In My Heart

February is the month of love - apparently! I love taking part in swaps and made this ATC for a recent Valentine's swap on Facebook.

I am trying to use up old cardboard so recycled some for the base. I used Dyna Paints first and then embossed with a wood effect folder. I dry brushed white paint over the embossing and then sanded some of the paint back. I used Tim Holtz Washi Tape on the background and a text stamp. The heart is wooden, painted red and edged with Black Soot Distress Ink. I wrapped the heart in wire and added a Tim Holtz sticker as a sentiment.

It was quite hard to part with this one!

Challenges I am entering :
A Vintage Journey - Your Hearts Desire Challenge
Creative Artiste - Anything Goes
An Inky Mess - Anything Goes Mixed Media

E is for Eye

So did we all survive January? Some say its one of the bleakest months. I love Winter so it doesn't really affect me!

When my son was born 11 years ago I got into crafting and one of the first things I started making were ATCs. With it being a quite month on the sales front after Christmas I decided to take part in a swap on Facebook. The group is Junk Journal Junkies and Mindful Art. There are some talented people!

The theme was the letter "E", so I choose EYES.

I used Distress Oxide Ink to colour the cards and then spritzed with water. Each card I put through embossing folders. I used Black Soot to pick out the detail. I found the collage images on the internet and then adhered them and stamped in the clear spaces. I used Ultra Thick Enamel in Gold to add splashes. Finally I found some Tim Holtz acrylic squares which I placed over the eyes to add interest.

I really enjoyed this messy art!

An Inky Mess - Anything Goes (Altered Art/Mixed Media)

Country View Challenges - Anything But Cute

Adore

I hope you are all ready for the weekend and have some exciting plans. Today I am sharing with you a canvas I made. I loved making the tag inspired by Tim Holtz so much that I decided to make a similar canvas.

Ingredients List :
Canvas
Tim Holtz Vintage Images and Stickers
Embossing Folder - Bingo
Wooden Key
Twine
Acrylic Paint - White
Lace
Crackle Paint
Tissue Paper
Various stamps
Tissue Tape

I created a collage on the canvas with various images from Tim Holtz's pads and papers. The canvas has been edged with tissue tape. I then painted a layer of white acrylic paint over the top to distress them further. The tag was created with a Ranger Embossing Bingo Folder which I sanded back and then rubbed over with gold ink to enhance the embossing. I added the 14 sticker and an altered wooden key to it.  The musical notes and image of the lady were stamped onto tissue paper, adhered with gel medium and then I added some Distress Ink to age them. To complete the canvas I added the little red heart - embossed and painted with crackle paint and the lace.

Challenges I am entering :

That's Crafty - Be My Valentine

Altered Eclectics - Anything Goes 

Rhedds Creative Spirit - Anything Mixed Media

Key to My Heart

Its been ages since I joined in with any of Tim Holtz's tag challenges, but I was so inspired by February's tag I started to make my own.  Its also been a long time since I played with mixed media and I've really missed it!

To make mine I used the same background technique as Tim, using various images to create a collage. These were all pulled together by dry brushing with white acrylic paint.

I then added a few brighter images and the ticket. The red heart on Tim's tag gave me the idea to use felt for mine, add some lace and the keyplate.

To finish I coloured some twine with Frayed Burlap ink and used it to tie on the key.

I am so pleased with the end result and am now working on a little canvas to match - pictures to come soon!!

I am entering the following challenges:

Tim's 12 Tags of 2015 - February

A Vintage Journey - Love is in the Air

Frilly and Funky - Be My Valen - twine

ATC - Tim Holtz Style

A bit of a blast from the past as I haven't made an ATC for ages. That's what really started me off crafting seriously some years ago.

Over at A Vintage Journey Challenge the theme is to make an ATC with "a little touch of Tim" (Holtz)

I created the background by embossing the background with a Tim Holtz embossing folder and then embossing with gold powder. The washi tape, images and tickets are all from my "Tim Holtz stash"

Enjoy Your Crafting!

Key to Home

I hope those of you who are at home today are enjoying th start of the Easter holidays. Its very cold here in the South but we are still looking forward to our Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday.

I enjoy using tags in my art and found time to make this tag for the Artistic Stamper Challenge.

I used some text printed paper and coloured it with Distress Inks. I printed the word HOME and again aged it with Distress Inks. The stamps are a favourite by Paper Artsy and I stamped these onto text paper and cut them out. To finish I added a key by Tim Holtz tied with twine.

Grungy Monday - ATC Inspired by Tim

I haven't entered Grungy Monday challenge for a while, but just found the time to squeeze in this one. The challenge is to make an ATC using at least one Tim Holtz product or technique. For mine I embossed a piece of card using the Bingo embossing folder. Then using foam and Distress Ink I tinted the card and the ticket. I added a piece of tissue tape around the bottom before adding the ticket. The heart was a grunge element dipped in Gold UTEE into which I added Bedazzle beads.

Other challenges I am entering with this piece are :

Rainbow Lady Challenge - Have a Heart

Vintage Sewing Card

Today it is my turn to share my take on this week's theme at Its Crafting Time which is Newspaper. I used newspaper print paper from the Tim Holtz Lost and Found stack of papers to make this card. Firstly I die cut the mannequin from the Sizzix Sewing Room die out of card covered with newspaper. I then dry brushed this with white acrylic paint and then edged with Walnut Ink Distress stain. Before attaching this to the card I pleated dusky pink seam binding across the front. The tag I made from a digital sentiment and layered onto a tag, again distressed with Walnut Ink Distress stain. Using the cotton reel die cut from the same Sizzix Sewing Room die, I made a covered reel of cotton using embroidery thread. 

Stamping on Canvas

This piece I have made for Wow Embossing Powder DT requirements, but I thought I would enter it into the Fashionable Stamping challenge which is Anything but a Card. I inked the canvas with Distress Ink and then stamped and embossed a Crafty Individuals text stamp. I also stamped and embossed a fern design onto the background. I stamped and coloured the butterflies with Distress Ink and embossed with clear glossy powder. The middle butterfly I stuck onto the canvas and then poured WoW Ultra High Clear Embossing Powder over the top. I finished the canvas with Tim Holtz Tissue tape around the edges.

Other challenges I am entering

Stamptacular - Anything

Stamps r Us - Nature's Gifts

Grungy Monday Entry

I had time to sit and play this morning so decided to work on a Grungy Monday Week 15 entry. This week, using Tim Holtz's faux distressed enamel technique, I created a little tag book with a cover. The book isn't filled yet - so watch this space! I loved the effect the clear embossing powder produced. I used Tattered Rose and Walnut Stain for this. I stamped the butterfly with the different colours of Distress Ink and embossed it. The black end paper I embossed with Tim's patchwork folder and rubbed over with gold ink. I added metal embellishments to the tag cover as well as ribbon and a little tag. Phew! Off for a lie down now!

Grungy Monday (10 ) Entry

This week's challenge at Grungy Monday is to use Tim Holtz's Distress Inks. I used Dusty Concord and Chipped Sapphire. The text stamp is by Crafty Individuals. I diecut the Sewing Room elements and then embossed the mannequin with an embossing folder. I then applied the Distress Ink. I then wrapped the cotton reel with variegated cotton.

Also entering Just For Fun challenge which this week is anything Tim

Grungy Monday - Better late than never!

Well as usual I'm running a little late with this one. It was a new technique that I had to get round to trying and I'm so glad I did. When I wiped off the paint it was one of those "oooohh" moments! I used a Crafty Individuals key stamp, pounced over acrylic paint and wiped to reveal the image as instructed by Tim and then stamped and embossed some text to finish.

Tim Holtz Tags Swap

I have finally finished my four tags for the Lots to Do Forum swap. Here's what I did :

Top Left - This was made by embossing silver mirri card and then colouring with Alcohol Inks

Top Right - Distress Inks background and Tim Holtz Stamps

Bottom left - Embossed card, distress inks and grunge shapes which I painted with acrylic and crackle paint

Bottom Right - Embossed tag, and Birdcage Die.

N is for Nature

The Alphabet Challenge is now up to N for....Nature. I chose this card to enter the challenge this week. I used distress inks to colour the background before stamping the Crafty Individuals image of the tree. I mounted this onto a card blank matted with Tim Holtz paper stock. The flowers are black peel offs.

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