Happy Mothers Day

It was a wonderful day!  Breakfast by my oldest daughter, flowers and craft gift cards from my husband and a delicious dinner cooked by my two daughters.  We had the blessing of spending today with my Husband's Mom...unfortunately I will have to wail until next week to give my Mom the hug in person that I sent today over the phone lines.  I would like to share with you today the card I made for Mom.

Mom's favorite color is blue and I love Broken China Distress Ink so it was a no-brainer.  I started by using the Layered Stencil Embossing Technique that Tim Holtz described in Compendium of Curiosities Vol III...using  the oval cutout of the Embossing Diffuser to guide my inking.  The background was shaded with  Mowed Lawn, Salty Ocean and Broken China Distress Inks.  My small chipboard swirl was painted with Picket Fence Distress Paint and then covered with a coat of Clear Rock Candy Crackle.

 I adore the Tiny Tattered Florals Die.  My daughter commented that everything from here on out will have a flower just so I can play with those dies. (Probably true :)  I made the flowers in both blue and sea green and brushed the petals with Glue-N-Seal and sprinkled with Rock Candy Distress Glitter.  Here is another pic...

I finished off the card with a stamped sentiment and mounted it on a sea-green piece of card stock.  The house is quiet...my husband and one of my daughters is sleeping and the other daughter has escaped to the privacy of her room.. I am enjoying the peace after a busy but wonderful day. I am truly blessed.  Thanks for stopping by :)

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:

A Vintage Journey-Spring Colors

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog-Let's Get Sentimental

Our Creative Courner-April Showers Bring May Flowers...

Frilly and Funkie-Snap-Crackle-Crackle

CC3C #27 Embossing Diffusers

Just a quick post for my entry to the Compendium of Curiosities Challenge  hosted by the talented Linda Ledbetter.  Challenge #27 Embossing Diffusers can be found on page 61 of Tim Holtz's book by the same name.  The current challenge is sponsored by the generous folks over at Inspiration Emporium.  

My entry is a simple but elegant wedding card for a beloved niece whose wedding is this month.  I used the embossing diffuser as described to help create the focal point of the card.  I used an embossing folder and antique wedding cake stamp from  my stash.  After many trials, I finally settled on using clear embossing ink with a lightly glittered embossing powder on the cake. You can catch a glimpse of the glitter on the picture below. 

I recently received the Tiny Tatter Florals Thinlit Die and made three white roses to sit at the base of the cake stand. I lightly brushed the edges with Glue N seal and dusted them with Rock Candy Distress glitter. Finally, I stamped the "Mr. and Mrs." in Weather Wood and embossed it with the same glitter embossing powder that I had on hand. I attached the little place card with Gem Clip which I broke the gem off and re-glued to the front of the clip.

That's all for now.  I hope you have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by :) Kim

Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2015-April

I am just under the wire in posting my April tag.  When Tim initially posted his tutorial found here,  I felt like I probably would not participate this month because I had few of the products used in his tag. But Tim's monthly tag challenge is all about the creative process not the products.

My favorite flower is the daisy and my daughters gave me a bouquet of daisies for my birthday...hence the inspiration for my tag. I recently received Wendy Vecchi's Darling Daisies SiSi from a shopping spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique...thanks, Linda.  It was the perfect stamp for my April tag.  I followed Tim's direction fairly closely for the initial steps.  I am still trying to get the hand of using the Distress Marker Spritzer.

 I used my Cricut to cut out "OFTEN" in block letters.  I used a die from my stash to cut out the word "smile" in script.  Running the paper through the xyron prior to cutting worked like a charm.  I also loved the technique Tim used to tint the Crinkle Ribbon...I used Spiced Marmalade and Wild Honey. I have got to invest in a sewing machine...I loved the stitching on Tim's tag.

I have to include a picture of the bouquet my daughters gave me...

That's all for now....looking forward to Tim's May inspiration.  Thanks, for stopping by :)

CC3C #26 Smudge Stamping

If it's Friday night...it must be time for a Compendium of Curiosities Volume III Challenge inspired by Tim Holtz's book of the same name.  Linda Ledbetter is the gracious hostess of the challenge and you can find all the information about how to play along here.  Challenge #26 is generously sponsored by Linda Coughlin at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

I love smudge stamping...and I must love deadlines since I always am cutting them so close. Grab one of Tim's books and turn to page 42 to play along. I made a tag to send in my daughter's exam package.  Her love of Halloween is only equal to her fascination with human bones (good since this is her course of study).   I loved the effect of the technique with the Apothecary stamps.  My background is made with several layers of Pumice Stone Distress Paint.  I used Pumice Stone, Fired Brick and Black Soot Distress Ink with various stamps.  I tinted an Ideaology Monocle and added a Remnant rub 31 to highlight the important date.  I attached to a Crinkle Ribbon bow colored with Fired Brick, Picked Raspberry and Faded Jeans Distress Ink by a Swivel Clasp.

 My spider is cut from a Painted Industrial scrap using the Cobweb Blueprint Framelit Die. Finally, I used a word band with red Jute String tied on each end.  That's all for know...only 10 more month until Halloween.  Happy Haunting.

CC3C #25 Frameworks

OK...so it is the last day to enter the challenge, but technically I am early because it is not within hours of the challenge deadline :)  We are already to Challenge #25, hard to believe!  It has been such a exciting and creative journey working through Tim's A Compendium of Curiosities Volume III.  I can hardly wait for Volume IV.  Many thanks to Linda Ledbetter, our gracious hostess and to Inspiration Emporium, the generous sponsor for this challenge.  Challenge #25 is Frameworks and you will have to refer to page 64 of Tim's book for further details.  I have created a birthday card for my daughter using the Courtyard Frameworks Die that I won from Paula Cheney in an Eclectic Elements prize pack.

The background is made using Faded Jeans Distress Ink through Tim's Gothic Stencil and embossed with clear embossing powder on Watercolor paper.  I used Antique Linen Distress Ink along the edges and worked it throughout the design.  I added Frayed Burlap Distress Ink to give it a more aged appearance.

 I cut the Courtyard Framework die form Grungeboard, altered it and placed it the background.

 I added the three roses made from the Tattered Pinecone Die accented with pearls from my stash,

The sentiment is stamped on light blue card stock and accented with the Courtyard Framework die as well.

I would also like to enter this card in the following challenges:

The Mixed Media Card Challenge-"FLOWERS"

Frilly and Funkie-Spring Time Die Cuts

Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2015-March

I'm late...I'm late...for a very important date!  (seemed appropriate since those words were uttered by a rabbit and Easter is around the corner)  So the important date is March 31st...the last day to post my version of Tim's March tag. You can see Tim's step by step tutorial for his March tag here. 

 I chose Fired Brick, Mowed Lawn, Rusty Hinge and Mustard Seed Distress paint for my background.  The pear from Stampers Anonymous Classics #16 served as my embossed focal point.  I used the Harlequin stencil with texture paste and gold embossing powder as Tim demonstrated in his post.  The texture paste I used was not smooth.  It had a gritty texture and hence my embossed surface is not smooth...but I like the added texture.   A word band altered with a touch of Mushroom alcohol ink, a Philosophy Tag and a piece of crinkle ribbon rejected from a previous project finished off my tag.  Here are a couple of close up shots...

I had fun, as  always, trying new techniques with this month's tag.  I look forward to trying the embossing technique both with Ranger's Texture Paste for a smoother surface and with other colors of embossing powder.  Thanks for stopping by :)

CC3C #24 Remnant Rub Resist

Good Friday evening.  My folio from the last challenge is still a work in progress, but I was able to complete the latest challenge in the nick of time.  I am, of course, referring to the Compendium of Challenge hosted by Linda Ledbetter.  You can find out all about the challenge based on Tim Holtz's A Compendium of Curiosities Volume III here.  This latest challenge is sponsored by Linda Coughlin over at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

I used this challenge to purchase more of Tim's Remnant Rubs...Botanical and Numbers.  I created a card to celebrate Earth Day...this year is the 45th anniversary of this special day.  I am embarrassed to say that I can remember the very first Earth Day.  I was in second grade and we each took a sapling home to plant.  It was a special day :)  Using the technique described on page 51 of Tim's book, I used the Botanical and Numbers Remnant Rubs.  I used Mowed Lawn, Broken China, and Vintage Photo for my background colors. I also added  the harlequin and bird's nest stamp with Jet Black Archival ink to the background.

My mini tag is stamped with Tim's mini globe blueprint and water colored with Mowed Lawn and Broken China Distress Ink.  I then stamped the date of Earth Day and finished with crinkle ribbon colored again with Broken China and Mowed Lawn.  The vellum envelope is tinted with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and embellished with a Nature Adornment highlighted with Broken China Distress Paint.

 Finally, I used Seasonal ChitChat stickers to create the message.  I cannot tell you how difficult it has been to write this blog post while watching a basketball game...it is March Madness :)

I would also like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Frilly and Funkie Put a Ribbon On It

Inspiration Emporium Spring Blooms

A Vintage Journey Anything Tim

Country View Challenge Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Blog Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by:)