A Little Note

 I was never a huge fan of the colour yellow. But when it’s mixed with other colours the subtle vibe it brings is beautiful. 

Creating a light background using distress ink + oxide scattered straw + distress spray oxide antique linen. Misting with distress sprayer and heating between layers. Keeping with the colour yellow theme adding one of Tim’s idea ology collage strips. Adhere with collage medium, trimming to fit card base.

Stampers Anonymous field notes stamp set makes it easy to collage a background. Choosing a couple of contrasting colours for inking makes for a nice background. Applying crackle paste translucent through SA mixed media stamp + stencil set (mesh) with a palette knife creates a nice subtle texture. Let it air dry to reveal all the cracks from the paste.

I love birds and nature. I have a ‘bird family’ in the backyard. They come to the bird feeder every now and then and sometimes eat the fallen seeds around the tree. I have yet to see a chickadee. Simon Says Stamp has a beautiful die layered chickadee that is perfect for this make. Choosing colours with a hint of yellow on the birds belly captures it perfectly. Adding pointy pine sprigs from SSS diecember release (sold out) with some greens.

 Machine stitched border in cream thread then stitching a messy circle with loose ends. SA mixed media stamps + stencil (note quotes) stamp circle in fossilized amber oxide. Stamp the words a little note in embossing ink then Ranger embossing powder white onto Kraft stock blackout (retired) heat set with Ranger Handle IT tool to avoid burning fingers lol.

Finishing touches. Adding depth to the pine sprigs with a deeper shade of green and my new favourite cello tape. It comes in different sizes and great for your makes. A piece of wooden plank from my stash for the chickadee to perch on.

Adhere to pale yellow card stock makes for a nice warm card.

Even when it’s your least favourite colour it can turn into something beautiful.

Thnx for looking 

Christina

Focus on the Good

A mixed media card using Simon Says Stamp dies flourish bird + classic leaf ring from the Diecember release and flourish heart trio from the heart to heart release. 

Distress watercolour card stock is perfect for wet and dry techniques. This is my go to for card bases. Smoosh distress ink + oxide in lost shadow on card bases. Spritz with water and heat set between layers. Add a bit of distress spray stain in lost shadow on top. Heat set.

Sayings from cms343 natures wonder stamped with distress oxides in hickory smoke + black soot in random sections of card bases.

Die cut the sss flourish heart trio and save the negative die. Use this as a stencil with texture paste translucent and a palette knife in random sections of tag. Let air dry. Next choose an ombré of your favourite oxides to blend on the flourish hearts.

The flourish bird is so adorable! Take your favourite coordinating oxides and create a soft blend on the bird. Choosing what to use for the twigs came easy as the classic leaf ring die comes with a full die and a mini sprig of leaves die, perfect for tucking underneath the bird. Use a combo of light browns to make the twigs look natural.

Machine stitched border in light blue thread. Next making a messy circle by running card stock through machine like a race car then leaving loose threads at ends. Stamping the circle from Stampers Anonymous mixed media stencil and stamps in distress oxide tumbled glass overlapping the messy circle. focus on the good saying stamped in distress embossing ink, Ranger embossing powder white on Kraft stock blackout (retired). Trim to fit a square and adhere to surface.

Tim’s cello tape adds a nice finishing touch to mixed media projects. Just peel + stick.

The flourish bird needs a perch/branch to sit on, a wooden plank from my stash to the rescue! Adhere card base to Kraft stock classic.

With a few steps you can make layers into magic at your fingertips. 

Thnx for looking 

Christina

Winter Fun

 Winter is here, as I see big fluffy snowflakes falling from the sky. It's a perfect time to make a winter theme tag.

I love the endless possibilities of Tim's + Sizzix dies. They are so versatile. Perfect for the holiday season.

Apply Dina Wakley gesso in white (an even coat) to the small thickboard Ecetera tag. Let air dry or to speed up the process heat set. Once dry add a light wash on top by mixing distress paint in speckled egg + water. Ratio 2 parts water to one part paint. Heat set.

Begin by adding more texture using TH/SA layering stencil dots + texture paste icicle with a palette knife in random places of tag. Let air dry. This gives the illusion of ice crystals with the crackle of the texture paste.

Assembling Gladys:

Tim + Sizzix have a video on YouTube how to assemble Gladys. This makes is easier especially when you have to reverse her. You can find the video here. Next colour the dies with distress heavy stock white and  distress oxides, using a blending brush. Gladys needs ice skates. Tim's die thin ice to the rescue! 

Finding ideas for a freezer, using Sizzix retro oven. It's easy to assemble, with metallic kraft stock in jewel + texture paste in icicle. Let air dry.

Making ice cubes + backing for the freezer. Backing: mixed media heavy stock white with retro oven die, alcohol yupo translucent fit to backing. Rock candy glitter + chunky glitter with glossy accents on idea ology baubles. Tim has an awesome demo how to make these. You can find it here. It's at the 1:30:13 mark. Adding a dimensional dome to the freezer opening, fill with baubles then adhere backing.

Adding a few presents from thinlits die santas helper + distress oxides for colour.

The words and hanger are a combination of thinlits dies vault seasonal sketch (drop shadow of letters with kraft stock cool + overlay with metallic kraft stock) + vault bunny hop (hanger - metallic kraft stock)

Diedember 2022 chilly + freezy dies make great accessories for Gladys. Scarves, toques, ear muffs.... the possibilities are endless.

The wood planks are from my stash using the 3D embossing folder lumber, distress inks, crayon.

Feeling inspired... go through your stash, it's amazing what you can make with it!

Christina

Limited Edition

 A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away.........

I've always been a StarWars fan, since I was young. When I received "Walter" (he was the chosen one from the Tim Holtz/Sizzix Diecember gift) many ideas came to mind. But this one in particular stood out. I managed to make Walter into Darth Vader.

Using the Alphanumeric lower (the letter l) and kraft stock in metallic and blackout, I made the light sabre. Then attached it to Walter. The body of Walter is layered with Kraft stock in black and grey. The base of the card I used the distress two tone wood grain black, from Tim's Halloween release, a couple years back.

Making of the Death Star: with cms405 mini glitch. The circle with many designs was perfect for the death star. Using distress oxides in black soot, hickory smoke and lost shadow, stamping the image 3 times in each distress colour and cutting out sections from the stamped images, in hickory smoke and lost shadow, leaving the stamped image in black soot for the base. This adds dimension to the death star.

TH/SA cms446 noteworthy stamps are the perfect font for this card. I chose "limited edition" and stamped with distress archival ink in black soot. 

Adding a few pop ups behind Walter to add dimension.

I hope you enjoyed how I made Walter into Darth Vader and it leaves you feeling inspired.

Christina