Journal Cover - Memories

Needing a gift for a teacher was my inspiration for this project. 

Many times teachers need to write notes or jot down reminders or even write about their teaching Memories. 

I have created a Journal Cover for a small notebook about 5 x 7 inches in size. 





The papers used in the project are Graphic 45 with stamps from Tim Holtz and Ali Edwards.

I made the measuring pieces by inking white paper with TH Mustard Seed and Wild Honey then stamping with 
TH Artful Tools. 
I cut the stamped image apart and inked lightly with TH Vintage Photo and along the edges with Black Soot.

The Tim Holtz Sizzix Die 

Mini Paper Rosettes along with 
Graphic 45 - Le Cirque paper was used to make the three rosettes. The front and back of this paper was used; the center brads are from Close to My Heart.

The notebook was covered with three Graphic 45 papers including a striped paper for the Simon Says Challenge - Stripes. Each paper was inked along the edges with Black Soot plus Vintage Photo on the red paper.

Glossy Accents was used to glue the paper to the notebook. I like to use Glossy Accents so I can nudge the paper before it dries.


I selected the Ali Edwards stamp 

for her unique handwriting and 
stamped it using Range Archival 
Ink - Jet Black then placed the 
measuring pieces around it. 



I stamped the brushes from the TH Artful Tools stamp and cut out a small brush.

The brush was attached just to the end of the word to look as if "memories" had just been written.

The assembly of the cover was just 

as fun as making the individual pieces. The cute little girl sitting at the school desk is from Graphic 45 - ABC Primer and the metal pieces are from a local hardware store.

Glossy Accents worked great in attacking the gears.

More gears and rosettes were added to the bottom section of the cover with a black piece of ribbon in the corner.




Open the journal and the first page 

included a pocket which was perfect for a couple of tags.
The "Telling Time" verse and 
"This book belongs to" tag are 
also from the ABC Primer collection and were inked with Black Soot.

Another touch was added 
to the 

bottom edge using TH Idea-ology 
Collection tissue tape - Elements.

There you have it, my project is ready to give to an appreciated teacher.

.

Challenges:

Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge - Stripes

Kraft Challenge with a Card

Simon Says is having a challenge this week that allows me to use one of my favorite kinds of paper- Kraft paper. 

This challenge allowed me to use kraft paper and cardboard plus lots of Tim Holtz Distress Stains and Distress Paint. 

 

My project began by 
using kraft paper 
and distressing it 
with TH Gathered Twigs.












Then embossing it with  

Sizzix Embossing Folder 
TH Alterations Textures Fades 
America Background and Border Set.

I used such a combination of Distress Stains and paints trying to get the look I was after. 

Stains: Barn Door, Salty Ocean, Antique Bronze, Tarnish Brass
Paints: Brushed Pewter, Chipped Sapphire, Barn Door, Picket Fence



I used a small paint brush 
on some of the raised letters at first but kept distressing with additional paint and stains.

I worked on the folder print for two days, painting, staining, drying, more painting, more staining. It took many times before I had what I thought I was looking for. 






Next I used another 
Sizzix Die - 
TH Alterations Old Glory. 

I used cardboard to cut the die 
then began distressing the flag with Barn Door, Brushed Corduroy Stain and Picket Fence Paint. I painted the stars again after this picture, you'll see in the final product.


After that I wasn't sure what I was going to do with my project, I didn't want a card, I wanted something bigger - a collage. It began with the inside of a pizza box. I started painting it with Picket Fence Distress Paint for a washed look.

The box also went through many stages with more layers of paint - Picket Fence and Tarnished Brass. Drying, painting and over again. The final layer was stamping with  TH Mixed Media and Ranger Archival Ink - Coffee. 

I printed a patriotic images of an 
eagle and shield from The Graphics Fairy on watercolor paper, tore the edges, stained then with Gathered Twigs and added just a tiny bit of color on the shield. 

I add a little blue to the shield at the end.



I started putting the collage together by just laying everything in place for a visual then adding a few more touches.

In a corner I stamped a USA from the TH Mini Blueprints CMS 146 with Ranger Archival Ink - Vermillion.  The reverse of the stars from the embossing folder was used as a stencil and dabbed with TH Brushed Pewter.



"Freedom" letters from 
Sizzix TH Alterations - 
Wanted Alphabet strip were used. These were cut from kraft paper then painted with 
Brushed Pewter Distress Paint.

There is a very light stamp of the Statue of Liberty Head just below the "Freedom" letters also from the Mini Blueprints CMS 146 collection of TH.

I added some burlap ribbon that I dabbed with Adirondack Dabber - Gold and began gluing it all together with CH Studio multi-medium matte.

Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Kraft Challenge

Blue Fern Frame and Color

My project began with the selection of a Blue Fern Frame and the idea of using color. Here's a peek at my finished project then I show you the steps.

I selected the Blue Fern frame which is an approximate 10" square frame and is all one piece. The frame has beautiful details which you can see in the picture. 

I was so excited to start applying color to the frame and nothing better than using Tim Holtz Distress Paints and Adirondack Acrylic Paint. I plan to use Brushed Pewter, Cloudy Blue and Pearl. We'll come back to the frame in a minute. 

As I took the frame out of 

the package I saw that the package included a piece of printed paper that had a beautiful lattice background. I liked it and again thought I could apply some dabs of paint here and there and give it a little different look. My pictures shows the paper after I dabbed Brushed Pewter Distress Paint, Mustard Seed Distress Paint and the Cloudy Blue Paint. I dried the paint with a heat tool.

Next I started working on the frame with the Brushed Pewter, Cloudy Blue and the Pearl paints. I dabbed the Pewter right on the chipboard frame then dried it a little. Next I dabbed the Cloudy Blue and finally the Pearl with a little drying between each color. I hope you can see the effect of the three paints in the picture.



I used Glue Dots 
to adhere the frame to the paper and only on the sides and bottom. I knew I wanted to add a picture in the frame later. 







Now let's talk about the flowers:

 

I used Prima flowers that were bright purple and lime green colors and toned them down with the Tim Holtz and Adirondack paints. 

They hardly look like the same flowers, it's fascinating to see what the paint can do. Endless possibilities with the paint combos.

The butterfly pieces are Tim Holtz chipboard. 

I applied Mustard Seed Paint, wiped a little off and let it dry plus used the heat tool just a little. Then dabbed a little of the same color on a tissue swiped over the butterfly lightly and hoping the raised swirls on the butterfly would be highlighted. I used a couple pieces of bling for the butterfly body. I made some antennas for the butterfly out of wire but didn't get a picture of them. 

Time to add the flowers and bling to the paper and the frame. 
I just love the look of the flowers with the extra dabs of Pearl paint on the edges.

After I used the Mustard Seed Paint on the butterflies, I dabbed a little more of it on the background paper for a little more emphasis. 

Now you have it all, step-by-step and I can't tell you how happy I am with the finished product. I plan to add a picture and use it in a frame and oh what fun it was to play with color.

I took a pic of the top portion of the project and made a new header with it in Photoshop.

Thanks for stopping by - Judy.

Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp & Show: Color Challenge

Spring Tag

I've been working on a Spring tag to share with you.

Because of my love for pastels, I mostly stayed in that color palette. Although I had used Ranger's Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabbers, it was my first opportunity to work with the Tim Holtz Distress Paints.

I did find that working the paints I wanted to spritz water on my craft sheet before I applied the color to the tag. The Mustard Seed Distress Paint was a little bright for my project so I diluted it with water and applied to the tag again. Next I blotted some additional Ranger Adirondack Cloudy Blue and added a little Dusty Concord Distress Ink to the tag in the spots I knew my stamped background would need.


The background stamp I used is by Inkadinkado and needed the soft colors I was working with. 

I used Ranger Archival Coffee ink to stamp with.





To ensure the details of 
the stamp were visible, I stamped on tissue paper and glued the tissue paper to my tag with Claudine Hellmuth Studio Multi-medium Matte. I used the glue on the bottom of the tissue paper and again on the top of the tissue paper. 

After the tag was dry, I used a tissue to dab on a little more of the Dusty Concord.
The Tim Holtz idea-ology Chitchat Verbiages were inked very lightly with Vintage Photo Distress Stain. 

The butterfly was from a Hero Arts background stamp. I stamped and embossed it, colored with markers and stain, added a gem, cut it out and used foam pads to pop it up on the tag. 

Working with the Distress Paint was so much fun. My flowers were Prima Purple and Prima Lime but with several layers of paint, their bold colors  were soon the pastel shades I was imagining.

It was amazing what a few layers of paint could do to the bright colors of purple and lime. 

I distressed the edges of the tag with the Paper Distresser and painted the edges with Antiqued Bronze Distress Paint. 

This was such a fun project to create and share with you. I can't wait to use the paints again. 

Challenges:

Simon Says Stamp and Show: Backgrounds

Fashionable Stamping Challenge: Sentimental

Numbers Valentine Card

The Sizzix Tim Holtz Texture Fades Embossing Bingo Folder was my inspiration for this challenge.

Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp and Show: By the Numbers

With Love Scrapbooking Layout

The Simon Says Challenge is "the stamp you love (but don't use)...

My entry for the challenge includes two stamps that I never seem to use but worked perfect for my scrapbook layout. Here's the layout then I'll show you closeups of the stamps.

I made the corner embellishment first and yes, I know it looks like a card, but it doesn't open and is simply an embellishment. The tiny stamp "Just for You" is tied to the bow. It is about the size of an A2 card if you wanted to make a similar card. There are lots of layers in this element.

The second stamp was one I found in my container of stamps, it's a Hero Art stamp and perfect for the layout.

You know how you dig through your stash and just seem to find the perfect elements. Guess it pays to dig! I found all the Tim Holtz Grungeboard pieces used on the layout in a sack in my stash. They were then stained with Distress Stains and adhered to the pages. 

Other elements:

·        Spellbinders Nestabilities Decorative Elements Heart Circle and Standard Circle

·        Memory Box Bingham Heart and Grand Heart

Paper is *Authentique 12 x 12 LOVELY Paper & Stickers LOV010

Challenges:
Simon Says Challenge: the stamp you love (but don't use) . . 
Layer it On and Share A Word at Frilly and Funkie
Anything Goes at Simon Says Stamp Challenge