Tim Holtz Worn Wallpaper and Crackled Pumpkin Card

Hi there!  Today I'm sharing another card I made with the Tim Holtz Bigz Pumpkin Patch die my friend Carol shared with me.  I wanted to try completely changing the color of some of Tim's Worn Wallpaper  to coordinate with my fall projects. 

I cut a panel to size and dipped in a Dried Marigold, Fossilized Amber and Rusty Hinge Distress Inks, then crinkled up and stitched around it.   Here's a before shot (bottom right).  See the transformation!  This material is AMAZING and inks so beautifully...

For the pumpkin I didn't remove the slice cutouts from the design when I cut it.  I carefully taped then down on the back to keep them put, then applied DecoArt crackle paste over the entire pumpkin, minus the stem.  When the cracks had set and things were dry, I scraped away to get an even more work effect, then stained the stem and peeled paint with Vintage Photo.  The little leaf at the top is from the Funky Foliage die set.  It was the perfect shape for a topper!

My layers include a scrap of stamped plaid, a crackled corrugated base, a painted Scroll die (Butterscotch Adirondack then dipped in Rusty Hinge DI), Fall Foliage dies stained with Crushed Olive and Rusty Hinge and a handmade flower from the Tattered Florals die.  I tucked in some sisal fibers and a loopy bow made with Tim's jute twine. 

I made about eight flowers for my fall cards and have used all but one!  I guess it's time to have a poinsettia making marathon...  :)  Wishing you a day filled with love and gratitude!

For more peeled, crackled paint inspiration see my post here:

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Tim Holtz Woodslice and Wreath Stamped Christmas Cards

Hello friends!  I'm on my merry mission to make several sets of boxed Christmas cards for charity this season.  I realized I had never used the wood slice stamp from my cherished Tim Holtz Great Outdoors stamp set.  I've been having a blast using my stamp platform these days and thought it would be great to build a layered effect with this image.

I wanted my wood slice to resemble fresh cut pine, so I inked the image with Creamy Caramel (an older than dirt Stampin' Up pad) and did three impressions, misting lightly with water between stamping.  Next, I used a dark brown marker along the bark part of the image and did three more impressions, misting lightly with water between stamping.  I fussy cut my wood slices, then sponged with Black Soot lightly along the perimeter.  I dried these and wiped with an anti-static pouch.  Next, I carefully aligned the sentiment from Tim's new Festive Overlay stamp set onto a wood slice on my stamp platform and stamped with Fired Brick and quickly clear embossed. 

For my floral accents, I used the Festive Greens dies, Holiday Greens Mini dies and the Large Juniper Punch.  I used Tim's older Christmas Paper Stash along with kraft paper I stamped the Flurry (& Pine) with Picket Fence Distress Ink.

I'm so happy these stamps layered so beautifully!  They were made for each other!

Next, I decided to try the same effect with the wreath from the Tim Holtz Yuletide stamp set.  This time I used markers to color the wreath.  Here's a quick one-minute video of that process if you're interested.

I dried and fussy cut all of my wreaths, then carefully aligned the sentiment (Festive Overlay stamp set) onto a wreath on my stamp platform and stamped in Versamark and embossed in Princess Gold.  The backgrounds were stamped with the Plaid (& Nordic) stamp set using Picket Fence Distress Ink.  I spritzed the inked stamp with water before making the impression, then cut with the largest of Tim's Stitched Rectangles.  So simple, but oh so fun to make! 

Make sure to check out my giftcard box tutorial HERE.

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Darkroom Door Pine Cones and Robins Christmas Cards

Happy Friday to you!  I'm so pleased to be sharing a post on the Darkroom Door blog today!  I've created three Christmas card variations using the new Spanish Tile background stamp and my stamp platform. I hope you will enjoy the process video below.  The cards feature the exquisite new Pine Cones and Yuletide Greetings stamp sets and an all time favorite, the Robin Eclectic stamp. 

See just how easy it is to create this framing effect with lots of color variation using a blend of Distress Oxides and Distress Inks.

A few favorite details...  Do join me on the Darkroom Door blog for the full tutorial. 

 

 

Tim Holtz Skeleton Leaves Mixed Media Card Tutorial

Hi friends!  I'm sharing a Creative Guide post on the A Vintage Journey blog today for our Creative Card Making series.  I hope you will join me to see just how easy it was to assemble this mixed media card, filled with Tim Holtz goodies.  :)  And don't forget to join in our current challenge, Autumn Splendour!

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Boxed Gift Cards Tutorial with Free Printable Template

Friends, I'm SO excited to share today's post with you!  I'm over the moon excited that I am now selling the hoards of greeting cards I've made over the years at a local shop to support a charity I'm passionate towards, SWITCH.  Their mission is to fight human trafficking and sexual exploitation in my home state.  Find out more and get involved HERE.  For the holidays, I wanted to make some boxed sets of cards.  These would be great gifts for your friends and family!  I wanted to design a box template that could be adaptable for different shapes and sizes of cards, so I wrote a little formula to give you EVERY card size box measurements for FOUR thicknesses of boxes!  Whew!  ;0  I find the 1/2" box to be good for those way to thick, fat cards I'm known to make.  I turned all of these charts into free printables for your downloading pleasure.  Click on the text below to download each PDF chart.

Half Inch Tall Boxed Gift Card Template

One Inch Tall Boxed Gift Card Template

One and Quarter Inch Tall Boxed Gift Card Template

One and One Half Inch Tall Boxed Gift Card Template

To make your custom sized box, simply select the card size of your finished card.  Next, follow the "Cut Base Size" measurements to cut the base of your box.  Select the "Score Base" measurements according to the height you'd like your finished box to be (each PDF file is for one specific height of box).  Score all four sides of your box base according to this measurement.  (I used a Martha Stewart Scoreboard, but you can use a stylus and your paper cutter to score as well.)

Next, use the "Cut Lid Size" measurement to determine the size to cut your box lid.  Following the "Score Lid" measurement, score all four sides according to this measurement.  Note: I used a standard 4 1/4 x 5 1/2" card size for the photographed box, with a 1 1/4" height.

At this point, snip along the scorelines as shown above.  You could glue the tabs in and decorate the cover OR, as I have done, you could cut a window.

I used the Tim Holtz Stitched Rectangles die and taped it securely in the center of my lid and folded the flaps above the die.  Once I punched out this section, I simply glued a piece of acetate 1/8" larger than my finished card size to the inside of my box.  Then I adhered the flaps.

Now, you certainly don't have to fill your boxes with Christmas cards...  But I did!  :)

I colored these fabulous new Santas from the Tim Holtz Yuletide stamp set at a craft day with my artsy friends on World Cardmaking Day.  I used a water brush and Distress Inks in Fired Brick, Vintage Photo and Antique Linen.   Making multiples is a great way to be productive at crops or group crafting sessions.

I used last year's Paper Stash.  I gave the stitched oval a splash of black gesso to coordinate.  The greenery is from the Mini Holiday Greens die set.  These cards are festive and flat!  Perfect for a boxed set of mailable Christmas cards. 

And here they are all boxed up! To make the closure, I loosely wrapped my ribbon around and glued the ends together so it could easily be slid off.  Then I made a bow and glued it over the joined ends.  The tag was stamped with Tim's Merchant and Great Outdoors stamps.  Friends, I hope you enjoyed this post and will Pin it for future reference.  I'll share the other cards I made soon, so check back or subscribe so you don't miss a thing.  Leave me a comment with links to the boxes you make. 

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Darkroom Door Yuletide Greetings Distress Oxide Cards

I'm overjoyed to be sharing a few bright and cheery cards on the Darkroom Door blog today.  These cards feature the new Yuletide Greetings stamp set over an embossing resist background made with Distress Oxides and the Snow Flakes Eclectic stamp.  They were so fun to make and I even whipped out a quick one minute video for you to see the process.  Join me today on the Darkroom Door blog!  Here are some closeups...

 

Tim Holtz Skeleton Leaves Sympathy Card

Sympathy cards are the hardest to make, but this one was made with so much love and many prayers as I worked bit by bit...  From death comes life, just as the fading leaves bring forth fresh soil for new growth.  There is hope, my friends.  From the ashes of this life God can bring beauty and wholeness.  If you would like to talk about the promises of God and how He can bring you from death into life, please email me through the link in my sidebar. 

For this card I wanted to use spring green, with a bit of fall hue.  I pulled a plaid background I had shared earlier in THIS post.  Here is the video I made for two-toned plaid background stamping.

I used 5.5 x 4.25" mixed media cardstock that was precut in a pack.  I wanted to elongate my design, so I ran the Tim Holtz Stitched Rectangle die through my machine until I got to the end and stopped. 

I lined up the opposite end with the die and put it upside down in my machine for a second run, this time just barely going over the top end.  

Here you can see where the die cut pattern meets.  I knew I was going to add a strip across this section, so it works just fine and gave me the elongated shape I needed.

I have many beautiful scripture stamps by Verve, but none so encouraging as this verse.  I cut it freehand like a scroll and sponged the edges, then curved it with a paintbrush handle.  I tucked it beneath my Skeleton Leaf die, which I had stained with Twisted Citron, Frayed Burlap and Vintage Photo Distress Inks.  I used the 3D Scallop Impresslit to cover the gap on my background. 

The leaves rest on a die cut Stitched Oval, stained with Antique Linen Distress Oxide.   The panel behind the plaid was stamped with the Entomology stamp set script.  On the inside of the card I added another sponged die cut.

I finished it off with a wrap of bakers twine and a Tim Holtz brad.  With love and condolences to the Thomason family...

Darkroom Door Majestic Mountains Stamped Card

Pause the regularly scheduled program for a inky good stamping time - just for fun!  :)  Aren't those the best?!  I received the oh so dear to my heart Majestic Mountains stamp set by Darkroom Door and just had to take a moment to play.  DH and I were supposed to go hiking today and I made this card to entice him, but instead had to attend a funeral for our youngest son's best friend's daddy.  What a terrible loss.  Please lift up the Thomason family in your prayers.  It's unthinkable...

I was in the mood for bright and summer colors, since it's still hot outside and I've been making so so many fall cards.  I sponged BluePrint Sketch and Mowed Lawn inward on my Tim Holtz Stitched Rectangle die cut, then sprayed water in the center to lift some of the excess ink off.  I dried the panel, then did the spritz and lift technique.

My elements were made with my stamping tool and Distress Ink pads.  I added color and more color until I got such vibrant effects, then had a fussy cutting marathon.  Whew!  ;0  I wanted a plaid background and finally decided on this stencil by Carta Bella.  I totally love this new stamp set and know you will too.  Make sure to play along with the current Travel challenge on the Darkroom Door Inspiration Facebook page with #ddoctoberchallenge.