Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Tim Holtz Magic Holiday Book

If you are any sort of paper crafter, you know the name Tim Holtz.  You may even be as big a Tim-o-holic as I am.  I know that I am far from the only one suffering this disease, so chances are you LIKE Tim too.  If you have never heard of the man, let me tell you….he is extraordinary.  He designs the most amazing products. Making his work and design even more amazing?  He doesn't have a background in art, crafts, design... in fact, he stumbled into the industry by accident.  He stumbled in and then HE became THE industry.  Tim Holtz simply has no boundaries; his ideas have no limits.  His products are game changers.  

Tim dabbles in many areas of the industry.  While some designers lend their names to a product and little else, it is clear that Tim is VERY active in the designing of products that bear his name.  That hands on approach is what makes the products so special.  I love that a Tim Holtz product is very well thought out.  Tim likes his products to work together and he works hard to ensure that 2 different products from two different lines work together; often making a completely different, third, design.  He makes Rubber Stamps that coordinate with his Sizzix dies by fitting exactly.  All of his Sizzix dies fit each other and sometimes by adding keyholes we can change a plaque into a door.

For Tim, designing products is a serious and well thought out process and the sky is the limit.   His products have pushed technology and changed the crafting industry as much as Martha Stewart has.  Imagine if Martha and Tim got together….. Oh, I'm sorry, I got caught up in that fantasy.  Tim not only designs products but he also teaches.  He is a terrific teacher and spends a lot of time producing videos and samples on his blog to highlight his products.  He teachers often and is rarely home, spending time at industry teaching events, store-owner teaching weekends, scrapbook cruises, independent store classes, the twice-a-year Craft and Hobby Association convention and several international classes.  His booth is always hard to get close to and his classes fill quickly.  The man is literally traveling all the time and frankly I get exhausted just reading about it.  It is also amazing because his classes always come with complete supplies.  His staff must spend hours and hours and hours putting these supplies together.  I was lucky enough to take a class from Tim 2 years ago.  His class was large and well planned with a PowerPoint presentation and helpers walking around the room with Tim.  We walked out with extra supplies because Tim Holtz doesn't give you 1 piece of an item.  Oh no, he gives you a package- use 1 and keep the rest.

The Ephemera kit I missed out on :(
Because Tim is so busy, he hardly has time to think let along create products for an Etsy story, so his Etsy shop sits empty.  I had no heard of it being open in the last few years that I have followed his blog closely.  That is, until 2 weeks ago.  It was open for 10 minutes.  In 10 minutes, he sold the cutest little album kit, 2 different very charming collections of vintage Christmas ephemera, and tiny little green lanterns-vintage of course.  I whipped into the shop exactly at 12:00- the time he was going to OPEN- and grabbed, in order,  one of the Christmas collections, a book kit, and a lantern.  By the time I clicked on the Book kit, the Christmas Collection was gone from my cart.  What?  Seriously!  People must have grabbed the ephemera and paid without getting anything else.  Within 10 minutes it was sold out.  I did manage to get the book kit and the lantern. He managed to put together some more book kits and they were gone in 1 minute.


The book was a almost a complete kit.   It contained everything needed except the inks and paints.  It was so complete that all the paper was cute to size.  I love to put together kits like this because it gives me a peak into how other artists put together projects.   

It really is the cutest thing.  I only took pictures of a few empty pages because, frankly they all look similar.  I shall fill it up with something-tiny- and take more pictures.
Laters…..

Friday, November 25, 2011

Mouse Paper Scissors GIve Projects

I have completed a few of the projects for the online class, Mouse Paper Scissors Give.  Once again I LOVE the class…from the format to the actual projects it is pure pleasure to take.  I always like the projects that Jessica and Heidi design.  Heidi's design skills are always mad good and fun and Jessica picks an array of Photoshop techniques.  This the taught us how to use the Magnetic Lasso- I can remove items from documents or pictures.  Bawa ha ha haa.

The first project I adore.  I made a cool subway art using all our old address.  Rick won't let me put it online because it is too much information.   I may change some of the info and post it anyway…

The next two projects are little stocking stuffer gifts.  We made super cute bookmarks and a little office set with handmade magnets.
The square tin  is covered with paper that we digitally altered.  I added the bling and the ribbon. 

Inside the tin I covered the top and bottom with patterned paper and included 6 sheets of paper tied 
with twine to use for taking notes.  The magnets are on the inside of the lid.
We digitally altered the bookmarks as well.  I added the ribbons to mine as well.  After I took the pictures I added glitter- the Escape bookmark got a hit of white Stickles but the Santa I took over the top by adding "snow" glitter to his beard and hat trim.  

I have the directions to complete the next two projects but am out of town so it will be next week before I can complete the final few projects.

Laters….

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Vintage Ornament (for) Exchange


I signed up for my second and third Swap.  If you have been reading this blog for a while, you may remember that I did my first swap last June, taking part in a Birthday Configuration Swap with Amy of Inspired Co.  You can read about the project- shown at right- here.  The current swaps are 1)Five Christmas Cards and 2)a Vintage Inspired Ornament.   The cards….not so sure what I will be making. but I finished the ornament yesterday and I made one for myself.

The ornament exchange is through the Milliande Art Community.   I had a hard time deciding what exactly I wanted to do, I mean "Vintage Inspired" can be so many things, but I think what I came up with looks pretty cool.
Sorry this Picture is so dark but It was my 4th try and frankly I am over it. 

This cone was made with vintage music paper, contemporary feather trim, green tinsel trim and pieces of tinsel.  The rhinestone broach is also vintage.  I will fill it full of peppermint candies and send it off as soon as I am notified of whom I am swapping with.

The red and white cone is mine.  I used the same vintage sheet music and new feather trim but added snowflakes punched with Martha's snowflake punch.  I punched into a decorative trim that is intended to be used on walls which I bought at Michael's.  It is basically glitter paper with adhesive on the back that  comes on a roll about 2 1/2 inches wide.  I added a vintage silver trim and vintage red velvet ribbon and a vintage rhinestone broach at the top.  The hanger is a vintage silk ribbon.  Divine.

I shall be back later with the Card for the exchange.  Later… as in "after I design the card".  Oh, and after I figure out exactly who is running that exchange… Shhh!  Don't tell anyone I can't remember….it makes me look flakey.

Laters….

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Pretty Package Bling

Finally, the package embellishments I have been promising and teasing for days.  Ideally I would make them to fit the actual packages but….then I would have to wait until I actually buy the gifts and sometimes that occurs around the 22-23rd.  YES…of December…what's it to you.

I was having a big holiday creator's-block after my craft-o-pa-looza that was Halloween 2011.  I think I broke, or at least sprained, my gluey bone and I know I have an overuse injury in my glitter tendon.  It was a sad sad thing but there was nothing going on in my studio except sitting and staring a big ol' pile of ribbon, paper, and glitter.  Aqua Dogwood blossoms to the rescue!  I walked into Michael's and (work with me here) ….the music reached a crescendo, everyone moved in slow motion, and a light from above shined down on the aqua dogwood blossoms in aisle 2 as a rogue prince fresh off his ship after 3 years at sea walked toward me, coming from aisle 3.  He grabbed the bloss..… Um, what?  Oh….sorry….that didn't happen.  Of course it didn't happen.  Jeez, no, um I think maybe that was the plot of one of the cheesy romance novels my sister adores.

What did happen?  Those beautiful blossoms literally jump started my holiday crafting and I am happy to report that I am back in the swing of creativity.  That is the truth.  So, what am I working on now?  As you know,  I am taking Mouse Paper Scissors Give and I have completed 3 projects.  I have to photograph them and this age-of-darkness that is my home in the winter is really, REALLY, cramping my style.  There is no putting of 'til later if I want to get them done….I blink and it is too dark outside.

Enough whining….What?  Huh? Oh, the other class I'm taking?  Oh, right, you remembered that?!  SheArt 2...I haven't done anything for that class yet.  That's not entirely true because I did prep a ton of canvases which is messy, messy work.  Glue, paper, glue, paper, glue, paper, glue, glue, glue.  I end up covered with glue by the time I finish.  It is a messy process but I suspect that my messy tendencies are making it worse.  HUSH… You know I CAN hear that cackling laugh.  I DO need to figure out a way to be less messy.

Here are the package embellishments…

Embellish 1
Embellish 1
Embellish 2 
Embellish 3
Embellish 3
Embellish 4
Embellish 5
Embellish 5
Embellish 6
Embellish 6
Embellish 7
Embellish 7
Embellish 8
Embellish 9
Embellish 9
Embellish 10
Embellish 11
Embellish 12
Embellish 12
Embellish 13
I made them all like a corsage using wire, the stems, and floral tape to put the basic flowers and greenery together.  I added some embellishments, like the Christmas balls with hot glue.  


Laters….

Monday, November 21, 2011

Mercury Glass Candle Sticks

The el cheapo candlesticks that I bought and had left over from my high school reunion received a spray of the same paint I used to make the mercury glass except I couldn't spray the inside so I just hit the outside.  They don't have the same look of faux mercury glass but they look close enough.  They are $1 Store candlesticks so anything is an improvement.  I added the same cool flowers and trims so you can't see much of the candlestick anyway.  I think they are sweet and  my entire Christmas decor is obviously changing as I made more and more aqua and silver items.


Laters...

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Mercury Glass Ornament

I have been very busy creating yesterday and today and have lots of projects to share.  Unfortunately I live in the deep dark north.  Ok, well it is north-ish and it is dark….at 5:30 which makes getting great photos, well not as easy as it is in the summer.  I am finding I have to plan my photo sessions a little better.

In the mean time I did manage to photograph the cool little glass ball that I turned into mercury glass and dressed for a party.



I think it is charming and certainly an easy, unique and cool way to dress up a plain glass Christmas ornament.

Laters…..

Friday, November 18, 2011

Mouse Paper Scissors

Imagine From Mouse Paper Scissors
As I mentioned I am taking two online art classes right now.  The first, Mouse Paper Scissors Give is the 4th class I have taken in the series.  I started last winter with their first class- Mouse Paper Scissors where I made an amazing mirror using some cool text-based paper that each student made using words that meant something to them.  I used my family names, fun quotes, song lyrics, important dates, and favorite words.

In the spring they offered Mouse Paper Scissors Mom.  The intention was to make mother's day gifts.  I made a book that turned out to be a hot mess and frankly needs to be redone before I can give it to anybody- it was a project that even a mom wouldn't be able to love.  No, seriously mom.. you wouldn't have been impressed.  Thankfuly we made two projects- the hot mess and a cool looking stationary set.  My stationary was gorgeous and I gave my mom and my mother-in-law a set.
Hot Mess aka "MOM" book.
I know it doesn't look a hot mess here...
In fact it looks pretty good...

Even without photos….

or journaling….

But believe me….it was one big Ole' Hot Mess is.  
 The stationary set…I loved.  The colors…. the images….. the gold leaf that I used as accent….the seam binding I "hand dyed" (shhh don't tell anyone but you just spray it with one of the mists (I use Glimmer Mist) so readily available or you can buy it on Etsy for waaaaayyyyyyy too much money).
I love using numbers as images.
Everything looks better with a vellum envelope.
The crown is gold leaf.



What will I make for this class?  Stay tuned.

Laters...