Hey, here's a tip...

Hey, here's a tip..., a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

Never use Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint on gesso.

Cuz this is what happens.

Oh my gosh, I almost cried when I saw this disaster!!

See, what happened was....

For years I've been making an Advent devotional journal--separate from the December Daily album.

I had a little flash yesterday and decided to make ONE journal that I could use for several years of Advent journaling. I rooted around and found this dollar journal from Michael's in my stash.

I coated it front and back with gesso to cover the image on front, which had nothing to do with Advent.

Then I thought...would it not be so cool to put CracklePaint on there and then smoosh silver Distress Paint or Stain into the crackles?

Yes, yes it would.

So I covered the front with the Crackle Paint and let it dry overnight.

And this is what happened.

So.
So.
Sad.

Now I have to figure out Plan B.

Ideas, anyone??? Maybe try it over paint instead of gesso? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?


~Cynthia

Tim's November Tag

Tim's November Tag, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

Sir Tim has done it again.

Gone and made a tag with supplies that I don't have.

You know, like always! ;-)

But, as always, I've gone all MacGyver on it and I think I have captured the spirit of his tag! HAHA!!

The instructions for Tim's tag are here, so you can compare outcomes.

I used a piece of chalkboard paper--so cool! Then I stamped the corn image using Versamark. (I stamped it once and cut it out and stamped it again on the tag piece.)

Then I cleaned the stamp.

This step is very important.

The amount of time it takes to clean the Versamark off the stamp is exactly the amount of time needed to allow the Versamark to dry.

No more. No less.

Believe me when I say this. It took many MANY tries to get the chalky look correct.

Then, gently rub a piece of chalk over the image. I used regular chalkboard chalk. Once the image is completely covered, dry it with a heat gun.

Then I gently brushed the tag with a two-inch wide paint brush to get the excess chalk off.

I *did* follow Tim's instructions on making the label. YAY ME.

I brushed Pumice Stone Distress Ink on a white piece of cardstock, then flicked water on it and dried it with a heat gun.

I stamped the sentiment (it says "Thankful"--much more clear in real life) in Archival Ink. It's also very important to use Archival Ink and not Distress Ink for a crisp image.

Yeah, ask me how I know *that* one.

Then to the tag...I used PopDots to adhere the fussy cut corn image and also the label over the top.

Finally I mooshed some Pumice Stone Distress Ink on a craft sheet and smooshed some ribbon in it, dried it and attached it.

Because I made my own tag, I used one of Tim's hole reinforcers to made it look like a purchased tag.

And...the end!


I really love the look! It's different from using embossing powder--a more chalky, hand-drawn look. And fun too!

Thanks for dropping by!


~Cynthia

30 Days of Gratitude

30 Days of Gratitude, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

As if I needed yet another project (LOL!!!), I'm joining up with Cathy Zielske and friends for 30 Days of Thankful.

Me being me, I named mine 30 Days of Gratitude.

Cuz I'm a rebel like that. ;-)

The idea is to take a photo each day for the 30 days in November of something for which you are thankful...or in my case--grateful. Heh heh.

I'm doing just a bit of a twist on the project though. I'll be using a different verse from the Biblical book of Psalms that specifically mentions the words thanks, thankful, or gratitude. Oddly, I only found 29 verses, so I cheated just a bit and added a verse from the book of Colossians for a total of 30 verses.

The photo shows the album in progress. I've cut 8x8 pages from solid cardstock or from patterned paper from We R Memory Keepers' Harvest collection. I also grabbed the set of cards from the same collection made for Project Life--3x4 and 4x6 with some cute die cut cards too. It's all going in an SEI 8x8 album.

If you fancy playing along, head over to Cathy's blog for all the details!


And a Happy Halloween to you! I hope it's all treats and no tricks! =D


~Cynthia

A Face

A Face, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

Earlier this month I was sitting on the front porch, enjoying the sun, when this little guy hopped up on the stairs. I'd seen him and a few of his buddies on the sidewalk and under the bushes, but they usually hop away quickly.

Not this little guy.

Even though I stuck my camera right in his face, he remained calm.

And he posed.

First the full face, then several side views. Then it was a Toad in Action shot.

And all from a toad the size of a nickle.

Dude's got guts.


I cut a few inches off the top of some kraft cardstock, punched the stars out of it, then layered it on a patterned piece of paper.

I threw in some washi tape and thew on some stamps, and adhered a few enamel dots.

Then I added an in-your-face title for this in-your-face tiny toad! =D


Supplies:
Paper: KaiserCraft (75 Cents collection); Bazzill (kraft cardstock); unknown (stash paper)
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Black Soot)
Stamp: Maya Road
ETC: Tim Holtz (Tissue Tape); Bella Blvd (Pickle Juice washi tape); Thickers (foam letters); My Mind's Eye (enamel dots); Martha Stewart (stars punch)


Ali Edwards is starting up her December Daily album over on her blog. I linked up my cover which I posted in July. Join in the fun!


~Cynthia

Halloween Card #2

Halloween Card #2, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

Here's the second Halloween card in my variations-on-a-theme design.

This time I die cut the pumpkin from black cardstock, so he looked more like a shadow. I also die cut the face pieces out of the pumpkin itself and not out of colored cardstock. That way the background shines through the face.

Spooky, eh?

I added a few die cut leaves and shaded the bottom of the card blank to give a bit of interest...or to cover up a mistake I made. I'm not saying which.

;-)


So we finally got our pumpkins carved yesterday evening. I started to cut the top off of mine and quickly realized my little pumpkin was past his prime....I could cut through it like butter. Not a good sign! Even now, his face is drooping a bit and his eyes look like he's about to fall asleep!! Ah well, he only needs to survive a few more days! Then into the compost heap he goes!! =D


Carry on creating!

~Cynthia

Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween!!, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

In the middle of addressing my Halloween cards, I realized I hadn't taken a photo of a single one! Gratefully, I had two cards to go, so here's the first.

All of the cards are variations on a theme: spooky sunset, bats, leaves, black cats and grinning Jack-o-lanterns! On the ones I had already sealed in envelopes, I also added a small section of fence for the cat to sit on.

I made the backgrounds by blending Distress Inks in yellow, orange, purple and black.

I die cut the leaves, cats, bats and pumpkins--adding small touches like glittery eyes on the cats or shading on the leaves.

Then I adhered everything and stamped my sentiment.

Easy peasy! =D


Are you all ready for Halloween? I still have to get my pumpkin carved!!


~Cynthia

Tumbleweeds

Tumbleweeds, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

Yes, I'm pretty sure these AREN'T tumbleweeds.

Whatever happened to tumbleweeds anyway? When I was in elementary school in Ohio, there were huge tumbleweeds that often tumbleweeded across the playground.

Ah, memories......

Ahem, so this page isn't really about tumbleweeds at all. I just thought the little seed thing-a-ma-dos looked rather like tumbleweeds in really close-up photos of them.

No? Just me?

Sorry.

Anyway, this was a fun page to make. I scribbled Picket Fence Distress Marker on a big ol' script stamp and stamped it straight down the page.

The effect is really kinda cool. It's ghostly, wispy and kind of faded.

Then I stamped a maple leaf stamp from Stampabilites in various Distress Ink colors all over a white piece of paper. Then I die cut Cuttlebug leaves from it.

I adhered the leaves roughly along the script stamp line.

The photos are on a 6x6 piece of Cosmo Cricket paper.

I added a few enamel dots, a few more leaves and called it a day!


Thanks for stopping by today! Have a wonderful weekend!!!


~Cynthia