Monday, April 22, 2013

Critter Challenge #161 - Buttons

This week over at the Critter Sketch Challenge Blog we have a fun new challenge.  It just happens to be another of my favourite embellishments...  Buttons!!

I absolutely love buttons on a layout.. sometimes I tie a string through them - other times I leave them "naked".  In this layout I used my new Martha Stewart button punch, which has quickly become my most used punch.


Supplies: Pattern Paper - Simple Stories - Handmade Holiday
Cardstock - Bazzill for base and buttons
Stickles 
Twine - from my stash

Funny story about this paper - I told myself no new Christmas paper - as like many of you I am a paper hoarder, however, when I saw this line I just knew I had to have it.  It was perfect for these pictures.  This was a tradition that we started when the boys first arrived.  We all put our "first" decoration on the tree and then it is a free for all with the rest of the ornaments.  Some years we use the same ornament, other years we change it up.  This year we had our "extra" kid for the night that we decorated our tree, so he got to participate too.  The other thing that was different about this year - somehow I forgot to take a picture of the tree after we decorated it - so the picture of the tree was the picture Christmas Eve night - after the kids had gone to bed and "Santa" arrived.  We can't put presents under our tree until the night before because our Molly-Dog would eat them.  


Don't forget to head over to the Critter Sketch Challenge Blog and enter your creation for a chance to win from the Critter Sketch Challenge Blog's sponsors.

 






Monday, April 8, 2013

Welcome to another challenge over at the Critter Sketch Challenge Blog.  This week we are challenging you to use one of my favourite embellishments.  Well, it is a favourite to collect at least.  I have many, many rolls of washi tape and I keep challenging myself to use them.  I was away this weekend and managed to pick up six more rolls of it!  Oops!!



Here is my layout.. now I know you can hardly see it, but the red polka dot strip is Bella Blvd. washi tape.  It is definitely my most used roll and I probably should have picked up another roll this weekend, but, I have several reds and thought maybe not having more would encourage me to use others.  :)

Product: 

Coredinations - the background is a piece of brown Cored'inations paper and the blue strip is the "slug" that I cut off and used the back side to border punch the paw prints (EK Success punch).

Tim Holtz Distress Ink - I used Vintage Photo to edge all of the paper and embellishments.

Bella Blvd - Tail Waggers & Cat Nappers Line - all (other) paper and embellishments came from that line.

Please make sure you check out the sponsors of the Critter Sketch Challenge Blog.  This week our sponsors are: 


Paper Makeup Stamps Click to go to their store, like their facebook page or to their blog.  

 Guylou's Inimitability Please check out their blog, store and make sure you like their facebook page.

Monday, April 1, 2013

Tim Holtz's April Inspired Tag

So..  we are on spring break... the kids are off.. I am off.. the weather is beautiful...  I should be outside, however, last night at 12:30 am..  I noticed that Tim Holtz had posted his April tag.  Now, I am BRAND new to the whole Tim Holtz world, but I've fallen fast and hard.  I've really been collecting things but haven't really started to use them, however last night I was so inspired I wanted to get working on it right away, however, I didn't have the distress paints... something I'd been "saving" for.  Well, it is a good thing I work for our local scrapbook store, and even better that I have a key (the store is closed Mondays) because I couldn't wait and first thing this morning I went and picked up some of the paints.  Sadly we were all sold out of the metallic distress paints, but I picked up what I could.  I already had the metallic distress stains at home and figured I'd be able to make something work.

Once home, and got a few things done around the house - it can't be all play (can it?!) I sat down and started creating.  Tim Holtz has done an amazing tutorial on how to get the fantastic patina look so I followed it as best as I could.  The big difference for me was using the paint without the metallic paints and then adding an extra step by adding the metallic stains.

I also didn't have the gorgeous dragonfly stamp - or really anything that allowed for me to stamp the image on the tag and then stamp on to the "clearly for art" (which I didn't have either).  So I chose the typewriter from one of his new sets and just stamped right onto some upcycled plastic - it was actually the cover from a set of Tim Holtz embossing folders that I had recently purchased.  I heated it to dry - just like he did - and it worked perfectly.

So, here is what I came up with...  I am so happy with how it worked!!




Supplies:
Distress Paint - vintage photo, peeled paint, salty ocean and broken china
Distress Stain - antiqued bronze, tarnished brass
Distress Ink - evergreen bough, broken china, vintage photo, peeled paint
Tissue Tape - Commute
Word Bands
Crinkle Ribbon
Stamp from Mini Blue Prints 4
Corners

Gears were from bead landing from Michael's
Brads were from my stash