Sizzix/Tim Holtz Oak Leaf Impresslit

I wanted to use the new Sizzix Chapter 3 Tim Holtz 3D Oak Leaf Impresslit. The Impresslit cuts the shape and embosses the texture in one pass!

I inked up some Distress Mixed Media Heavystock paper using a combination of Distress Sprays, in the new Mica Stains in Flickering Candle and Jack o Lantern and the Oxides in Mustard Seed and Carved Pumpkin. I also inked up some browns and Rusty Hinge on some other sheets for some brown leaves. Using a Distress Ink cube in Gathered Twigs, I lightly ran it over the diecut leaves to highlight the veining.

I cut another piece of the Mixed Media Heavystock to 8 x 3 1/2 inches for a slimline card panel. I used yellows, oranges and a little browns- Distress inks and Distress Oxide Sprays on the panel.

 (NO MICAS YET).

I let this fully dry.

Next, I took stamps from my stash, Tim Holtz's "Pressed Foliage" and using a stamp platform and Distress Ground Espresso ink, I stamped the leaves onto the panel. The stamps have intricate veining so I inked it up a few times to be sure I got the detail. I quickly took clear embossing powder and poured it over the leaves while the ink was still wet and heat embossed it. 

 I wanted the stamped ink to be trapped under the clear powder so when I added more color or water it wouldn't wash away. Some of the powder stuck and some didn't when I tapped it off, and I had already removed the stamps from the platform so there was no way to restamp.

I took a paintbrush and added a little bit of the Spiced Pumpkin Distress ink to the stamped leaves just to darken them and have them stand out a bit. I wanted to add a bit of shine from the Distress Mica Sprays, so I spritzed a little more and added some water. Since the Distress ink is water reactive and the embossing powder didn't completely cover the stamped leaves, the ink washed out a bit, which I ended up liking in the end. 

I then took the script stamp from Tim Holtz's Poinsettia stamp set and randomly stamped it in Ground Espresso Archival ink just for some interest.

I wound some gold thread around the panel, glued 3 of the Oak leaves together, then using pop dots attached it. 

The sentiment is from Tim Holtz's Tiny Text.

I used some gold metallic paper to mat it, and attached it to a kraft cardstock card I made.

I hope you like it, I think it's important to use old products with new, the possibilities are endless.

You can find me on Instagram @susanbcards, where I post a new card almost daily.

 

Cut Out Leaves- Die cut and Dry Embossed

 

I love this Sizzix/Tim Holtz "Cut Out Leaves" die set. It only cuts out the leaf pattern inside the leaf, it doesn't cut the outer edge of the leaf, so just the design is cut. I had this idea to die cut just some of the leaves and emboss the dies on the rest of the card.

I first diecut the 4 leaves in the center of 3 1/2" x 7 1/4" white 110 lb panel. I then placed the dies onto the panel so it would look like falling leaves. This time I put the Sizzix Silicone Rubber Pad under the cardstock but still use the regular cutting plates and the Multi Purpose Platform set for embossing. This silicone rubber pad acts as a cushion, letting the dies emboss the paper rather than cut the paper. Don't worry, the silcone pad doesn't get die cut as long as you use these Thin lit dies. You just can't use the silcone pad with BIGZ dies, which are made to cut chipboard, etc. Don't ask me how I know this, just know that this is my second silicone pad.

You really want to diecut first, emboss second because if you do it the other way around, the 2nd time you put it through the Big Shot it will smash the embossed leaves down and they will look flat, not as good.

I then cut a 2nd panel for underneath the die cut panel so I could add color to the diecuts. I cut it slightly smaller so I wouldn't have to worry about the edges sticking out anywhere. Here are the colors and order I sprayed them, drying them in between, eliminating too much blending.

I happen to have the purple diecut Thanks (Altenew) on my desk, originally for another project. I liked the fall/Thanksgiving vibe it gave. I don't usually use a sentiment in a color that isn't already on my project but I liked the contrast and just pulled it all together by matting the panel in purple.

That's my card. I like the look of the diecuts and embossing. I hope you try it and tag me on Instagram if you post it.

@susanbcards on Instagram, I post almost everyday with a new card.

A Welcoming Halloween Garden

The "Gate Keeper" dies from Sizzix/Tim Holtz are Halloween dies but I think they can be used year round. So when I cut out the gates in black, my initial thought was an entrance to a garden. It reminded me of a garden in Boston or London behind wrought iron fences. 

I started with a piece of Distress Mixed Media Heavy Stock paper which I cut to 4 1/4 x 5 1/2. I used Distress Sprays in Faded Jeans (both regular and Oxide) and dried the paper. I then decided to add some shimmer by spraying the new Mica Stain Spray in Empty Tomb and the Distress Spray Stain in Brushed Pewter. That gave it a hazy, mystical look to the panel. I die cut the moon and after adding a bit of Gathered Twigs to the edges, I thought it needed the bat.

That set the stage for me adding all the flowers and greenery. I have a box of leftover diecuts from other projects that I'm so happy to use on any new projects. Once I started adding them they looked like they were waiting at the gate, a bit spooky. The card needed a sentiment to finish it off, I have a package of Idea-ology Halloween Baseboards and thought "The Dead of Night" was the perfect sentiment. All of a sudden the card went from a happy garden to a cemetery entrance.

 I don't make many Halloween cards, I love Halloween, we decorate the outside of the house, but people don't generally send Halloween cards. But this card is so fun I'll probably just add it to my inspiration board.

Enjoy the season, the rest of the year is the best time for making cards! 

Follow me on Instagram @susanbcards where I post new cards almost daily.

Eroded Metallic Leaf Fragments

The Sizzix/Tim Holtz "Leaf Fragments" die is the star of the show here. I took a piece of Distress Mixed Media Heavy Stock paper and Distress Paints and followed Tim Holtz's YouTube demo for his Eroded Metallic technique. I saw it 2x, I think once was for the Distress Paint demo, the other time for the Salvaged Patina color reveal. It's hard to explain, much easier to watch the demo, but here's the steps in a nutshell: cover the paper with Distress Paint shades that would mimic patina (mostly greens and blues), let it dry. Then take Antique Bronze Distress Paint and quickly cover the dried paint. Splatter water on top of the paint, some areas with no water, some with more, some with less. Using a heat tool, set the dry areas a bit. Take a paper towel and quickly press into the paper, peel off. Some of the Bronze paint will be pulled off, some with stay, looking like eroded metal.

I die cut the leaf, then gold heat embossed the Choose to Shine sentiment from Tiny Text. I ran a little Black Soot Distress Crayon over the sentiment to make it stand out.

I used the Tim Holtz Shaping tools to give the leaf a bit of dimension.

 The background is cream cardstock run embossed with the Sizzix/Tim Holtz 3D Foliage folder. I took an embossing pad and lightly ran it over the paper, hitting the raised areas, poured gold embossing powder over the entire front and tapped off the excess and heated it. 

I didn't have a sheet of evergreen cardstock to mat the panel so I ink blended the edge of the mat with Rustic Wilderness Distress Ink, I think the color is perfect with the gold and brings out the bit of green on the leaf.

I popped up the leaf with pop dots, cut to fit. I think the dimension from the shaping tools really make a big difference. The extra details make a card special.

I think this card is perfect for a (my) college student heading back to in person class after a year studying remotely.

I'm entering this card into 'De-stress with distressing' challenge on the Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge.  http://frillyandfunkie.blogspot.com/

I hope you like my card, have a wonderful day.

If you want to see more of my work, I post nearly daily @susanbcards on Instagram.

Metallic Leaves embossed with Foliage 3D Folder

(On Instagram in April)

I love this technique of embossing metallic cardstock with a 3D embossing folder, then brushing black acrylic paint over the whole thing and wiping some off to highlight the pattern. I saw this on a Tim Holtz Distress Paint demo. I had the idea to die cut the cardstock, I did it a few months ago using insect dies. 

I took a piece of metallic cardstock put it into the Sizzix/Tim Holtz Foliage 3D Folder, ran it through my Big Shot. (This paper is from Michaels) I then took black acrylic paint and a foam brush and quickly covered the cardstock with a thin coat. I took a slightly damp paper towel and lightly rubbed it over the surface, it left paint in the recessed areas. Tim Holtz has a Youtube demo showing this, if I remember correctly the subject is Distress Paint.

I then took the Sizzix/Tim Holtz "Leaf Fragments" dies and just randomly place them on the metallic paper and die cut them. I was able to cut 4 pieces from that embossed card stock.

I had a piece of white Distress Heavy Mixed Media Cardstock and cut a panel 3.5"x 8.5". I then sprayed and dipped it with a mix of colors. I keep these on hand to use as needed, I diecut them or use them for card fronts. This one had Distress inks in Rusty HInge, Vintage Photo, Distress Oxides in Mustard Seed, Walnut Stain, Distress Mica Sprays in Jack O Lantern, Flickering Candle.

I then used the Distress Embossing Dabber and a Splatter Stencil and placed random splatters on the panel and gold embossing powder.. I also embossed a stamp from Stampers Anonymous "Flower Shop" for the text, used the same stamp with Ground Espresso Distress Archival ink just to put some wrting in the background.

That's it for today, thank you for reading!

I post nearly everyday on Instagram @susanbcards

 

3 Leaf Fragments

 I do love fall but last winter was so bad here, piles and piles of snow which damaged my roof and leaked into my kitchen. So we just finished having it all repaired and repainted, so the thought of summer ending is a bit sad. 

What makes me happy are the Tim Holtz/ Ranger Distress Mica Sprays. They are spray stains that have mica in it, shake it up and spray and you verbally say, "Ohhhhhhh." The shimmer is so pretty in real life but I can't seem to get a good photo of it. Sadly they are only available for a limited time, but happy there will be a new set of colors next month.

I sprayed 3 sheets of Distress Mixed Media Heavy Stock, one in shades of orange, one in shades of yellow and one in shades of green. Oh I wish I didn't get lost in the spraying but I just grabbed a bunch of bottles and did what I felt it needed. Here's my best guess:

Orange sheet: Jack O Lantern and Flickering Candle Mica Sprays, Rusty HInge Spray Stain.

Yellow sheet: Mustard Seed Distress Oxide and Flickering Candle Mica Spray.

Green sheet: Bubbling Cauldron Mica Spray, Rustic Wilderness Distress and Oxide, Crushed Olive Distress Stain.

I then die cut the sheets with the "Leaf Fragments" by Tim Holtz for Sizzix.

I felt like the needed a bit of something, remembered in one Tim Holtz demo he showed using a leaf stamp to put veining on a die. So I used "Pressed Foliage" by Stamper Anonymous and inked up the veins but tried to avoid the outline of the leaves and randomly placed it on the diecuts. I added a bit of "age spots" to the leaves with some Gathered Twigs Distress ink for more dimension.

I wanted the leaves to standout so I just used white cardstock for the card panel embossed with Sizzix/Tim Holtz Foliage 3D embossing folder. The sentiment is from Stampers Anonymous Tiny Text stamps. I just ink up the entire stamp with white pigment ink and poured white embossing powder (clear would work too) and heated. I then cut off what I need. I used some pop dots to lift my leaves off the panel.

Artists always say odd numbers look better on a card, and they are right, it looks more random for some reason and is more pleasing to the eye. I usually use group of 3, my favorite look.

This week the Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog has a challenge called, "Triple the Heat" where you need to use 3 of a kind. Here I used 3 leaves in my card. Happy to say I won their last challenge and will be guest designing for them soon. Here is the link for the current challenge: 

http://frillyandfunkie.blogspot.com/2021/08/triple-heat.html

Follow me on Instagram where I post nearly daily. @susanbcards on Instagram

Sizzix/Tim Holtz Impresslit Butterfly

 What can you say about this beautiful Sizzix Tim Holtz Impresslit Butterfly that hasn't been already said?  I just love that the Impresslits emboss and cut in one swoop. I used Tim Holtz Distress Mixed Media Heavystock in white to cut out the butterflies. I smooshed and dipped small pieces of this paper into the Distress ink and Oxides, let it dry and then cut the Impresslits. I did go back and ink some of the areas again where I thought it needed it after cutting. I then ran a clear embossing pad over the raised areas and poured some gold embossing powder over the butterflies. Using a paint brush, I brushed some of the powder away just to give it a vintage feel.

The panel is by Pinkfresh Studios, it's a slimline die called "Slim braided circles panel". I blending some ink behind it to hightlight the butterflies.

I'm entering this into "Shimmering Summer Fun" challenge at the Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge Blog. My first time entering this challenge.  Check it out here:

http://frillyandfunkie.blogspot.com/

UPDATE: I WON! 

Found!

 All of these pieces were on my desk waiting to be used after some crafting experiments. The Sizzix/Tim Holtz Impresslit Butterfly was a birthday gift using a Simon Says Stamp giftcard. I cut the butterfly from a matt metallic cardstock, then using Metallic Gilding Wax, I lightly applied using my finger on the raised areas. 

The background is Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stain in Brushed Pewter on white Heavy Stock paper. I used the Stampers Anonymous "Flower Shop" stamps with Archival ink.

The sentiment is from Stampers Anonymous "Observations". I silver heat embossed it on the same silver paper I used for the butterflies. I love metallic embossing powder on metallic paper. I then cut it out using some old Spellbinders label dies.

A remake

 About a year ago, I made a similar card. I had come across a Tim Holtz demo on FB and he showed how you can take an Impresslit, heat emboss it with Distress Glaze and use a Distress Crayon to age it to make it look like ceramic. Since I didn't have an Impresslit, I tried it with the Tim Holtz/Sizzix "Botanical" folder. There are instructions for that card on this blog (May 4,2020). 

I got lost in making it, I think it took me a few hours to get it to where I wanted it. I posted it on Instagram @Susanbcards and later I had a DM from Tim Holtz saying he liked it, would I post how I made it and then he'd share it on his Instagram Story. I read it and actually thought it was a imposter account. So I said something like, "Okay I'll try." You have to understand, I wasn't a huge Instagram poster, I didn't know that much about him at that time, that he is very supportive of makers and often shares their makes. I probably had 300 followers. I had maybe 10 people looking at my blog, which was too time consuming for me, so I rarely posted. Still don't much unless I get a lot of questions on how I made something. .He messaged me again he was so kind and supportive, I then believed it was real. 

I posted the instructions and also posted the card on a few FB paper crafter sites. Over 1000 people have looked at that blog post. For many bloggers that is nothing, but when you have 12 people looking at your posts normally, it's mind boggling. Since that time I have watched every Tim Holtz tutorial at least 2x. I have learned so much and have become so much better at making cards. I watch lots of other tutorials too and it helps me become more creative.

So the backstory on the original card was that I had lost someone close to me and for over a year was in this place I couldn't get out of, not everyday but many days. The pandemic started and the store I worked part time at closed. So many things/people to worry about. I still remember watching that demo and getting the idea to try it with the folder. I put the folder on my desk with the Embossing Glaze so I wouldn't forget. After I finished the panel, I found the clipping that said "she was herself again" and got teary. The key says, "Hope" and the medallion has compass directions on it. The first time I made a card for myself.

Since then, I have been vaccinated and have seen my family and friends again, things are more normal but a bit different too. 

There's a new Distress ink color, Salvaged Patina, it's bright and happy. I decided to make a new card using the new shade. The clipping says, "always reminds me of her." The key has "Journey" engraved on it and I used a clock this time. I aged it using Finnabair Patina Effect Pastes because time has passed and the journey is long but you never forget the people who are part of your journey.

Instructions:

I inked the "Botanical" folder with Antique Linen Distress Ink and using Black Soot Archival ink I stamped the "Reflections" stamp randomly on those same areas. I inserted white Heavyweight Mixed Media paper and ran it through the Big Shot. 

I used the Salvaged Patina Distress Spray Stain like watercolor and painted all the raised areas with a paintbrush.

I used an embossing ink pen and went over all the raised images and poured the Salvaged Patina Embossing Glaze over it  and heated it, a few areas at a time. After it cooled I took the Vintage Photo Distress Crayon and highlighted some of the texture on the florals, used a damp towel to smooth it over. I then ran the Distress Embossing Dabber over the recessed areas, used clear embossing powder and heated it to make it all shine and look like a ceramic tile.

I aged the metal pieces using the Finnabair Patina Effect Paste kit.

That's it. Enjoy your making journey.

Altenew 3D Embossing Folder

 The Altenew Beautiful Bergenia 3D embossing folder with white pigment ink, 2 ways. The one on the left is purple cardstock embossed in my Big Shot, then I took a white pigment ink pad and rubbed it over the raised areas. 

Here is an example of how I do this, sorry it’s not the same embossed piece, but you get the idea. 

For the card on the right, I used a brayer and rolled the white pigment ink onto the embossing folder. I rolls vertically, horizontally and diagonally just to get ink all over the raised areas on the folder. (Again, not the folder I used for this card but an example.) if you apply ink to the raised areas, after you put it through the Big Shot, it’ll push the ink into the recessed areas of the card.  Here I used the same color cardstock, a purple. 

 

After embossing I took a dark purple ink cube and ran it over the cardstock, the ink will hit the raised areas. I hope this explains how I get all this texture and color on the cardstock. 

Beautiful Bergenia 3D embossing folder

----  https://tidd.ly/4t8Wm7R  [Scrapbookcom]

Easter Box Basket

Brown cardstock in 7 1/4" x 7 1/4" . Score at 2 inches on all 4 sides (score at 2", turn cardstock, score again at 2", turn again score at 2", turn and score 2") Fold on the score lines.
. Cut up to the first score line and remove a thin piece from the square that touches the rectangle (see photo above). Repeat at the section directly across from it.

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Place glue in one square, fold that inside and attach to the rectangle, making a corner. Glue all 4 sides so the box looks like this:

At this point you have a box, you can decorate it with printed paper. I took the Tim Holtz/Sizzix 3D embossing folder called "Intertwine" it looks like a weaved basket. I inked the folder with Gathered Twigs and ran a piece of Kraft cardstock through the Big Shot. I cut these pieces to mat my box. My pieces were about 1 7/8" x 3". I lightly inked the edges and embossed areas to make it look woven. I glued these on with Distress Collage Medium, which is a strong adhesive.

For the handle I took a strip of Kraft cardstock cut at 1 1/4" x 10", punched a hole about 1/2" up on both sides. I added a slightly smaller dark brown strip to decorate the handle. I punched holes in the basket about 1/2" down, centered. I then attached the handle with some old flower brads I had. It's always good to use up the old stash!

The bunny is Sizzix/Tim Holtz die called "Carrot Bunny" The candy is Lindt Chocolate Carrots.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Designer Spotlight!

I was so incredibly honored to have my vignette chosen for the Designer Spotlight! I worked very hard on this vignette, it was inspired by Paula Cheney's vignette for the Tim Holtz Sizzix holiday release of the Paper Village dies. I changed mine a bit, I added a church with a bell, it was not easy tying that little bitty bell into the steeple. The log house in the upper left corner was inspired by the Tim Holtz FB holiday demo. All the trees are Idea-ology, I learned how to color them on the Tim Holtz FB demos as well. I love the Idea-ology fence on the bottom, I've had that for awhile, I just adore it. The smiling moon is from a Halloween Idea-ology pack, I hate to admit it but I bought the entire pack just for that moon. Now that Christmas is over I think I'm going to hang this up in my home office where I do most of my crafting, some things need to be enjoyed all year around. Visit the Simon Says Stamp blog, every Monday and Wednesday they have challenges! https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/

Altenew Beautiful Bergenia 3D Embossing

I made a lidded box from cardstock. I took Altenew's Beautiful Bergenia 3D embossing folder and heavy white cardstock, misted the paper with water and ran it through the Big Shot. The texture is breathtaking!

I used a pink ink pad and ran it over the raised areas to add color, a few times to darken the color in a few areas. After dry, I ran a embossing ink pad and a dabber over the entire panel and poured clear embossing powder, heated it with a heat gun and it magically looks like ceramic! I cut pieces to fit the box, attaching it with Distress Collage Medium, the strongest adhesive I know of. The box is pretty strong, perfect for storing small items or even use as a giftbox.