Father's Day Yay!

Father's Day is just right around the corner and I am needing to make a few cards. I began with one for my husband today.

I will be entering this card into the following challenges:
Simon Says Challenge Blog - Masculine or Father's Day is the challenge over there this week.
Hobby Cutz - Their challenge this week is the same, Masculine or Father's Day.
613 Avenue Create - The challenge over there this time is "Celebrate" and I think Father's Day is definitely a celebration of Dad's everywhere

To Begin this card I used Tim Holtz Picture Wheel die and cut it out with grungepaper. I used brushed corduroy distress ink to give my wheel a little color 

and then stamped and clear embossed.

I then used distress stain metallics to add more colors to the wheel. I used a finger to rub it all in.

I also used more distress ink to add even more color to the top. I wanted a sort of antique-ish look for my wheel.

I wanted to add actual photos to my picture wheel so I used Word and printed out some tiny photos.

 I then made a template by tracing my wheel onto white card stock. This gives me an idea as to where to place each photo so they fit exactly inside the picture wheel.

I went ahead and glues my photos to the template here and cut it out to match my wheel. 

I didn't want the white space on the right hand side to be white so I used a combo of distress ink and stains to color that space.

There are little slits on the picture wheel here and there as well so I used a fine point paintbrush to paint that area as well. You can see in this photo I painted in between the mini photos.

I then adhered this piece of white cardstock behind my wheel and set it aside to dry.

While that was drying I worked on my card base. I wanted this to be a sort of tri-fold card that would open. I used some really great cardstock with old cameras on it. I also am going to use this black and white 7 gypsies paper for a belt but that comes later.

I wanted to add some stamping so I used the mini gears Tim Holtz stamp and Adirondack ink, in slate color to stamp here and there

I ruffed up the edges and went around them with Vintage Photo (one of my favorite distress ink colors)

I wanted to make a "belt" for this card so I cut a small strip of the 7 Gypsies paper and fastened it to the Tim Holtz buckle. I also edged it with distress ink and cut the end to mimic a belt.

I cut the word "Father" out of Tim's typeset Sizzix strip and black card stock, this will go into the other side of my picture wheel.

I used Tim Holtz "Worn Text" stamp set to make my words for the card. I just love this set too! One of my favorites from Tim. If you use Tim's stampin blocks you can line them up exactly in order to get a straight stamp.

I added some idea-ology bits and here is my finished product

I really love how this came out, how neat to use the picture wheel for photos. I also love how the belt holds the card closed. 

Thanks for coming by once again and have a great day!!

Hey!!

Today's project is based upon the challenge over at Stampotique's Designers Challenge, I always love the fun challenges over there and this week is no exception. This time they are challenging us to "Create From and Envelope"
This tutorial is short but sweet today.....

I started by cutting some polka dot embossed paper from the Tim Holtz Pocket Envelope Die, this die is so fun and I love using it, I really need to get it out more. It's also the perfect size for your ATCs. 
I used three different colors of distress stains to color the envelope.

I used Daniel's Tree Topper image from Stampotique, designed by Daniel Torrent and Jill Penny.

I colored the guy with copics and embossed the heart with pink embossing powder. I embossed another heart and cut it out so that I can have two hearts. The second I floated above Daniel and added deminsionals behind it to make it 3D.

I also cut two flowers from white card stock to add to the front. These are Memory Box  

I also added the word Hey (also memory box) and the word Hello to the card insert

Here is my finished product....

Heading out today to my daughter's violin concert. Her last one before we move. You all have a great day, thanks again for stopping by.

Make It Work

Sorry it's been a few days since my last post. I've been working on getting things ready for the move. I'm excited about it but it is a ton of work and I am sad that I won't get to craft and post on my blog for a bit while I'm "In Process". It shouldn't be long though, maybe a couple of weeks.

For now, I'm working on a project for my husband's boss as a going away gift. She is such an awesome person and she is so kind. My husband wanted to give her something nice as a gift. She loves Project Runway and since the motto of Tim Gunn is "Make it Work" we wanted to make sure to use that phrase in this project and we wanted to add a little Steampunk twist.

I am entering this project in the following challenge:

Simon Says Stamp and Show - This week it's all about the letter "S", I'm using it for "Steampunk" this week.

Frilly and Funky - Sunday Share - My item from Frilly is the Wanted Tim Holtz Strip Alphabet Die, I just got this die and I love it!! It's just the right size for this project.

For starters I took the glass and backing out of the frame and sanded down the entire frame. The was just a basic wood frame 

I used Tim Holtz tissue tape and Claudine Hellmuth's Matt Medium. I applied the tissue tape to the inside window of the frame.

I used a piece of Paper House Productions paper, I love this paper for this because my husband and his boss both work at the Pentagon and how fitting this paper is. I just tore it into pieces and adhered that to the rest of the frame. Layering it along the way.

I went around the paper with Adirondak Espresso ink. I wanted to use permanent ink here so that when I seal the paper it won't smudge.

I made some flowers from a Stampin Up paper punch. I used Tim Holtz glassine and dark blue paper. I stamped onto the paper with a Wedny Vecchi stamp and silver ink. I wanted to use dark blue paper because my husband is in the Air Force.

I added a mini Tim Holtz gears to the center of each flower.

I then just added lots of gears and other embellishments around the frame to decorate.

I also added The Words to the top and the letter "A" and the number "9".. my husband works in A9 at the Pentagon, so there is a meaning behind everything here. 

Here are a few more photos and the finished product

I just need another two Findings Corners (I ran out) and then  put the glass and backing on and it's done! I hope that she likes it, I just love how it turned out. Loads of Tim Holtz goodness here. 

Have a super day!! Thanks for stopping by.

The Window to Your Soul

Before I start my post today I want to take a moment to say that my heart really goes out to those in Oklahoma and surrounding areas that have been hit so hard this season with tornados. I am continuing to pray for all of you in the paths of the storms.

I worked on another 4x6 card for my 7 Gypsies tray and also wanted to play in a couple challenges...

Stampotique Designers Challenge - This week they are challenging us to use something Transparent, I love this theme! I really had to think outside the box here

Frilly and Funky - Well, I think I read this challenge wrong, I thought it was just "Window" but when I re-read it, I think I'm supposed to add a destination... uh-oh I hope my project counts but if not, I'm sharing it anyway heehee!!

For starters here, I used another one of my gelli plate backgrounds. I made this a few weeks ago and have been itching to use it.

It's a transfer onto black lined paper and I just love how it came out, I cut it down to 4x6 size

I also decided that I wanted to use Ranger's 2x2 Memory Frames

These work great with the memory glass but I'm out so i just cut a piece of thick plastic into the right size

I used Tim Holtz Remnant Rubs (love these) and put several words onto the plastic square

I am using my Stampotique Prom Queen girl, By Daniel Torrent and Jill Penney for this project so I used my wood mount to place the words exactly where I wanted them onto the plastic.

I wanted the words to stand out a bit so I painted behind them with a fine line paintbrush and white paint

I stamped my Prom Queen onto white paper and colored her with Copic Markers

I wanted her to stand out a bit more onto the background so I went around her with white gelli pen and used Faber Castell Oil Pastel in black to create a "hue"

I then glued her onto my background. The black hue helps her to stand out

I then wrote my words onto white card stock and edged each one with fired brick distress ink

I cut out some butterflies with red card stock and a Sizzix Embosslit

Once everything was done, I put it all together and added some ribbon.

I really like the way this turned out. I like the idea of seeing through the window into the soul. Thanks for stopping by..

Until next time.... cheers! 

Playing Around

I was dabbling around in the craft room the other day and messing around with backgrounds and all that jazz. I decided that I wanted to make an ATC for the challenge over at Wicked Wednesday, they always have a fun challenge and this time it's all about "On The Playground"
I am in love with a stamp by Hero Art and everytime I get a chance to use it, I do. So I actually ended up using several Hero Art stamps for this ATC...

First think I did was colorize my background with Archival Ink  I used this light blue.

I then stamped my Hero Arts large background (love this stamp) with Archival black, I used Archival so that when I colored everything it would not run into my marker colors.

I used my Copics to color the background leaves and flowers, the Copics are great for this because they aren't water based they won't run

At this point I wanted to stamp the kids into the background behind the flowers so I needed to make a mask for the flowers.

I stamped onto scratch paper and cut out the flower portion to make a mask.

I then stamped my kids with Versamark ink and added black embossing powder and heat set

I love the way the kids just fall into the background, so cool.

I added the sun in the upper right corner with another Hero Arts stamp and yellow Archival Ink 

Thats it, this was an easy one with minimal steps but I love the outcome.

Thanks again for stopping by and be sure to check out the challenge at Wicked Wednesday