Craft Techniques – iGirlZoe, Crafter & Tim Holtz Addict

‘Craft Techniques’ Category

B is for Balloon

16th March, 2015 by iGirlZoe

Hello. Just a quick post to share a birthday card that I made for my Nephew’s first birthday. I meant to post this a week ago, but I went back to school to study French and the first week was a bit hectic.

Excuse the poor lighting. Daylight saving time hasn’t begun in Europe yet and it had been a bit grey outside when I took this pic! I need to sort myself out a portable light box. If anyone has any recommendations, I would appreciate them.

I made the negative by die cutting shrink plastic with Tim Holtz mini filmstrip and ticket decorative strip die. I dropped alcohol inks onto the plastic until it resembled a real negative strip. I printed miniature photos of my Nephew throughout his first year using my Canon Selphy printer.

I stamped, watercolored with distress markers and fussy cut the balloon blueprints and die cut a cameo frame from grungeboard and inked with distress paint and inks.

Thanks for taking the time to look at my card and thank you for your comments, I really do appreciate them.

~

supplies: tim holtz; surfaces (distress watercolor cardstock, grungeboard, manilla cardstock, shrink plastic, core-dinations kraft core)/distress ink (stormy sky, vintage photo, walnut stain)/distress ink markers (stormy sky, frayed burlap, pumice stone)/distress paint (stormy sky, picket fence)/alcohol inks (espresso)/idea-ology (paper stash french industrial, industrious stickers borders)/dies (cameo frame, sized ovals, tattered banners, mini filmstrip & mini tickets)/stamps (#154 mini blueprints 4)
other: archival ink (jet black)/glossy accents/sewing machine

Category Craft, Craft Creations, Craft Techniques | Tags: | 3 Comments | Views: 802
12 Tags of 2015 – February

25th February, 2015 by iGirlZoe

Phew! I’m just in time with this months Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2015!

I’ve just spent 4 wonderfully restful days in the mountains with my DH celebrating 7 years since I moved to Switzerland, and I took some time out to make my tag.

My love affair with my sewing machine continues, so I took Tim’s patchwork idea literally. Once I had prepared the patches, (see Tim’s blog post for the technique), I stitched between them.

My other love affair is with the new distress colour, Cracked Pistachio! I covered the industrious frame sticker with cracked pistachio paint and allowed to almost dry, then wiped sections for a great faux patina.

I stamped hearts using the new Tim Holtz stamp set “watercolor” set. I cut them out and fed them through my sewing machine, leaving a length of thread between each. I wrapped the excess thread at the top around the arrow adornment and then glued the arrow to the tag.

I repeated the faux patina on the industrious border and XO stickers, as well as the arrow adornment. I had to talk myself out of just covering the entire tag in a cracked pistachio paint wash! 😉

I am SO excited about the new Tim Holtz handwritten thinlit dies that are being released this year! Whilst waiting for them, I re-purposed a die from the holiday scrip set. I thought the sentiment was perfect for this. I made the heart as shown in my Love Distress post.

Thanks for taking the time to look at my tag. You can see this months tag and techniques on Tim’s blog and you can see the post translated into French on Scrapdeco’s blog.

I am also playing along with the Love is in the Air challenge over at Inspiration Journal and the No Rules challenge over at Simon Says Stamp.

~

supplies: tim holtz; surfaces (manilla tag, distress watercolor cardstock)/distress ink (fired brick)/distress ink markers (black soot)/distress paint (picket fence, cracked pistachio)/distress stickles (fired brick)/idea-ology (ephemera pack, industrious stickers, arrow adornment, crinkle ribbon)/dies (holiday words: script, movers & shapers mini hearts)/stamps (#217 watercolor)
other: glue n seal/glossy accents/sewing machine

Category Craft, Craft Challenges, Craft Techniques | Tags: | 7 Comments | Views: 1,258
Matchbox Valentines Collage

14th February, 2015 by iGirlZoe

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

Whether you are celebrating Valentine’s with your honey or celebrating being single and fabulous, it’s a great excuse for making stuff.

Today I want to share with you a matchbox valentines collage that I made using the Tim Holtz Sizzix matchbox die and following the really detailed tutorial by Paula Cheney.

I had to include a photo of my sewing machine in action. I am still in shock that I can now use a machine, (albeit basically).

I cut, distressed, inked and stitched the matchbox panels. This time I made side panels which I stamped using the new Tim Holtz watercolor stamp set. I stitched through the centre of the side panels and stuck a strip of scor-tape to the back.

Here you can see the side panels stuck down as well as the heart stamps that I used to stamp the inside of the matchbox sides, (before I built them).

I gathered my distress products ready to decorate my matchboxes.

I made another tiny garden terracotta plant pot using the same techniques as I demonstrated in my matchbox halloween collage post. This time I twisted wire around the skewer and tucked in die cut hearts.

I was still swooning over the new cracked pistachio distress products, so I couldn’t resist using the paint on the arrow adornment to create faux patina. I made a second embellishment for a Valentine’s Day card.

In my matchbox halloween collage I also used corked vials. This time I filled them with tiny die cut hearts and festive berries distress glitter. I made a slit in the top of the cork and pushed a die cut heart into each with a drop of glossy accents to secure.

Thank you for taking time to look at my matchbox valentines collage. Be sure to check out Paula Cheney’s tutorial for detailed instructions on how to make your own matchbox collage.

Be sure to stop by the following online challenges and join in the fun…

“Love is in the Air” – Inspiration Journal
“It’s time to play Tic Tac Toe” – A Vintage Journey
(ideaology, sprays, ribbon)

Category Craft, Craft Challenges, Craft Creations, Craft Techniques | Tags: | 17 Comments | Views: 3,027
12 Months of Distress – January

9th February, 2015 by iGirlZoe

Oh Cracked Pistachio… I think I love you…

My postman arrived with the much anticipated first new distress colour of the “12 months of distress.” Having a new colour each month is so exciting, it’s like having a year long advent calendar. I could not wait to break into the cracked pistachio and try it out.

I made a tag using various cracked pistachio distress products. I used Tim’s technique from January’s 12 tags of 2015 along with cracked pistachio paint and gathered twigs spray stain to create the background.

I used the cracked pistachio marker to watercolour the stamped image and spray stain to colour the crinkle ribbon.

I used the cracked pistachio ink pad to ink up a heart stamp from the new watercolour stamp set, misted with water and stamped directly onto distress watercolour cardstock. I am going to make a tag each month using the new distress colour. It gives me a chance to try out the colour and build an index.

Thank you for taking time to look at my tag and check out the following online challenges that I am entering.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – H is for… (HOLTZ)
Inspiration Emporium Monthly Challenge – February

~

supplies: tim holtz; surfaces (manila tag, distress watercolor cardstock, core-dinations kraft core)/distress ink (cracked pistachio)/distress paint (cracked pistachio)/distress marker (cracked pistachio)/dies (typeset)/idea-ology (crinkle ribbon, tissue wrap, label letters)/stamps (#47 dance card, #217 watercolor)/tools (water mister, blending tool, paper distresser)
other: archival ink (jet black)/glossy accents/glue n seal/sewing machine

Category Craft, Craft Challenges, Craft Creations, Craft Supplies, Craft Techniques | Tags: | No Comments | Views: 489
12 Tags of 2015 – January Card

21st January, 2015 by iGirlZoe

Hello. Is it just me or do you sit calendar watching for the 1st of the month?! It’s even harder now with the exciting “year of distress!” This year in addition to making my 12 tags, (and to keep me out of trouble while I wait), I am making a card too.

This card is for my husband’s cousin who celebrated her 40th birthday with a trip to New York. She also loves Wonder Woman so the colours are perfect.

I made a tag using the techniques from this months 12 tags, (see Tim’s blog for details). I mounted it to a piece of paper from the merriment stash, which I stitched. I attached a “paula bow” to the top of the tag. This is by far my favourite bow of all time and I am addicted to that crinkle ribbon! You could use twine for a more masculine look to the card.

I cut the flag from grungeboard and covered in various distress glitters using the 12 tags techniques. I LOVE distress glitter. Click on the photo for a close up, you can really see the vingtage mica look to this glitter as opposed to fine glitter which I’m personally not a fan of.

Thanks for stopping by my blog and don’t forget to check out the following challenges:

Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2015 January
Inspiration Emporium January Monthly Challenge

~

supplies: tim holtz; surfaces (manilla tag/grungeboard)/distress ink (vintage photo, walnut stain, black soot)/distress ink markers (gathered twigs)/distress stain spray (rusty hinge, stormy sky, walnut stain)/distress paint (picket fence, fired brick, broken china, vintage photo)/distress glitter (clear rock candy, fired brick, broken china, vintage photo)/idea-ology (tissue wrap, crinkle ribbon, alpha parts, mirrored stars, merriment paper stash, seasonal collage paper stash)/dies (festive gent, mini old glory)/stamps (simple sayings #155, hashtags #183)/tools (water mister, sanding grip, blending tool, paper distresser,distress marker spritzer)
other: glossy accents/glue n seal/heat tool/glue gun/sewing machine

Category Craft, Craft Challenges, Craft Creations, Craft Techniques | Tags: | 4 Comments | Views: 1,094
12 Tags of 2015 – January

14th January, 2015 by iGirlZoe

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

12 Tags of 2015 is under way with January’s tag posted on Tim Holtz’s blog. I managed to complete all 12 tags last year and was really grateful for the monthly reminder to take time out to create. So HERE WE GO AGAIN…

I have challenged myself to try and use some of my “festive dies” by altering them so they don’t sit gathering dust for 11 months of the year. In addition to making a tag each month, I plan to make some cards too! Adapting the tag to suit the occasion, for example, the “2015” could be replaced with “baby” or “home” or “40th”. That’s what makes the alpha parts so awesome, lots of choice and versatility.

I love the tissue wrap technique that Tim demonstrates on this months tag. I used the antiqued bronze distress paint to create my splatters. I adore these metallic paints.

I also used the antiqued bronze distress paint to cover the aplha parts and die cut a grungeboard star from the mini old glory die set and covered with antique linen distress glitter. I attached them to some gold wire I coiled using a glue gun.

I cut the wreath away from the festive gent die, (while I cried a little at the death of Christmas… 345 days to go), and tucked the wire behind and secured with a blob of hot glue.

I made a miniature crinkle ribbon to cover the join and make it look as though the, (no longer festive), gent was holding them. I had to get my gent into the party mood so gave him a glittery party hat, scarf and shoes. 😉

Thanks for taking the time to look at my tag. You can see this months tag and techniques on Tim’s blog and you can see the post translated into French on Scrapdeco’s blog.

I am also entering my tag into the following online challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – Inky Backgrounds
Inspiration Emporium January Monthly Challenge

~

supplies: tim holtz; surfaces (manilla tag/grungeboard)/distress ink (walut stain, vintage photo, rusty hinge, broken china)/distress ink markers (black soot)/distress stain spray (walnut stain, stormy sky, tarnished brass)/distress paint (evergreen bough, antiqued bronze)/idea-ology (tissue wrap, crinkle ribbon, alpha parts, chit chat stickers)/dies (festive gent, mini old glory)/tools (water mister, sanding grip, blending tool, paper distresser/distress marker spritzer)
other: splatter brush/glossy accents/glue n seal/heat tool/glue gun/sewing machine/gold pen

Category Craft, Craft Challenges, Craft Creations, Craft Techniques | Tags: | 15 Comments | Views: 1,891
12 Tags of 2014 – December

31st December, 2014 by iGirlZoe

I was so busy loving every moment of December that I almost missed out on completing a full set of this years 12 tags of 2014. I spent the final day of the year getting inky in order to complete it.

I used the vintage globe die as I think a about my friends and family overseas at this time of year.

I have really enjoyed making these tags. A big THANK YOU to Tim for taking time to creatively inspire us each month and thanks for taking a look at my take on December’s tag. You can see this months tag and techniques on Tim’s blog and you can see the post in French on Scrapdeco’s blog.

Happy New Year, I hope 2015 is everything you could wish for.

~

supplies: tim holtz; surfaces (manilla tag/grungeboard/shrink plastic/core-dinations kraft core)/distress ink (stormy sky, tumbled glass, salty ocean, vintage photo, peeled paint, walnut stain)/distress stain spray (tumbled glass, stormy sky, brushed pewter)/distress paint (picket fence)/idea-ology (crinkle ribbon)/dies (holiday words: script, holiday words: block, tag & bookplates, vintage globe, tapered fringe, festive greenery)/stamps (#207 Christmas Nostalgia)/tools (water mister, sanding grip, blending tool, paper distresser)
other: archival ink (jet black)/glossy accents/glue n seal/heat tool

Category Christmas, Craft, Craft Challenges, Craft Techniques | Tags: | 1 Comment | Views: 632
Layered Snowflake Christmas Card

25th November, 2014 by iGirlZoe

Hello. I’ve spent another weekend preparing for Christmas, which probably seems a little enthusiastic to some, but for me this year is necessary. Road trips to the UK and France, visits to friends and family, shopping, house guests, crafting, Christmas! The to do list is endless… I actually have a list of lists I still need to make!

With that in mind, I’ve been so grateful for all the festive challenges in the blogosphere. They’ve encouraged and inspired me to get going early this year, which has been so helpful. Today’s card has been inspired by 2 challenges in particular, Tim Holtz 12 tags of 2014 and Scrapdeco Christmas card challenge.

I made a tag for this month’s 12 tags of 2014 at the beginning of the month and I used the same design for this card. I incorporated the techniques from this month’s 12 tags and Scrapdeco Maura’s pleated card challenge, to create this card.

I covered a snowflake from the new paper snowflakes die with brushed pewter distress paint and allowed to air dry. I then dropped alcohol ink on top, letting the ink wick unevenly. Once dry I dabbed a little gathered twigs distress ink on to give a gold tinge.

This started out as an experiment with distress products, but I’m really pleased with the results and I love the metallic foiled look.

I was trying out my new alphanumeric die set, which I used to create the “snow” word band on the front of my card. I cut a stencil using the alphanumeric dies and covered the back of the die cut with brushed pewter distress paint, allowing to partially dry. Whilst still wet enough for paint to transfer but not splodge, place paint side down onto white card and with a piece of paper over the top, gently rub over the entire word band. Then remove paper, peel away stencil and you’re left with a stencil transfer. I am going to have SO much fun with these dies!

Thanks for stopping by my blog and don’t forget to check out the following challenges:

Tim Holtz – 12 Tags of 2014 November
Scrapdeco – Christmas Card Challenge
Inspiration Emporium – Happy Holidays

~

supplies: tim holtz; manilla cardstock/corrugated cardboard/distress glitter (clear rock candy)/alcohol ink (cloudy blue)/distress ink (tumbled glass, gathered twigs)/distress paint (picket fence, tumbled glass, stormy sky, weathered wood, salty ocean, faded jeans, iced spruce, brushed pewter)/idea-ology (snowflake adornments)/dies (layered snowflake, holiday word script, paper snowflakes)/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, Craft Techniques | Tags: | 20 Comments | Views: 4,621
Christmas Gift Tags

20th November, 2014 by iGirlZoe

Hello everyone. I don’t know about you, but this week is flying by! Today I want to share some gift tags that I’ve been making for Christmas. In previous years I have shamefully bought my gift tags, but this year I’ve been inspired by Paula Cheney’s Mini Handwritten Holidays to make my own.

These gift tags are simple to make, customisable to your wrapping paper and add a really personal touch to your gift.

Here’s a step by step to show how I made the blueprints stamp toppers:

1: stamped pinecone from the Tim Holtz mini blueprints 7 stamp set onto distress watercolor cardstock with jet black archival ink and gathered supplies, (distress markers, paintbrush, water mister).
2: colouring directly onto a craft mat with distress markers and lightly misted with water and watercoloured directly from craft mat.
3: colour washed around the pinecone using pumice stone and stormy sky to give it a nice icy blue background.
4: using the distress marker spritzer, spritzed a little gathered twig over the design.
5: added a little glossy accents to parts of the pinecone.
6: sprinkled clear rock candy distress glitter over the design, shaked off excess and returned to pot. set aside to air dry.

You only need a few products to make these toppers, so I am putting together a small travel craft kit to take with me to the UK next month to make some while I’m away. I can’t think of anything more relaxing after a hectic day of Christmas shopping than some adult colouring time. 😉

I was inspired by the All Sewn Up challenge over at A Vintage Journey to stitch directly onto the tag to give an effect of the bells hanging from the word “merry”.

Finally, don’t forget to check out Inspiration Journal’s Happy Holidays challenge which is running all month.

Thank you for taking time to stop by my blog, I appreciate it. 🙂

~

supplies: tim holtz; white cardstock/distress watercolor cardstock/coredinations kraft core/merriment paper stash/distress ink (gathered twigs)/distress markers (stormy sky, pumice stone, vintage photo, gathered twigs,fired brick,mowed lawn, peeled paint, forest moss, wild honey)/distress stains (pumice stone, stormy sky, fired brick, brushed pewter, tarnished brass)/distress glitter (clear rock candy)/crinkle ribbon/dies (framelits: tag collection, holiday words: script, holiday greens)/stamps (mini blueprints 7 #203, christmas nostalgia #207, handwritten holidays 1 #208)/distress marker spritzer/
other: archival ink (jet black, cornflour blue, leaf green, red geranium, potting soil)/glossy accents/scor-tape/water mister/paint brush/sewing machine

Category Christmas, Craft, Craft Challenges, Craft Creations, Craft Techniques | Tags: | 9 Comments | Views: 2,814
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

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