From Regions Beyond

Hey everyone! I thought I'd share another one of the cards I created for Tim Holtz for this summer's CHA show. The Ornate Frame from his Sizzix release was hands-down my favorite die. It's so versatile and, since it's a Bigz die, it can cut through just about anything. When thinking about how to use it, I immediately thought of a ghostly apparition that would appear in a mirror. Spooky!

To create the look of an ethereal woman, I decided to try to transfer an image (from one of the cabinet card images in Tim's new Laboratorie Paper Stash) onto a piece of idea-ology Mirrored, using Multi-Medium. I worked perfectly! It's such a difficult card to photograph, but the image changes depending on how the light hits it. So cool! You can see it in this video of the idea-ology booth at CHA - it shows up at about the 2:15 mark.

I've had a few questions on how I did the transfer, so I wrote up a quick step-by-step of how I made the card. I basically used the same method as Claudine Hellmuth uses in her video on transferring images to metal, but I applied the Multi Medium to the image vs. the surface. Make sure you check out the video - it's very informative and will definitely inspire you to try this technique, if you haven't already.

Here's how I made my card:

1. Adhere a panel of paper from Tim Holtz's Laboratorie Paper Stash to the top of a kraft card. Emboss a piece of black kraft Core'dinations paper using the Sizzix Stripes Texture Fade, sand to reveal core, and adhere to the bottom of the card.
2. Glue a length of idea-ology Trimmings to the seam. Machine-stitch around the top of the card and through the Trimmings with black thread.
3. Die cut a piece of kraft cardstock using the Bats and Crossbones Garland strip die. Ink edges with Black Soot Distress ink and adhere to bottom of card.
4. Using the new Ornate Frame die, cut a piece of medium weight cardstock. Cover with Black Soot Distress Crackle paint, leaving some areas unpainted. Set aside to dry.
5. While the frame is drying, you can create your haunted image. Begin by cutting a piece of idea-ology Mirrored slightly larger than the opening of the frame. Tear out one of the cabinet card images from the Laboratorie Paper Stash, leaving just a bit of a border around the head and shoulders.
6. Apply a medium-heavy coat of Matte Multi-Medium to the image and place face down onto the surface of the Mirrored. Smooth with your fingers, making sure it's well-adhered. Set aside to dry completely.
7. When dry, spritz the paper with water, wetting it thoroughly. Begin rubbing off the paper, revealing the image beneath. You can rub harder in some places, to give it a more ghostly appearance. When the paper is fully removed, let dry.
8. Mask the image with a piece of paper (I just tore an approximate shape and laid it over the image). Using black StazOn, stamp the script image from Tim's Apothecary set over the whole piece of Mirrored. When dry, apply Remnant Rubs as shown.
9. To finish the card, adhere the Mirrored piece to the frame. Insert Ring Fasteners into the holes in the frame and string with chain (I stole it from some Swivel Fasteners). Finally, adhere the frame piece to the card.

All the supplies I used can be found at Inspiration Emporium via the links below. Remember to use my coupon code - stamptramp - to save 10% on your order!

Sizzix Ornate Frame Sizzix Bats and Crossbones Garland Sizzix Harlequin & Stripes Stampers Anonymous Apothecary Paper Stash - Laboratorie idea-ology Mirrored idea-ology Remnant Rubs - Apothecary idea-ology Ring Fasteners idea-ology Trimmings - Black and Cream Distress Crackle Paint - Black Soot StazOn - Black Black Soot Distress Ink Inkssentials Kraft Cardstock Kraft Core Paper Studio Multi Medium Idea-ology Sanding Grip Scotch Tape Glider

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Thanks so much for stopping by - I'll be back on Wednesday with a tutorial using a very cool new die from Sizzix!

Spooky Altered Halloween Bottles

Today I'm on the Sizzix blog sharing a tutorial for how I created these cool altered bottles. You may have seen them in some of the CHA recap photos from this summer's show. They were created for Tim Holtz using all the newest idea-ology and Sizzix releases. Hope you come by and check them out!

If you're inspired to make some of your own, everything I used can be found at Inspiration Emporium via the links below. Be sure to use my coupon code - stamptramp - to save 10% on your order!

Sizzix Cobwebs Strip Die Sizzix Bats and Crossbones Garland Sizzix Spooktacular Strip Die Sizzix Ribbon Flags Strip Die Sizzix Mini Spider and 31 Stampers Anon Poisonous idea-ology Tissue Tape - Laboratorie Paper Stash - Laboratorie idea-ology Remnant Rubs - Apothecary Idea-ology Word Keys idea-ology Ball Chain idea-ology Paper String - Solids Idea-ology Wire Pins idea-ology Trimmings - Black and Cream idea-ology Halloween Muse Tokens Idea-ology Locket Keys Idea-ology Curio Knobs Distress Paint - Picket Fence Pumice Stone Distress Ink Gathered Twigs Distress Ink Brushed Corduroy Distress Stain Rock Candy Crackle Paint Inkssentials Glue N' Seal Inkssentials Metal Foil Tape idea-ology Seasonal Chit Chat Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel 8 oz Ranger Silver Embossing Powder

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Pop 'n Cuts Mini Halloween Album

Hi all! Hope your week is going well. I have a fun project to share with you that all started with a group of friends getting together at my house this past weekend. My very talented friend, Cyndi, had discovered a tutorial for an awesome little mini book made with the We R Memory Keepers Envelope Punch Board and volunteered to teach us all how to make one. Let me tell you - trying to keep us all in line tested her patience, but she did an amazing job. Here is a link to the video if you'd like to try one yourself: File Folder Album. 

Update! Here are the links to the full YouTube tutorial: File Folder Album Part 1 & File Folder Album Part 2.
Update #2! Apparently the links I posted above were changed to private. But I have something even better! My friend Cyndi went to the trouble of posting a very detailed tutorial for this album on her blog. You can find it here: Cyndi's File Folder Album Tutorial.

Here are our finished books. Aren't they gorgeous?! I love how each one reflects our different styles. I always look at everyone else's and think, why didn't I do mine like that?! Is that just me? I can't help it - they're all so pretty! It's incredible to think these were made entirely from chipboard and paper. They look like premade albums to me. I'm actually pretty amazed that I made one. I totally credit Cyndi for giving us impeccable instructions and guidance. While we were working on our albums, she was like...wouldn't it be cool to put all kinds of pop-ups in there?? I was like...oh, yeah...

So, here it is - my Pop 'n Cuts pop-up Halloween album! All the paper is from My Mind's Eye Lost and Found Halloween collection. I have been hoarding this paper for SO long. It's my absolute favorite and it was really fun to finally use it on something.

On the back of the front cover, there is a double door with interlocking tabs. So cool! I added idea-ology Hitch Fasteners to mine to mimic doorknobs. All of the tabs on all of the pages were cut with the Envelope Punch Board.

This is what you see when it's open - how fun is that? I used idea-ology Striped Paper String to hang banners cut from Karen Burniston's Flagpole strip die. The letters were cut with Tim Holtz's new Spooktacular alpha die.

This is the first pop-up page. I hadn't really planned my pages at all when I was making the book (I just had to hurry to keep up with everyone - I'm so slow!), so I was really excited to see that Tim's new Mini Apothecary Bottles die cuts would fit so perfectly with the paper.

The pop-up mechanism was created with Karen Burniston's Sassy Label Pop 'n Cuts insert. I cut it from acetate and trimmed it down as far as I could without messing up the mechanism. Since these pages aren't very wide, I had to be really careful with where I adhered the pop-up elements. You definitely want to use temporary adhesive and test the placement when you're making one.

The bottles were all done a bit differently. The one on the left was cut from leftover packaging and inked with caramel and slate alcohol ink. I cut the same bottle from heavy chipboard and adhered the inked bottle to it. The label was stamped and adhered to the bottle. The center bottle was also cut from packaging. For this one, I sprayed the back with several coats of Krylon mirror paint and then inked the front with a bit of alcohol ink, giving it a little faux mercury glass look. I adhered it to a chipboard bottle and added a Remnant Rub and some paper string. The last one was cut from heavy chipboard, given a coat of Rock Candy Crackle paint, then inked with Brushed Corduroy Distress Stain. I added a bit of the new Trimmings and one of the new idea-ology Crossbones Adornments.

To finish the page, I stamped a cobweb and added a die cut spider.

One of the really cool things about this album is all the little pockets that hold pullouts. Behind each page there is a pocket, and there is a slot for a tag at the top of each page (you can see the file tabs sticking out). I didn't have time to decorate them, but I think I'll go back and add old pics of my kids in their Halloween costumes.

This is the second pop-up page. This witch from Sizzix' Bewitching Hour die fit was a tight fit, but I love how it looks!

I only used three pages in my book, but you can add as many as you like. With the bulky embellishments and pop-ups, I was glad I only had three. More would have been a very tight fit. The pages were bound using a Bind-it-All.

This is the last - and my favorite - pop-up page. The little house was cut from Kraft Core'dinations using Karen Burniston's new House Thinlits die set. Doesn't it make the cutest haunted house? After cutting it out, I embossed (with the same die, how cool is that?) and sanded it. I added idea-ology Mirrored behind the windows. The bats behind the house were cut using Tim's Bats and Crossbones die. I cut them apart and added wire to give them a 3-D effect.

The cover panels were cut using Karen Burniston's Funky Labels Framelits and popped up with foam dots. The little Happy Halloween label is one of the pieces from the coordinating accessory sheet. I love how perfectly it fits with everything.

Whew! I hope you enjoyed this project. I had an absolute blast getting together with my friends and making it - you definitely need to grab a few buddies and do the same! I might be able to hire Cyndi out for the right price. ;-)

Most of the supplies I used can be found at Inspiration Emporium via the links below. Remember to use my coupon code - stamptramp - to save 10% on your order!

Sizzix Funky Labels Framelits Sizzix Flagpole w/Lantern and Sign Sizzix Mini Apothecary Bottles Sizzix Mini Spider and 31 Sizzix Bewitching Hour Sizzix Spooktacular Strip Die Sizzix Halloween Words and Cobwebs My Mind's Eye - Lost and Found Halloween Inkssentials Kraft Cardstock Kraft Core Paper idea-ology Adornments - Crossbones idea-ology Tissue Tape - Laboratorie idea-ology Remnant Rubs - Apothecary idea-ology Hitch Fasteners idea-ology Mirrored idea-ology Trimmings - Black and Cream idea-ology Paper String - Stripes idea-ology Paper String - Solids Stampers Anonymous Mini Halloween 3 Rock Candy Crackle Paint Sizzix Bats and Crossbones Garland Idea-ology Sanding Grip Gathered Twigs Distress Ink Brushed Corduroy Distress Stain Caramel Alcohol Ink Slate Alcohol Ink Scor-Tape 1/4" Scotch Tape Glider

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Thanks so much for stopping by today! Oh, a quick reminder - Inspiration Emporium is hosting a new monthly challenge. You can find all the details HERE. Hope you join us!