A Hand Car Layout

Just popping in today to share some more photos of the Hawaii mini-book I'm making.  These two pages are from my son Timothy's favorite day on the island.  We went to visit the Hawaiian Railway Society.  We'd bought our tickets for the steam engine railroad ride and while waiting took these photos near the trains on display. 

The papers for both layouts came from the Maggie Holmes Signature Collection.  The tag on this first page was stamped with my Stampin' Up Apothecary Art stamp and then colored with my Distress Markers.  I think I used Shabby Shutters and Broken Glass for the most part with a little Peeled Paint thrown in for shading.  I then cut the label apart creating the two pieces for the album. 

The blue posies were stamped with Faded Jeans Distress using my Heartfelt Creations Posy stamps and cut with the matching dies.  The center is a bit of Flower Soft- mixing a dark blue and a dark green for the final effect. After a little 3D magic, they were strategically placed on the image.

As an added surprise, an engineer asked the kids if they'd like to take a hand car ride.  Enthusiastically, they both said yes and rode off without Mom and Dad- not a common occurrence with my two introverted, shy children. 

More Maggie Holmes on this page with a chipboard accent from the same set.  Everything is edged with some Scattered Straw and Vintage Photo Distress ink. 

Creative Chemistry 102: Faded Alcohol Ink Layers

I found this stray set of pictures from my Creative Chemistry 102 class.  This technique is interesting and I definitely need to play with it more.  First, a layer of various colors of alcohol ink is applied to the alcohol ink paper using a this technique.  While the ink is still wet, place a stencil over the inked background.  Apply Ink Blending Solution to the felt pad on an Ink Blending Tool.  Lightly tap the blending solution through the open areas of the stencil.  In my case, I used the Tim Holtz Bubbles stencil and a letter stencil from the stash- at least a decade old.  After I lifted enough ink off, I dried the entire surface with my heat tool.  The rose is stamped using Archival Black ink.

A Boss' Day Card

I volunteered to make a card for boss' day last week.  How could I not, the stash was calling out to be used.  I combed the internet and found the poem here. It seemed to fit- a little bit honest acknowledging all the roles that a boss has that you don't, a little bit funny (corny one might say, but I really like the word Hence), and a little bit sweet. 

I used gold embossing powered after stamping the asters with my Heartfelt Creations Delicate Asters stamps.  I then cut the flowers and shaped them, layering different colors of paper- brown cardstock, patterned paper with gold embossing, and patterned paper without the embossing. 

The background paper is from the stash- old.  By old I mean at least a couple of years old.  It is a Paper Loft Gentler Times.  It was time to use that paper!  It works here to create a fall look and definitely looks different from the fru-fru that I usually do for the ladies at work.  The brown cardstock die cuts were made using my Heartfelt Creations Ornamental Add On.  Additionally, I used my Our Daily Bread's Fancy Foliage to make the green cardstock leaf swirls. 

On the inside, I printed the finish for the poem.  A distressed piece of the matching patterned paper, one more leaf swirl and a little distressing.  Just right for 8-12 of my co-workers to sign and pass on to the boss.  I hope she felt special- it was fun to make the card.

Life is Good Hawaii Mini-book Layout

These pages were full of pictures from our trip to Iolani Palace.  This location is rich in Hawaiian heritage and we thoroughly enjoyed our day out. 

The layout is made using paper from the Maggie Holmes Signature Collection from Crate Paper.  The wood embellishments were inked with Worn Lipstick Distress Ink and layered over pieces from the Maggie Holmes collection. 

The opposing side was simply finished with another of the fabric Polaroid frames.  Both butterflies are chipboard elements from the collection.

I'm not sure the Maggie Holmes stuff counts as from the stash as I bought it for this project earlier this year.  However, The wood pieces are from the stash- at least 18 months old- and are from a set where I've kept the leftovers hanging around.  I'm going to link this one up with the Use It Tuesday Challenge #66: Creatures.  If you've got the creepy crawlers in your project, come join the fun.

More Happy Hawaii Layouts

I thought I'd share these pages from the Hawaii mini-album.  I actually did these pages a few weeks ago but they've sat waiting to be photographed as I took my Creative Chemistry class.  I intended to get to them but work is demanding some attention and keeping me from taking the time.  These two pages use more of the Maggie Holmes Signature Series.  The pictures were taken at the Punch Bowl memorial to the Pacific theater WWII men that were lost in the war.  The view is spectacular, but mostly you are aware and grateful for those men who paid a price for America to be free.  We visited with Dan's parents and spent time at the memorial reading about the war and the men interred there. 

These layouts use some pieces of store bought paper doilies and some die cut tags, from the Cricut and from my Quickutz dies.  The twine is from the stash as well as the swirl.  Simple layouts, but they keep the pictures the star.

Creative Chemistry 102- Shabby Chic

I still have a few techniques that I've not tried yet.  I'm hoping to get to them this week.  I thought I would share this last photo which was sitting in the blog queue un-posted.  This technique is pretty cool.  I used this rather small die cut from my Stampin' Up Apothecary Accents Framelits because it seemed to have the correct style.  I can see where a larger die cut would be more impressive, but you make due with what's at hand when you are in class!

The technique is accomplished by laying down a layer of Black Soot Distress Paint over the entire die cut.  Be sure this layer is completely dry before the next step.  I then stamped using Embossing Ink the swirl images from a Fiskars stamp set.  I embossed the images with clear embossing powder.  After the piece had cooled, I covered the entire die cut in Picket Fence Distress Paint.  Any light color would do.  The pink shade is particularly nice.  Allow the paint to dry slightly and then spritz some water on a soft cloth and wipe over the embossed area.  The water will lift off the Distress Paint and create the soft, shabby look.  I'm not sure this technique would work well with non-Distress acryllic paint which aren't reactive with water, but you might give it a try just to see.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again.  One of the reasons Tim Holtz is a papercrafting rockstar to me is that he encourages us to use what we have and to look at what we have differently.  For a not-so-closet-craft-hoarder that is a encouraging inspiration.  I want to encourage each of you to do the same. Play and try.  It will eventually pay off.

Creative Chemisty 102- Faux Tarnished Silver

 While trying to get the post out for our Play All Day I stumbled upon a couple of pictures that I'd taken and not posted from the recent Online Card Class, Creative Chemistry 102.  This technique is called Tarnished Silver and Tim explained that the technique came from Shelly Hickox.  I trolled around the internet and found this tutorial at Splitcoaststampers.  My sample started as a chipboard swirl.  I took this photo of the back so you could see the transformation.

I tried to manipulate the light to get this photo which shows a little more of the contrast.  I'd recommend playing with this technique a couple of times to get the balance between heat (my "bubbles are bigger than the tutorial and I suspect that might be concentrating the heat to high) and the application of black paint at the end.  Give it a go- it was a lot of fun.

Embellish It Play All Day Mesa, Arizona

Yesterday was a full day of creative goodness.  We joined Embellish It at their Mesa, Arizona Play All Day event.   This is our third year attending this event and we'd have to say that Shelby Dredge did not disappoint.








The day begins at 9 am.  Shelby always brings a fine assortment of mini-album, layout and card kits as well as some of the paper packs and collections.  We usually start the day shopping because she almost sells out before the day is over.  If you see something, pick it up because someone else is likely to see it too!

The day goes by fast.  This year in particular seemed very productive!  Brandy and I were joined with her co-worker, Annette.  We each had our own projects to work on.  Brandy and I focus on Christmas card production while Annette had some mini-album kits, one finished by the end of the day and a second mostly done.  During the day, Shelby leads a four page layout (picture on the left above) and a card (picture on the right above) class.  This is an optional activity, but each participant goes home with a generous kit and all the instructions you'll need.  More on that later (when I can get some pictures taken and posted).

As you can see by this box full of cards, I was able to finish assembly on my Christmas cards.  That's 50 Christmas cards all ready to go and it's not even November.  I'm pretty excited.  I had a good deal of preparation that was finished before I arrived, but done is done.

Brandy made significant headway on her cards, inking and distressing and creating all kinds of goodness.  No sneak peaks here, you'll have to wait to see the final product nearer to Christmas.  If you have a chance to check out a Play All Day near you, we'd highly recommend it.  I'll try to get the posts of our classes up before the end of the week.  Till then, happy crafting!

A Happy Fall Wreath- Sister Time

Brandy recently had to take a trip to the East Coast for business.  She got a chance to stop by Niagra Falls at night.  Forgive the photo- it's nighttime using a cell camera.  Still, if you are going to be out of town for more than a week for business there should be some benefit.

However, the meaning of this post is to share some crafty goodness that Brandy shared with her sister Sheri.  Brandy stayed with Sheri over the weekend between work.  I guess it is just her crafty inspiration or maybe it's that we will all stop and take time to do things with company that we won't stop to do for ourselves.  Either way, Sheri made this fall wreath and Brandy just had to share it with us.

Most of the flowers are tied on with floral wire and a little hot glue. 

I just love the sunflowers, but the chrysanthemum was utterly inspired.  The satin edged ribbon adds just the right amount of contrast and interest on the bare twig wreath.

Let this fall craftiness inspire you.  Crafting together is one of the hallmarks of our blog here at Contagiously Crafty.  Brandy and I will join one of her co-workers this morning at Embellish It's Play All Day here in Mesa, Arizona.  We will be craftin' fools from 9 am to 9 pm with a stopover for a layout class and a card class.  We are both planning to get our Christmas cards done today.  Wish us pleasant crafting!

It's a Man's Birthday- 89th in fact!

My grandfather's birthday was earlier this month.  Not just the dreaded Man Card, but an Old Man Card.  He'd laugh to see me say that. 

I was inspired by this Pinterest pin.  I used my Cricut Straight From the Nest cart <leaves2> to cut out these leaves from some script printed papers in the stash.  These are easily 5 years old if not older.  A little Forest Most and Barn Door Distress Ink applied with an Ink Blending Tool around the edges finishes the leaves.  The strip of paper on the left is glassine paper that I crumpled up  and then opened up and placed on the kraft matted paper.








There's a bit more dimension with the glassine paper than the picture shows.  The kraft mat paper is edged with some Barn Door Distress ink and the twine wound around before placing on the card.  The inside had a simple Happy Birthday stamp.

Grandpa is 89 years old.  He still objects to being called old.  I'm old, so I think he can man up and own it himself.  He'd laugh if he knew I said that.

Happy Birthday, Grandpa!  I love you dearly.

Creative Chemistry 102: Embossing Through a Stencil- A Second Try

This is a second attempt to use Distress Ink to create a patterned emboss through a stencil.  This is achieved by applying Distress Ink (I used Seedless Preserves) through the stencil (I used Tim Holtz's Bubbles).  The stencil is removed and clear embossing powder applied.  The powder is randomly removed from the image by flicking the back of the tag and then heated to melt the embossing powder.  After the embossing has cooled, the stencil is returned to the tag in the exact same location.  A darker contrast (I used Vintage Photo) Distress Ink is applied to the image, pushing ink down over the stencil.  Some Distress ink was applied to the background to finish the look.

This is a technique I need to try again.  It seems a little bit tricky.  I so loved the rusted enamel technique that I'm going to keep at it until I get it right.

Creative Chemistry 102: Colored Crackle

This technique uses the Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint.  The shapes were die cut out of Grungeboard.  In this case, one of the Heartfelt Creations Vintage Floret flowers and a leaf from the Classic Leaf dies.  A thin coat of Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint is applied.  Once completely dry, Distress Paint in various colors are daubed onto the crackles.  I really don't like the result, but that could have to do with the colors of paint that I have, none of the bright colors.  I thought the paint would have a richer brown color but the result ended up being this dull color of brown.  Some improvement occurred then Distress Ink is applied to the image with an ink blending tool.

Water was spritzed on the piece and the Distress ink soaked into and defined the crackles more effectively. 

Still, this will take me some time to play and figure out how to effectively use this technique.  That may not happen as I don't know that I plan to purchase much more of the Distress Paint

Creative Chemistry 102: Sticky Embossing Powder

This technique involved using Ranger's Sticky Embossing Powder.  This embossing powder has a small window after melting where the powder will be sticky and glitter will adhere to the embossed image.  I decided to give it a try using my Heartfelt Creations Delicate Aster stamps.  I thought this might be a good test because the aster stamps are so delicate and intricate. 

I used Embossing Ink to stamp the images and sprinkled the Sticky Embossing powder over the stamped images.  I then heated the three flowers to melt the powder.  When the image was still fluid and hot, I poured Peacock Feathers Distress Glitter.  After allowing the images to cool, the glitter is pretty well adhered to the images. 

This close up allows you to see a couple things about the technique.  First- I'm not sure that a delicate, intricate image will be the best result.  A lot of the detail in these stamps is lost.  Second, Distress Glitter is not "micro-fine" in size.  I think a micro-fine glitter might give a more intricate stamp definition.  The idea that Distress Glitter matches to the tone and palette of the Distress line is very appealing.  After having worked with micro-fine glitter, I'm  partial to the detail it provides.  Distress glitter does not provide that detail- guess it make sense with the whole Distress idea.

Still, I'd recommend the Sticky Embossing Powder if you'd like to try something new.

Creative Chemistry 102: Rusting with Distress Embossing Powder

This is a technique using Distress Embossing Powder.  After inking the chipboard swirl with Embossing ink, Vintage Photo Distress Embossing Powder was applied to the surface.  The surface was heated using a heat tool to  melt the powder.  After cooling, the release crystals were rubbed off until the surface felt like sandpaper.  The edges were inked with some more Vintage Photo Distress ink using the Ink Blending Tool.  I chose to emboss the wheat swirls from Heartfelt Creations on the tag and

reached into the stash to find some yellow poppy flowers.  A little Vintage Photo Distress Glitter in the center ties this monochromatic tag together.  I really like the result- one of the true benefits with the Distress palette across all different types of products.