Chunky Halloween ATCs for SSSS Challenge

I am generally not a big ATC fan, but when I saw all the fantastic inspiration pieces done by the Simon Says Stamp and Show DT, I had to give it a go!

I decided to make a set chunky ATCs for Halloween decorating. I love the sturdiness of them and I will actually use them instead of sticking them in a drawer. I'm proud to say I even cut the wood blocks myself - and still have all my fingers!

I just bought a pad of the new Core'dinations Kraft-Core cardstock and couldn't wait to use it. I am seriously in love with this stuff!! I love the craft core...there is just something so subtle about it - really great for a vintage look. On this block, the sides are covered with black and the front with orange that's been embossed with the Tim Holtz Regal Flourishes Texture Fade. I adhered all the paper using Claudine Hellmuth's Studio Matte Medium (works great!), and then sanded the edges with my Idea-ology Sanding Grip. This block's rosette is embellished with an Idea-ology Memo Pin that holds a stamped bat from Tim Holtz's new Mini Halloween 2 rubber stamp collection. It's hard to see, but I covered it with Glossy Accents to give it a little dimension.

The rosettes for each block were made using Idea-ology Kraft Resist paper and the Mini Rosette Die from Sizzix (I used the larger of the two rosettes). I sponged the edges with Black Soot Distress ink and then ran a line of Black Soot Distress Stickles around each one. 'Boo' is spelled out using letters from Alphabet Soup Grungeboard letters. Each one was sponged with Black Soot Distress ink and covered with a layer of Black Soot Distress Stickles. I stamped the spider (also from the Halloween Mini 2 set) on the center block's medallion.

The inspiration for these actually came from a Halloween subway sign I'd seen on Pinterest. I was like, man...I wish I had a stamp that looks like that. Then, I was like - duh! I DO! I stamped the background stamp from Tim Holtz's Halloween Sillouettes collection on white cardstock using Distress Embossing Ink and embossed using Ranger's Clear embossing powder. I considered brayering over it with black ink, or painting it with a black Dabber, but I decided to try my new Black Soot Distress Stain instead. SO cool!! It gave it just the look I was going for. After wiping the excess off of the embossed area, I ironed the whole thing, removing the embossing (faux batik technique).

Oh, and the little skeleton on the left is also from Tim's Mini Halloween 2 collection - I thought he looked so cute! Also, the ribbon on the center block was dyed using Spiced Marmalade Distress Stain. Is it just me, or have the stains been an absolute godsend? I love them so much!

All of the products I used can be purchased at Inspiration Emporium. If you use my code - stamptramp - you'll receive 10% off your order! Also, be sure and enter the monthly challenge over at the Inspiration Journal blog - the winner will receive $50 Inspiration bucks!

Vintage Halloween Wands

I was recently asked to contribute an article to the online magazine, Papers and Pixels. If you haven't heard of it, you really need to check it out! Each issue is chock full of fantastic projects, perfect for the paper crafter, digital crafter, and everyone in between!

For my project, I decided to create a trio of vintage Halloween wands, using images from Artistic Outpost's Halloween Treats stamp collection. The central images were stamped on watercolor paper, then colored with Peeled Paint, Spiced Marmalade, and Dusty Concord Distress Inks (wish I'd had those new colors!) and embellished with Rock Candy, Spiced Marmalade, Peeled Paint, and  Dusty Concord Distress Stickles.

They were mounted on scalloped circles that were made from Tim Holtz's Kraft Resist paper. They were next layered onto rosettes made using the Sizzix Rosette die and Kraft Resist paper that was colored using Spiced Marmalade and Peeled Paint Distress Stains and Wild Plum Colorwash. Finally, they were adhered to scalloped circles cut from Core-dinations Distress Collection paper. The ribbons were all dyed with Distress Stains or Adirondack Colorwash.

For full instructions, be sure and check out this month's issue of Papers and Pixels. The photo tutorial will also be posted on the Artistic Outpost blog in the future - I'll keep you updated!

All materials used can be found at Inspiration Emporium, via the links above. Don't forget - when you use my coupon code - stamptramp - you will receive 10% off of your order!

Have a fun and creative weekend!

You Don't Know Jack

Today I'm sharing  a little bunting I made using the Union Jack rubber stamp from Artistic Outpost's London Underground collection.This is another one of those ideas that has been rattling around in my mind, waiting to get made.

To create the flags, I applied Ranger's Adirondack Paint Dabbers in Red Pepper and Denim directly to the stamp. After spritzing it lightly with water, I stamped the image onto muslin and let dry.

When I say, 'let dry' what I really mean is, 'I blasted it with my heat gun until it was dry and then burned it a little here and there to give it character.' I'm so impatient! :-) After the flags were dry, I stitched them to burlap panels. They were then strung together using vintage seam binding.

I love my little banner so much! The Union Jack stamp has to be one of the best rubber stamps - ever. It is the perfect grungy little flag stamp. If you'd like to purchase any of the supplies I used, be sure to click the links and follow them to Inspiration Emporium's online store. If you use my coupon code - stamptramp - you will save 10% off your order!

Inspiration Journal Challenge - Metal

This is one of those projects that has been simmering away in my mind, just waiting for the right time to get made. It's a Steampunk crown, created from chipboard that I die cut using various Tim Holtz/Sizzix dies, paint,  and a lot of different Idea-ology embellishments.

The hardest part of this project was trying to photograph it! It is so amazing looking, but it's very hard to capture all the texture and dimension. Forgive me if I bury you under a barrage of pics!

This is one of my favorite bits. I wanted a somewhat feminine feel, so I made some little metallic flowers using the Tattered Florals die. I considered making this more of a static showpiece by adding a lot of embellishments, but decided I really wanted it to be a 'useable' crown.

The base of the crown was created using chipboard that was cut using the Steampunk On the Edge die. It was given a metallic look with the use of an Adirondack Silver Dabber and a Pitch Black Dabber.

The gears were cut using the Sizzix Gadget Gears die and the Sizzix Mini Gears dies. Layers of paint were added using Gold, Copper, Silver, and Pitch Black Adirondack Paint Dabbers. It's hard to believe that this is made of almost nothing but paper!

To add more dimension, I mixed the painted gears with a lot of different Idea-ology bits and pieces. I used Game Spinners, Sprocket Gears, and Washers. They are all attached using Idea-ology Long Fasteners. I gave the brads the look of rivets by piercing them with an awl - one of my all-time favorite tips from the amazing Tim Holtz!

I hope my Steampunk crown inspires you to try some metal work of your own! Over at the Inspiration Emporium blog we are challenging you to use metal in your creations this month. When you join in, you will be eligible to win a  $50 gift certificate! Don't forget, you can also receive 10% off your order at the Inspiration Emporium store by using my discount code: stamptramp, at checkout.

Thanks so much for stopping by - have a great weekend!

A Lesson in Perseverance

Today is a beautiful day here - a cold front came through and, in Mississippi, that's always a good thing! I decided it was the perfect day to play around with my new Inkssentials Kraft tags and Picket Fence Distress Stain. I dabbed some of the Picket Fence stain onto my craft sheet and then added a few blotches of Worn Lipstick and Wild Honey and swiped my tag through the ink. It looked really cool! Then I embossed it using Tim Holtz's Floral Frame Texture Fade. Very cool! Then I sanded it with my Idea-ology Sanding Grip and added more Picket Fence stain. Suddenly, it was looking like a total mess! I added more stain and arrrrrgggghhhhhh....it looked horrible! I was about 10 seconds from chucking it when I decided to try and salvage it.

I have learned that there is nothing a gesso-covered brayer can't fix! What's nice is that the Distress Stain will bleed through a little, so you get a great texture. Once I was happy with the tag, I stamped the little shrine frame from Artistic Outpost's new Whimsical Melange collection onto a vintage book page. I decided to dab a little Picket Fence Distress Stain over the stamped area to tone it down. Horrible idea! The ink I used smeared all over and looked dingy and...ick! This time is was my Snow Cap Adirondack Paint Dabber to the rescue!. I finally cleaned it up, but it was obvious I was going to have to choose a new focal point (originally I was going to use a little girl stamp). I thought this little Idea-ology Fractured Doll was the perfect solution! I mounted her on top of a chipboard frame that was cut using Tim's Tag and Bookplates die. She has little mica wings that were stamped using the butterfly stamp from Tim Holtz's Papillon stamp collection. I added a little 'love' for today's Sunday Stampers challenge by stamping a portion of the sentiment from Artistic Outpost's Country Life stamp collection and adhering it to her tummy.

When I first saw the clock face in the Whimsical Melange set, I (of course) was dying to try my Faux Crazed Porcelain technique on it. I LOVE how it turned out!! It's secured to the top of the frame using an Idea-ology
Mini Fastener.

Finally, I added some twine to the bottom and popped on a banner cut using Tim's Tattered Banners die. The sentiment is from another new Artistic Outpost stamp release: Typography.

I'm so glad I didn't throw the tag away! I had no idea that this is what I would end up with, but I really love it. Simon Says Stamp and Show's theme this week is 'Anything Goes' so this is also my submission for that challenge!