Vintage Holiday Frame

At first, I had a hard time making altered art projects but now I really enjoying them.  This was an unfinished photo frame which, except for a few items from my stash, I filled with Tim Holtz items.  I painted it white then randomly sanded & rubbed Frayed Burlap ink over the white for a distressed look.  All the papers in the background are from Tim's 8X8 Yuletide paper stash.  The back comes off the frame so I cut the paper a little bigger & used liquid adhesive to place the paper on the back of the frame before gluing the back on using glossy accents. 



In the left frame I used a paper that reminded me of old wallpaper.  I thought the "believe" flash card was perfect for this Found Relative photo of a young boy sitting on Santa's lap. The Poinsettia at the top corner is from a pack of Festive Ephmera.





The paper in the top frame has holly berries with leaves.  I wrapped the pine twine twice to make a wreath then wrapped it with thin silver ribbon & distressed a token then hung it with jump rings.  The berries are metallic brads.

The bottom frame has a plain paper with dots & a "box of Christmas lights" Ephnera.  I found the acrylic Christmas lights in my stash so I strung them on floral wire & hung them with screw head brads after I removed the "tails".


This section was the most difficult but I had the fun doing it.  I removed the "tree trunk" then carefully cut one side of the tree off so the back would lay flat against the frame.  It's colored with Peeled Paint Spray Stain (I suggest using gloves & laying it on a lot of paper towels). After the stain dried, I wrapped the tree with silver tinsel twine & used dots of hot glue to hold it in place.  I also hot glued the tree to the frame.  The ornaments are my favorite! First dye the pearls with mushroom alcohol ink which will help tone down the bright colors for a vintage look.  After they dried, I put a few drops of Aqua alcohol ink in a small paper cup, dropped in 3 or 4 pearls & stirred.  Once I got the color I wanted & they were almost dry I put them on a paper towel.  Repeat with Purple Twilight, Cranberry & Sunshine Yellow.  After they dried, I carefully used hot glue to place them on the tree. 


The last section was pretty easy. I used Iced Spruce Paint on the top of the Letterpress & glued them on using glossy accents.  

At the bottom I used a little ephmera sign about not opening presents so why not put a present next to it.  It's from my stash but they would be so easy to make!

I used glossy accents to adhered the 25 ephmera to a fragment & attached a sliver brad so it looks like its hanging on the frame.

Thanks for looking!

Supplies:  KaiserCraft Six Frame Photo Display, Decoart Americana Acrylic Snow White Paint, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Yuletide 8x8 Paper, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Found Relatives Occasions, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Christmastime Flash Cards, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Jump Rings, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Woodlands Trees and Wreath, Tim Holtz Ranger Spray Stain Peeled Paint, Tim Holtz Idea-ology - Festive Ephemera Pack, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Holiday Letterpress,  Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint Peeled Paint, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Pine Twine, Tim Holtz Ranger Frayed Burlap Ink Pad, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Typed Tokens Christmas, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Mirrors Stars, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Tinsel Twine. Darice Craft Designer Pearls, Ranger Glossy Accents, Tim Holtz Adirondack Alcohol Ink Mushroom, Cranberry, Sunshine Yellow, Purple Twillight, Aqua. Tim Holtz Idea-ology Sanding Grip.  From my stash-silver ribbon, red metallic brads, Christmas lights, floral wire, Screw head brads

Blazin' Birthday Wishes

Recently, a few of us from the Giggler's hosted the SCS (Splitcoaststampers) NEPA Stamp & Swap "How Sweet It is" event.  Nothin's sweeter on your birthday than a cake so I used one on my shoebox project.  

I found a fun & easy technique on SCS called Spotted Background by Beate.  I used 4 colors (you can use 3 or more) & started by stamping the lightest color, Mustard Seed Mini Ink Pad, directly on the glossy cardstock randomly 4 or 5 times.  I let the ink spot try a few seconds then used a paper towel to rub over the ink spot in circular motion to blend the color, leaving white spaces for the other colors.  I blended my colors a lot but if you rub them in a smaller circle & only overlap a little you'll see more of the individual colors & the ink spot.  Repeat for each of the other colors (light to dark):  Peacock Feathers, Spiced Marmalade, Picked Raspberries.  



A few tips for stamping on glossy paper: After completing the background, hit it with a heat gun or let it dry a little. When you stamp the image, stamp straight down & lift the stamp straight up, be careful not to twist or rock the stamp or the image will be blurred.  The cake is colored with a brown sharpie marker & I added a little glitz to the candle flames & sparklers with a pen.  I finished up with 3 different colors of gems in the top right corner.


Thanks for looking & I hope you give this neat technique a try!

Supplies:  Cardstock - Tim Holtz Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Ink Cardstock, SU Tempting Turquoise; Ink - Tim Holtz Distress Inks Mini Pads 1, Tsukineko Stazon Jet Black Ink; Stamps - Heather Birthday Cake, SU Birthday Greetings; Misc - Brown Sharpie Marker, Gelly Roll Gold Star Pen, Paper towel

Christmas Card Candy

I had never heard of Card Candy until a friend, Diane AKA Cookiestamper suggested it as a swap for our recent Stamp & Swap Event.  Another swapper, Nancy said each piece of "candy" was like designing a card.  I think she was right but we all agreed we loved making them!  For the swap, we were to make 4 - 8 pieces placed in a 4X6 bag with a topper.  I did 5 & didn't have enough room on the front for all of my "candy" so I put the postage stamp on the back.

The "candy" is adhered to a 3 7/8" X 5 7/8" piece of acetate with glue dots, then placed in a 4X6 cello bag.  The "candy" will be easy to remove so either dimensionals or larger glue dots can be added. Of course they're so cute, I think I'll just collect them...LOL!

All the edges of the card stock & DSP were inked for a vintage look.

The topper's base is cut 4 1/8 X 4 1/8, scored & folded in half. The 4X4 top layer is die cut with the words & the DSP is adhered to the back.  I wanted access to the "candy" without ruining the topper so I used sticky strip to adhere the front of the topper to the front of the cello bag's flap.  To adhere the back of the topper, I removed the strip from the adhesive on the back of the bag & folded the back of the topper over the flap & onto the adhesive.  If anyone decides to use the "candy" they can slip the acetate in & out of the cello bag.




This was the 1st piece of "candy" I did.  The tag is cut to 2X4 then punched at the top.  The sentiment is heat embossed to give it a little sparkle.  It's embellished with rusty bells, ribbon & twine. 

Since this is Card Candy, I decided to add candy canes. Before I cut them out I used Glossy Accents to give them dimension & a little shine.  The mat is 2X4 & the top layer is 1/8 smaller. I cut 1 piece of the holly in half to make two sprigs then sprayed them for a little glimmer.

This is my favorite because of the "ornaments".  The mat is 2X4 & the next layer is 1/8 smaller.  First the half pearls are dyed with mushroom alcohol ink which will help tone the bright colors down for a vintage look.  Once they are dry, I put a few drops of each color alcohol ink (Aqua, Purple Twilight, Cranberry & Sunshine Yellow) in small paper cups to dye them. After they dried, I placed them on the tree (some may need a touch of glue).  The star tree topper was inked for a vintage look..



It seemed appropriate to have 25 on one of the "candies" so I decided to use Tim's December calendar.  Not only is the calendar inked but the edges are distressed too. I spritzed the entire piece of "candy" for a little sparkle then added a little bling.

                                                   


I wanted this "candy" to look  like someone was collecting stamps.  I fussy cut the stamp out & mounted it to the die cut, I separately stamped the post mark & the "envelope" with the post mark & lined them up before adhering together.  I then tore the post marked Stamp off the "envelope". 


TFL & hope you enjoyed reading about my Card Candy as much I did making them! 

SUPPLIES:
Card Stock:  SU Hunter Green, Crumb Cake, Real Red; Very Vanilla
DSP:  Tim Holtz 8X8 Yuletide Paper Stash, Echo Park Holly Berry; Cardboard
Ink:  Tim Holtz Frayed Burlap  Fired Brick  Forest Moss,  Tim Holtz Adirondack Alcohol Inks Mushroom, Cranberry, Aqua, Sunshine Yellow, Purple Twilight, Versafine Black
Stamps:  Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Christmas Nostalgia, Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Scribbly Christmas, Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Calendar 2 Set.   SU Scentsational Seasons
Dies: -  Tim Holtz Alterations Holiday Greens, Tim Holtz Sizzix Movers & Shapers Mini Reindeer & 25,  Tim Holtz Sizzix Movers & Shapers Bottle Cap & Stamp, SU Little Letters Die
Punches:  SU Tag Topper
Embossing Powder - Ranger Black Sparkle
Misc - Ranger Wonder Tape , Darice Rusty Bells, Ranger Perfect Pearls Biscotti  Ranger Glossy Accents, Zva White Half Pearls, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Mirrors Stars , Tim Holtz Tonic Paper Distresser, Dimensionals,  Glue dots, Twine, Various EK Success Corner Rounder

Birthday Wishes for Tina

I'm just lovin' these quilt dies!  This card is for a friend, Tina, who happens to be one of the newest member of the Gigglers & she loves quilt cards.  This die set has 7 pieces & cuts very clean plus they're made in the USA.  I used the biggest die, which has a small scalloped border to cut the DSP then adhered it to my card base using liquid glue.  I've always been a tape runner fan but am gradually converting to liquid because it gives you a little time to move it if you don't get it lined up on the first try. For the other layer I used 2 dies together.  I laid the larger die, which has a pierced border, down first then I placed the die with the 6 quilt squares inside.  After making sure they were lined up, I taped them down so the border would be even.  I love using this tape because its removable but doesn't leave residue on my projects.  I cut the inside die again in a different color so I had a contrasting border around the quilt squares.  I glued the outside stitched border to the DSP first.  Then I glued the grid in the coordinating color down then the quilt squares. The pieces are inlaid so they fit together like a puzzle!   You can also use the center shapes for other projects.  To finish the card, I stamped a sentiment on white card stock & punched it out with a tiny tag punch then tied it on with baker's twine.  If you've never tired one of these cards you should...they are so easy & fun!

Thanks for looking!

Supplies:  Die-namics - Blueprints #20 Die by My Favorite Things (made in the USA), Tombow Liquid Glue, SU Pacific Point, Wild Wasabi & Whisper White; Sizzix Little Sizzles Watercolors DSP; SU Endless Birthday Wishes Stamp Set, SU Jewelry Tag Punch;  SU Baker's Twine.

Of Corpse I Wish You A Happy Birthday

This is a birthday card for my friend, Mary Ann who has an October birthday & of course loves Halloween!  I was inspired by a card called Happy Halloween on Sunday View's blog which has much for detail. The black card base is layered with an orange DSP.  The top layer was dry embossed then die cut using a small oval. Running it through the Big Shot the 2nd time flatten the embossed area a little but it still looks good.  I lightly sponged the top of the embossed area & around the embossed area with white ink.  The image in the oval is stamped on white card stock, sponged using a grey ink to give it an eerie look then glued to the back of the embossed panel.  There are black eyelets in each corner of the panel & laced with black jute.  I used sticky strip to adhere the panel to the DSP.  The die cut maple leaf is stamped, die cut then distressed with ink & crumpled up.  The leaf was then tucked behind the jute & embellished with a jute bow.

Thanks for looking!

Supplies:  SU Basic Black & Whisper White, Happy Haunting DSP; SU Holiday Frame Embossing Folder; SU Ovals Collection Framelits; SU Best of Halloween Stamp; SU Black Twine; SU Vintage Leaves; SU White & Pumpkin Pie Ink; VersaFine Black Ink; Tim Holtz Distressed Hickory Smoke; American Craft Black Eyelets; Scor-Tape 1/4" Sticky Strip; Tombow Liquid Glue.