Stencils, stencils and more stencils! Day 1

I'm taking an on-line card class with some super teachers...you can find out more about it here.  I figured the timing was perfect...it's snowing, blowing, polar vortex, and no football.  What's a girl to do?  And who doesn't enjoy spending more time in their art room, playing with stencils, trying new things, etc.?  I made 6 cards to go with each bit of today's lesson.  However, rather than sharing them all at once I'll do separate posts...all brief.  And you want to know the best part about this class?  The fee is great and you'll have lifetime access to the class!

First up is a card that I sponged through the mask. 

Ingredients:  white card stock, Dylusions stencil, distress ink, vellum, Ann-ticipation stamp, embossing ink, white embossing powder, jute, black thread, red mitten buttons, foam dots

Technique attempts

Have you seen the video of Wendy Vecchi's latest technique featuring re-inkers, metal mixative, rubbing alcohol and Ranger's specialty stamping paper?  I think this link will take you to it.

I couldn't find my package of specialty stamping paper at first so I tried it on glossy cardstock using Cornflower Blue and Orange Blossom re-inkers and Copper Mixative.

After some searching later in the day I found a package of ATCs cut from specialty stamping paper.  I used the same color palette as above.  These are the 3 generations I was able to create just by adding a bit more alcohol for versions 2 and 3.

You'd never know they were the same technique and same color palette.  IRL, the mixative shows up much better on the glossy cardstock.





Not sure how I'll use these pieces; for now I think I'll just ogle them!  lol

Frozen in a winter wonderland

So, how about that polar vortex?  It smacked us right in the face...-13 air temp with a windchill of -37 this morning at 7.  I swear the house was even shuddering last night with the howling wind and saying 'Brrrr!'  The 7-8" of snow that fell became drifts of several feet.  And it didn't warm up much during the day nor did the winds die down.  It even stopped the US Postal Service dead in it's tracks.  And tomorrow will bring more of the same.  All area interstates, local roads, businesses, etc. closed.  Frostbite can occur within 5 minutes.  I think I'll hibernate in my art space!

All this to say that it was a big part of my inspiration while recreating Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of 2014 - January. 

I followed Tim's instructions, making a few changes here and there.  Okay, lots of here and there!  lol

I used the pocket watch mover & shaper die instead of the bigz die and the rub-on in the type charm resembled a snowflake (creative license!).  The watch face I created from clear packaging, coating with Glue 'N Seal and then a layer of Clear Rock Candy Crackle Paint.  When all was dry I pounced some blue distress ink onto the surface so you could see some of the texture.  Instead of making little banners I applied the rub-on to some sheer ribbon for the snowman's scarf.  Yes, I carefully planned the snowflake embossing on Frosty...looks like the perfect hat embellishment, doesn't it?

Have you played with Tim's Linen Ribbon?  I pulled and stretched a small section of it then wondered what would happen if I got it wet.   Hmmmm...it curled, or more appropriately coiled like a rope, and shrunk back to it's original state!  Well, I'll be.

Here are some of the items I used to create my tag:
distress inks, distress stains, distress paints, Inkssentials foil tape sheet,  Glue 'N Seal, archival ink, Tim's stencil, grungeboard, clear packaging, type charm, Worn Text stamp set, watch face from the Curiosities stamp set, remnant rubs, crinkle ribbon, linen ribbon, sheer ribbon, pocket watch die, snowman die from Winter Wonder, snowflurries texture fade, cracked texture fade, mini pin, jump ring, ticket

Hope you'll find time to play along with Tim's challenge.  I've seen some people making ATCs instead of tags...what a great idea!  No matter what size your art, just get in there and have fun!

Happy New Year!

Wow, 2014...here you are!  I welcome you with open arms and hope that our journey is fabulous!  Today's tag was created by mostly leftovers (I hate throwing stuff away as my craft room shows!) that I drop into a large plastic bag that I can paw through when looking for just that right element.  The only new piece was the sentiment on the grungeboard box (it was already colored, just not bordered).

I'll tell you what I do know about the leftovers...the gentleman is from Studio 490's Gentleman's Art...the clock is from Studio 490's Rose Art Part 2.  I have no idea where I got the black piece that was stamped using Studio 490's Quality Art in Brass Distress Stain but when I put the clock face on it I was reminded of a grandfather's clock.  '2014' were left over numbers, probably not all the same font, but most likely Sizzix/Tim Holtz dies.  'Happy New Year' is by Jody Poesy (no longer in business) and stamped in Jet Black Archival Ink.  I ran a bead of Black Enamel Accents around it.  Now the gentleman can step on the box and note the hands chiming midnight and 'Happy New Year!'

The tag had already been colored with distress inks so I don't know the color palette.  I did stamp the stars (Celestial Art in Brushed Pewter Distress Stain)  over the top as well as use the Studio 490 stencil Layered Flower where I colored 3 flowers using yellow, orange and red distress inks.  They also reminded me of the fireworks you might see New Year's eve.

This has been posted on Facebook but I'll repeat it here...

 

I wish you all a magical New Year.  May we all face the challenges & gifts we receive in 2014 with a positive approach.  May we love & support each other through the good times, as well as the sad times and most of all.....laugh out loud & have fun!  Humor is a wonderful drug.   While, there have been a lot of life lessons learned this year for me including loss, changes in friendships, lessons in acceptance, patience, forgiveness and faith, this pretty much sums it all up.

Thank you

We don't exchange Christmas gifts any more, preferring to donate that money to charity.  But sometimes a small token is given with a note about the charity chosen.  This is the card I made to say 'thank you' for those gifts of love.

The base card is white card stock.  Another piece of white card stock was run through Tim's 'Holiday Words' texture fade and smudged with red, green, and brown distress inks.  With his 'Packages & Bows' bigz die I cut out several sets from Authentique's 'Festive' collection of 6x6 paper.  I used a gray pencil to add shadow and dimension on the packages and bows.

And a very big 'thank you' to those who visit my blog.  Maybe I've inspired you or encouraged you in some way.  I hope so.  You may not leave a comment but I do appreciate your visit.

May 2014 bring all of us just what we need...whatever that may be!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you and yours the merriest of Christmases!

Nearly 100 of these dies were cut out of metal sheeting that had been run through a Xyron.  Near the end I remembered about using wax paper between the intricate die and the metal sheeting.  It made things easier and I was able to better maintain the circular shape when adhering it to the card.  The evergreens and balls were not stuck down, only their connecting stems, so that the image would be more dimensional.

Bazzill card stock; green and white card stock; Hero Arts alpha stamp; metal sheeting; Die-namites die; Ranger Fern Green Archival Ink

Holiday tokens

My family will be here Sunday for our holiday luncheon.  We don't exchange gifts but I usually create a token to remember the day for each of them.  This year I loved a Tissue paper Ornament I found here.  Claudine has some great ideas and I am always anxious to see what she has up next to share on her blog.

I didn't have nearly enough fragments but did have plenty of Inkssentials 2" glass slides and frames (silver and copper).  Then I thought about another surface that could be used...dominoes.  In the end I made 6 slide ornaments and 7 dominoes (not ornaments). 

But how to package them?  Sizzix to the rescue!  I used their Candy Drawer Box die and Bazzill cardstock to create a gift box.  I punched holes in the outside layer so I could run the ribbon through the holes and through the jingle bell name tag.  The jingle bells were cut from chipboard, painted with pewter distress paint.  Once dry I drizzled some Glossy Accents across the top and sprinkled Clear Rock Candy Dry Distress Glitter over the top for a bit of added charm.  Ta da!

Items used:  Ranger - Inkssentials glass slides and frames, archival inks, Glue N'Seal, Multi-Medium, Adirondack Butterscotch marker, Glossy Accents, distress paint, dry distress glitter; Sizzix:  mini jingle bell die, Candy Box Drawer die; Stampers Anonymous:  Mini Holidays CMS066, Odds & Ends CMS100, Mini Holidays 3 CMS114, Mini Blueprints 5 CMS170, Mini Holidays 5 CMS177; Idea-ology tissue wrap; Bazzill cardstock; gold & silver sharpies; ribbon; chipboard

Time is getting tight to make gifts but perhaps one of these could be added to a stocking or even the top of a gift.  Letting the adhesives dry took the longest time and even that wasn't very long.