I didn’t notice when I purchased the trim that one set of beads in the middle of the section was not firmly attached. When I took the beads out of the plastic bag, the droplet fell apart. Sometimes the unexpected enables the imagination to take a giant step, and the broken beads provided that inspiration. Until then, I hadn’t realized that one of the small turquoise beads was actually a heart. The largest bead, why that could be a lantern for a little boy in search of fairies. One bead left, and I knew I would find the perfect spot for it atop a vintage ornament featuring stamps from the Oxford Impressions Fairy Sweets plate.
The ornament box and the ATC below feature Archival™ Ink, Adirondack® Dye and Pigment inks, and lots of Tim Holtz™ products: Distress Ink Pads, Alcohol Inks, Alcohol Ink Metallic Mixatives, and Alcohol Blending Solution. The instructions may be found on pages 84 and 85 of the April 2011 issue of Crafts 'n things®.
My submissions for 30 Minute Ideas in the August 2010 issue of Crafts 'n Things share little in common other than stamps from Oxford Impressions. That's one thing I enjoy - the opportunity to create without the constraint of a particular theme. Another plus is that the instructions are provided on the Crafts 'n Things site. It's probably no surprise that both projects feature Ranger® products.
My first project is a "Palm Tree" tag on page 59. The stamp is from the Travel Journal plate. Color is provided by a variety of Tim Holtz™ products: Adirondack® Color Wash™, Distress Ink Pads, Distress™ Embossing Powders, and Adirondack® Alcohol Inks.You can find the instructions and an even larger photo here.
The "Always Gets My Man" card (stamp from the Cowgirl Blues plate) is a definite contrast to the tropical tag. Archival™ Ink is a standard ink for many stampers, but are you aware of the fabulous colors beyond Jet Black? The cobalt ink used here is definitely rich with coloring is provided by Tim Holtz™ Distress Ink Pads. You'll find the card on page 58, and the instructions are here.
When Suzanne Melvin of Oxford Impressions first clued me in that Disney's Alice in Wonderland would be released this month, I had a perfect excuse. Now, I had seen stamps before based on the illustrations by Sir John Tenniel from my childhood edition of the book, but I'd always resisted. That is until I saw the three new sets Suzanne recently released: Classic Alice (the one I've used here,) Illustrated Alice, and Wonderland. Projects for the April 2010 issue of Crafts 'n Things provided the perfect excuse for me to add these stamps to my collection. See what you think.
First, a spiral notebook: black and white with an accent of red. An easy look to accomplish with Archival™ Ink, Adirondack® Dye Ink, and Inkssentials™ Glossy Accents™. When the self-adhesive crystals (Prima Marketing ®) were not the color I wanted, that too was a quick change with Tim Holtz™ Adirondack® Alcohol Inks.
Next, an Alice pendant. Same basic supplies but a totally different look.
Finally, a card. Alice with an attitude. Could that be caused by the Stickles™ Glitter Glue crown?
Fun stamps and fun projects. For additional details, see pages 48-49 of the April 2010 issue of Crafts 'n Things.
Wedding plans were already underway at my house, so I knew that I couldn't resist this "Happy Couple" by Judikins, You'll find two very different looks using this stamp in the April 2010 issue of Crafts 'n Things. Can you tell what product these two projects have in common?
If you guessed Tim Holtz™ Adirondack® Alcohol Inks, you're right. The metallic finish of the Silver Fanfare die cut paper (Creative Imaginations) on the card front provided a great surface for the alcohol ink and for embossing with Adirondack® Pigment Ink and black Super Fine Detail™ Powder. I love the way the pattern of the paper is visible in the unembossed areas.
The keepsake box is made using ArtEmboss Aluminum by Amaco, but you'll have to check pages 38 - 39 for details on the tools I used (as well as a much better picture!) When you do, you'll be in for a surprise, and I think you'll want to give this a try too!
The tray had been a fixture on our porch for years, and the once rich finish showed the effects of constant exposure to the elements. When Crafts 'n Things editor Dawn Gehring suggested a Christmas home decor project, I knew this was the perfect project to repurpose a favorite piece. You'll have to check the December 2008 issue to see the tray itself, but a few swipes of Espresso paint with an Adirondack® Acrylic Paint Dabber gave the tray new life.
I envisioned big, bold flowers and leaves. Since the poinsettia stamps that I had on hand were not the size that I wanted, I turned to large foam leaf and circle stamps to create the images that I envisioned. As with the foam stamp Christmas cards, I used Adirondack® Acrylic Paint Dabbers and Adirondack® Metallic Acrylic Paint Dabbers to mix my paints right on the stamps. I believe I achieved the bold look that I had in mind!
Now for a closer look. When I think of Christmas, I think of glitter and glitz, and the fun part of the project was adding those details. Adirondack® Dimensional Pearls, Stickles™ Glitter Glue, and Perfect Pearls™ pack a glamour punch and the Inkssentials™ White Opaque Pen adds subtle accents.
As for the glass charms, Tim Holtz™ Adirondack® Alcohol Inks and Metallic Mixatives quickly transformed jewelry findings into coordinating pieces. Rather sophisticated if I do say so.
For additional details, see pages 52-53 in the December 2008 issue of Crafts 'n Things.
