Anything Tim Holtz LTC

All the Ranger/TH stuff
I used on this card

I use a lot of Ranger/Tim Holtz (TH) products so I was excited to join Jaybirders, "Anything Tim Holtz" LTC swap.  I didn't do anything new for this card but it was fun to make.  I will walk you through it starting from the bottom and going up.

I like using text papers on my cards.  I found a Tim Holtz book of scrapbook paper that I loved.  I cut the papers to size and set them aside.  

While I was out looking for TH stuff, I found the film strip ribbon.  I thought it was cool and if the Magi would have had a camera, they would have taken pictures of their trip.  I cut ribbon in strips vertically and horizontally and glued them to the background.  Once the cards were totally finished, I realized that I like the ones where the film ribbon lined up with the star in the stamp best.  

Then I took TH watercolor cardstock and cut it to size.  I did a resist distress ink technique.  I stamped a music stamp on the paper with a VersaMark embossing ink pad, and I embossed it with Ranger white embossing powder.  I rubbed the distress inks (Chipped Sapphire, Blueprint Sketch, and Wilted Violet) on my craft mat and sprayed them with water.  Then I tapped a piece of acetate into the watered down ink and smeared it on my card.  One color at a time; drying the paper in between the colors.   

HERE is the video that I am trying to copy.  I have used this technique before and I wasn't totally happy with it.  The problem is, sometimes less is more.  I struggle with that and don't know when to stop.  I think these cards are much better than the last time I tried this.  

When that was dry I lightly sprayed the cards with Distress Mica Spray Tarnished Brass.

I roughed up the edge with the TH edge rougher.  Lol, what is the name of this silly tool?  I don't know.  It made a fluffy mess.  I glued that to my background.  (I Googled it and it is called a Thread Cutter/Paper Distresser.)

Now for my stamp.  I wanted to recarve a TH stamp but so many of them have tiny text that I knew I couldn't do it.  I saw some cards on Pinterest using a Wise Men die cut.  I love the image and carved it right up.  I stamped it on grey textured paper using a black VersaFine ink pad and fussy cut around the outside edge.  I stamped the star using Dew Drop Brilliance Galaxy Gold ink pad and Wow! Metallic Gold Rich Super Fine embossing powder.  I attached the Three Kings with foam squares and glued the star on with a craft glue stick.  

Anything Tim Holtz: We Three Kings

I was very happy with my cards but thought they needed something.  The bottom area of the stamp is plain and I went back out to the craft stores looking for the perfect TH thing to put there.  I thought about adding a brad but the cards were completely finished and I didn't want to tear them apart.  I found some TH paper clips.  I asked my daughter what she thought and she said they looked good.  

So, they are in the mail and I am looking forward to seeing the other cards and maybe learning a new TH technique :) 

Product Review: I wanted to add that I am not a fan of the Ranger Heat It Craft Tool.  It is ok for drying areas of ink but it stinks at embossing.  I bought it after watching video after video of bloggers using it.  I totally prefer my pink Paper Studio Embossing Heat Tool for embossing.  I included it in the first picture because I used to dry ink and not to emboss. 

TAP's March Madness

7c Worth of March Madness: Smile

This is the 2nd time Team Awesome Pants (TAP) has hosted a goofy paper swap. She bought some paper, cut it to size, and send it out to folks who signed up for her "7 cents Worth of March Madness" LTC swap.  

The paper I received this time was much better than last time.  HERE is the link to my blog post last time I participated.  For this paper, my first thought was Indian/Hindu.  I don't know much about that but I kept thinking about elephants.  I did an online search and this cute elephant popped up multiple times.  I decided to carve him and add the text.  

I stamped it on cream vellum with a gold ink pad and gold embossing powder.  I tried to use the embossing powder sparingly to make the cards look worn.  So, if you look at them and think, "Wendy needs to get a new embossing ink pad."  It was intentional.  And I'm not just saying that to cover a mistake.  The card that I kept for myself has minimal embossing.  I punched 2 of the corners, rubbed gold ink around the edge of the vellum, and added gold studs on the other corners.

I'm very happy with how my cards turned out and I'm looking forward to seeing the others.