Seth Apter Baked Texture PaperArtsy Journal Pages

Hello my friends!   I'm thrilled beyond words to be sharing a post on the PaperArtsy blog today for the current topic, Baked Textures.  These latest pages turned out exactly as I had hoped and I couldn't be happier.  I hope you enjoy them too and will hop on over for a closer look. 

Some favorite details...  I've used PaperArtsy {Ink & the Dog} Collection (Gentleman Plate 1) and (Letters Plate 4) along with PaperArtsy Eclectica {Seth Apter} Collection (ESA08) along with many beautiful Fresco Chalk Acrylic Paints.  I used Seth's fabulous Chunky Rust and Ancient Amber Baked Texture embossing powders. 

If you missed the previous pages, click on the photo to see those posts.

Album Assembly

Cover Art

Tim Holtz Farmhouse Card with DIY Cotton Stems

Farmhouse style is all the rage right now and I've been wanting to design some cards along that theme/color palette for some time.  I was experimenting with the new Tim Holtz 3D Lumber Texture Fade and achieved that perfectly chipped paint look, so I built built a little "farmhouse style" card around it, complete with a DIY cotton stem!  :)

For the background, first I embossed a piece of watercolor paper.  I spritzed my paper lightly to help it mold in the embossing folder.  I scraped DecoArt Crackle Paste all over the embossed panel and let it air dry.  Then I went back over the panel with Distress Crayons in Gathered Twigs and Iced Spruce.  I wasn't very pleased with the result, so I scraped off some of the crackle and then gave it a wash of Distress Ink in Vintage Photo.

I spent some time coloring a few images from Tim's Illustrated Garden stamp set and left the flowers of this one white and colored the background with Frayed Burlap.  I used Vintage Photo and Peeled Paint all with a Water Brush.  I sponged a couple of sprigs from the Funky Florals 3 die set.

Again with the Shadow Script #3 set, this time three layers!  :)

Now onto those tiny little cotton stems!  I'm bursting with joy over them!  I die cut small flowers from the FF#3 set using kraft paper.  I inked the kraft paper with a bath of Walnut Stain Distress Ink, then scrunched the petals up while they were still wet.  I had purchased a package of small cotton balls from the Dollar Tree.  I pulled away a tiny section of cotton and balled it up, then glued in each of the stems.  I was inspired by THIS pin, but wanted to make tiny stems that would work well with cards.  If you'd like to see more of my Dollar Store craft ideas, please click HERE.

This card is very special to me, because it reminds me of my Grandmother.  She was one of 13 children and grew up picking cotton.  She was the most amazing woman and lived through many trials, including the Great Depression.  She worked hard all of her life to provide for our family and instilled so many wonderful ethics in her children and grandchildren.  Most of all, she was passionate about her faith in Christ and reminded me all of my life that I had been given to God as a child and belonged to Him, what a comfort!

I hope you're inspired by this sweet idea and will give it a try on your own.  Have a blessed day, Autumn

Distress Oxide 3D Botanical and Shadow Script Cards

As promised, I'm back with more projects I made from our girls weekend at the lake.  This pair of cards features the Tim Holtz 3D Botanical Texture Fade, which I inked with Distress Oxides.

I tried something new and mixed my Oxides with water in a pool on my kraft mat, then brushed them on like a wash.  I really loved how the oxidization settled in the ridges of the 3D folder.  For this one I used my most favorite color, Antique Mahogany with layers of Vintage Photo and Antique Linen.

You truly don't understand the magic of 3D embossing until you see it in person.  I'm totally in love with this folder!!!  I layered with an inky panel I stamped an image from the Illustrated Garden stamp set, also in Aged Mahogany.  I layered with dies from the Shadow Script #2 set and wrapped the panel with twine.

For my second card I followed the same process only switched to Evergreen Bough Distress Oxide, Iced Spruce and Antique Linen.

I've been nervous about using multiple Distress Oxide inks on the same stamp, but found that I had no contamination when going from light to dark, as I did with this image from Illustrated Garden.

I layered with a book page and omitted the burlap paper this time.  Thanks so much to my friend Bonnie for sharing these stamps with me.  I adore them!  I hope you're inspired to get inky!  Have an awesome day, Autumn

Tim Holtz Paper Cut Bird with 3D Botanical Card

Hello and happy August!  How quickly are the seasons changing and months passing this year!  I find it time to turn my thoughts toward fall themed cards with richer, earthier colors.  I had another play with the new Tim Holtz 3D Botanical Texture Fade.  This time I used Peacock Feathers Distress Ink and Distress Oxide, then dabbed my panel with my Versamark and embossed Copper EP randomly.  I was going for a rich patina effect.  

I rummaged through my products during several sittings and finally decided upon the Paper Cut Bird die as my focal image.  I sanded an entire sheet of gold Metallic Kraft Core and cut my bird, then a frame from the Stitched Rectangles set and a base panel.  I rubbed a teal glaze over the base to tint it so I would have enough contrast.  I absolutely LOVE this bird die cut out and framed this way and will be revisiting this idea in the future.

I finished with some purchased florals and a beautiful Metallic Quotations sticker.  It was hard to photograph, but I hope you can imagine the luster of the metallic embossing and papers.  Thanks for visiting and have a blessed day, Autumn

Tim Holtz Shadow Script Masculine CAS Cards

Last weekend my local girlfriends and I stayed at an AirBnB in Townsville, SC on Lake Hartwell.  We really had THE BEST time.  When you craft in a group, it's not always easy to get completed projects.  I mean, everyone brings their crafty stash and you want to share.  I usually spend my time making inky backgrounds with my Distress Inks, but wanted to work towards end projects this time, as I still have inky paper from my time with Sara Emily (love you and wish you were with us!)

Madelyn's son made us a homemade cheesecake.  The crust is brownie, then a layer of cheesecake, then a layer of dark chocolate he melted and whipped with cream until it was like a mousse, then he added strawberries around the edges!  It was so incredible and we decided to make him a thank you card.  I had just grabbed the new Tim Holtz Shadow Script 2 die set and used one sheet of Dapper Paper Stash, with the 6x6 grid to make all three of these cards.  They were so simple and using the 6x6 grid made it easy to get three or four cards from one sheet of paper.  I will just HAVE to get the Shadow Script 1 die set now!

I used Distress Inks to sponge the cut out words as needed to create contrast.  Each card has a simple twine wrap for texture.  How's that for masculine & CAS?!

via @carolinasweetlee

I've got lots of other projects to share with you over the next couple of weeks and really feel inspired and rejuvenated from our time.  Thanks to Carol (top middle), Bonnie (bottom middle) and Madelyn (bottom right) for an amazing weekend!  No makeup, no fuss, no ELEVATOR!  ;0  LOL!  #packlight

I'd love to hear about your crafty girl time.  Let me know if you craft with friends or attend crops/classes.  What's your best advice for group setting crafting?  Have a great day, Autumn