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.