A Christmas Tag...

Happy Monday!

Today I am going to share with you a tag that I did, inspired by Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of Christmas. I know that it is over and usually I would have posted throughout those days... but I couldn't create til after the fact. It made me so sad because I have been looking forward to this all year. Right before the tags started I got a kidney stone for Christmas... too big to pass of course. So I had to have a procedure done... so for about two weeks I was out of it because of the pain and meds.

I barely was able to comprehend what I was seeing when I was looking at his blog throughout the 12 tags! So I have been slowly creating my tags since I have recovered...

Here is one I would like to share with you today:

I made this tag using this new stamp I got recently...

I found it on Simon Says Stamp. ...and I am in love with this stamp! It's huge! and perfect for any project! Have I mentioned that I LOVE this stamp?!!!

I used the technique Tim Holtz used on Tag #2 using the Distress Stain Picket Fence.

I stamped my Flourish on to the tag using Archival Ink. I then went over the whole tag with Picket Fence Distress Stain. Once it dried, I inked up the tag using the Distress Inks in various colors.

Now the real fun part... I took an exacto knife and sliced in to the tag! and then ripped it and stapled the pieces back. Using a stamp from Memory Box I stamped the music notes and inked it up with Distress Inks and adhered to the back of the tag. The poinsettia is a Penny Black cling stamp. After stamping it on to Glassine paper with Archival Ink, I inked it up using Festive Berries Distress Ink.

 My charm is made by 7 Gypsies. I coated the back with Glossy Accents and put Tim Holtz Tissue Paper on it. Once dried, I ripped off the excess and some of it from the back.

Merry Christmas!

Christine

I'm Back... with so much Inky Goodness!

Hello! Happy Thursday... It has been too long since I have been here... unfortunately I have to admit that I haven't had too much time to create really these last couple weeks.  ...and then something awful happened: I hit a creative wall block! BUT all that changed last week when I was so fortunate to be able to take a class from the designer and creator Jen Starr! Ink Boot Camp was the name of the class... and let me tell you something: WOW!

I learned so so so very much!!! and Jen is a fantastic teacher! I can't tell you how many times in class my jaw dropped and I just was amazed at the techniques!

I was able to play in my studio most of the day Tuesday and here is a layout that I created with some of the techniques I learned using Distress Inks.

(I thought these were very appropriate pictures to use for such an inky layout!)

...and here are some of the techniques that I used...

I started with the Wrinkle Free Distress technique on a sheet of watercolor paper.

How To:

1. Start by rubbing multiple colors of Distress Ink on to your craft mat being careful to not overlap them.

2. Mist your mat with water until you see little water beads of color.

3. Place your paper face down into the color and rub your hands along the back. (I used a brayer and rolled it all around on my paper).

4. Dry it with your heat gun.

5. To get the specks and spots that you see on mine: After drying it, tap it down randomly. You don't want to place the whole paper down and you don't want to rub... just tap!

TIP: You can put your paper face down on to the craft mat as many times as you want... the important thing is that you just want to dry it between each "dip" into the color. This allows you to layer your color. If you skip this step then everything you do will just run together.

HERE is a great video from Tim Holtz on Distress Inks!

OK... I know that this post is getting kind of long... but I have to share this next technique with you because it is one of my favorites!!!!

Removing your Distress Inks with water...

Do you see how I have poinsettias on my background and on my tags?

This is how I did it...

Once I had my wrinkle free distress background finished I came back with my stamp and Archival Ink. (You want to make sure you have a water-proof ink to do this technique... Archival Ink is just my favorite!)

I stamped all down the edge of my paper and on my tags. (Depending on what ink you use for this step, you might need to heat set it.)

now time for the magic!

1. Using a water pen or a paint brush and water color in your image with water.

2. Once the water has been on there for a few seconds or so, come in with a paper towel and blot off the water.

See? because Distress Inks react with water, we are able to remove some of the color. Allowing our image to really "pop" on our background!

When you play with these techniques, don't be afraid to push the limits! Once you got it, try using different inks, different papers... there is just so much you can do!

Stay tuned for more inky fun... My head is just spinning with ideas!

until next time... Happy Creating!

CHRISTINE



Spooky Candle

Happy Haunting! I have a spooky project to share with you today... I created this fun candle decoration for a contest that We R Memory Keepers was having over on Facebook.... and I was one of the winners!!! Yipppeee!

I started with a decorative candle holder.... Using a sheet of 12 x 12 paper, I ripped about a 5" piece off and then inked both sides. I decorated the front with various embellishments: bling, flower, ribbon, cheese cloth, & paper accents.

I didn't want to permanently decorate my candle holder, so I made my project to be a corset for my candle holder... here is the back:

...you can see it featured on the We R Memory Keepers Facebook page...

A newly Discovered Paper Company...

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Did you get any creating done? I wish I could say that I did.. but I didn't really get a chance to... Here is a layout that I did last week:

It is actually another layout that I started in a class from CKC Nashville. In it we used paper from a company that I had never heard of, Bisous b-zoo. I absolutely love these papers. The colors are bright and beautiful and there are a lot of accents that you can fussy cut out and use as embellishments.

I kept a few things the same on this layout as what was instructed in the class, but completely changed the embellishment grouping and added a few other accents as well.

Its a fun and silly picture and I love how the colors in the photo and the papers go so well together.

Here is a closer look...

In class we used white embossed cardstock. Using Distress Stain we colored it blue. We then ran Distress Ink in brown over it to color the embossed dots.

The blue and orange flower I cut out of the paper and then put Rock Candy Crackle Paint on them to spice them up a bit. The other flowers and bling are Prima. The really dark colored flower was actually a black flower. I used Adirondack Color Wash in Stream and then Perfect Pearls Mist in Turquoise to add the blue sheen to it. The butterflies where given to us in class. They are just little wooden accents. Using paint dabber I colored them and then added the copper wire to create their antennas.

Wishing you a creative day!

Christine

Soiree!

TGIF!

I am a little behind posting today... but I have a fun layout to share!

Here is a layout that I did this week using the Pink Paislee Soiree line. I absolutely love this line! Last Friday we had a big birthday crop at our local scrapbook store... During our group picture they tried to make me be in the front... I didn't want to be in the front.... so I crossed my arms and pouted (not being serious)... someone next to me snapped a quick photo... we were all laughing!

Using the matching twine in the Soiree line, I wrapped it around my picture several times.

 I used a selection of Prima Flowers and Bling to make this little grouping. The green embellishment next to the flowers is on pop-dots, I have a little journaling tag in there telling the story. Its hard to see in the picture, but I used my Epiphany Shape Studio Tool Round 25 on the top of the tag to make it easier to pull out. I cut the word "pouts" with my Cricut using the Alphalicious Cartridge.

The white grid lines that you see, (above), I made using Ranger's Enamel Accents. Once it dried, I used my Ink Blending Tool and Worn Lipstick Distress Ink and smudged some ink over that area to make the Enamel Accents pop!

The lettering here used to be green foamy letters. With the help of some ink and Perfect Pearls Mist, I altered them to match my layout. The circle embellishment was also made using my Epiphany Shape Studio tool! 

Have a wonderful Friday and a crafty, creative weekend!

Christine

Quick & Classy with My Mind's Eye

Welcome Thursday! ...and tomorrow is Friday! Yipppee!

Today I have a layout from a class that I took at CKC in Nashville, Quick & Classy with My Mind's Eye. I didn't finish it in class, so I pulled it out the other day when I started to scrap. I tweaked it a bit to make it my own... I am so happy with the results!

The papers are from My Mind's Eye and so are a few of the embellishments.

The Green Polka-dot paper is a 12" strip. I folded it to create a single pleat and then added the stars at the end. They are on pop-dots and have Stickles on them!

The title I cut out with my Cricut and the Opposites Attract cartridge.

IN THE DETAILS:

I had these fabulous little clear word stickers hanging up on my Clip-It-Up... I just picked out several words that went along with my picture and adhered them in a "zig-zag" column.

One thing that we did in class, that I thought was so neat, is this little paper clip! Paper clips come in all sizes and colors! Here we used a blue one that matched our papers and tied two pieces of ribbon to it... instant embellishment! Instant, cheap, embellishment!

These are little rub-on birdies from Studio Calico. I added the bling using my I-Rock.

When I was looking for something to journal on, I saw the packaging to the rub-ons.... and thought it would be perfect! So the journaling below is on the packaging!

Have a splendiferous day!

Christine

Not So Halloween Card

Happy Wednesday! As October keeps on rolling, I can hardly believe it is getting closer and closer to the holidays! Halloween, Thanksgiving, .... Christmas! Today I have a not so Halloween card to share....

I used the new Halloween line from My Mine's Eye, Mischievous. I distressed the edges... I really distressed the edges! A friend let me use her Zutter Distrezz It All tool.... this tool rocks! I love it! ...and it's on my wish list! I then ripped and tore and ripped some more!

The flower started off bright orange... I brushed Black Magic Glimmer Mist on the leaves, used a Metallic Silver Paint Dabber on the edges and stamped flourishes on the petals in silver paint.

A huge brad finished the flower.

I hope you are enjoying fabulous Fall weather!

Happy Creating!

Christine

Playing with Goosebumps!

Today I am so excited to share with you a card that my friend Sharmiece made! It's beautiful!

She started by embossing a 4.75"x5.5" of Butter Cream Cardstock using a Tim Holtz Texture Fade by Sizzex. To get a deep impression she ran it through her Texture boutique twice. She then sprayed it with Goosebumps and heat dried it. Goosebumps is a fun new product from Tsukineko! It's a clear texture spray. Once dried, she ran a Cat Eye Ink in Chestnut Roan over the paper. She wiped it with a paper towel and repeated the inking again.

She used the Stampendous Daisy Thanks stamp set to create her flower. Stamping it and then coloring with colored pencils and Gamsol. (Here is a how to video from Archiver's website!)

She then fussy cut her flower. After tying the ribbon around the card she adhered her flower. Stamping the sentiment was the last step in creating this beautiful card!

I hope you have enjoyed Sharmiece's work as much as I have!

Happy creating!

Christine 

Pronto Pups! Yummy!

Happy Monday! I can hardly believe that October is here!

Today I have a layout to share....

Fall is here, and with that, of course, comes the fair! I created this layout to document our adventure at the fair and one stop on our fair food quest! The paper is from 7 Gypsies. The mat is Grungepaper that I inked up and then used a mask to create the design on the right side. The circles you see were made using the Epiphany Crafts Shape Studio Tool Round 25.

To create this little grouping, I used Prima Bling, leaves cut from Tim Holtz Alterations Die, Tattered Leaves, and a journaling block that I stamped and distressed. The title is made from felt letters by Prima. After "Googling" the pronto pup, I found out that it was established in 1941. It was quite interesting learning about this tasty little fair treat... You can read more here.

Hope you have a fabulous, crafty week!

Christine

Falling... for the new Distress Ink Colors

Happy Friday!

Happy First Day of Fall!

Happy Anniversary to me!

Today is my five year wedding anniversary! The card that I am sharing today is the card that I made for my wonderful husband for this special day!

Last night, after he was asleep, I set it up on the kitchen counter... So this morning he could be surprised by it... and he was! I was still half asleep when he came to tell me how much he loved it! ...and how fitting it is for today... because it's the first day of Fall!

I am really excited to share this card with you today because...

the new Fall Limited Edition Distress Inks were used to make it!!!

Using the new Distress Ink color Ripe Persimmon, I inked up a 4 3/4" x 6 3/4" white piece of paper.  

I laid the Maple Leaf stencil from Crafter's Workshop down and I went in with the two other new colors, Gathered Twigs & Seedless Preserves, and my Ink Blending Tool to ink around the stencil. The leaves were cut out using the Tim Holtz Alterations Die, Tattered Leaves. They were white... I stamped the writing on to the leaves using the Hero Arts Friend Definition stamp and then using Distress Inks, inked each leaf up! The colors used were: Wild Honey, Stormy Sky, Seedless Preserves, & Forest Moss.

The heart and the backing of the frame are Sticky Back Canvas. The heart is inked up using Ripe Persimmon and the backing of the frame is inked with Gathered Twigs. I wrote my sentiment using a Sakura Glaze Pen.

The inside of the card says:

"A Little More Everyday"

along with the mushy stuff I wrote my husband!

I hope you have a wonderful Friday! Where I live its beautiful outside! All the windows are open in my house and I am sitting outside in our screened in patio just enjoying the morning... Blogging & drinking coffee!

Happy Creating!

Christine

Oh... I had to share a wedding picture... or two!



It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

Happy Thursday! Merry Christmas! I have started working on my Christmas cards. I am determined to finish and get them out this year! ...wish me luck!

So many beautiful Christmas lines are coming out from so many different companies... walking into my local scrapbook store how can I not be inspired?

I made these two cards using the Christmas line, "Wonder", from the up and coming Authentique Company. I love their paper! The designs, the colors, the texture! It's very well made.

I bought the 6x6 paper pack and two of their embellishments, excerpts and noteables.

Hope you have a merry and creative day!

Christine

Stamp Layering

Happy Wednesday!

Here is a card that I made using a flower stamp that I just love! Stampendous "Narcissus Perfectly Clear Stamps". It is so multi-purpose! You can cut it up and use it in pieces or as a whole, which is what I have done.

...and it's a fun coloring stamp too!

I used several stamps on this card. One of the little tricks to creating stamped backgrounds like this is layering. I started by inking up a 4" x 5 1/4" white piece of paper with Distress Ink. The next step is to start stamping! The first layer on this card was made with a background stamp from Hero Arts, "Envelope Pattern". I then stamped the scratch lines using a Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous stamp, "Scribbles" and the flourishes, which are also a Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous stamp, "Flourish 2".

The flowers I stamped on to watercolor paper and then I colored using watercolor pencils. The shimmer you see on the petals is from a product that I discovered when I went to the Creating Keepsake Convention, Shimmerz Paints! I LOVE this product. I bought 6 different colors and I wish I would of gotten more! Once everything was dried, I cut out my flowers and adhered them to my background that I had stamped up. Next, I stamped my last layer, the thank you sentiment.

I then adhered this to a card base.

TIP: I like working on a separate piece of paper and then adhering it to a card base. When I work directly on the card, ink tends to get on places where I do not want it, like the back!

I hope you have a fabulous, crafty day!

Christine

Stamp Storage Idea....

Happy Tuesday!

Today I have a storage idea for you!

I use to have all my acrylic and rubber cling stamps in binders. I loved it, but it was difficult to go through and some what of a pain to put them back... so I started to think of a solution!

HINT:

When coming up with organizing ideas, you want to make sure that your solution makes it easy to put things back in their place. You are more likely to put something up if it is quick & easy vs. if it is more of a nuisance.

This is what I came up with:

A Clip It Up!!! I absolutely love it! It sits on a shelf in my closet and it is very easy to access. I can see all my stamps, get the one I want, use it, and then put it back! Easy-peasy!

I have them divided into categories and labeled:

I have another Clip It Up that I got for Christmas last year... It is two tiered and has all my embellishments on it. I love, love, love my Clip It Ups!

For my wood block stamps this is what I came up with a while back:

You can see the details here.

Hope you have a fabulous & creative day!

Christine

It's coming... the Holidays!

Happy Monday!

It is so good to be back! I actually was able to play in my studio last night for the first time in weeks! Between going out of town, work, and painting our kitchen & dining room... its been crazy busy!

I have been wanting to make this project for quite a while! A dear friend gave me the cutest little gift last year for Christmas. It was a Holiday Survival Kit. I loved it and it made me laugh! I am going to make them this year for Christmas for everyone.

I started with an empty Crystal Light container. (I have a ton of these! I have been saving them for the past year... wanting to use them for something!)

I wrapped it with some Christmas paper and decorated the front.

(The poinsettia stamp is by Penny Black. The ticket stamp is by Memory Box.)

When you open your kit, this is what you will find:

Everything you need to survive the holidays! I am going to sit mine out on the window ledge above my kitchen sink this holiday season. It will be a reminder to just have fun and not get caught up in all the stress that the holidays try to bring.

Hope you have a fabulous and creative week! I have several more things to share with you this week! (I stayed up til 2 last night creating! ...it was a long time coming!)

P.S.

Here is a picture of my husband and I trying to pick out a color for our dining room & kitchen... I love the fact that Behr offers samples!

Crazy, huh? But we did pick a color and it is almost finished!

I will post pictures and you can see the color we picked! :)

wreck the magazine...

I love my scrapbook magazines... I love going through them and being inspired and having ideas come to me on projects that I want to do... The same with other magazines that I get... like Better Homes & Garden or even Rachel Ray! Color combinations, layout designs, oh the inspiration!

Sometimes, though, I am not where I can run to my studio and create... like today!

I am laying on the beach, it's my last day in Florida.. and I haven't really created in a week! I am starting to twitch! I am getting all these ideas but I know if I don't get them down I will forget!

Solution:

WRECK THE MAGAZINE

Here is what my magazines look like when I am done:

It's like turning your magazine into your own "Smash" idea book!

Hope you have a creative day!

Christine



and the winner is...

i am so sorry it has been so long...

here is the winner from the "unusual" mini-album blog hop:

Amy Esaid...

OH my goodness! Who would have ever thought of making a mini album out of packaging?!?!? You rock! It's really beautiful. I'm your newest follower!

Yippeee! I will be back soon. I am out of town... but I have been coloring away so I will have some more inspiration coming soon!

Happy Creating!

Christine

"Unusual" Mini-Album Blog Hop!

Happy Weekend!

Welcome to the "Unusual" Mini-Album Blog Hop!

I am so excited about this hop today... it is the first time that I have ever hosted a hop and it is showcasing some fabulous and "unusual" mini-albums!

There are some very talented ladies in this hop, so make sure you go to each of their blogs to see their take on the theme: "Unusual" Mini-Albums...

...make sure you leave some love on each and every blog to be entered to win a fantastic prize package that I will be giving away!!!

Here is my "Unusual" mini-album:

I made a mini-album using all my packaging from my Prima flowers that I have bought! It is a little inspirational quote book filled with pockets, tags, flowers, and more! I used various stamps, paper from Memory Box, and lots & lots of ink!

The tag that slides out of the pocket is Prima Packaging.

The pocket was made from Prima packaging as well as the two tags in it...

I love this page... it was created using the clear packaging that Prima uses... and it has all kinds of inspirational word on it too! I created a pocket to slip things in... and that black polka-dot paper = Prima Packaging!

The picture above & below is the tag that slips into the pocket that was created by adhering the sides of two pages together...

Packaging comes in all different sizes, shapes, and colors... most of it is super cute and can make really awesome embellishments. So think twice before throwing away that packaging next time!

Are you ready to hop???

Your next stop is the very talented Lou over at Pretty Paper & Chipboard.

If you get lost along the way, just come back here and find your place!

Here is the line up:

Christine www.scrapbookingtechnique.blogspot.com

Lou www.prettypaperandchipboard.blogspot.com

Pammejo www.pammejo-scrapbookflair.com  

Jessica www.jessbippitystamps.blogspot.com
Jess Kinderstampo www.kinderstampo.com

Martha www.pattisscrapingtime.blogspot.com

Tiara www.imacraftysista.blogspot.com

Sylvia www.bellascrapbookdesigns.blogspot.com

Happy Hopping!