Tim's efforts with Sizzix that embrace fall and Ranger's awesome coloring mediums.  Thank you!!!!

The unadorned milk carton is about 1 1/2" square and 3 1/2" tall.

 Sizzix (Tim Holtz) dies: Tattered Leaves mini movers & shapers, Autumn Gatherings decorative strip die, Typeset decorative strip die

Sizzix Milk Carton Box thinlits die

Stampers Anonymous (Tim Holtz) Mini Blueprints 5 (Wheat)

Ranger:  distress inks, distress stains, distress markers, Jet Black Archival Innk

Miscellaneous:  watercolor paper, Bazzill card stock, raffia

My eye exam is next Friday.  I can't wait to hear what my new vision is in the terms of numbers.  And I hope he can prescribe reading glasses that will be better for me than using discount store plastic lenses.  These are okay for quick reads, but not a long term solution.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Supplies:  Tim Holtz/Sizzix Alterations (Framelits 659373), Tim Holtz/Sizzix Texture Fades (Thankful background); Ranger (Paprika Stickles), Gathered Twigs Distress Ink, Jet Black Archival Ink, red, orange & yellow alcohol inks; leftover very thin clear packaging; olive green baby rickrack trim; Candlelight Bazzill cardstock

May your stuffing be tasty,

May your turkey be plump.

May your potatoes and gravy 

Have never a lump.

May your yams be delicious

And your pies take the prize.

May your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off your thighs!

Happy Chanukah!

I can't believe how early Chanukah is this year!  There aren't a lot of Jewish stamps out there...so many are so similar.  It gets harder and harder to use them so they don't look the same year after year.  But this time I took a unique approach.  When I saw this Triangle Swirl Tile set (SCO28003) on the Rubber Stamp Tapestry site it screamed Star of David to me.

After some fiddling around with the layout I finally got a satisfactory image...that I had to recreate 10 more times.  So I took the easy way out and used vellum so I could place the original underneath and stamp over it.  I found that archival inks bled too much but distress inks were perfect.

Underneath the white vellum is a layer of gold vellum.  These are layered onto Avalanche Bazzill cardstock.  On the right hand side I smudged more distress ink through Tim Holtz' Stripes stencil for a random look.  I didn't want true stripes, just a suggestion of a faded striped ribbon.  On top of this I stamped the phrase (also RST) in distress ink.

I wish all my Jewish family and friends 

a season of light and warmth 

with peace and joy 

for you and your family.

Bazzill: Avalanche cardstock
Rubber Stamp Tapestry:  Triangle Swirl Tile SCO28003, Menorah mini SPO20070M, Happy Hanukkah mini WOR38224M
Ranger:  Faded Jeans, Wild Honey distress inks
Tim Holtz: Stripes stencil
Misc:  white, gold vellum, vellum tape

Yum, pumpkin pie!

It's November....time for Tim's 11th tag of 2013.  While I have the framelits/stamp set he used, I opted to not use it so I could be more creative with another idea I had in mind.

I took a 4"x8" tag and dipped it in various distress inks and stains to make it look very autumnal.  It was so pretty I really hated to cover it up.  On the 'net I found a recipe for Classic Pumpkin Pie that I copied and shrank to fit on the tag.  I tore the edges and using brown and black distress inks made them look burnt.  A bit of wadding up and a spritz of water helped age the recipe.

Using the chalk art technique Tim shared, I chose the pumpkin from Halloween Blueprints 2 and the label and text from Simple Sayings.  The pumpkin was attached with Tim's tiny staples; the label was elevated with foam tape.

From black cardstock I die cut some ivy using an old Sizzix die.  I pounced distress paint on the die cuts in a haphazard manner.  They were tucked around the various elements.  A word stick finishes off the piece; a bit of distress paint was worked into the letters.  Scraps of silk ribbon were stained, misted, wadded and dried.

Yes, indeed...life is good when it's time for pumpkin pie!