Sunday, December 22, 2013

Exploding Canvas Frame

Hi Bloggers-

Hope everyone is ready for the big day which will be here soon. 

I just wanted to share a little project that I've put together for a holiday photo and to post as my last Tim Tag for 2013.  I'm so proud of myself for actually following through with my resolve to post a project each month this year;

I have been seeing these exploding canvas projects on youtube and wanted to try it.  



For December Tim made a beautiful tag using his Tattered Poinsettia Die and Clearly For Art Modeling Film from Wendy Vecchi.  He also used his Frosted Film but I couldn't find it at any of my local craft stores so I decided to go with what I had on hand.  I sometimes like to challenge myself to use what I have so I went "stash diving" and came up with what I needed using a few substitutes.

I started with a 6 X 6 canvas that I picked up from a bargain ben.  It was a home decor item that was already printed.  I bought it for the canvas so I simply painted a coat of gesso over it.  I next selected a piece of Christmas paper from a pad of DCWV papers.  When the gesso was dry I glued the paper to the canvas with Glue n' Seal - being sure that I got  a good coat of Glue n' Seal on the surface so the paper adheres completely.  When that was dry I poked a hole in the center of the canvas and then placed my scissors in the hole and cut in a sunray pattern. I made 7 cuts.  Next I rolled the cut sections to the outside of the canvas and hot glued it in place.

Now for the Poinsettias -

 
Using the Tattered Poinsettia Die and Clearly For Art Modeling Film I cut many layers not knowing how many I would want.  As it turned out I had some left over and will use them later.
        

After experimenting with different colors I decided on Aged Mahogany and Lettuce Alcohol Ink.  I simply dabbed it on using a felt pad and the color blending tool.


 

I wasn't happy with the glossy look of the leaves and since I didn't have the Frosted Film I tried another experiment and coated each one on the back with a thin coat of Glue n' Seal, then sprinkled some glitter on them. That worked very well.

 
A hole was poked in the center of each piece - then each leaf was heated with a heat gun and molded to the shape I wanted.  The great thing about the Clearly For Art Modeling Film is that if you don't like it the first time you can reheat and remold.  Got to love that!

 
After layering the flowers the way I liked them - I added a brad in the center. I used yellow but in the end they were covered with gold Stickles.  I placed the poinsettias on the canvas and when I was happy with the arrangement I glued them down with hot glue.


I then cut a few leaves from the Tattered Pinecone Die and placed them around the flowers and I was done.

ALL THAT IS NEEDED NOW IS A CHRISTMAS PICTURE TO PLACE IN IT!!
 
 
 
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS

Saturday, November 30, 2013

November "T!M" Tag

Hi blogger friends,

I know I've been missing in action this month but I have been working on a big mixed media project that I won't be revealing until next year.  I will only tell you that it is to commemorate our 50th wedding anniversary which is in June 2014.  I will try to get in some other projects in the mean time.

Here it is the last day of the month which means that I'm very late in posting my November Tag.  I had to get it in today. I've made a tag each month this year so I don't want to mess up now.

This month Tim Holtz used chalk on his tag, it's a great technique.  When I think of chalk - I can't help but think of school so that's the way I went with it. Who remembers their high school Chemistry class?  I know I do.

 
I used the THE CHEMIST Stamp Set from Stampers Anonymous.   I first stamped the writing on the chalk board paper with  embossing ink and then added ANTIQUITIES Frosted Crystal, then heat set.
Next came the chalk which I rubbed all over the stamped area and wiped off with my fingers.  With a Perfect Pearls Pen I added the word "chemistry" and followed the same procedure. For the professor I stamped with Black Soot Distress Ink and added Rangers Clear Embossing Powder.  I like using this technique because it makes all the lines on the stamp show up darker and it adds great resist when coloring. After cutting out the image I colored the jacket with Broken China, the apron with some Antique Linen and rubbed a little Spun Sugar on the face and hand.  I popped the professor up with a few pop dots, added some ribbon, a pin and the word stick "FIND".  Hope you find the correct answer.
 
Hope you enjoy my tag and it brings back some good memories of your school days.  Got to run now and get it posted on Tim's blog before I run out of time.
 

Friday, November 1, 2013

Happy November!

Hi All,

Just a quick post today to share my little turkey friend and wish all of you a great month. 

Gobble - Gobble!!  (and don't forget to eat pizza)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Glittery Haunted House

Hi Blogger Friends,

Today I have a  l-o-n-g and photo heavy  post for you so if you get tired of me rambling on just take a look at the pictures.

I've been working on this project off and on all month and think I should get it posted before the big day comes (Halloween) and I'm too late.  I've had this idea for some time so decided to get going.  Of course I had to take some time out to do a few other things like Creative Chemistry 102, hosting some play days with friends and then of course cleaning the house now and then.

I will be entering this one as my October Tag over on Tim's blog.  He used Distress Glitter on his tag this month. I will also enter it over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Spooky and yet again at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Halloween.

Here is my Haunted House - Can you say Distress Glitter????

It's hard to tell by photos but it's 18" tall and nearly 13" wide
I used the Tim Holtz battery operated lantern to light up the inside.

Oh yes, it's cute and a fun home decoration but that's not all-----it opens to hold a mini album.  I did the mini using the Steampunk Spells Paper from Graphic 45. I will show photos of the pages at the end of the post.



It all started out innocently enough with this sketch - but some how got out of control.

From the sketch I made a pattern and cut the front and back from black chipboard.
Then cutting out the holes for the windows and door.

To form the sides so they would curve to the shape of the front and back I cut them from black chipboard and ran them through a paper crimper 5 or 6 times.  This process breaks down the fiber of the chipboard so it will bend but still remain strong.  I used hot glue to put the main body together.  It was rather messy but this is where the Non Stick Craft Mat from Ranger really comes in handy.  I could get glue on the edge of the chipboard and still pull it off the mat when cool.  The construction part is not pretty but it will all be covered with glitter eventually.

For the roof I cut the basic shapes I needed from black chipboard and then cut 2 small pieces of metal (copper in case - since I had it) for the curl.  I first covered the copper with black cardstock, curled it and then attached it to the chipboard.  In order to make the roof curl on the ends I simply wrapped them around a piece of PVC Pipe.

Now the fun begins!  I covered the entire body of the house in Black Soot Distress Glitter and the roof in Dusty Concord Distress Glitter.  In this process I used an entire jar or glitter and nearly an entire bottle of Glossy Accents.  Lots of glitter but I have to say it's not as messy as regular glitter. 

For the trim piece on the front and the roof I used Tim's Alterations "On The Edge"
die Scallops (Sizzix #656627).  For the roof I cut several scallops, covered them with glitter, then glued them on.  You will see some places where the glitter is not even or missing but I decided to leave it that way.  It is a Haunted House after all.

I stamped, colored, and die cut the witch from the Retro Halloween Set
I started adding some features - first is Miss Witch from the Tim Holtz Retro Halloween set (Sizzix 659374) .  She makes me smile!  Next was a cobweb for the other window which I cut on my Wishblade.

Sometimes I wonder why I save things like boxes -  and now I know.  This box was in my stash and it turned out to be perfect for the inside of the house.  Like I planned it - NOT!

After reinforcing the sides with chipboard I added the light and placed the box inside the house.  I then added the chair, a die cut I found in my stash, and the welcome mat.
My spooky friend was cut with my Wishblade from vellum.

For the lamps I used the Tim Holtz Holiday Lamppost Die (Sizzix # 657469), cut away the parts I didn't need and inserted the plastic skeleton heads.

The owl is from the Retro Halloween set as well as the bats.  The creepy spider is the Candlelight Fright Die (Sizzix #657456).  I simply added some eyes and a black rhinestone.  The border around the widows walk is cut from the "On The Edge" (Sizzix #656918) 
 
Other details like the gable and bird are from the Sizzix set (#659015). For the grass around the gravestones I used Tim Holtz Strip Die "Tapered Fringe (Sizzix #658553)
 
I hope you have enjoyed seeing this as much as I've enjoyed making it! 
 
Happy Haunting!
 
 
Ok - that's it for the house, here are a few photos of the mini album pages.
 
 







Something spooky is going on with my blog!!  EEK!
 
My apologies if you are getting some old posts, I'll get it fixed ASAP


 
 
 
 
 
 

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Halloween Challenges

Hi Again,

Yes, it's me again with a fast post of a Halloween Card.  I want to enter this over at
the Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blogs for both Monday and Wednesday.  Nice to have double duty.  For the Monday Blog the theme is Spooky, isn't this a fun time of year?  For Wednesdays it's Halloween or Halloween Colours.

For the front of the card I used some great paper from DCWV.  On the inside I used one of Karen Burnistons Pop N Cuts inserts and then decorated with die cuts from the Tim Holtz line.


Hi All,

For those of you who somehow got an old post from March, I apologize.  My fingers must of done something that I wasn't aware of.

Anyway - yesterday was my turn to host a lovely group of ladies.  We call ourselves the WOW Group (Wild Old Women).   We get together once a month to create something (hostesses choice), have lunch and drink some wine.  All and all - a good time is had by all.

Here is what we made yesterday - just wanted to share.  Each one of us made the same thing with different papers and embellishments.  Here's mine.

 We all started out with a kit that looked like this, picked out some paper and got started.  I got these kits at a store in Oregon this summer called Craft Warehouse.
I wish I had picked up more kits because everyone seemed to like them and of course wanted more. 
 
Before too long - mine looked like this!
 
And eventually, like this!
 
 
That's it for today, I will be back soon with my Glittery Haunted House.
 
HAPPY CRAFTING!!!
 




Thursday, September 26, 2013

Mixed Media Mini Canvas

Hi Bloggers,

Today I am taking a leap of faith by posting my latest project which is as the title says a mixed media mini canvas.  I have been wanting to try this for some time but was just a little nervous about getting started and pretty happy with the results. 

Who doesn't love Finnabair? Her work is so amazing.  When you think mixed media, her name is first on the list.  I have watched many tutorials on You Tube but the one I found most helpful was Arlene Cuevas because she showed all the steps from start to finish.  You can watch her video here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDjRg49OBwc  I simply began pulling stuff from my stash and started adding it to the canvas. Sometimes it's good to be a "saver of things" that you aren't sure what to do with but will use eventually.

I wanted to make the canvas with a  masculine theme so no pink or flowers on this one.
I used a recent photo of Mac and went from there. 


I did as Arlene instructed and used LOTS or texture both on top and on the sides.
 
 
Here is a side view.  You can see how many layers there are.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Steampunk Spells

Today I've been working on a project for a workshop at our local scrapbook club.  I am demonstrating the construction of the Karen Burniston Accordion Album.  I have a pad of the 8 X 8 Graphic 45 Steampunk Spells Paper and combined the two into this fun Halloween decoration.  I didn't take any pictures along the way so all I have for you today is the finished product.  Hope you enjoy it.

 
 
 
 
 

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Creepy Time of Year

While I was traveling this summer I had an idea for this project but of course I didn't have the right items with me so I had to wait.  However, I did get lucky and found this great paper from DCWV "Spooky Time Stack" on sale during my travels.  It turned out to be a good thing since this month the challenge over at Inspiration Emporium is Falling For Faux .  I made a "Creepy Time" Easel Card with a faux pocket watch. 





I started out cutting the paper the same as you would any Easel Card.  I made this one 4.5" X 6" so I would have more working space on the front.  When the paper is cut, simply score the front cover in half.

I used the Tim Holtz Pocket Watch Die for the front.  I cut a hole in the front of the card lining it up with the center score line, using the same circle that fits in the center of the Pocket Watch.

 I marked the center of the die with masking tape.
 
Line the fold on the center of the die to make a complete circle. Then run through your machine.  I tape mine on so it doesn't move during the cut process.

 
 The hole is lined up exactly where you want it.
 
 
On my electronic cutter(Xyron Wishblade) I cut 12 circles, four of each size, to make the raised portion of the watch.  I just used regular white cardstock of this.

I glued them all together to make layers.
 
 
I gave them a base coat of Tim's Distress Paint

I then covered the entire watch with liquid embossing ink and silver embossing powder.  I added and melted the embossing powder in sections.  I intentionally over heated some of it to give it texture.  Then  a small amount of black embossing powder was added to give it that tarnished look.
  
I found this creepy little guy at Michael's and glued him to the center of the watch.
 
Next I got to use my new Retro Halloween Stamp and Die Set that came in my order earlier this week.  Such fun, I stamped and embossed the bats and then die cut them. Adding a couple pop dots to the back of one bat to hold the card in place while open.

There you have it - it was fun - ENJOY!