Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2016 - December

Happy Thursday, everyone!! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and that Santa brought you lots of crafty goodies :) I'm still on a small blog break while I spend time with my family, but I wanted to slip in and post my final tag for Tim's 12 Tags of 2016 challenge. I'm so happy to have finished a tag every month...my resolution for the year :)

I won't go into too many details...I pretty much followed Tim's instructions HERE. I used his Gothic Stencil for the background on burlap technique. The papers are from his Destinations paper stack. The greens are from his Spring Greenery Alterations die and Juniper Punch.

I am entering this in Tim's 12 Tags of 2016 Challenge.

I hope you all have a very safe and happy New Year!! I will be by in a few days to visit you!! Big hugs :)

DL.ART Thankful Thursday Challenge #195 - Anything Goes

Happy Thursday!! Just a few more days until Santa visits!! I hope he brings you all the crafty goodies you desire :) It's time for the last DL.ART Thankful Thursday challenge of 2016. The theme for Challenge #195 is Anything Goes. If you use the code l01210, Diana will give you 10% off your DL.ART purchase.

Since this will be my last post of the year, I decided to make Happy New Year cards :) I can't believe it is almost 2017!! Where do the years go??

For my cards, I again used the DCWV Twinkle Glints stack that my dear friend Sherrie of Sherrie Scraps With Passion sent to me!! I have used every single page in this stack - not kidding!! I love it so much!! The sparkle in real life is amazing :)

For my cards, I wanted a sparkly, festive New Year's celebration feel, so I used a Die-Versions Sweet Petites Party Crowd die...don't they look like they're having fun??!! The circle the flowers are on is a Yvonne Creations Holly Jolly Nesting Frame die. The banner is an Avery Elle Dotted Die. The numbers are from Tim Holtz's Block Talk die. Along the bottom is a Penny Black Bauble Border die.

The gorgeous flowers are Wild Orchid Crafts Autumn Blossom and Baby's Breath. The beautiful crinkle ribbon is Midnight Black from The Newspaper Bundle. A Pollystamps Stitched Button die was added on top with Black and White Twine from Diana's shop.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1) Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Party Time
2) Jo's Scrap Shack Funday Friday - Anything Goes
3) Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

I am going to take a small break from blogging to spend the holidays with my family!! I hope you all have a very safe, happy and wonderful Christmas and a magical New Year!! I will catch up with you in the new year!! Merry Christmas dear friends!! Love you all and big holiday hugs :)

Scrapy Land Challenge #56 - Let It Snow

Happy Wednesday!! It's time for the last Scrapy Land challenge of the year!! The theme for Challenge #56 is Let it Snow plus a brand of die that Scrapy Land carries...there are over 40 to choose from. Join in the challenge and you could win a $15 gift certificate to shop at Scrapy Land :)

For my cards, I used beautiful DCWV Twinkle Glints paper sent to me by my dear, sweet friend Sherrie of Sherrie Scraps With Passion!! Thank you again for everything, Sherrie!! Love, love it all :) You can't tell in the picture, but this card really sparkles!!

In the background of the card is a Yvonne Creations Holly Jolly Frame. Inside the frame is a Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlet Tree Line die.

The deer is an Impression Obsession Deer Trio Die. He's standing on lace from Lemoncraft. Beneath the lace is a Precious Marieke Snowflake Border die. The snowflakes are Impression Obsession Small Snowflakes.

Tucked under the Wild Orchid Crafts poinsettias are Impression Obsession Pine Branches and Impression Obsession Pine Sprigs dies. The banner is a Taylored Expression Banner Stacklets 1 die. The beautiful ribbon is Pure Love from DL.ART's Valentine Bundle.

On the inside, I used a Penny Black Bauble Border die and a Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside die.

Scrapy Land Products Used

Yvonne Creations Holly Jolly Frame 

Sizzix Thinlet Tree Line

Impression Obsession Deer Trio

Precious Marieke Snowflake Border

Impression Obsession Pine Sprigs 

Impression Obsession Pine Branches 

Impression Obsession Small Snowflakes

Taylored Expression Banner Stacklets 1

Penny Black Bauble Border 

Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside 

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1) Little Scrap Pieces Show It Off Saturday - Anything Goes
2) Jo's Scrap Shack Funday Friday - Anything Goes
3) Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

I want to sincerely thank everyone for the birthday wishes, cards and gifts!! I can't tell you how much it means to me that you took the time during the busy holiday season to think of me!! I love you all!! You made my day so special and I truly appreciate it!! Big hugs to all of you my dear friends!! Have a wonderful day :)

Proud to Offer Lemoncraft Papers

Hello, my friends!! I am so excited to announce that I am now carrying gorgeous Lemoncraft designer scrapbook papers in my ETSY STORE!!

Made in Poland, Lemoncraft papers come in a variety of stunning designs. These truly are some of the most gorgeous papers on the market!! They are very hard to find in the US, so I am happy to be able to offer them for sale to you :)

I have a selection of 6x6 paper stacks

12x12 paper kits

12x12 basic paper stacks

and several single image sheets.

In order to keep shipping costs low, I've implemented calculated shipping. I've never used it before and I'm still working out the kinks. If you live in the USA and buy several stacks and it's cheaper to use a Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate box, I will send the papers in that and refund any shipping overage you've paid. Actually, for any overage of shipping, I will refund the difference. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. Stop by my ETSY STORE to see the entire line I'm offering for sale :)

Thanks so much for stopping by!! Have a great day :)

Die-Versions Christmas Gift Set

Happy Monday!! I hope you had a wonderful weekend!! Can you believe Christmas is less than a week away??!! Yipes!! It's my turn to post on the Die-Versions blog and I have a Christmas project to share with you using several Die-Versions dies.

I love making ornaments using Die-Versions dies cut with vinyl. For this ornament and card set, I used Alcohol Inks for the base. I put together a quick tutorial on how to stamp the ornament.

I started with a white ornament, Alcohol inks in Botanical and Poppyfield, a stamping tool and pieces of felt.

Squirt random drops of the inks across the felt and then you just start stamping on the ornament.

Keep stamping and building up layers until you achieve your desired look.

This is what it looked like when the entire ornament was covered. Gorgeous, isn't it??!

I had the hardest time photographing the ornament so I apologize for the light glares. I used the Whispers Regal Reindeer die (not currently in stock). Christmas is from the Compliments Holiday 1 set. Whispers Holly Branches (not currently in stock) were added under the poinsettia from Wild Orchid Crafts. The beautiful ribbon is Pure Love from DL.ART's Valentine Bundle.

I used the same dies for the card, and the same technique for the background, using Ranger Specialty Stamping Paper for the Alcohol Inks. The Regal Reindeer die was covered in Shabby White Frantage.

I had so much fun with the technique, I made another ornament using the Whispers Delicate Deer die (not currently in stock).

Die-Versions Dies Used

Thanks so much for stopping by!! Have a wonderful day!! Big hugs :)

Die-Versions Christmas Ornaments

Happy Monday!! I hope all of your holiday preparations are going well!! I still don't have all of my shopping done or cards made - ugh!! Time's running out one me. It's my turn to post on the Die-Versions blog and I have a Christmas project to share with you today. If you use the code lisa15 you'll receive 15% off your regular price Die-Versions order.

I made ornaments last year using Die-Versions dies and vinyl and I just loved how they turned out, so I made more this year. You can see last year's version HERE.

I started with clear ornaments and then removed the top. I poured about a tablespoon of Future Floor Polish inside and rolled it around until it coated the entire surface. Then I added the glitter and rolled the ornament until the entire surface was covered. Isn't the sparkle gorgeous??!! The Whispers Christmas Word Tree was cut in green vinyl and then adhered to the front of the ornament. If it doesn't lay flat or bumps appear, you can just use a heat gun to flatten the vinyl.

For this one, I used the Whispers Angels of Peace, cut in red vinyl. The dies cut the vinyl perfectly. The beautiful crinkle ribbon is Christmas Red from DL.ART's Traditional Christmas Bundle and the green is Christmas Green from the same bundle.

Thanks so much for stopping by!! Have a great day :)

Anything But Cute Secret Santa

Happy Friday!! I hope you have fun plans for the weekend!! The design team of Anything But Cute held a Secret Santa drawing to create a project for one of our dear sisters. I was so excited to draw as my Secret Santa, the sweet, lovely and amazingly talented Branka of Vintage Handmade!! She is one of the nicest, most talented artists I've met in blogland and I'm so honored to be teamies with her!! I wanted to create something special for Branka since she is such an amazing person!! This is the card that I sent in a package to her in Croatia :)

For this card, I used papers from Maja Designs Winter Frost Basics set. I love this paper stack, and especially this vintage Santa image!! I wanted to showcase it with this card :) What a beautiful representation of Christmas!! The edges of all the papers were distressed with a Zutter DIA.

The back layer is a Precious Marieke Snowflake border die. The gorgeous crinkle ribbon is Steel Blue from the DL.ART Blues Bundle which matched perfectly with the papers. Tucked beneath the Santa photo are Impression Obsession Pine Branch dies, Impression Pine Sprigs dies and Sue Wilson Designs Holly Sprays.

The tree is an Impression Obsession Fir Tree die. It was covered in DecoArt Crackle Paste and once it dried, it was brushed with DecoArt Antiquing Cream in Raw Umber, which was then wiped off, leaving it in the cracks. Believe is a My Creative Time die and it was cut once in Maja paper and once in black for a shadow. It was popped up with foam tape for dimension.

The card was finished up with DecoArt Snow Writer for a frosty effect :) I am entering this in the following challenges:

1) Dies R Us - Christmas

How excited am I that my Secret Santa is the amazing Pamellia of My Little Craft Things!! Oh, I can't tell you how honored I am to own one of her stunning masterpieces!! Wow!! They are even more spectacular in person!! It's sitting on a special shelf in my craft room where I can gaze at it every day and be so inspired!! It is truly a work of art!! And not only did Pamellia send a card, but...

...she created this gorgeous handmade ornament, too!! I have my (sadly artificial) pre-lit tree up and I haven't had a chance to put any ornaments on it at all. I can't tell you how happy I was to receive this stunning one!! It is the most gorgeous ornament I've ever seen!! It's the showplace of my tree!! Please stop by Pamellia's blog, My Little Craft Things, so you can see what she created for me, and then go to the Anything But Cute blog to see what the rest of my sweet sisters created for their Secret Santas!! I guarantee you will be inspired!!

Thank you so much for stopping by!! Have a great weekend!! Big hugs :)

A Vintage Journey Guest Designer

Hi, everyone!! I'm so excited and honored to be a guest designer today at A Vintage Journey!! AVJ is a challenge blog focusing on vintage, shabby, mixed-media, art journaling, industrial, timeworn and steampunk genres. Design Team Member Deb has chosen the theme "Winter Magic". Here's how she describes the challenge:

For us in the northern hemisphere December brings the start of winter and for many that means freezing cold weather and Christmas. But winter is so much more than that and so we ask, how would you interpret the magic of winter? Snow, icicles, colors of blue, silver and white, the festivities of Christmas, misty winter landscapes; show us what your magical focus is for the season and in a vintage; shabby; mixed-media; art journaling; industrial or steampunk style.

I love Deb's theme of Winter Magic!! For several years, I lived in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York and winters there were definitely magical (and covered in snow). I wanted to recreate that image of a wintry mountain town for my project. I started with a 6x6 canvas and covered it with Gesso.

Next, I used a stencil and crackle paste to add the snowflakes. While the paste was still wet, I added some glitter. After it dried, I brushed a light wash of Bahama Blue over the surface.

Then I chose which dies I wanted to use to create the town and cut them in watercolor paper. They were then covered with Gesso.

The mountains and hills were covered with texture paste through stencils, as was the town (not pictured).

The trees were all covered with crackle paste. Once they dried, I dabbed Tim Holtz Distress Stain in Brushed Pewter over the trees. Once it settled in the cracks, I wiped the excess off.

The village and moose were brushed with Brushed Pewter Distress Stain as well.

To finish it off, I used DecoArt Snow Writer to create the dimensional snow, and while it was still wet, I covered it in crystal ice glitter for that freshly fallen snow look.

I want to sincerely thank the extremely talented design team for A Vintage Journey for allowing me to design with them today!! Thanks so much for stopping by!! Have a great day :)