Christmas – iGirlZoe, Crafter & Tim Holtz Addict

‘Christmas’ Category

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star…

17th November, 2014 by iGirlZoe

Hello everyone. Firstly, thank you so much for the lovely comments on my Skating towards Christmas card, it’s been great to connect with other crafters and see what you’re creating.

I spent the weekend making more Christmas cards. This year I’m making a different card for each person I send to. It’s giving me a chance to use more of my Christmas stash as well as using lots of the techniques and new products I’ve picked up this year.

This card was inspired by several challenges that I mixed together in one card, (Gold/Stars/Tim Holtz altered cabinet card pocket).

I took “altered” in the literal sense and inked, sanded, scratched, stamped and distressed my card pocket. I LOVE the background stamp from one of this years Christmas stamp sets by Tim Holtz. It’s so vintage and such an easy stamp to create a repeat pattern with, as I did on my cabinet card.

I embossed manilla cardstock with a star folder and covered in a layer of tarnished brass distress paint. The distress paint is reactive with water when wet so I misted and let the paint run over the embossed stars. Once dry I sanded the top layer to make the embossed stars pop.

I die cut the small tim holtz 3D star and ran through my sewing machine with gold thread. I distressed some core-dinations kraft core cardstock and gave that the gold thread treatment. Seriously, if you thought I was obsessed with my sewing machine before, you should see me now I’ve got GOLD THREAD!!! 😉

I folded the star into it’s 3D shape and attached to the front of the card with a dab of glossy accents. Afterwards I thought I could hang the star and make it detachable for the recipient to hang on their Christmas tree. I also had another idea about how to utilise the pocket part of the cabinet card pocket. I will have another post later in the week.

Thanks for taking time to look at my card.

~

This card was inspired by these challenges:

Scrapdeco Christmas Card Challenge – Gold card
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge – We’re Seeing Stars
Inspiration Emporium Monthly Challenge – Happy Holidays
Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge 15 – Cabinet Card Pocket

Inspiration Emporium are generously sponsoring CC3 challenge 15 with a $50 gift certificate to the lucky winner!

If you don’t already have the Compendium of Curiosities 3 book, you can order a signed copy directly from Tim.

~

supplies: tim holtz; mini cabinet card/manilla cardstock/core-dinations kraft core/mini distress inks (vintage photo, gathered twigs)/distress paint (tarnished brass)/distress glitter (clear rock candy)/die (3D star, holiday words: script)/stamp set (christmas nostalgia #207)
other: archival ink (jet black)/glossy accents/scor-tape/star embossing folder/sewing machine/gold thread

Category Christmas, Craft, Craft Challenges, Craft Creations | Tags: | 15 Comments | Views: 1,883
Skating towards Christmas!

10th November, 2014 by iGirlZoe

Another Monday, another week closer to Christmas (YAY)! With that in mind, I wanted to share a Christmas card I made over the weekend using the new Tim Holtz paper snowflakes thinlits dies!

Using the Sizzix magnetic platform, I cut the snowflake from distress watercolour paper, (you may need to pass your die sandwich through your die cutter 2 or 3 times as the card is quite thick). I inked up the snowflake with antique linen distress ink, covered in embossing ink and sticky powder, then, once melted, covered in rock candy distress glitter. Finally I inked up the edges with vintage photo distress ink and added a star covered with a drop of latte alcohol ink. (A few drops of alcohol ink escaped from the star onto the snowflake but I think the colour bleed looks vintage, so… happy accident!) I didn’t apply adhesive to the shorter arms of the snowflake so I could bend them away from the card to give it more depth.

The boots were die cut using the mini ice skates die. I covered the boot with picket fence distress paint and when it was tacky, stamped the boot with a snowflake stamp covered in pumice stone distress ink. Once the boot was fully dry I used a sanding file to rough up the edges which I then inked up with walnut stain distress ink. I used the same colour for the boot heel and brushed pewter distress paint for the skate blade. I poked holes in the skate boot and laced it up.

Thanks for stopping by my blog and thank you so much for the lovely comments you’ve been leaving on previous posts.

I am entering my card into the following online challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – Ornaments
Inspiration Emporium Monday Challenge – Happy Holidays

~

supplies: tim holtz; distress watercolor card/grungeboard/core-dinations kraft core/distress embossing powder/distress glitter (clear rock candy)/distress ink (antique linen, vintage photo, walnut stain)/distress paint (picket fence, brushed pewter)/alcohol ink (latte)/ideaology (mirrored stars)/dies (postage stamp frame, mini ice skates, paper snowflakes, holiday words: script)/stamps (christmas nostalgia #207)/ tools (sanding block, blending tool)
other: sticky embossing powder/glossy accents/scor=tape/metal file/water spritzer/thread/sewing machine/

Category Christmas, Craft, Craft Creations, Craft Techniques | Tags: | 11 Comments | Views: 2,430
Dear Santa, I can explain…

7th November, 2014 by iGirlZoe

Last year I took part in “November’s card a day” on Scrapdeco’s blog. This year I was delighted to be asked to make a couple of cards for the challenge. I’m excited to share my first card with you.

My challenge is to create a Christmas card using a wax seal and a non Christmas themed die, (I used the Tim Holtz Sizzix Vintage Typewriter).

To see and take part in the Christmas card challenge, hop over to Scrapdeco’s blog. (The blog is in French, but there is an option on the right to change the language).

I hope you have a great weekend.

~

supplies: tim holtz; watercolor card/grungeboard/core-dinations kraft core/distress ink (antique linen, vintage photo, walnut stain)/distress marker (gathered twigs)/distress stain (black soot, brushed pewter)/dies (vintage typewriter, holiday greens, holiday words: script)/embossing folders (winter berries)/stamps (going somewhere #90)/ tools (sanding block, blending tool, distress marker spritzer)
other: archival ink (jet black, red geranium)/glossy accents/stamps (7G – christmas greetings)/red adhesive gems/sealing wax & wax seal

Category Christmas, Craft, Craft Challenges, Craft Creations | Tags: | 9 Comments | Views: 2,624
12 Tags of 2014 – November

4th November, 2014 by iGirlZoe

My take on November’s 12 Tags of 2014 is less warm hues and more icy blues, but I used all the techniques Tim shared. I love love loved using the corrugated cardboard, it will be such a great way to use up Christmas delivery boxes.

I can’t properly convey in words my love for the holiday word script dies. They’re connected really sensibly and actually take quite a lot of altering punishment.

I am going to make some more of these in a Christmas card format. I’m keeping the cardboard snowflakes to decorate and use separately in a home decor project.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year… 🙂

Thanks for taking a look at my tag and take time to hop over to Tim’s blog to see this month’s tag and techniques. If you would like to see the post in French, hop over to Scrapdeco’s blog.

~

supplies: tim holtz; manilla tag/corrugated cardboard/distress glitter (clear rock candy)/distress ink (tumbled glass, walnut stain)/distress paint (picket fence, tumbled glass, stormy sky, weathered wood, salty ocean, faded jeans, iced spruce)/distress stains (tumbled glass, stormy sky, brushed pewter)/idea-ology (crinkle ribbon, tinsel twine silver, snowflake adornments)/dies (layered snowflake, holiday word script)/tools(sanding block, mini blending tool)
other: embossing ink/glossy accents/glue n seal/sticky powder/heat tool

Category Christmas, Craft, Craft Challenges, Craft Creations | Tags: | 18 Comments | Views: 3,261
Happy New Year

28th January, 2013 by iGirlZoe

Hope you had a fun filled, creative Christmas. I have been so busy eying up all the Winter CHA 2013 releases that I barely noticed January passing by!

Christmas seems like a world away now, but I wanted to share a few photo’s of how I spent mine, (up in the Swiss mountains with my DH and a big bag of craft supplies).

We drove down to the Montreux Christmas Market one evening. It’s hosted every year on the shores of Lake Geneva, surrounded by snow capped mountains.

It was really pretty with all the Swiss Chalet style stalls and we stopped for a glass of mulled wine and gaufres, (French for waffles).

The Swiss traditional way to roast chestnuts is in terracotta pots over brass cylinders filled with hot coal and salts that create steam. The smell is wonderful and it’s a great place to stand and get warm. I especially loved this stall covered in feather and rose petal lights.

The Coca Cola Truck driving through Montreux, to signify that Christmas is coming!

Can’t wait for next Christmas.

Category Christmas | Tags: | No Comments | Views: 1,977
Winter Wonderland

1st February, 2012 by iGirlZoe

I woke up this morning to a beautiful blanket of snow, pulled on my boots, grabbed my camera and rushed out to capture the winter wonderland. I snapped these at the park next to our apartment building in Geneva, Switzerland.

With temperatures dropping to -18 over the weekend, the snow looks set to stay.

Time to light a fire, shuffle into my slippers and get creative.

Category Christmas | Tags: | 6 Comments | Views: 4,023