"Just Add Photos"

Hi everyone,

It has been awhile since I've added a post but with summer upon us, as usual, it is time for a few road trips. We recently visited Lassen National Park in California and I decided to use my Road Trip Configuration Book for my photos.  In my previous post "Let's Take A Road Trip" I showed lots of photos of the book - you can see the entire post by clicking here.  All I had left to do was "Just Add Photos".

For the August Tim Tag, Tim did lots of stamping and he used the Road Trip Stamp Set.  Tim used lots of masking but I did another fun technique which is to use clear embossing powder on black ink.  This is something I really like to do because it makes the stamped image stand out and it also acts as a resist for any inking done later.  We all know how we like to ink the edges of our projects.  In this project I used lots of stamped images from the Road Trip Stamp Set as well.

Over at the Inspiration Emporium the monthly challenge is "My Summer Vacation" so I think I will be entering this one there.

I'll be back later with another addition on the back side of the album - have fun and happy travels!

PNC Suitcase Card

I've been bitten by the POP N CUT bug.  Yesterday I posted a card made with the Coffee Cup Die and today is a card I made for a friend who is leaving soon for a big trip abroad.  She and her hubby will be gone for 28 days on a great trip that she has been looking forward to for some time.  Hope you have a wonderful time Cheri.

I used the Pop N Cut Suitcase Die along with the companion die for all the small details.  I love the little corners, the buckle and the small tag where I put Cheri's initials and the number 28 for the amount of time they will be traveling.

I stamped the ship on the card before folding and then topped it with the word "Adventure" from the Travel Signs Embossing folder set.

 

I embossed the compass and cut it out and then added a little Distress Ink.  I added a few little tidbits from my travel stash and a Remnant Rub Pointy Finger.

Products Used

 

Pop 'n Cut Crazed!!

Hi everyone -

I have been spending some time in my studio today working on a new idea for a Pop 'n Cuts Coffee Cup Card.  I try to think outside the box (really!, there's a box?) so I had this bright idea to make a card about ART which is why we are all constantly looking at blogs and thinking about ways to make different stuff from paper, etc.  So - here it is.

 

 

 

I just love the Pop 'n Cuts because they are so fun and easy.  I used the Coffee Cup Die for this one. I have cups full of crafting supplies and tools sitting around my studio so thought this just might work.  I will be back tomorrow to show you a travel card I made with the Suitcase Pop 'n Cut.

Happy 4th of July!!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day.  It is HOT, HOT, HOT here in Arizona but, as always, a great day in the good ole'  USA

I just wanted to take a minute to share this little patriotic shadow box with you.  I made it with the 4th in mind but will also use it for my tag entry over at Tim's blog for July.
Since Simon Says Stamp and Show has "Anything Goes" this week I don't see any reason not to enter it there as well.  Hopefully the third time will be the charm as Inspiration Emporium is having a big birthday celebration for America. Why not go for it?

I constructed the box myself out of some scrap pieces of chipboard using tape and glue.  I only wanted it 1/2 inch deep so it didn't take much. When it was all put together I used the Postage Stamp Die and Grunge Board for the front and then painted it with Ranger's Crackle Paint.  When dry, I used Fired Brick Distress Stain to color it.  I covered it inside and out with some of Tim's Holiday Paper and attached the Postage Stamp Frame.  Using some pop dots I attached Uncle Sam, a free downloard from Karen Burniston, on the inside of the box.

Side

 

Add a little ribbon and a Rossett

 

A Tattered Banner & some bingo numbers and you're done-

 

Happy Birthday America

June Tag With A Twist

Now that I've settled down from being on Tim's Blogworthy Links it's time to post my June "Tim Tag".

 In my world it just seems that Karen Burniston Dies and Tim Holtz Stamps were made to work together.  This month I used Karen's Twist Cube Die (I've  posted the links to the instruction videos at the bottom) and Tim's Birthday Blueprint Stamps. 

 

A fun Birthday Card with a special twist of festive elements inside.

Just untie the bow for a surprise! (get it? Surprise!!)

                                        When the card is opened the inside looks like this.

With a simple pull of the knob it pops up to become a 3-D canvas of birthday fun.

                                                
                                                    So let's give it a whirl -

                          

                      

Tim used Distress Markers on his tag, however, I don't have those yet so had to use other resources.  I chose to use Distress Stain and a water brush.  I couldn't use watercolor paper because it's too thick to twist correctly so I used white cardstock.  Using the stains on cardstock was a little tricky because the color behaves differently than on watercolor paper. 

            I made a few practice runs before starting to paint on the die cut pieces.

                                                A few "easy" steps later --

                Start out by cutting all the pieces on the die as shown in the instructions.

This was both fun and challenging - making sure the stamps were right side up after the cube is assembled was interesting.  Thankfully Karen made the side and top tabs different sizes so that helped.  Thanks Karen, I'm sure you did that just for me! 
I stamped all the images in black and then embossed with clear embossing powder from Ranger.

After painting all the images -  assemble the cube following the directions that come with the die or watch the video. In my case - several times.

For the outside of the card I simply covered chipboard cut to the proper size and covered with paper.  Be sure to make the side panels high enough to accommodate all the embellishments on top of the cube.  Since I choose to use a knob the sides are nearly 1".

This was a fun project - A Party In A Card - Enjoy!!

Here are the links to Karen's instruction videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1O8orgD7_o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29JOMWg-9nM

Happy Dance!!

Just had to share the news that my post "Time Traveler" has been mentioned on
Tim Hotz's blog today.   That makes me do the HAPPY DANCE!  Click on the link below to see all the amazing artists in Tim's Blogworthy Links.

                                   http://timholtz.com/blogworthy-links-3/

Giddy Up!

Don't ya just love it when a plan comes together?

I need a card for my Dad's birthday tomorrow and was at a loss for a theme.  Then Simon Says Stamp and Show presented their weekly challenge with "Into The Woods". Since we live in the Southwest, the wild wild west, wood makes me think rustic so I had to go with a cowgirl.

                When the card is pulled open, it reveals the message inside a box.

 I used some great wood grained paper from my stash. Last week at our Scrapbook Club meeting two ladies did a great demo on a box card and I wanted to use it before I forgot.  I will give you the cutting and scoring template at the bottom of the post.

I cut out some brown card stock on my e cutter to make the front look like barn doors.  The door panels were then embossed with wood grain.

           After stamping my greeting it was punched out with a 1.5" circle punch.

I stamped, colored and cut out my image for the front of the card.  These are some of my favorite images from an Arizona Artist, Terry Medaris.  I colored two images since I was not sure where I was going with this.  I finished off the inside of the card with two cute stickers from Creative Imaginations and a hand written message.

So for not really having a plan to start with - I think it came together pretty well.

As promised, here is the Box Card Template for those who wish to try it.