Dare to Dream

Good morning everyone.......................weather not very nice her at present.....I do hope that the sunshine returns soon. Almost need to put the heating on as its a bit cooler this morning. 

Today I am sharing a wall hanging that I made for my sister's  recent birthday :-)

Just a quick post as I have several things to do today. The recipe was more or less the same as the previous make. I used a paper distresser to age the edges on the corrugated card. On the cardboard I used my TH scissors to distress the edges. I also used gilding wax on the corrugated card.

I am entering this make at the following challenges:

Sugar Creek Hollow, where the challenge is Mixed Media

Card and Scrap, whose challenge is Use a Text Stamp

Crafting Musketeers, where the challenge is Use a Stamped Image

Seemacrafts, whose challenge is Mixed Media.

Simon Says Stamp and Show, where the challenge is Kraft

'THank You' so much for popping in and if you have time please leave a comment. I can then return the compliment by visiting your blog. 

Crafty Hugs and have a lovely Sunday xx

Tag card/gift card

Hi everyone and welcome to new followers :-)

I regularly visit the Frilly and Funkie Challenge blog and recently enjoyed the Saturday X Step by the lovely Trace of Inkypinkycraft, who gave a tutorial on a Tag card/gift card. You can find Trace's step by step HERE

I really liked the idea so thought I would have a bash as it is always handy to have something like this made up for those times when you need a card/gift. Over at The Artistic Stamper the challenge theme for March is TAGS and I was inspired to play along. You can view the fabulous creations by the DT by clicking HERE

After folding and cutting the tag to match I used the wrinkle free distress technique, which you can find on page 33 of Tim Holtz Compendium of Curiosities.  Once satisfied with the layers of ink I then edged it with a variation of Stormy Sky and Walnut Stain Distress Inks. 

I used the Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Classic Favourites Set ( SCF001), stamping in blue Archival ink, which is  a permanent ink and does not bleed. (This is  important if you are going to spritz and flick and don't want your image to bleed)

I stamped the dragonfly on vellum, then cut it out, layering it over the stamped image.

Below is the back of the tag. You can see layers that I created using rubber stamps from TH Stampers Anonymous Mixed Media Set. I did not use an acrylic block as I wanted to stamp random areas in an adhoc fashion.

I used the same techniques on the inside using Spiced Marmalade, Stormy Sky and Tumbled Glass distress inks.

To adhere the pocket I adhered Ranger Wonder Tape on to the tag. This enabled me to cut the corner off, ensuring it was still adhered properly.

I spritzed water on to my hand and flicked it on the pocket, however, it has not shown up too much on this photograph..... maybe you will  see it when you click on the picture to enlarge !!

I took some vintage ribbon and smooshed it around in Tumbled Glass DI that I pressed and spritzed with water, drying each layer before adding more ink until I was satisfied with the colour.

This is a really handy make to have to hand.

Hard to believe tomorrow is the middle of the week..................time certainly flies these days.

Take care whatever you are doing.

Crafty Hugs x

You've Got Beautiful Mail

Hello everyone................another post that I am delighted to share with you all on my crafty journey.

This piece was made with a few challenges in mind as well as some up and coming celebrations !!

I was not sure where I was going with my crafty make other than the colours from  photo inspiration on The Stampsmith Challenge theme and using some stamps that I had not used in some time as per Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge theme.  Over at The Sunday Stampers the theme for this week was You Raise Me Up.

So grab a cuppa and lets go !!!

I started off with a piece of A4 card, which I trimmed and scored to make the envelope. I then trimmed  another piece of card to make the inside pocket.

The edges of the envelope and pocket were die cut using  Tim's Sizzix on the edge die,  Distressed Doily.

I did not adhere it as I wanted to stamp the  envelope on both sides first. 

On the outside I used  Tim's Stampers Anonymous Wallpaper Stamp ( CMS126). On the inside I used Tim's Stamper's Anonymous  large Bookcover stamp ( CMS103), blending Vintage Photo Distress Ink on both sides. The edges were then distressed with Tim's paper distressing tool and inked with Walnut Stain DI.

 I  also used a stamp from Crafty Individuals that was a gift with my order and fitted perfectly in the book cover void.

This was the first time I used the CI stamp and it had certainly been some time since I used The Book Covers one

Once all the inking was done I adhered the pocket!

Some aged lace and Tartan Ribbon was adhered with Ranger Wonder Tape and the lace motif and brad/pearls were adhered with cosmic shimmer glue.

I then took a tag, which I inked with fired brick and festive berries, layering  the colour until satisfied.

I used the large stamp from the Tim's Papillon set and added another layer of ink, before adding picket fence Distress Stains to a text stamp.

The bottom piece looks darker in this photograph but its just the shadow.....honestly !!!!

The beautiful Stampsmith photostamp image of 'Maude' was stamped on to speciality stamping card, using Archival Ink in Sepia. This image is  so beautiful and my photographs do not do it justice. I matted the stamped image on to some brown card, which had the edges distressed and inked with Walnut Stain DI. 

The image is slightly raised off the tag using foam pads.

Die cut Doily's were trimmed slightly and inked with Vintage Photo DI and adhered to the back of the tag.

 To take away the inner white edge on the die cut section I ran a distress marker around, leaving a better finish.

Below is a close up of the layers on the tag

                                     

                           A close up of the Lace motif, aged  slightly on the edges with Vintage Photo DI

I then took  Tim's new Sizzix Movers and Shapers oval dies and one of his die cut words....Wish !! which fitted perfectly. 

Some flowers, twine, ribbon and pearls were then added to complete this crafty project.

Sorry this post is so long but I know that some of you enjoy the 'how to'.

Hope you are all enjoying crafty time and I will be dropping in to find out.

Crafty Hugs

My Take on Tim's Tag February 2013

Good Evening everyone.................and a warm welcome to new followers :-)

This year I have decided that I am going to participate in all of Tim Holtz Tags of 2013 and below you will find my take on Tim's February Tag. I improvised on quite a few items as I did not have everything that Tim used. Its all about enjoyment and participation so here's the recipe I used.  If you would like to participate and find out how Tim created and inspired us this February click HERE

I did not have the Distress Stains that Tim used but I did have the Distress Inks, so I inked up my craft sheet with the Distress inks in the same colours and spritzed with water, smooshing my tag through several times until I was satisfied with colours.  If you have not done this before remember to dry each layer with your heat tool !

You can see the results below. I then followed Tim's tut for edging/distressing and inking my tag

As I did not have the Queen of Hearts blueprint stamp I decided to triple emboss one of my favourite stamps from Tim's Stampers Anonymous Classics SCF 007.

First I took black card stock and added clear embossing ink then Ranger  ultra thick embossing enamel. I did this several times before adding a few drops of various Ranger Perfect Pearls Powders.

I then inked the stamp up in  permanent Red Archival Ink and stamped in to the very hot enamel.

I was not happy with the result so took my heat tool and melted it again. You can see how the enamel melted but the image remained. 

I then added gold ink to the stamp and placed it in to the warm enamel once more.

I was still not happy and melted it again with my heat gun..............however, I absolutely love the look of my happy accident so decided to keep it for another project.... !!!!

I started again as before but this times used black archival ink  on the stamp and you can see that the outcome  of my triple embossing was what I hoped for :-). I cut around the stamped image and left it to the side to adhere later.

As I did not have the embossing folder Tim used I took some die cut letters from Tim's Sizzix Word Typepad die, placing them on a piece of card, which I covered them with Inkessentials metal foil.

I took my brayer, rolling it back and forth. I then took a ball tool and went around the edges of the letters, making them stand out even more.

I painted the piece with black soot and then sanded it to distress it.

Attaching it with some staples. 

I did not have a custom cash key so I inked the same stamp on some shrink plastic, colouring it with alcohol ink.

I have not used shrink plastic for a long time and forgot how fun it is to work with.

You can see the small embellishment below......................isn't it cool !!

I do have tissue tape and whilst I love  the way Tim has used it  I wanted to use some rag ribbon that was a gift from my very talented blog friend Anita, whom you all know as The Artful Maven Haven. 

I placed some Fired brick DI on my craft sheet  and spritzed with water, scrunching the ribbon around until satisfied with colour. I dried the ribbon with my heat tool and then decided to stamp the word love, using  Archival permanent waterproof ink.  

Anita also sent me some moustache gems, which I placed above the O, its kinda like an offset hairpiece!!!

The embossed image was adhered with silicone as I wanted it to be raised slightly off the tag.

A little chit chat sticker covered the word Patisserie that is on the stamp.

So thats my finished Tag. 

Now I wonder what have you been up to?

Whatever it is I hope you are enjoying the weekend. If you drop by please leave a comment and I shall get back to you as soon as I can. 

Take Care and Crafty Hugs

Vintage Christmas... only 27 sleeps to go !!!!!

Hi to all my followers old and new.  What a fabulous time we had in London and Andrea Bocelli was absolutely wonderful. The concert was amazing and we were  very fortunate to be sitting  in the front five rows from the centre stage. A modest man with a very gifted voice.

Although I have not been blogging I have been crafting....and stupidly forgot to take a photograph of my sister in laws card las Thursday. Then there was the Christmas shopping at the weekend !!!! I am afraid I dont like shopping and never even  entered any stores when in London.!!!

I hope you like my Christmas Wall-hanging, which is an upside down size 12 tag from Ranger.

I inked it with vintage photo and aged mahogany DI's then flicked it with water before stamping with the pine branch stamp/Santa stamp from Stampers Anonymous TH 'Letters to Santa'.
I really wanted to create a vintage feel and just love this Santa image.

I cut the bottom of the tag and stamped Merry Christmas ( PSX stamp- F245)

As you can see I made some holes with my Crop-o-Dile and linked in some idea-ology rings to rejoin.

The baubles are Tim Holtz Carved Ornaments die from Sizzix. I stamped the baubles using  an Inkadinkadoo stamp ( 1004) then inked with evergreen bough and vintage photi DI. I wanted a dimensional look so cut out two of each die, folding one down the centre and then attaching it to the other. The tops of the baubles were stained with antique bronze distress stain.

I am entering my make in The Artistic Stamper November Challenge- Anything Goes and The Sunday Stampers Theme, which is Vintage.

As always thank you for taking time to visit and to leave a comment. 

Hope you are all having  inky fun getting ready for Christmas.

Take care...Crafty Hugs

Francaise with a Twist !!

Hi Everyone............. welcome to followers old and new. I had some crafty time today and boy did I have fun!! 

 I made this card specifically for Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge- Inspiration Francaise, where I love to play. 

This is an Easel Twist Card and a first  attempt for me.

  I used hammered card, which is 8" by 8". The main stamped image is from Inkylicious, which I stamped in Black Archival Ink and matted on black card, the die cuts around the edge are TH Sizzix Distressed Doily.

 I used a Spellbinder Die and folded it in half, stamping french script from Hero Arts then adding 'Bonjour'. Some black soot Di was blended around the edges and and Eiffel Tower charm was attached. The letters used were all diecut from TH Sizzix Carnivale. The lace at bottom of the card was diecut from TH  Sizzix Vintage Lace.

I did not have black ribbon so used Black soot DI to dye some  cream vintage ribbon. I then sewed on a button from my stash and added some hat pins. A few self adhesive Pearls were also added to the top right corner.

The bottom of the card was stamped with the same Hero Arts French Script and some TH Sizzix Elegant Flourishes were die cut and adhered with Cosmic Shimmer Glue. Once again the letters in 'Mon Amie' were die cut from TH Sizzix Carnivale.

All of the lace trims were adhered with Ranger Wonder Tape

 As always 'Thank You' so much for visiting.   

Crafty Hugs