Documenting Life Tutorial

Hi all! I have a little Sizzix tutorial to share today, it is not what I originally planned, but because I've been sick, I had to wait with my more elaborate tutorial for later.

 

I made a layout with some new Sizzix dies and stamps by Echo Park and wanted to show you how easy it is to add interactive elements, and extra space to a layout. I often want to use more photos and words than there is space for and I am always thinking of new ways of dealing with this. The die I used for the flaps is meant to be used for window cards, but works great also on layouts.

 

Smear Salty Ocean, Tumbled Glass, Mowed Lawn and Peeled Paint on your craft sheet. Mist with water and press the paper into the ink. Hold the paper at an angle to let the ink run and blend.

 

Die cut two Cards with Windows from white or cream cardstock. The die also has a sweet banner. This is an XL die, so you need the Extended Cutting pads, and the Crease pad also works great together with it. Replace the top cutting pad in the sandwich with the crease pad.

 

Smear Antique Linen and Frayed Burlap on your craft sheet, mist with water and press the papers into it, all sides.

Stamp the images and words in the Everyday set on white smooth cardstock with Archival Inks.

Here I wanted to show you a new product from Sizzix, the Stamper's Secret Weapon. It is a double-sided stamping and piercing mat, and is meant to be used especially with clear stamps. Clear stamps don't have the same cushioning as you get in a wood mount or cling mounted stamp, and placing your paper on top of the firm sponge of the Secret Weapon makes it easier to get a perfect impression. You can use it with your wood mount and cling mounted stamps too. 

Die cut the stamped shapes with the coordinating dies. The Magnetic Platform makes this much easier since the dies and the paper don't shift.

Here you can see the finished die cuts. I particularly like the speech bubble and that all these dies work just as well on their own. They don't have to be used together with the stamps.

I used the Documented set to die cut some more shapes from white cardstock and kraft-core.

To give myself even more space, I cut a piece of cardstock for the inside of the flaps. Poke holes and thread a thin piece of twine through.

Tie the twine on the outside. Adhere a photo to the inside of the frame.

For a nice extra detail, I stitched around the photo to add an extra frame and more texture. You could also write or stamp on the frame.

Layer the die cuts on the page. This stamp is great to use for a title. You can easily make the background more elaborate by stamping or stencilling on it.

I used foam dots for some of the die cuts, to add dimension.

This is such a fun arrow. If you struggle to get the arrow out of the die, it helps to place a piece of wax paper between the die and the paper when you die cut.

I used some old photo turns to keep the flaps closed, but once they are in a page protector it isn't even necessary.

 

Thank you so much for looking!

 

Happy crafting!

 

Anna-Karin

 

Supplies:

Surfaces: Canson Mix Media paper; Daler & Rowney Watercolour paper; Neenah Smooth Solar White Cardstock; Tim Holtz Core'dinations Kraft-Core cardstock

Dies: Sizzix: Everyday Framelits set w/Stamps, A2 Card w/Window, Documented Set

Stamps: Sizzix: Everyday Framelits set w/Stamps

Ink: Distress Ink: Salty Ocean, Tumbled Glass, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Gathered Twigs; Archival Ink: Leaf Green, Vermillion, Fern Green, Potting Soil

Embellishments: Tim Holtz idea-ology: Life Quotes Remnant Rubs; 7Gypsies photo turns; rhinestones

Tools: Sizzix: Big Shot, Magnetic Platform, Stamper's Secret Weapon

Misted Layout

Hello all! I hope you are well and enjoying your weekend. There is a new CSI:Color, Stories, Inspiration case file up:

 

My layout:

 

I made a quick stencilled background using stencils by Tim Holtz and Dylusions mist. The case file made me think of this photo of my son with his first sunglasses. We called him 'cool dude' when he wore them, and he later started saying 'cool dule' about all sunglasses and glasses, still today he calls sunglasses this. The story is written inside the little matchbook. From the evidence I used: polka dots, washi tape, metal, labels and woodgrain. I placed my journaling in an envelope and it is inspired by sunshine. Do you spot anything that is missing? I had taken out some pink rhinestones to use, but forgot to put them on the layout before taking this photo.

 

For the background, I placed the Rays and the Bubble stencils on watercolour paper and misted yellow and orange Dylusions mist through them. I splattered some more mist on the page and used a little water to make the rays a little longer. I also misted with Biscotti Perfect Pearls for shine.

For the letters I used the Boardwalk die. Pumice Stone ink was applied directly to a piece of white paper to create a textured woodgrain look and the letters were die cut from that.

 

The Matchbook die has two books, and I used the smaller one here. It was die cut from white paper and stamped with a woodgrain background stamp and Pumice Stone ink. The owl was die cut from mat board, inked with Spiced Marmalade and Pumice Stone and stamped with a crackle stamp. I coated it with Glossy Accents. 

This word was die cut from another piece of inked cardstock. And a little star of course!

 

Thank you so much for looking!

 

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:
Surfaces: Neenah Smooth Solar White cardstock; Daler & Rowney watercolour paper; Sizzix Little Sizzles Mat Board
Dies: Sizzix: Boardwalk, Stacked Artful Words, Mini Owl & Crescent Moon, Matchbook Set
Stamps: Stamper's Anonymous Tim Holtz: Wallpaper & Wood, Ultimate Grunge
Ink: Distress Ink: Pumice Stone, Spiced Marmalade; Archival Ink: Watering Can
Mist: Ranger Dylusions mist: Lemon Zest, Squeezed Orange; Ranger Perfect Pearls Mist: Biscotti
Stencils: Stamper's Anonymous Tim Holtz: Rays, Bubble
Embellishments: Tim Holtz idea-ology: Mirror Stars, Observations Word Bands, Number Brads, Laboratorie Tissue Tape, Words Remnant Rubs, Game Spinners, Long Fasteners

12 tags of 2014 August

Hello everyone! I am sorry about the quiet week here on the blog, I've been sick with a terribly stubborn cold thing. Today I am sharing my version of Tim Holtz 12 tags of 2014 August.

 

I had fun playing around with the techniques. The tissue masking and stamping is real fun and I like the layers of stamping, ink, paste and embossing powder on this month's tag. My tag is about writing and telling your story.  

 

The Distress Embossing Powder rust looks real cool on top of the paste letters. 

I used a pen nib since my tag has a writing theme and distressed it with paint. It was glued to a twig that I found on the floor. I guess my son must have found it somewhere, but it had a tiny bit of gold paint on it, so I have no idea where it comes from. It was the perfect size for the pen nib. 

Word Bands and Film Strip ribbons are two of my favourite products. Love that you see the layers through the ribbon.

This stamp of a writing hand is not such a bold stamp, which means that it doesn't stand out so clearly from the tissue tape. I liked the effect of the faint hand, that almost looks like it was a part of the printed tape originally.

 

Thank you so much for looking! Have a lovely weekend!

 

Happy crafting!

 

Anna-Karin

 

Supplies:

Surfaces: Ranger Manila Tag

Stamps: Stamper's Anonymous Tim Holtz: Typography, Merchantile

Ink: Distress Ink: Walnut Stain, Black Soot; Archival Ink: Jet Black

Stain: Distress Stain: Spiced Marmalade, Iced Spruce, Mowed Lawn

Paint: Distress Paint: Picked Fence, Black Soot, Iced Spruce

Stencils: Stamper's Anonymous: Speckles, Cargo, Stripes

Medium: Ranger: Texture Paste

Embossing powder: Distress Embossing Powder: Vintage Photo

Embellishments: Tim Holtz idea-ology: Symphony Tissue Tape, Pen Nibs, Observations Word Bands, Sprocket Gears, Mini Gears, Vial Labels, Words Remnant Rubs, Film Strip Ribbon, Crinkle Ribbon, Jute String

Little Witches Layout

Hello everyone!! It is Monday, and of course a new challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog. This week our challenge is a bit of word play: witch-kraft. You can mix both themes up, as I did, or stick with the witches or kraft theme.

 

I made a layout, which might seem to be about Halloween, but isn't really. My son got scared of a very sweet little kiddies programme about a friendly witch when he was smaller. I can't remember the exact origins, but he started talking about 'little witches' on the way to school one day and this has developed into a whole elaborate story during the past two years or so. The 'little witches' are very kind tiny child witches, they have their own school, houses, a teacher and so on.

The house on the layout is the nursery school of the little witches. I die cut it from grungeboard and painted with various Distress Paints. It was sanded, inked and stamped with a spider and spider web stamp. I used mica for the windows. The tree was done in the same way, with green, brown and black paint. Both dies are Sizzix dies by Tim Holtz.

Here you can see the texture of the house a little better.

The little witches are sitting in front of their school, with a fence die cut from kraft-core cardstock behind them.

The background is Motif cardstock, which has an embossed pattern, which will resist ink and paint - if you wipe the paint off from the embossed parts before it dries completely. I used Picket Fence paint and also splattered the layout with some green paint.

Some more witches and a blueprint hat were stamped, lightly coloured with Distress Ink and cut out.

I hope you have time to join us this week in our fun challenge. As every week, one participant wins a $50 gift voucher from Simon Says Stamp.

 

Thank you so much for stopping by here today!

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:
Surfaces: Tim Holtz idea-ology: Grungeboard, Motif Cardstock; Tim Holtz Core'dinations Kraft-Core cardstock
Dies: Sizzix: Halloween Shadows, Ironworks Gate, Branch Tree, Rickety House
Stamps: Stamper's Anonymous Tim Holtz: Mini Blueprints 7, Halftone Halloween, Mini Halloween 4, Mini Halloween 3, Retro Halloween
Ink: Ranger Archival Ink: Jet Black; Distress Ink: Antique Linen, Gathered Twigs, Bundled Sage
Paint: Distress Paint: Bundled Sage, Iced Spruce, Black Soot, Walnut Stain, Peeled Paint, Picket Fence
Embellishments: Tim Holtz idea-ology: Deco Type Industrious Stickers, Frames & Trims Industrious Stickers, Seasonal Chit Chat stickers, Laboratorie Tissue Tape, Commute Tissue Tape

Play Mixed Media Layout

Hi and welcome! I hope your weekend is off to a good start. There is a new CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration case file:

 

 

 

My layout:

 

I made a mixed media layout, making flaps out of dry embossed paper leftover from a gelli printing session. I like to press embossed paper onto the plate to create patterns, and sometimes those papers come out even nicer than the actual prints. From the evidence items I used: wet medium, butterflies, and book paper: The journaling was inspired by the theme of making little books for your journaling, and the layout is also about a happy topic - one of our favourite outings, a really great playground, different from most other play areas I have seen. 

The background was covered with Tim Holtz new tissue wrap and coated with gesso. I added some stencilling on top with Broken China and Black Soot Distress Paint. I also stamped the background with a grungy circle stamp and Picked Raspberry paint.

 

The flaps were simply scored and folded, and are a great place for additional photos and for all my journaling. I wrote a lot about our memories from this place during the past three years or so. Everything from the toys and games we've played, to Anton being bitten by a huge termite ant. The butterflies were die cut from old book paper with the Butterfly Frenzy die.

 

The title letters were die cut with the Block Talk Lowercase die. I like that the letters are pretty narrow, so you can fit in a long word in a small space if you need to. My title is 'Play, Play and more Play'. The larger butterflies were die cut with the Mini Butterflies die.

All the flaps open, and inside each one I added an additional folded piece of paper, to give me even more space for photos and journaling.

I had fun using these embossed papers. Love that random application of paint.

 

Have a great weekend and I hope you can play along with us this week!

 

Happy crafting!

 

Anna-Karin

 

Supplies:

Surfaces: Neenah Smooth Solar White cardstock; Tim Holtz idea-ology: Postale Tissue Wrap; Ranger black cardstock; Daler & Rowney watercolour paper

Dies: Sizzix: Butterfly Frenzy, Mini Butterflies, Block Talk Lowercase

Embossing folders: Sizzix: Waves & Bubbles, Chevron & Lattice, Burlap & Swirls, Arrows & Boardwalk, Ink Splats & Wood Planks

Stamps: Tim Holtz Stamper's Anonymous: Mini Muse

Paint: Distress Paint: Picked Raspberry, Broken China, Black Soot; various paints by Dina Wakley used for the prints

Stencils: Stamper's Anonymous Tim Holtz: Speckles, Bubbles

Embellishments: Tim Holtz idea-ology: Label Letters, Elements Tissue Tape

Dimensional Compass Card

Hi all! There is something about compasses which I really like, probably because I often think about where south, north, east and west are situated when I am at a specific place. I remember being amazed the first time I learned how to use a compass as a child. In Sweden, there is a sport called orienteering, which consists of running around in a forest with a map and a compass looking for a specific number of stations. You get it elsewhere too now. We did this quite a bit in school.

For this dimensional compass card, I used Tim Holtz Sizzix Compass Blueprint Framelits set, which is a die and stamp combo, making it easy to create dimension. The background was dry embossed using the Trellis folder, with one of the Embossing Diffusers to form the circle which is not embossed in the centre. I liked the way the non-embossed circle framed the compass. Stamp the compass on the background cardstock before embossing. I used the smooth side of Ranger's Watercolour cardstock for the stamping.

After stamping the compass blueprint on the background cardstock, stamp it another four times on the smooth side of the watercolour paper. Die cut with the coordinating dies. It really helps to have the Sizzix Magnetic Platform, making it much easier to get a precise cut. Smear Distress Inks on a craft sheet, mist once with water and pick up with a paint brush, to colour all the pieces. I used: Spiced Marmalade, Squeezed Lemonade, Peacock Feathers and Pumice Stone.

This is the sandwich to use with the embossing diffusers: Platform tab 1, texture fade with paper inside, diffuser adhered to folder with tape, cutting pad. After that, to get the more defined line around the circle use this sandwich: Platform tab 1, Silicon Rubber Pad, cardstock with diffuser shape, Impressions Pad. Run through your Big Shot or Vagabond. The background was inked and splattered with Pumice Stone.

The sentiment and label stamp and die are also included in the same set. I stamped it with Monarch Orange Archival Ink and the sentiment with Jet Black. Die cut with the coordinating die.

Layer the pieces of the compass on top of each other with foam tape. Here you can see that it is pretty dimensional, from the front you don't see the foam tape. As you can see, I didn't colour some of the areas which would be covered.

 

Thank you for looking!

 

Happy crafting!

 

Anna-Karin

 

Supplies:

Surfaces: Ranger Watercolour cardstock; Tim Holtz Core'dinations Kraft-Core cardstock

Dies and stamps: Sizzix: Compass Blueprint Framelits stamp and die set

Embossing folder: Sizzix: Courtyard & Trellis, Embossing Diffuser Set 1

Ink: Distress Ink: Spiced Marmalade, Squeezed Lemonade, Pumice Stone, Peacock Feathers; Archival Ink: Jet Black, Monarch Orange

Dies, Stencils and Stamps Blog Hop

Hello everyone! This week Eileen Hull's Inspiration Team and Stencil Girl are having a fun blog hop. Lots of inspiration! This is the second day of the hop and it is time for my post.

 

 

I made a bird mini-book, and this is a tutorial too.

If you follow my blog, you probably already know that I love birds, and the Speckled Bird stencil was calling out to be the star of a mini album cover. This is just the sweetest bird. The album was made with Eileen's Sizzix Mini Album die, which is a favourite of mine since it is so versatile. You can make the album in two sizes, here I did the chunkier version with a wider spine. I like to take photos of birds, and I am going to fill this book with those photos, both photos I've already taken and future ones. You can see another tutorial for a similar album here.

 

Start by die cutting the album from mat board. This is an XL die, so you need the Extended Cutting Pads. I didn't use the closure flap. Here you can see the scorelines for the spine. If you make a thinner album, you only use the centre piece for your spine. I used all three.

Cover the album with old dictionary paper using multi medium.  

 

Smear gesso over the paper, but let some of the text show through.

Paint the covers with brown shades of Distress Paint. I used Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap and Walnut Stain. Leave to dry.

Mix Salty Ocean and Broken China into one blob of White Embossing Paste and mix Peacock Feathers into another blob. I like to use a piece of plastic packaging as my palette. Carefully smear through the Speckled Bird stencil, varying the two shades of paste.

Mix some Walnut Stain into white paste and add dots with a dot texture stencil.

 

When the paste is dry, add some dry-brushing with Walnut Stain paint.

I cut twelve pages from smooth watercolour paper, making them slightly smaller than the covers. Smear Antique Linen, Gathered Twigs, Salty Ocean and Peacock Feathers Distress Ink on your craft sheet, mist with water and press the pages into the ink (I forgot to take a photo of this step). Repeat for all the pages, both sides. When the ink was dry, I added more stencilling to the pages, for example, using the Three Crows stencil and the dot stencil.

When the paste is dry, I stamped the pages here and there using stamps from Eileen's great Craffiti Picket Fence stamp set. The wooden window and fence were stamped with Potting Soil ink. The background stamps were stamped with Salty Ocean and Gathered Twigs, misting the stamp with water before stamping.

Layer the pages two together into six signatures. Poke two holes into each page and thread a thin piece of twine through the holes.

Cut a piece of natural sticky-back canvas for the spine and glue it in place with multi medium. Poke holes at three intervals and thread the twine through - two signatures into each hole. Tie a tight knot. I added a Tim Holtz Heart Charm to the spine. 

The textures of the text background, paint and embossing paste are real nice and makes you want to reach out and touch the book. I gave the bird a pearl for an eye.

I also used one of my favourite quotes on the cover.

Just a quick look at some of the inside pages. Here I used the Bird in Window stencil.

Some of the pages only have stamping and no paste.

 All the edges were inked with Gathered Twigs.

I like having an album ready, so that I can just adhere the photos once I develop them.

The back of the album looks like this. You could also add more stencilling here.

 

There is a great prize package to be won. All comments left for the entire week August 18th - August 22nd on all blogs in the hop will be eligible for the giveaway. So the more blogs you comment on, the larger your chance is to win. Comments close Sunday, August 24th @ 11:59PM Central Time. Winner will be announced on Tuesday, August 26th.

 

These are the stops on the blog hop for today:

Stencil Girl Talk

Gwen Lafleur

Mary C. Nasser

Anna-Karin Evaldsson (you are here)

Michelle Zerull

 

And don't miss all the inspiration posted yesterday, and during the remainder of the week.

Thank you so much for stopping by here today! Next stop is the wonderful Michelle Zerull.

 

Happy crafting!!

 

Anna-Karin

 

Supplies:

Surfaces: Sizzix Little Sizzles White Mat Board; Canson Multi-Technique papers; Ranger Natural Sticky-Back Canvas; old dictionary pages

Dies: Sizzix: Mini Album 

Stencils: Stencil Girl: Speckled Bird, Three Crows, Bird In Window, Journal Texture 1

Stamps: Eileen Hull Craffiti: Picket Fence

Ink: ranger Archival Ink: Potting Soil; Distress Ink: Gathered Twigs, Antique Linen, Salty Ocean, Peacock Feathers

Paint: Distress Paint: Antique Linen, Walnut Stain, Frayed Burlap, Salty Ocean, Broken China, Peacock Feathers

Medium: Ranger Multi Medium Matte; Stamper's Anonymous Wendy Vecchi: White Embossing Paste

Embellishments: Tim Holtz idea-ology: Heart Charms, Trinket Pins; Prima: Engraver Alphabet Stickers