AALL & Create Enumerated Tiles & Masculine Train Cards

Hello all!  Today I have a few cards to share from a recent play with some awesome AALL & Create stamps.  I pulled out lots of gel prints that I've made recently and stamped the Enumerated stamp repeatedly on portions of the papers so I could fussy cut and layer the tiles.  

I used mounting tape to pop up certain elements more than others.  I added clear crackle paint on the center tile.  

I added details with a white Posca pen and some faux rust with Distress Oxide in Vintage Photo.  

I had a few leftover tiles and decided to make a third masculine card.  I took another dark print and stamped the train from the Archway stamp set onto it.  I stamped it again on a lighter print and fussy cut the train to pop it out, surrounding it with those tiles.

More paint pen details and sanding to bright highlights.  I am just so pleased with these cards and have loved working in a darker palette for a change.  I hope you are doing well!  Hugs, Autumn

Tim Holtz New Faceted Heart and Ideaology

Hi guys!  Thank you so much for your sweet comments on my projects for the Tim Holtz Sizzix Chapter 1 release.  I had so much fun using the Faceted Hearts die for my rusty heart tag shared HERE that I decided to do another sample.  For that tag I tried to mimic pieced sheet metal, then it occurred to me I could use the Mechanics 3D texture fade to cut my heart for "easy sheet metal".  :)  I wasn't sure how the embossed panel would die cut, or if it would flatten the embossing, but it worked beautifully since it is a padded Bigz die.

I cut the 3D Mechanics from Metallic Kraft Core and colored with Distress Crayons.  I should have shared this tip in the first post, but for easy assembly make sure to crease all of your score lines with a bone folder before gluing the Faceted Heart together.

I layered lots of Tim Holtz ephemera/Ideaology together over a Paper Stash base.  I love sanding and altering this faux ephemera, distressing the edges and adding little tears and folds to give it a more authentic look.

I finished my paper doll collage with a snippet that reminds me of my own sweet boys.  Oh how I love this boy image!  I'm super excited about the new paper dolls and ephemera Tim is releasing.  Find out more HERE.

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Tim Holtz 3D Embossing Steampunk Masculine Tag

Hi friends!  Today is a 5th Friday and we celebrate at A Vintage Journey with Tag Friday.  Hop on over and see what my uber talented teamies have created for your inspiration. We would love for you to share a tag you've been working on this month. 

I had a play with my friend @carolinasweetlee's new Tim Holtz 3D Embossing Folders and we made a number of backgrounds with different techniques.  I adhered two portions of my backgrounds made with the Foundry and Mechanics folders to a chipboard tag.  These were both done by simply sponging Distress Inks onto the panels.  I added various strips of Tim's tissue tape and sanded it with a nail file to remove the sheen.

I embossed a Gadget Gears 2 die with Seth Apter Chunky Rust Baked Texture and tucked it beneath my collage.

I used one of Tim's Fluted Fasteners as my tag topper.

My collage elements are all from an older pack of Tim's Snippets Ephemera.  The sentiment is from the Clippings sticker set. 

I dyed my sisal fibers with Black Soot.  The Paper Doll image was sanded lightly and sponged with Vintage Photo DI.  I hope you'll hop on over to A Vintage Journey for more tag inspiration and make sure to share a tag in our link up.

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Tim Holtz and Eileen Hull Steampunk Travelers Journal Tutorial

Hi my friends!  Today I'm sharing a steampunk themed travelers journal and a neat idea for upcycled packaging idea with you, as inspired by recent conversations on the Tim Holtz Addicts Facebook Group.  If you're not a member, you should be!  This is such an incredible group with so much talent and daily inspirational shares.

Now, normally the first thing I do when I get a haul is unpack everything and sort it into containers.  I always throw away the packaging because it takes up so much room and I have a tiny space.  I do save my acrylic packaging and use it for making shaker cards, but everything else goes.  Someone had mentioned using the backings for their projects and when I unpacked a new stencil, I saw the backing in a whole new light!  :)  I decided to cut off the top and emboss it to see what it would look like.  I lined up the folder along the bottom and embossed a second time for a continuous pattern.

I sanded the raised portions and dipped the panel in Distress Oxides (Fired Brick, Iced Spruce, Frayed Burlap), then dabbed my Veramark randomly and embossed with Seth Apter's Baked Texture, first in Rocky Road, then in Chunky Rust.  OH MY GAH!  I could have eaten it like rusty candy!  LOL!  Now, I was just playing around and supposed to be doing something else, but when I had gotten this far I just had to turn this awesome panel into something cool!  So I reached for my Eileen Hull Travelers Journal die.

I was thrilled that the stencil package backing was exactly the right width to use for this journal die, but it was too short.  To make it work with my size, I centered the rusted panel on my cover, then marked pencil lines to cut off each end.  Then I traced the front onto the back and cut off the ends of the back cover.  BTW, I used Graphix black chipboard to cut my covers.

I used the cut off portion to help mark new holes and cut those with my Crop-o-Dile.

I wrapped a piece of Tim's tissue tape around the spine of my front panel and extended to the inside so it didn't come off.  I put a bit of glue stick below it, then sanded it and coated it with matte varnish. This worked perfectly to remove the sheen and seal the tape.  Next, I lined my insides with Tim's Dapper paper stash.  I ADORE this script!  This time I lined the center panel, which is connected to the back side when the covers are sandwiched.

You can see how great it looks inside without the mass of black space.  I like making my journals with two inserts so the spine lines up better.  I used more Dapper paper and kraft paper with a long reach stapler to make my inserts.  I left things simple inside for the recipient of this journal to customize.  I have to say how much I LOOOOOVE the kraft paper inserts!!!  I cut my sheets all to 8.5 x 7" and folded them in half for a finished insert of 4.25 x 7".  

I put a huge stack of books on them to help them flatten, since kraft paper is a bit thicker than copy paper or graph paper, which I usually use.  I only added 4 sheets of kraft to each insert.  I wanted room for ephemera and pockets, and maybe a pen inside.

Now back to that collage...  I used one of Tim's older ephemera pack to build my composition.  I sponged a Small Talk sentiment with Antique Linen DOX.  I tried tinting my paper doll, as inspired by the one and only Paula Cheeny.  Only I don't have any Distress Markers.  So I tapped my ink pad onto my mat then used a dry brush to paint him.  I had sanded him, so you see how those areas accepted the ink more.  I sealed him with Distress Micro Glaze.

Behind him I added a die cut Bigz Gadget Gears #2 cut from chipboard and repeated the same embossing process.  I added some Fluted Fasteners in all of the corners with a brush of Prima Rust Paste, watered black gesso, and Walnut Stain DOX.  I covered the backs with the interior lining as shown above.

Oh my gosh how I love those gears!  Now, I used an old gear texture fade for my background, but imagine this technique with Tim's new 3D Mechanicals Texture Fade!!!  What!  #wishlist  The only thing missing is a matching back panel, so I need to buy a new stencil for that packaging!  I truly hope you've been inspired by this post and have thought of some new ways to use your packaging and die cuts.  Have an amazing weekend, Autumn

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Retirement Card Free Digi Stamp Printable

One of my dear friend's husband is celebrating retirement of 37 (38) years from Michelin Tires.  I really wanted to make him a special card, since he is my favorite chef host of our cardmaking/art party weekends.  :)  Of course, I have no retirement themed stamps or dies, so I made a digi stamp to share with you.  Feel free to download or Pin this printable for future use.  Right click and open in a new tab then print or just hit your Pin It button now.

I die cut an arrow to fill the gap, but I'm sure you could add a stamp or other die if you need this card for a woman.

The papers are Tim Holtz with DOX added here and there.  I embossed a Tim Holtz border die and inked the centers with DOX.  The little man brad is also TH.  And whoops!  He's actually worked for 38 years, but I was able to swap out the numbers just before delivery.  I had already taken the pics though...  LOL!  Thanks for looking!

I'm sharing with:

Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps: Monochrome

A Perfect Time to Craft

Crafts Galore Encore: Anything Goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper

Noor! Designs: Anything Goes

Scrap From Your Heart: Many Layers

Check out my custom curated product guide in the Inlinkz collection by clicking below:

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Boys and Bikes Handmade Card for Guys

Hi everyone!  I'm over on the Tutti Designs blog sharing this card for the "all boy" boys in your life.  My card features our Mountain Bike die.  I just love this die cut!  Hop on over for the details.

Purchase your Mountain Bike die HERE today!

I'm also sharing with:
Colour Crazy: Anything Goes
Crafting with an Attitude: Anything Goes
Dream Valley: One for the Boys
613 Avenue Create: Anything Goes Option/Masculine
Challenge Up Your Life: Arrows
Crafty Friends: Anything Goes

Rusted Eileen Hull Seth Apter Journal

Hi friends!  I'm thrilled today to be posting my first project for my new blog, Mini Album Makers Challenge.  I hope you will hop on over and see the design team announcement and inspiration from our talented new team.

I could not be happier to announce the ever talented Seth Apter has graciously sponsored our first challenge.  One lucky winner will receive this prize pack of Seth's stamps and stencils!

All this excitement inspired me to make this rusty journal.  You may remember my other Seth Apter inspired journal, which I posted HERE.

My Eileen Hull Scoreboards XL Journal covers were gifted to me by the sweetest Julia Aston while I waited to get my own die.  Thank you Julia!  She cut them from the Sizzix matboard.  To create a window in your journal, first decide on the placement of the inner components.  Lay things out and determine the size for your window.  Use an exacto knife to cut through your cover.

I created this rusty texture by blending a mix of Prima rust pastes.  I kept layering while the pastes were wet so that they blended well.  I used a palette knife rather than a brush.  When I had sufficient coverage, I then brushed on watery Distress Oxide in Vintage Photo.  The oxidized ink really lends to the old rusty look.  I embossed Seth's lines texture stamp in Walnut Stain Distress EP and stamped the grid texture in copper.  The little brads were also given a rusty treatment.

I cut my window after altering my cover with the texture pastes.  After I cut the window I adhered designer paper to the inside of the cover.  I used scissors along the edges, then gave it a light sanding along the edge.  Normally you adhere your papers before cutting the covers with your machine.  But this gave me a surface to adhere the cutout onto.  I held it up to the light to make sure I placed it evenly over the hole.

I added some rays of light with a old credit card and metallic paint.  The amazing rusty angel is a gift from my amazing friend Mimi.  

She also gave me these fabulous rusty nails.  I had my husband to saw a small chunk out of one nail so that I could make the X pattern and have them lie flat.  I am reminded that Jesus chose the nails because of His great love for us.  The sentiment is from an old hymn book.

I embossed Seth's Coffee Ring dies with chunky EP.  I glued to a second cut from black children's craft foam.  This made quite the thick embellishment.  I stamped Seth's circle texture stamp beneath each coffee ring.  I aged the edges of the paper beneath with more DOX.

I punched additional holes in my spine by lining up the center hole from one cover with the opposite cover and marking the placement of the hole, then punching with my Cropadile.  This allowed me to use the pamphlet stitch below, only the stitching is reversed for this book, so that the tails are hidden inside.  I used waxed linen.  I painted the cracks and edges of my covers with DOX.

I also punched a hole at the top of my spine (through both adhered layers) to string an old key for a bookmark.  It dangles beautifully below the book.

Here are the inserts, all made from loose leaf graph paper and covered with Tim Holtz papers.

These awesome letter/number ephemera pieces were a gift from the lovely Jackie P. Neal.  Love them and so happy to use them in my journal!  :)

To make the inserts, I folded ten sheets of graph paper in half, one at a time.  I then cut the patterned paper down to 8.5x11 and folded it as well.  Next, I opened each one and nestled them together.  (Prefolding each page does help the finished pages to line up better.)  I used a clip to hold them in place and stapled two staples (near the top and bottom center) with a long arm stapler.  I then cut down to size using a rotary cutter (8 x 4 1/4" - which is a little smaller than Eileen suggests due to cutting off the three holes from the paper AND so that the pamphlet stitch wraps around the top and bottom easily).  This forms nice sharp edges and was easier for me than an Exacto knife.  I opened the inserts up and used a Japanese screw punch to add a center hole for threading the pamphlet stitch.

I really hope you've enjoyed this tutorial and are inspired to play along with our challenge for a chance to win Seth's fabulous stamps and stencils.  You can find other Seth Apter products and the products used in this tutorial at the Funkie Junkie Boutique.  If you're going rusty, make sure to play along with our current challenge at Frilly and Funkie too, where our theme is A Little Rusty this fortnight.  Have a great day!

(February Pre-order) Prima Art Extravagance - Patina Effect Paste Set 3pcs 50ml	Prima Art Extravagance Rust Paste Set	(APRIL pre-order) Sizzix ScoreBoards XL Die - Journal by Eileen Hull 661906	(February Pre-order) Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Pad - Vintage Photo
Spellbinders Seth Apter Coffee Ring Dies	Seth Apter Mark Makers Stamp Set	(February Pre-order) Tim Holtz Idea-ology 12 x 12 Paper Stash Memoranda	VersaMark Watermark Ink Stamp Pad
(February Pre-order) Tim Holtz Idea-ology Butterfly Design Tape	(February Pre-order) Tim Holtz Idea-ology Quote Chips

I'm also sharing with:

Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes