Inspiration Journal

Guest Post: Lisa Hoel

Note Holders by Lisa Hoel

Hello everyone, Lisa here and I am happy to be the guest poster today! My project makes a nice little gift. I gave these to my Mom and Mother-in-law for Mother’s Day but you could also make some to give as an end of the year gift to the kids’ teachers. Somewhere I read that the larger matchbook of Tim Holtz’s Matchbook Set die perfectly fits a standard Post-It pad. By golly, it’s true! Take a look:

I had some fun decorating the cover material I used to form the matchbooks and tried some different techniques. The base of each is Sticky-back Canvas but I treated them differently:

 

I then adhered a coordinating paper to the underside of the covers and cut them out using the die. Fold on the score lines and glue the Post-It pad in.

Now you can have some fun decorating the outside. I wanted to try the patina technique shared by Tim Holtz on the metal label holders. Check out the link to his blog to see how to use Distress Paints to alter them. It was easy and worked well. I think I’m going to start patina-izing everthing in sight!

For the little flowers, I cut them out of coffee filters (using the Tattered Flower Garland die) which are wonderful for inking up and stronger than tissue. There are a number of ways to color them, (misting, Distress markers etc.) but for these I tapped a Distress Ink pad onto my craft sheet and misted the ink with plain water. Then I dabbed the flowers into the ink puddles and dried them with my heat tool.

Guest Post: Linda Cain

Stenciled Tag & Pediment Die by Linda Cain

Hey everyone, it’s my turn in the barrel here! I got my hands on Tim’s new Bigz Pediments and I couldn’t wait to play with it on a tag. Since this idea went over really well, I thought I’d share it here with all of you.

I started with a Manila #8 Tag and white modeling paste. The Chickenwire Stencil is perfect for this. Spread it on and lift off to create a great pattern. I dried it with a heat tool, since I don’t wait well.

Next I applied Tim Holtz Distress Stains in the brighter colors – Peacock Feathers, Picked Raspberry, Black Soot, Squeezed Lemonade, Seedless Preserves, Ripe Persimmon, Mustard Seed, and Tea Dye. Since I’m applying bright colors over white paste they keep their vibrant colors. I let them dry and applied more of the same color for intensity.

Now I added Metal Foil Tape to heavy chipboard and ran it through the Vagabond to cut 3 pediments.   Add Alcohol Inks Watermelon, Butterscotch, and Stream  to the metal. Use Black Archival ink to add small flourish stamping.

Stamp with Classic #2, and Apothecary stamp sets and Jet Black Archival Ink.  Layer onto black chipboard. I cut the top off the tag so the Pediment fit under the tag hole.

Stamp The Boys  on Specialty Stamping Paper  with Black Archival ink and immediately emboss with Super Fine Black Embossing Powder. Then die cut the Elegant Flourishes from chipboard. I added blue various Adirondack sprays and Perfect Pearls to the Flourish.  Last add a bit of color to the boy with Distress Markers and cut him out.

Layer it up with foam squares or Grungeboard pieces to add height and add one of the Cash Keys at the top.

Hope you enjoy this project.

Your Friend in ART,

Linda

Guest Post: Pam Hooten & May Monthly Challenge

Live Canvas by Pam Hooten

Today we have a special post from inspiration team member Pam Hooten.  She is starting off our May Monthly Challenge: Don’t Quote Me…use a favorite quote on your project.  We can’t wait to be inspired by your words!

Without further ado, here is Pam…

Winners and Inspiration Galore

It looks like you are as excited as we are for the next Online Card Class: His & Hers!  The 3 lucky winners are Bev Gerard, Liz Lumsden, Sue McRae…Congratulations!!!!  Please email your information to info@inspirationemporium.com and we will get you set up.

Now, for some amazing inspiration for the April Monthly Challenge: Marvelous Masks and Spectacular Stencils.

Pam Hooten seriously rocked this challenge…we think SHE could conquer the world! Incredible!

Lisa Hoel shows us how cool a little masked misting in the background can have great impact…how adorable is this layout!!??

Spike had a blast creating this cool page in her journal…lots of stencils and so playful!

We are loving Jim Hankin’s use of stencils and embossing paste on this cool tag…if you haven’t tried the Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste, you have got to try it, it’s seriously cool!

We hope you found a little inspiration, we can’t wait to see what you create for the challenge!

Online Card Classes: His and Hers Giveaway

We are excited to share a new online class:

Learn to create fabulous designs for both the men and women on your cardmaking list with His and Hers from Online Card Classes! Follow along with Kristina Werner, Jennifer McGuire and amazing guest artists as we explore how to take a single technique, product, sketch, etc and use it for both genders. Learn to also stretch your stash for girl and guy cards alike, and so much more. By the end of class, you’ll have cards you can give year-round, no matter the recipient. His & Hers includes 17+ videos and 34+ cards (every card has a video!), PDFs, shopping discounts (including from Inspiration Emporium!), prizes, lifetime access and more.

We are giving away 3 spots to this great class!

Guest Post: Richele Christensen

Pink Journal by Richele Christensen

Hi bloggers, it’s Richele! I’m so excited to be a guest here on the Inspiration Emporium blog today! My project features Dylusions Ink Spays, Tim Holtz Distress Inks and Paint, Sizzix Alterations and a little Idea-ology.

*When using Dylusions Ink Sprays or any sprays be sure to cover your work surface and wear an apron or old clothes. It’s gonna be fun but a little messy!

For our journal you will need 4 – 6” x 12” sheets of watercolor paper. Cut several pieces of cardstock to 5” x 5” and die cut the Mini Tattered Floral Movers and Shapers in the center of the pieces. These will be our masks, both a positive and negative mask. Lay the die cut flowers onto the watercolor pages and spray Dylusions Inks over the entire page. I love this color combination Pure Sunshine, Squeezed Orange and Bubblegum Pink. Once you spray the page take a “kitchen roll” and roll off the excess ink. Move the flowers and spray the page with water. This will create light and dark flowers.

 I created two darker pager and two lighter pages. The lighter pagers are made using the outer part of the die cut piece to spray the flowers. Don’t forget to mask off for any excess spray. Keep layering the flowers all over the page until you fill the page.

For filling in the white space I used my eraser as a stamp. Spray Dylusions ink directly onto your Craft Sheet. Pick the ink up with an eraser and fill in the background. As you work blot the excess ink off with a paper towel. If you find the inks are to dark just add a little water to the inks on the craft sheet. Color all your pages as desired. Don’t forget to do both side. Dry your pages with a Heat-It tool.

Once the pages are dry fold them in half using a bone folder to give them a good crease. Stack them together. Using a Retractable Craft Pick poke 3 holes in the center fold of your journal. Working in the center of your book send Paper String through the outer holes from inside to the outside. Now push both ends of the string in the center hole back to the inside of the journal. With each end on different sides of the string tie a square knot and trim the excess. You now have a book.

Use Tim Holt Remnant Rubs to decorate your Journal. These Rub Ons are very easy to use. Just cut out the image you want to use, place it where you like it and rub with the provided stick.

For those of you who like a vintage look like me. Use Walnut Stain Distress Ink on an Ink Blending tool on the edges of the pages.

Now for a little painting. If you haven’t tried the new Tim Holtz Distress Paints you are in for a treat. The new Distress Paints are very fluid and perfect for stamping, yes they are safe to use on your stamp just be sure to clean then before the paint dries. The paints come in 24 colors and now 3 Metallics. The Mixed Media stamp set from Stampers Anonymous is great for adding texture. Ink your stamp with Picket Fence and gentle stamp.

Remnant Rubs in Numerals shown here on some inside pages.

These flowers were from my masks used to create the background pages. I just inked the edges and painted some Idea-ology Foliage for the centers of the flowers and glued them to the front cover.

  Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will join in for the challenge this month, you could win $50 in Emporium Dollars to spend in the store. For a chance to win just add a link to your submission below (your link does not have to be to a blog, it can also be to your SCS gallery…use code IEMC23 or other gallery online!!!)…and, remember, you can enter as many times as you want…so create away!!! Contest begins on April 1, 2013  and ends on April 30, 2013 at midnight…the winner will be randomly chosen and announced on May 1, 2013.

There are so many different ways to use Marvelous Masks and Spectacular Stencils.

Happy masking and stenciling! I can’t wait to see what you all create!!!
Richele

SUPPLIES:

Dylusions Ink Sprays

http://www.inspirationemporium.com/dylusionsinksprays.html

Tim Holtz Distress Paints

http://www.inspirationemporium.com/TDDOG24.HTML

Tim Holtz Distress Ink

http://www.inspirationemporium.com/TIM19534.HTML

Sizzix Min Tattered Floral Movers and Shapers die

http://www.inspirationemporium.com/657488.html

Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Mixed Media set CMS 125

http://store.inspirationemporium.com/CMS125.html

Tim Holtz Remnant Rubs

Words – http://store.inspirationemporium.com/TH93055.HTML

Numbers – http://store.inspirationemporium.com/TH93056.HTML

Elemental – http://store.inspirationemporium.com/TH93057.HTML

Idea-ology Foliage

http://store.inspirationemporium.com/IDA92788.html

Idea-ology – Paper String

http://store.inspirationemporium.com/TH93044.HTML

TOOLS:

Tim Holts Craft Pick

http://store.inspirationemporium.com/TO372.html

Ranger Inkssentials Ink Blending Tool and Foam

http://store.inspirationemporium.com/IBT23616.html

Guest Post: Danielle Lounds

You’re One of a Kind Card by Danielle Lounds

Hi everyone!

Now that the long winter is finally coming to a close (hopefully) I am feeling the need for soft pretty Spring colors. I thought it would be fun to combine this need with a bit of stenciling.

First step is to gather supplies.  I picked out a rainbow of colors: Spun Sugar, Wild Honey, Squeezed Lemonade, Crushed Olive and Tumbled Glass Distress ink. For my stencil I choose the Chickenwire 6×6 template from The Crafter’s Workshop. Other supplies – cardstock to stencil (I’m using off white), ink applicators such as sponge daubers or an Ink Blending Tool and foam applicators.

Step 2 – Prep for sponging. I added just a bit of adhesive to the back of my cardstock to tack it in place on work area.  I then taped the stencil down using repositional tape.

Step 3: Apply the first color. You may need to hold the stencil in place with your fingers to help keep it from shifting.

Step 4: Repeat with the next color, making sure to overlap the colors just a bit.

Step 5: Repeat with remaining colors.

Step 6: Remove the template and admire your stenciled piece.

Step 7: For bonus points add glitter. I used Fruit Punch Distress Glitter from Ranger and the Chevron Backdrops stamp set from Lawn Fawn.  The glitter was adhered in place using a sticky embossing powder and VersaMark ink (Emboss It ink would also work great).

And here is a closeup of the background on the completed card.

Marvelous Masks and Spectacular Stencils

Happy April! Spring is coming…promise! It seems like every year goes faster and faster…it’s APRIL…crazy! And, with another month, comes a new Challenge!

This month, we are working with Marvelous Masks and Spectacular Stencils…how fun will that be?

Let’s get right to some inspiration, shall we?

Oh, Lisa Hoel, how you make our heart skip a beat!  There are so many techniques we love on this project! We love your use of the Tim Holtz mask sheets for the ray bursts on the background…super cool!

 Yes, we know…you need a second to take in all the amazing details on this ridiculously artistic project from Shelly Hickox.  We love the detail of the embossed stencil work in the background…you will have to check out Shelly’s tutorial for this!

 So CUTE!!! This is a bit of a sneak peek of Danielle Lounds’ guest post on Wednesday…we just couldn’t wait to share that gorgeous stenciled background…perfect background for a super cute image…gorgeously colored, of course!!

You have a month to play with those masks and stencils…go get ‘em!!!

For a chance to win $50 in Emporium Dollars to spend in the store just add a link to your submission below (your link does not have to be to a blog, it can also be to your SCS gallery…use code IEMC23 or other gallery online!!!)…and, remember, you can enter as many times as you want…so create away!!! Contest begins on April 1, 2013  and ends on April 30, 2013 at midnight…the winner will be randomly chosen and announced on May 1, 2013.

CONGRATULATIONS , Kristin,  you are the random winner of the March Monthly Challenge: Add a Little P.O.P.  We love your cameo pop n cuts card!  Thank you for playing along; please email your information to info@inspirationemporium.com to claim your gift certificate!

Metallic Distress Paint Winners!!

The new Metallic Distress Paints are flying out the door!!! They are so so cool!! You MUST run to see the latest 12 Tags of 2013 from Tim Holtz…it is amazing, and he shows you how incredible the new paints are…RUN…no joke, super cool…

As for the lucky winners…

Congratulations Michael Farrell, Pamela Romero and Victoria Sturdevant!!!  We have a set of the 3 new paints just for you! 

Please send your information to info@inspirationemporium.com to claim your prizes! We can’t wait to see what cool things you do with the paints!

Distress Paint Fun

Have you had the chance to play with the New Distress Paints yet? If you have, you know how amazing they are! The paint truly is like nothing we have used before…it is so smooth and fluid, covers fantastically, and the finish is cool!

We have a few projects to share from the team using the paints, but first…

That’s right, folks…there are Metallic Distress Paints in the house!!!! Whoohooo!! Thank you Ranger and Tim Holtz for this innovative, super cool product!!! 

To celebrate, Big Mama is giving away THREE sets of new paints!!! The 3 ways to win:

Now, on to the projects…

First up, is our super sweet social media coordinator, Linda Ledbetter with her card for the P.O.P. Challenge….we love how she used water to blend her paints together…gorgeous!

Lisa Hoel played with the paints on her embossed metal tape…sanding after painting reveals such great texture and shine!

Here Lisa did a marble background with the paints…then stamped with the paint…so many possibilities!

Richele Christensen perfectly shows how great these paints are on metal…they have great coverage, remain true to color, and are really easy to blend.

If you haven’t tried them yet, you HAVE to get your hands on some…they are simply incredible!!!