embossing, inking and stamping...

My table at the art fair is all set up with about 250 cards - every one different - and I'm still not done. I shall be handing over my contribution to the tombola prizes when I arrive in the morning: I have decorated a box and made some cards to go inside. A friend gave me lots of flat, unused boxes which I think we're destined as cake boxes but they are plain kraft one side and glossy white on the other. Not been inspired to use them until today when I laid a square envelope inside and did a quick remake on the dimensions to make the box fit. It will take 6 cards easily so here is a picture with 3 of those destined to go in it. The ribbon is just for now until it is handed over: They'll want to see inside and possibly even leave it open to show what's inside over the next few days. This is the 4th year I've done this event - Always fun with a great range of art displayed so I'm looking forward to it.

I have used Tim Holtz's technique of using Distress ink inside a Texture Fade embossing folder on one of the cards and the same technique with a Cuttelbug folder (Script) on the box. The technique is the Grungy Monday #4 challenge so head over to Linda's blog to see learn more and the Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge is to use a Tim Holtz technique so I've covered that too! On the card, I've also inked over the raised parts for contrast - Pumice Stone direct from the pad where it is darker and with a blending tool where it is lighter.
Papers: DCWV (I think?); Stamps: Tim Holtz; Distress Inks: Faded Burlap, Tumbled Glass and Pumice Stone.

A quick 'thank you' card

I'm at a craft fair over Easter so have been making lots of quick cards to sell and to put together in a folder to donate as a tombola prize. Here is a 'merci' (thank you) card using the Sketch Saturday #151. I used scraps of paper left from scrapbook projects with Nestabilities, Cuttlebug butterfly, PaperMania ribbon, Artemio stamp and ColorBox ink. I added sparkle with Stickles Ice Diamond and PaperMania gems so I am also adding it to the ABC challenge 'S is for Sparkle'.

Voici ma carte pour le challenge #151 de Sketch Saturday et du challenge ‘Sparkle’ chez ABC-challenge. Réalisé avec des chutes de papiers, Nestabilities, papillon de Cuttlebug, ruban, tampon d'Artemio, encre ColorBox, Stickles et quelques pierres.

Shabby Chic Sewing Room

Finally got to take stock of the Tim Holtz-designed Sizzix Vagabond machine this week and one for me, of course! So I had to try it out and used the new Sewing Room die with idea-ology grungeboard to justify to myself that I needed a machine that will cut thicker materials: It was an absolute dream! I love it.
So, started this piece yesterday and finished it today with 2 challenges in mind: Grungy Monday challenge to use ColorWash, and Simon Says Stamp & Show challenge 'Distressing'.

I have used a wooden shallow tray approximately 21cm (8.5") square which I wiped over with a mixture of watered-down white acrylic paint coloured with 'Stream' ColorWash. This was then distressed with more white acrylic smeared on and 'Frayed Burlap' Distress Ink rubbed on round the edges. I scanned and printed some real cotton reel labels to add to these new ones and aged them all with the Frayed Burlap I used that and 'Walnut Stain' to colour the grungeboard. Tim's new Kraft Resist paper and the idea-ology 'Trimmings' flowers were coloured with Distress Stain 'Spun Sugar' and the dress shape was made with Claudine Hellmuth Sticky-back Canvas sprayed with more 'Stream' ColorWash, stuck on to the grungeboard and trimmed to fit. I then picked all round it to show the fibres and make it shabby. Finally, I added buttons and bits of ribbon and flowers from my stash in keeping with the shabby chic tones. Everything was stuck down with Studio Matte Multi-Medium so I know it will stay stuck when displayed.

It's a kind of magic !

Yes, I admit I've been listening to Queen's greatest hits :)  However, if you try the technique that is this week's Grungy Monday challenge, you'll see why the title is appropriate. I've used resist techniques with paint and embossing powder but they're not as magical as using Claudine Hellmuth's Studio multi-medium matte: You cannot see anything as it dries flat and invisibly, then you add Distress Ink and WOW!
Just as magical is how I've used the still unavailable Sizzix Umbrella Man die designed by Tim Holtz! It was actually a demo piece that Pete Hughes of Sizzix UK gave me at the NEC trade show in February. He demo'ed the die and embossing folder in the Vagabond machine so I popped it on my tag with some 3D foam. So, without further ado....

As this tag is definitely not a card, I'm also entering it in the Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge.
Apart from the medium and die-cut, I also used: Ink-essentials manilla tag; dictionary page; foam; Tim Holtz Sizzix 'Townscape' die; Distress Inks in Stormy Sky, Broken China, Dusty Concord and Black Soot; Tim Holtz idea-ology 'Trimmings' ribbon coloured with Distress and Tim Holtz sentiment stamp with black Versafine.

'Tea for Two' birthday cards

A couple of really quick birthday cards using the Dovecraft Tea House range: No colouring; just cut, stick and stamp whilst singing 'Tea for two and two for tea, me for you and you for meeeeeee...'
J'ai créé deux cartes simples avec les papiers et attaches parisiennes de la gamme 'Dovecraft Tea House' et Nestabilities. 

Used Dovecraft Tea House 6x6 (15x15cm) papers, 3D stickers and brads; Dovecraft cards and envelopes; EKS border punch (scalloped scallop); Spellbinders Tag Trio and Nestabilities Labels 1 and Labels 3 in the Cuttlebug; cream card and flowers from stash.

GM #1 - Spring

Linda has started the Grungy Monday challenges which will take inspiration from Tim Holtz' techniques. This week's was to take inspiration from Tim's tag #10 from Christmas 2008. I created my interpretation for Spring and at the same time worked in lots of gold for this week's Sunday Stamper challenge over on Hels blog.

I used Inkessentials manilla tag; Florets mask, Grungeboard, Foliage, Trinket pin, and Charm clip from Tim Holtz idea-ology line; Perfect Pearls mist 'Hierloom Gold', Cosmic Shimmer 'Gold Mint'; Distress Inks: Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, Forest Moss, Frayed Burlap; Distress Powder: Peeled Paint; Archival Ink: Sepia; Stamps: Tim Holtz 'Spring Sprung'; Perfect Pearls 'Pearl' powder; Prima flowers; Cuttlebug embossing folder: D'vine Swirl on some gold paper inked with Alcohol Ink 'Citrus' and I used the same on the snap used as the flower centre; ribbons from stash.
I was interrupted part way through making this by an elderly neighbour asking if she could look round our garden to see if the plants she'd shared with me last year had grown: Fortunately, spring has arrived and I managed to find proof that most are alive and well. Just a shame the weeds always grow faster!

Distress Ink page

Apart from being quite ill after I got back from the UK, I don't know why I've been unable to blog anything again lately: Just got out of the habit and couldn't get back in to it. So here's a page that I finished a few weeks ago, just to break the ice really, with the intention to blog more (again)...

The white card base and layers are all coloured with Broken China Distress Ink: I used a brayer on the base and different resist techniques (paint on the flowers and clear embossing powder on the dots) and tone-on-tone (diamonds). I edged the pieces and page with Aged Mahogany for a bit of contrast and stamped with Sepia Archival ink.
Stamps: Hampton Art, Inkadinkado. Title cut from foam with Sizzix alphabet.
The photo isn't mine: It's a nursery photo of our grand-daughter but I don't know who to credit.

ArtsyCraft - Meeting Tim Holtz

I have had an amazing week! First, at the Stitches Hobby and Art trade show, seeing what is new: I headed straight to the Sizzix booth to see the Vagabond which I loved! Look at this display, mostly Tim's work: I have the machine and all the new dies and embossing folders on order :)
I met Stacey Caron, who is the founder of Spellbinders, and Jo Channon, who is often on Create and Craft TV, also 'PaperArtsy' Leandra and Mark Franich. Of course, it was a great opportunity to place orders and I have lots and lots of new stock on its way, but that is for later...

Thursday was the ArtsyCraft event: Met so many people, Tim Holtz included. He was lovely, a great teacher and so patient with everyone's demands for photos and autographs. Mario, Tim's personal assistant, was just as lovely: I went to shake hands and got a big hug instead! We started a configuration box in Tim's class and received lots of goodies from Ranger and Tim, including some of the new idea-ology ranges. No photo yet until it is finished.

After lunch was Lin and Leandra's class using more Ranger and idea-ology along with new PaperArtsy products. I finished this project:

One of the best things was meeting people that I had previously only known via the internet but art brings you together: First photo here with the very talented Linda who has been a blogging buddy for some time. She is part of Lin's LB Crafts team who all worked like crazy on the preparation and to ensure all went smoothly on the day. Second photo is with Sally and Bethan both of whom I have met on the All Things Tim Yahoo group, have exchanged emails with and was also delighted to meet. My only regret is that, in our art-filled day, there were some people I didn't get to meet or chat with. I look forward to the next time.

Grungepaper business card holder

One of the many lovely people on the 'All Things Tim' yahoo group is the very creative Eileen who shared her template for making business card holders from Grungepaper. Thank you Eileen: I knew I HAD to make one: My business cards needed the protection and I just loved the idea. I want it to be able to take the use and abuse I am going to give it so kept the decorations fairly simple: I coloured the grunge with Dusty Concord Distress Ink, embossed it in the Cuttlebug (Floral Fantasy) and coloured some Tim Holtz idea-ology foliage and hitch fastener closure with alcohol inks.

I love it! And, as the challenge on 'Simon Says Stamp and Show' is embossing, it is getting entered there too.
You can see more of Eileen's card holders here and here.

Oh to be 21 again...

That could be my future in that photo, stretching off in to the distance...You'll notice I haven't recorded the year! I'm the one in the red top, with my best friend Mads, at the top of Mt Blanc on a university field trip of France and Italy.

Used: Cuttlebug embossing border and alphabet; Stamps by Tim Holtz, 4heures37, Hampton Art and Artemio; Versafine and ColorBox chalk inks.