12 Tags of 2014 -- May

Today has been a Tim Holtz kind of day. Here I have my May tag for the 12 Tags of 2014.  Tim was right when he said that it would be a difficult one because we had to use so many of our trinkets and embellishments. However, it was also a cool project because we got to use so many of our trinkets and embellishments .I really like the outcome. For the background of the tag, I used the distress paint marbling technique. That's my go to technique whenever possible. I'm always amazed that you can do no wrong with it. I had to resort to my newly received Framed Alphaparts for the word (WONDERFUL) since my shadowpress words are still on order. Well, it's only a few more days until June and a new tag design!

A Gift for You

I needed a gift box, so what did I do...I made one. I used a couple of book pages glued to a piece of cardstock and cut out the shape using the pillow box die from Tim Holtz/Sizzix. I then put a light coat of gesso over the top. I wanted the strength, but still wanted to see some of the writing. If you look really close, you might still see some of the words.  I used the distress paint marbling technique to color the box and then stamped it with a Stamp Zia stamp. I used the lattice die (TH) over the top. Then I made the faux tea roses from Tim Holtz's book Compendium of Curiosities p. 65 with leaves from Garden green die.
I am entering this gift box into these challenges: Compendium of Curiosities III -- Faux tea roses p. 65; Dies R Us -- May Flowers; Ink on My Fingers Sunday Challenge -- change something (book pages to gift box); Take a Word -- books; Marks Finest Papers Friends of Speedy -- use flowers; Fashionable Stamping -- 3D object.
A special thanks to Inspiration Emporium for sponsoring the CCC3 challenge.

Leave Ordinary Behind

Summer will soon be here and I'm ready for a vacation. I love this Tim Holtz sentiment, " Leave ordinary behind". It has so many interpretations. For the background, I used an embossing folder to add a little texture. I then die cut the suitcase and parts and assembled it (Tim Holtz/Sizzix). I added a couple of stamped stickers from my travels (I wish). A tag was used for the sentiment.
 I am entering my card into these challenges: Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge -- vacation/travel; Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; and Marks Finest Papers Simple Salutations --die cuts/punches.

Perspective

I started my card off with an experiment. I decided to try distress paint marbling on a piece of kraft cardstock. The result was a very subtle background since the paint tended to soak into the kraft. However, it worked great for what came next. I then took Tim's doily stencil, laid it over my background and sprayed with Dylusions white linen spray. It really showed up well. I also added a little ink over the chevron stencil. Since the current challenge for Compendium of Curiosities III is to try Tim Holtz's glitter technique from p. 56 of his book, I die cut the frame and flowers from grungepaper and used  Tim's distress glitter. Oh yes, I also added a drop of stickles to each of the flowers. The stamped image is from SweetStamps. Distress markers were used to color the image. The sentiment stamp from Tim Holtz was die cut using a Cheery Lynn Die. Also I'd like to give a shout out to The Funkie Junkie for sponsoring the CCC3 challenge this time around.
I am also entering this card into these challenges:  Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge -- botannical; Kraft Journal -- flowers; Sweet Stamps -- anything goes; Marks Finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends -- no designer paper; and V's Sweet Ideas challenge -- distress.

Good Times

A box of Tim Holtz goodies arrived at my house, and I couldn't wait to play. The result is a card in the Tim Holtz CAS style. It's not a usual combination of styles, but I like the result. I started with a piece of brown cardstock from Club Scrap. I just love the texture in this piece. Then I die cut the birds from my new birds in flight die. I layered them over a panel of glitter paper. The sentiment is from my new framed alphaparts. There is stamping on the card, but it's on the inside. There is a birthday greeting.
I am entering my card into these challenges: Ink on My Fingers Sunday Challenge -- brown and blue; Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge -- die crazy; and A Vintage Journey -- all about him.

A-R-T

I've had this card in mind for quite some time. Last night, before I fell asleep, I realized that I had the perfect challenge to create for. CASual Fridays has the theme three thirds. The idea is to create a CAS card with three of something or on 1/3 of the card. I used the word art which has three letters; I used three sprays (blue, yellow, and red); and I kept the image to 1/3 of the card. The focal image is a word stamp which has a coordinating stencil (from Club Scrap).
I am also entering this card into these challenges: Mark's Finest Papers Friends of Speedy -- kraft and red; Frilly & Funkie -words, words, words (let a word take center stage).

Journey

It's been a fun studio day. I spent lots of time creating. Fashionable Stamping has the challenge theme - Circle the Globe. They want to see circles. Mojo Monday gave us this sketch to follow, and what do we see, but lots of circles. I love it when challenges work together. The car, balloon, sentiment stamps, and globe die cut are all from the Tim Holtz collection. I figured that as long as we were circling the globe, I'd stick to the journey theme. I'm also entering my card in the Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge. The theme is "M", so I went monochromatic.

Friends in Fashion

I thought I would try the Technique Junkies Punched Border Stand-up card technique. It was last weeks TJ try that technique challenge. I didn't get a chance last week to try it...better late than never!
My focal image and sentiment are from the Rogue Redhead Designs Milliner Misses plate. (By the way this plate is on sale this month!) The side cut outs border was done using the Spellbinders borders. I have a bunch of them, but hardly ever remember to use them. They worked perfectly for this card.
I am entering my card into these challenges: Ink on My Fingers Sunday challenge -- pink; Three Muses -- positive affirmation.

Happy Mother's Day

I think that this is a perfect challenge card to show today. It's Mother's Day and I want to wish all my friends a very Happy Mother's Day.

I used the Mojo Monday sketch as my layout. I die cut the small tag using kraft caardstock to coordinate with the kraft base card. The image is from SweetStamps and is colored using Prisma pencils. The background is design paper from my stash. The diamond panel was embossed using a Tim Holtz Sizzix folder. I highlighted the leaves with perfect pearls for the sparkle. The sentiment is from Rogue Redhead Designs.
I am entering my card into these challenges: SweetStamps -- for Mom; Mojo Monday -- sketch; Kraft Journal -- Just for her.

Mother's Day

Front

Open

In addition to the challenges I will be entering, I also challenged myself today. I have had the butterfly pivot design die from Karen Burniston for quite a while. so I decided that I would use it for my challenge card. My entire base card is made from two-sided design paper (Heartfelt Creations). I did adhere two half sheets together for added sturdiness. Once I die cut the pivot butterfly and its layers, I stamped the flower on the front using the distress marker direct to stamp technique. The front and inside sentiments are all from Rogue Redhead Designs.
I am entering my card into several challenges: Tuesday Throwdown -- special lady; Simon Says Wednesday challenge -- spring flowers; Mark's Finest Papers Simple Salutations -- Mother's Day; Artistic Stamper -- in the garden; Simon Says Work It Wednesday --patterned paper; and Classy Cards 'n Such -- Mother's Day (CCnS carries the distress pens, Heartfelt Creations stamps, and much more.)

Creative Chemistry 102 -- Day 5

Rusting with Distress Powder and Sticky Powder with Glitter

Sticky Powder with Leafing and Shabby Chic

Tarnished Silver and Chalkboard

It only took me six months to finish my tags for Creative Chemistry 102. (Three of the months were spent in the hospital.) Catch up is always difficult, but I was determined to do it. Now my task is to work on the tag book that Tim shared at the end of the classes. I've got the components; I just need to find the time. I will!

Steampunk Romance

Sometimes when my muse gets iffy, I have to jumpstart the process. Today I created an art journal page to change the pace. I chose Romance Mercius and Romance Emma from Simply B Stamps as my focal images. The were colored using prisma pencils.  The background was made using a number of stencils and Dylusions sprays. Then I got crazy with my die cut machine. The chain background and steampunk hearts are from Cheery Lynn. The image frame is from Spellbinders. The potion bottle is from Sizzix. The bottle label was fussy cut from a piece of Graphics 45 paper.
I am entering this card into these challenges: Simply Steampunk --anything steampunk goes using Simply B stamps and Dies R Us Challenge -- anything goes using dies.

Steampunk Goes Heavy Metal

I am so excited and honored to have been invited to be the May guest designer at SanDee & Amelie's Steampunk Challenge. The challenge this month is heavy metal.

3D lantern

2D Card

 I created two projects for the challenge. SanDee & Amelie's challenge always includes two categories --  2D and 3D. For the 3D category I created a lantern from black and green colored aluminum metal sheets (Ten Seconds Studio) using the Tim Holtz lantern die. Each of the 4 window panels is made from vellum and stamped with a steampunk image. A few gears adorn the lantern roof.
My card was also a lot of fun to make. I used copper metallic cardstock as the base card. I die cut a postage stamp shape background panel from the metal sheet, dry embossed it, and then sanded the embossed images. Over that I layered a portion of a clock face die cut from grungeboard and painted with antique bronze distress paint. The leaves were cut from a green colored aluminum metal sheet. (All of the dies used are from Tim Holtz.) The stamp (also Tim Holtz) is part of a larger stamp. I used colored pencils to color the image and metallic copper pan pastels for the background.
I am entering my lantern into the challenge at Mark's Finest Paper Friends of Speedy which is use vellum.

Spring Flowers

This week the SweetStamps blog had an inspiration theme. When I saw this image, the word "spring" immediately popped into my head and off I went. I love the SweetStamps flower stamps. I've used parts of  the stamp, blossoms, in the past, but I've never used the whole stamp before. It fit perfectly with the Sizzix pot die cut. The result made me smile. I colored the flowers with distress markers and fussy cut them so I could plant them in the pot. The background panel is a piece of designer paper which is light gray with white polka dots.Since I wanted to show the happiness spring brings, I added a bow and the sentiment adorned with glitter.

I am entering my card into these challenges: Tuesday Throwdown --recipe challenge (1 image, 1 design paper, and purple); Great Impressions -- pink, polka dots, and glitter; and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge -- anything goes.