Throw Back Thursday and Scrapbooking

A long time ago I started scrapbooking. I needed a hobby and I had plenty of pictures. I don't scrapbook often anymore, but I still enjoy it. I realized I haven't posted many of my scrapbook pages and since today is Thursday I thought I would have Throwback Thursday Post. This is one of my favorites created a while back I don't believe I ever posted it.

Even though it is a scrapbook page you can see I'm still using my Tim Holtz products. The paper is from the Seasonal Paper Stash. There are several different papers for each holiday or season. The 12x12 pad has a variety of design sizes, from full page design to 6x6 designs, 2x2 snippets, ATC sizes and borders. "SWEETHEART" is cut out of the 12x12 background paper and mounted on grungeboard. After inking the edges and adding Rock Candy Distress Glitter over the top (it looks like sugar is sprinkled over the top) I placed it on a torn strip of one of the other Valentine sheets, inked up the edges and placed it back over the area cut out from the background. The ephemera cards are cut from the snippets sheet. They remind me of little valentines.

The winged hearts are die cut from Grungeboard and painted with Distress Crackle Paint then inked with a blending tool with what is probably Walnut Stain Distress Ink but it may have been Vintage Photo.

The large picture is one my sister, June, took when she was taking her photography courses in college. I love this photo because Mama hated having her picture taken. Daddy just wrapped his arms around her and whispered something in her ear that made her laugh. My sister was able to capture the smile. I selected 5 more pictures of my parents together from different moments in their life together and printed them out very small, added them behind the Filmstrip Ribbon and used the Tiny Attacher to mount it to the page.

I made this page after my parents passed away but before the scrapbook store I worked at part time closed. It hangs in my studio where I can see it and think about how much my parents loved not only each other but all six of their children. I find that when I lose someone I love it helps me to create something in their memory to help me cherish my memories of them.

So Many Stamps to choose from...

When I realized that time was running out for the Smudge Stamping Technique at Linda Ledbetter's Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge #26 I got out all of my Tim Holtz stamps, my Distress Inks and my #8 manilla tags and started playing. I ended up using 8 stamps from 5 different sets. After 3 attempts I figured out the right placement of the stamps and colors I wanted to use. One thing I found out quickly is that this is a fun technique and I will be using with it more.

Curious about how it's done? Get out your copy of Compendium of Curiosities Volume III and turn to page 42 to find out all about Smudge Stamping. Don't have your own copy you can buy an autographed book from Tim here.

Want to see some more examples? Go to Linda's blog and see the amazing art she and the Curiosity Crew created. You can even check out the art from other creatives who have answered the challenge.

The sponsor for this challenge was The Funkie Junkie Boutique. If you follow my blog you will know there is also a Curiosity Crew Choice winner (who wins a box full of goodies donated by Tim and Mario!), and an honorable mention.

 I'm keeping this post short tonight. I had so much fun I lost track of time and it is awfully late here in Georgia. Lucky for me the challenge is open until 11:59  MST.

Botanical Sketch

Getting started on the background

This is a watercolor I did last month using my newest and favorite stamp from Tim Holtz and Stampers Anonymous. It it called Botanical Sketch CMS216. I stamped with Jet Black Archival Ink on Distress Water Color paper and heat embossed with Ranger's Clear Extra Fine Detail Embossing Powder. I used Distress Ink Markers and the detail Water Brush to water color it.

Botanical Sketch is a very versatile stamp. I've also used this same stamp on my tags for the last 2 challenges for Linda Ledbetter's Compendium of Curiosity 3 Challenge. You can check them out here, my Remnant Rub Happy Life and the my Frameworks FLY tag.

 If you'd like to see a great tutorial on using Distress Markers as water colors check out Tim Holtz's April tag here. He has created 2 beautiful water color tags and has a wonderful step by step tutorial with excellent instructions and photos.

P.S. Did you notice anything different about my blog this visit? I finally decided to create a header for my blog. Since I use Blogger to manage my blog, it was actually easier than I thought it would be. I made this as a test header, but I like the way it turned out so I think I'll keep it for a while. Let me know what you think.

Texture, Layers and Frameworks for Tim's April 12 Tags of 2015

Just so you know and in case you haven't seen Tim Holtz's April 12 Tags of 2015, I didn't use the same techniques Tim did this month. But I did use his design for his April tag to complete one of the framework tags that I created earlier this week. In my last post I shared that I was having so much fun working on my entry for the Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge #25 Frameworks that I made 3 backgrounds. I worked on all 3 simultaneously until I reached a point where I could decide which one to finish for the challenge.

The background for this tag is one I didn't use for the challenge because I really liked it so much I didn't want to cover it up. I was saving it for later. This weekend when I was thinking of Tim's April tag and wishing I had the Flower Garden Stamp (It's the next stamp on my wish list), I realized that even though I didn't have the stamp to use for the wonderful water coloring effects Tim had demonstrated, I could use my frameworks background and some of Tim's other products to create a different version of the April tag. The April design would let the background shine through instead of hiding it.

I started with a Kraft tag I embossed with one of Tim's embossing folders. Then I lined up a couple of the extra honeycomb frames I had die cut with the Frameworks diecut I was keeping on the tag, taped them down and used them as stencils. After applying some texture paste thinly over parts of the dry embossed tag, I removed the stencils. Once the paste was dry I then inked it up with Distress Ink. You can see the dry embossing peeking through the paste. Love the texture.

Keeping in the spirit of the CC3C Guidelines, I'm not going to go into the detailed instructions for the rest of the Frameworks technique because they are in Tim's book. He does an excellent job showing fun ways to use the die and has beautiful step by step photos. You'll find them on page 64 of his book, "Compendium of Curiosities Volume III". 
 

To create my Black-Eyed Susan flowers I used some techniques from "A Compendium of Curiosities" Volume II. I used Tim's Crumpled Kraft Suede Technique from pg 40 on Glassine paper to create the flower centers and then on watercolor paper to create the flower petals. The petals were die cut from Tim's Tattered Florals die and water colored with Distress Markers. The paper twine for the flower stems and for the top of the tag was colored with Cracked Pistachio Spray. The Grungeboard star is from a stash I created when first learning the Shattered Stains technique also explained in Volume II on page 48.

Since my background was already created on a No. 8 tag and I didn't want to trim it down, I used a larger Kraft tag and trimmed it down to leave a 1/4" border on the sides and bottom with a little more room at the top. Then I followed Tim's instructions to cut the 1" strip for my tag to weave through and for the word LIFE to be die cut out of, letting the tag underneath show through. Yes, I do have Tim's ruler and it makes this step so easy. I don't have the Adventure Words dies that Tim used so I die cut my letters out of cardstock with Tim's Alterations Chipped Block die strip, glued them down and carefully cut them out with a craft knife. I inked the backside of the tag where the letters are cut out to add definition. Love the effect of the negative space. The Adventure Words block dies would be fun to use and time saving dies to have.

To finish off my tag I added the machine stitching as shown on Tim's tag. I used the Chit Chat word "beautiful" and colored the edge with Cracked Pistachio and a waterbrush. I really like how my April tag turned out but when I get the Flower Garden Stamp I will revisit the Tim's April tag and try out these techniques. I really love the spritzed background.

Now I have another tag inspired by Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2015. Tim has a way of showing us how to use his products in ways I haven't imagined yet. That's why I follow his blog, have his books, have taken his Creative Chemistry Classes and love his products. He encourages us to be curious, try new things and get our fingers inky. His tag is gorgeous this month and I really hope you visit his blog here and see it.

Fly with Courage. Frameworks - CC3C Challenge 25

Linda Ledbetter's  Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge # 25 comes to a close tonight and I have finished my tag. The challenge is to open your copy of "Compendium of Curiosity Volume 3" by Tim Holtz, turn to page 64 for Tim's instructions and tips on how to use his Frameworks die. Then create something fun and link it up to Linda's Blog.

Inspiration Emporium is the sponsor for the challenge and one lucky winner will receive a $50 gift certificate. There is also a Curiosity Crew Choice winner who gets an amazing box of goodies that Tim and Mario donated along with a badge for their blog and one more person gets an honorable mention along with a badge for their blog.

I've had so much fun with my Frameworks die that I was working on 3 different backgrounds at the same time. I have one background I like too much to cover up yet and one that I am definitely seeing some definite possibilities for and the one you see here.

Botanical Sketch.

The one I decided to go with for the challenge is the one that everything just seemed to pull together on. Once I got to a certain point I just couldn't stop. The background of the tag was created using Tim's wrinkle free distress technique in a variety of blues. Then I used a section of the Botanical Sketch Stamp CMS216 and Chipped Sapphire to stamp the edges on both sides of the tag then embossed with Antiquities Frosted Crystal from Ranger. This adds dimension without the gloss and I love the feel.  I inked up a ribbon and ran it down the center of the tag to cover the gap.

The next step was to use the Framework die so check out Tim's book for the instructions.

I used all the butterflies from Thrift Shop Ephemera Pack. I used Distress Markers and a water brush to colorize the front and back of the butterflies, and the edges of the wings. I shaped the body and wings to give them more dimension. The largest is up on 2 sets of pop dots. The Oval and smaller butterflies are on one layer of pop dots. You can see the back of the butterfly wings reflecting in the mirrors.  I also used Industrious Stickers, Remnant Rubs, and paper twine.

I love my Distress Inks. Whether using ink pads, markers, stains or sprays, there are so many ways to apply and alter these amazing inks to paper, fabric, ribbon, twine and more.

If you are looking for more inspiration for Framework dies check out what the Curiosity Crew did at Linda's blog. You'll find more amazing pieces of art. Tags, cards, art journal page and a canvas. You can also find inspiration in Tim's books and on his blog. Oh! I was testing the link and this just saw this! He just posted on his blog this morning that he has 4 new products! Got to Go and watch the product videos!

You'll be seeing the backgrounds on the left and right soon!

have courage, FLY!

Edited to Add that I did finish the brown background. I used it to create my April tag inspired by Tim's 12 Tags of 2015. You can see it here.