Honeybee ...

Hello Friends

I hope you are still staying safe and well.  We are still in lock down here, just watching the world going by from a distance.

My Guest designer project this week for AALL & Create is a mini album using Tracy Evans' wonderful newly released stamp set - Honeybee #330. 

 I absolutely love the stamp set and can think of lots of way I want to use it.  I also used the Cells die by Bipasha BK #14 as the cells were a good match with Tracy's stamp set.

I started by cutting one of Eileen Hull's Notebooks (Sizzix 663635) from matboard and covered the outside with Tim Holtz Distress paint in Fossilized Amber.  I used some Tim Holtz Tissue Wrap and stamped the honeycomb randomly over the tissue.

I attached the stamped Tissue Wrap to the Notebook with Matt Medium.

I stamped, coloured and fussy cut the bee hive and the bee.

I attached the beehive to the cover, adding some tiny bee charms and some wire for extra detail.  The numbers, top right are from Bipasha's Cells die (I didn't want to waste them!).

I created two signatures for the inside, by painting more card in Fossilized Amber, stamping the honeycomb in black and adding the die cut Cells, the lovely stamped bee and the beehive.  I coated the bee with Glossy Accents. 

I also stamped the bee onto shrink plastic, coloured it and attached the shrunken bee to the bottom right side of one signature.

To finish off I added some bee charms to a Tim Holtz binder clip to add to the side of the mini album.

You can find a list of worldwide stockists for the stamps and die that I used HERE.

Here is a final look, I am really pleased with the result.

Thanks so much for your visit, I hope to see you again soon.

Keep safe and well.  Hugs, Anne xxx

'Professor' Tinkham for Mini Album Makers

Hello Friends

A new month means a new challenge at Mini Album Makers!  My very dear and generous friend Kath Stewart gave me lots of the new Tim Holtz stamps and I have incorporated two of those stamp sets into my journal, plus one older set.

A little story - Kath has always called Tim Holtz her 'adorable Professor' and Tim designed this 'Professor' stamp set and credited Kath with the name, how lovely is that!

The Professor in my case is an explorer and adventurer....

I am including a tutorial today, as I have recently joined Eileen Hull's Educator Group and Eileen is our generous Sponsor this month at Mini Album Makers, so the two go hand in hand quite nicely.  This is a picture heavy post!

I started with some cream Calico fabric and some of Tim Holtz Eclectic Elements Transportation Ticket fabric (a gift from my lovely friend Zoe Hillman).  I used Pebeo Matt Gel to attach both fabrics, one to each side of a sheet of mat board (mount board), gel is less tacky than glue.

Using Eileen Hull's Wrapped Journal die, I die cut the journal.  I felt the cover was a bit too 'light' and I dry brushed some Gathered Twigs Distress Paint over the cover and then used the same colour to dab through a Tim Holtz Burlap stencil quite randomly.

I used three stamp sets by Tim Holtz, Ledger Script, Distinguished and The Professor.

Here is a view with all the stamping added.  I also added some rough machine stitching all around the edges (I keep a separate needle for stitching card/paper)  and I cut out a couple of tickets from the left over material and used Matt Gel to affix them.  I also added some colouring to a few of the elements just to make them 'pop' more.  I used watercolour paints that are permanent once dry.

I created four signatures, using the same method for each.  I used 12" wide cardstock by Tim Holtz, cutting four pieces 12" x 5".  Scoring at 2.1/2", 6" and 9.1/2", fold on each score line.  You can glue each end flap in place completely or create two pockets by just attaching the flaps at the top and bottom.  Making your signatures this way gives the covers more stability.

I usually attach the inserts to my signatures using a simple pamphlet stitch.  As you can see I also added some more stamping to my signature covers.  I also added some Tim Holtz Idea-ology tabs to each of the signatures for added interest.

I always like to add a pocket in my journals and here is how I did it...

Using more Tim Holtz cardstock I cut one piece of card  to 4.7/8" x 5.1/4" and scored as shown above, at 1/4", 3/4", 4.1/8" and 4.5/8" and I scored at 4.5/8" across the bottom.  Fold the sides in an accordion style to give some depth to the pocket.

For the fold over top cut a piece to 3.3/8" x 2.1/2" and score at 7/8" and 1.1/8".  Cut and shape as shown above.

 I attached some closures (punched circles attached with eyelets) and then added the envelope to the middle part of the journal (glue the top part in first and then add the pocket element last so that you can 'fit' it properly to the journal).  At this point I added the elastic holders for the signatures and also the band to close the journal, all with 1.5mm black elastic, tying both off neatly.

I decided to add a ticket pocket to the inside front cover (a Tim Holtz die).  The tickets were made using another TH die and Tim stamps and coloured with Distress Inks.

Here is a final view of the back of the journal.

Our Sponsor this month is Eileen Hull who is offering a $35 Gift Voucher for her Etsy Shop to one lucky winner over at Mini Album Makers.

Website: http://www.eileenhull.com/

Blog: http://www.eileenhull.com/blog

Facebook Live: http://www.eileenhull.com/video-tutorials

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eileenhulldesigns

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/eileen_hull/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EileenHull

Shop - https://www.etsy.com/shop/EileenHull?ref=pr_shop_more

We do hope you will join us at Mini Album Makers this month, we would love to
have you join in.  The rules are very simple and are outlined in detail on the blog.

Thanks for your visit, I hope to see you again soon!

Hugs, Anne xxx

Simon Says Stamp - Designer Spotlight - Week 2

Hello Friends

I am still pinching myself!  This is week 2 and my second project in the Designer Spotlight at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!  Thank you so much for the lovely comments last week, both here and on Facebook, I really do appreciate it!

The new challenge for this week is 'Sprinkles and Splatters'.

'

 I went all grungy, using products by AALLandCreate, Tim Holtz, Dina Wakley and Ranger.

I gathered up all the products I wanted to use, those products available from Simon Says Stamp are listed further down below, with links.

I love the Tim Holtz Etcetera Tags, they take a lot of product!

After stencilling on the tag with Ranger texture paste I painted the whole tag with Turquoise paint and left it to dry.  I added a coat of Distress Paint over the whole tag and wiped some off straight away with a damp cloth, removing paint until I was happy with the background - a technique I learned from my friend Tracy Evans.  It really highlights the embossing and tones down the turquoise colour somewhat.

The products I used from Simon Says Stamp are listed below.

AALLandCreate #45

AALLandCreate #64 Curiosity

Tim Holtz Etcetera Tag - Mini
Dina Wakley Acrylic Paint - Turquoise
Tim Holtz Distress Paint - Vintage Photo
Ranger Texture Paste
Ranger Embossing Powder - Copper
Ranger Distress Crayons
Ranger Crackle Accents


To create the magnifying glass I used AALLandCreate Stamp #64.  After stamping I fussy cut it and used Ranger Embossing Powder in Copper and then Tim Holtz Distress Embossing Powder in Vintage Photo before touching it up with Distress Markers in Rusty Hinge and Vintage Photo.

The butterfly is from AALLandCreate set #45, I cut it out and painted it with Dina Wakley paint and then overstamped with the script stamp from Set #64.  I used the same stamp to randomly stamp on the tag itself.  I cut some corrugated card, added a couple of layers of patterned paper, stamped the 'look deeper' element from set #64 and added the stamped magnifying glass over.  I added some Crackle Accents to create the 'glass'.

For my 'Sprinkles and Splatters' element I added some tiny beads from my stash (make unknown)  at the bottom and I splattered lots of paint over the whole tag.

I added some rusty wire and crinkle ribbon from my stash to the top of the tag.

When I create these larger tags I do like to add a hanging embellishment so to finish off. I added a vintage magnifying glass which I 'rusted' in the same way as the magnifying glass on the tag itself.

It would be lovely to have you join in this week 

Each week there is a fabulous $50 gift voucher on offer!

All the of the products that I used, which are available from Simon Says Stamp 

are listed above.

Thanks so much for your visit, I hope you will visit the challenge blog to see the wonderful creations that the talented Design Team have made too, you will not be disappointed!

Hugs, Anne xx

Eileen Hull - Share a Card Technique

Hello Everyone!

Belated Happy New Year wishes to you!  We have been under the weather in our household so I am a bit late with this post.  This month for Eileen Hull, the DT are concentrating on card techniques.

I have gone for a simple technique, not new by any means but one that is useful for covering up papers that you may not like and a great technique for making quick and easy cards.  Of course, I had to add my all time favourite of Eileen Hull's flower dies - Flower, Heart & Soul - Sizzix 661108.

The technique is very simple.  Using a piece of packaging material and your favourite die, cut two sets of flowers from the same sheet.

Cut your chosen patterned paper to size.

Stencil over the paper, I used some Cut & Dry foam and DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic in Translucent White, but this would work equally well with watered down Gesso, or any chalky paint.  The idea is to create a faint outline and not not a solid print.

The leaves were cut from another of Eileen's dies - Leaves, Spring - Sizzix 661111.

To create the flower I die cut three sets of petals, and used a button from my stash for the centre.

  I die cut a sentiment using a Tim Holtz Thinlits word die and then gathered my pieces together to complete the card.

It was a last minute decision to add some splatting to the card and I did this using Tim Holtz Distress Paint in Picked Raspberry.  In real life the splatting looks beautiful, the light is very poor here today.

It took me less than half an hour to put this card together, the die cutting took the most time but you could have lots of items die cut and you could put cards together in no time - so quick and easy.

As I write this post, Eileen Hull is making her way to Creativation (formerly CHA), in Phoenix, Arizona in her beautiful vintage camper van, Scotty.  Eileen will be taking Scotty onto the convention floor and she will be demonstrating her fabulous new release of dies (they are must haves!!).  I am also thrilled to tell you that my dear and exceptionally talented friend Jenny Marples (Buttons) will be demonstrating for Eileen Hull, in the Sizzix Booth!!  If you are attending, please do try and visit both Eileen and Jenny, they would both love to see you! 

Thanks so much for your visit, I will try and catch up with you all soon. 

Hugs, Anne xx