So...it's kinda weird...

When Tim Holtz's latest paper stash came out, I of course had to have it.

I love all things Tim.

You know, in case you hadn't noticed that around here. ;-)

So I am now in possession of the Kraft Resist paper stash. It's quite lovely, but I haven't yet decided just what it is I'm supposed to do with it.

Therefore...this card is the result of my experimenting.

I used more of that funky drywall tape, this time as a stencil for the background. Then I cut a section of the Kraft Resist and covered it with Vintage Photo Distress Stain. I rubbed off the excess stain, which caused the paper to pill.

(Is that the right word? You know, when little bits of paper come off and form little balls.)

Soooo, I adhered it just to be done with it. And I added a sentiment that I stamped with more Distress Stain.

I spent some time in East Germany (many many years ago) and in East Berlin they had this huge tower thing they called Big Brother. Rumor was the East German government constructed it so they could listen to any conversation anywhere in the city. The image on this paper reminds me of that huge communications tower. Weird, eh?


Supplies:
Paper: The Paper Studio (kraft cardblank); Tim Holtz (Kraft Resist paper stash)
Stamp: Stampabilities
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Stain (Vintage Photo)
ETC: Drywall tape; Glue Glider Pro


It's supposed to be 101 degrees here today. (For those of you on the Celsius scale, that falls into the "Too Hot To Breathe" range.) I got all my outdoor work done this morning and now I feel like I need a nap. :-0


~Cynthia ;-)

Double the Snippet

Both green papers are snippets--little bits of leftover papers.

Jules on Always With a Heart runs a cute challenge on Sundays to use up those scraps, or snippets as she calls them.

I stamped the iris and the sentiment with Black Soot Distress Ink, then used watercolor pencils to add color. I carefully cut out a portion of the iris and a leaf with an X-acto knife then tucked the green polka dot paper beneath them to make the flower pop a little bit.

I used a border punch on the side too.

I've gone back-and-forth on this one since I made it. Sometimes I like it...sometimes I just want to cut it up and start over.

Oh well. What's done is done right? =D


Supplies:
Paper: Recollections (ivory cardblank); Bazzill (green cardstock); ATD/Momenta (Specialty Collection)
Stamps: Penny Black (Flower Gallery); Fiskars (How Many Candles set)
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Black Soot)
ETC: Koh-i-noor (watercolor pencils); Fiskars (border punch); X-acto knife; Glue Glider Pro


We're supposed to have record-breaking heat here today. I'm doing my part to prevent heatstroke by staying inside and creating STUFF!! ;-)

~Cynthia

It Ain't Easy Being Green....

...unless you're a frog of course! Or a funky card! =D

I rather like this one. It's totally weird, yet artsy at the same time! I used the drywall tape again. I doused it with Distress Stain to get that lovely brown.

The yellow-ish line under the sentiment is actually caused by the glue used to hold the end of the tape to the roll. The glue acted like a resist. I rather like that part too!

I used the Distress Stain as ink on the rubber stamp as well. That came out kind of watercolor-y. Very cool. Then I also used the Stain to distress the edges. WHO KNEW?? Distress Stains are AWESOME. I can't wait to grab the latest colors!


Supplies:
Paper: The Paper Studio (kraft cardblank); Bazzill (green cardstock); Graphic 45 (The Magic of Oz collection: Parcel Post)
Stamp: Stampabilities (sentiment)
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Stain (Vintage Photo)
ETC: Drywall tape; Glue Glider Pro


Thanks so much for stopping by today!

~Cynthia

Who doesn't love PURPLE cards??!!

Well, OK, some people don't like purple cards at all. Me? I was using up a snippet, thank you! I think that's totally legal. ;-)

Technically, I'm using TWO snippets here! The purple cardstock is a leftover and the Core'dinations paper is also a snippet.

I ran the black/purple Core'dinations paper through a Fiskars crimper, then sanded the paper to bring out the purple lines.

I took the other snippet of Core'dinations and ran that through Tim Holtz's Tattered Florals die cut and then a Cuttlebug embossing folder. I sanded again.

Finally, I stamped the celebrate border across the bottom and finished off with a bit of Distress Ink around the edges. I used a sparkly gel pen on the dots and the sentiment.

I totally planned to move the flower down toward the center a bit and then promptly forgot. So it looks a tad wonky. Heh.


Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (purple cardstock); Core'dinations (Black Magic, Hocus Pocus pad); The Paper Studio (kraft cardblank)
Stamps: Stampology (Celebrate border set)
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Dusty Concord)
ETC: Cuttlebug (Spots and Dots embossing folder)


I can't believe it's Friday already. Where did this week go?? Have a wonderful weekend!!


~Cynthia

Well. Let's see if Mr. Blogger is going to play nice today, shall we?? ;-)

Here's yet another Jules' snippet inspired cards.

I used bits of leftover paper, one happy balloon stamp, and lots of distressing.

I think it would be cool to stamp the recipient's name or the date above the horizontal piece when I'm ready to send it out.



Supplies:
Paper: The Paper Studio (kraft cardblank and cardblank remnant); BoBunny (Gabrielle collection)
Stamp: Hero Arts (Birthday Messages set)
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Walnut Stain, Antique Linen)
ETC: Sakura glitter pen; Making Memories distresser; Glue Glider Pro



And that's it for me today! Have a wonderfully creative day!! =D

~Cynthia

More Snippets!

This week has been crazy busy and I just now got some time to sit down and blog my latest snippet creation.

It's been quite fun, rifling through my leftover bits and pieces and making a card with whatever my hands find. This card started with a die cut piece of beachy shell paper that I was going to use for another project. I didn't really like the color, so I threw it into the Snippet File. When I pulled it out, I decided to suck it up and make something with it.

You know, I actually found some paper that matched the colors of the shells!

I think the final product isn't all that bad.

It's kind of beachy...and manly...and clean and simple.


PS: Mr. Blogger is being quite evil today so I'm done messing with this. I wanted to sign off nicely after I listed the supplies, but Mr. Blogger will not let me do anything. Humph.

PPS: Thanks to Jules for the Snippet Inspiration. =D

~Cynthia

Lowe's is the new craft store!

Lowe's is the new craft store!, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

I had to go back to taking pictures outside because my journal is larger than my scanner bed. At least you get a lovely view of the bricks on my front porch! ;-)

So Carolyn over on A Colorful Journey posted about a trip to Home Depot resulting in a purchase of drywall tape. The particular type she bought had lovely holes in it, like Punchinella--the leftover stuff from sequin production.

I've never actually seen Punchinella for sale anywhere. So OF COURSE I headed straight for Home Depot! And of course, they didn't have it. (But their employees were under the effects of heat exhaustion and quite funny about everything!)

So I headed to Lowe's. And they had it. SO EXCITED. And...they also had a smaller roll of that awesome yellow caution tape!

SCORE!!!

Here then is a page from my mixed media journal, complete with Punchinella look-alike dots and actual tape, layered over a dress pattern I glued down over the gesso-covered page.

It's all browns and tans. Really cool effects with inks and Distress Stains.

I stamped "discipline" on the right because the quotes I wrote on the left have to do with how God disciplines His children, but ever punishes them.



We finally got a bit of rain here this afternoon. It dropped the temperature about seven degrees. But it increased the humidity about 400%. =D

Have a crafty kind of day!

~Cynthia