StarLitStudio

rock that cold away

A get well pocket card is featured today - Lockhart's Rocking Chair is paired with Basic Grey's Wisteria papers.

Copic markers were picked based on the colors in the Wisteria papers.

Lockhart Rocking Chair was stamped onto a white cardstock (Papertrey) Labels Eight die, using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  Colored with Copics, but leaving the quilt alone.

Stamped Rocking Chair again onto Wisteria paper, then trimmed quilt, and pieced onto stamped, colored image.

The pocket card base measures 5-1/4" x 11" and uses Memory Box Kraft cardstock..  Side flaps are 1/2" in width.  I opted to machine-stitch the wisteria layers to the pocket card front, so I sewed the Wisteria papers before I assembled the pocket.

Finished size of pocket is 4-1/4" x 5-1/2". 

Pocket card insert (Hero Arts thinking of you sentiment) and white cardstock labels eight die were aged along the edges using Distress Antique Linen ink.  Memory Box Kraft envelope coordinates with their cardstock.  The glazed brad is from the Wisteria collection.  Feeling better sentiment is from Papertrey Ink

Snippet pull flap of pocket insert is stapled into place using Tim's clever stapler.  Light blue layer is Memory Box Blue Poppy.

Corners of the pocket card top and insert were rounded using Zutter's tool.  Cardstock edges were distressed with Tim's paper distresser.

Mish inspired these apples!  They have bit of Glossy Accents on the tops.

flower soft stems

One of the things I like about Flower Soft is the dimension it adds to a project - and you can touch it and go 'wow'!

For today's project I used the white wire that Flower Soft sells, and covered two-inch segments with a green Copic marker.  Then followed steps #2 and #3 to create the flower stalks.  The above piece of recycled block styrofoam serves as my drying rack.

Lockhart's Foxglove was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto white cardstock (Papertrey Ink), then trimmed.  Colored with Copic markers.

Lockhart's Foxglove was stamped again, coloring in the vase only.  Distress Crackle Paint in Rock Candy was painted over the colored vase and speed dried.  Vase colored with Copic T1, T3 and T5.

Dried vase - trimmed, and cardstock gently persuaded to curve using a paintbrush handle.

Punched two holes in the vase of the fully colored image...

...then inserted the Flower Soft stems through the holes - the photo below shows how I adhered them...

Glue Dots - yep - Glue Dots hold the stems in place securely.

Completed card - Memory Box Cherry Blossom liner and snippet on front; Currant card base, wide white silk ribbon.  Flower Soft layer is matted with Memory Box Licorice using a Spellbinders Long Rectangle die. Martha Stewart simple scallop border punch. 

Finished card size:  4-1/2" x 6-1/4".  

rock candy cupcake icing

** If you haven't already please go enter yesterday's blog candy stamp giveaway!**

Lockhart Stamp Company's Single Cupcake gets the yummy icing treatment with Rock Candy Distress Stickles - reminds me of sweet sparkling sugar!

Lockhart Cupcake was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, masked, then airbrushed using Copic BV000 while the Nestabilities Pinked Circle remained in place.  Matted with Cranberry cardstock.  A white gel pen from Ranger added the highlight on the cherry.

To add a hint of color to the icing before hitting it with the Rock Candy Distress Stickles, I colored it with Copic RV0000.
I'm now officially hungry.   For a cupcake.

Birthday Wishes sentiment is from A Muse, and this layout is from an old Stampin Up catalog.  Brad and paper are Basic Grey Lime Rickey, and the tiny pin is from Tim Holtz. 

Card base is Memory Box Cranberry and measures 4-1/4" x 5-1/2".  Black grosgrain ribbon is May Arts.

Interior sentiments are from Hero Arts and instead of tossing the leftover Lime Rickey paper I used it here.  The solid 6x6 papers that are in the back of those Basic Grey 6x6 packs are great for lining Memory Box envelopes. 

life is sweeter

Today's layout is from Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge - WSC #95. 

Lockhart Stamp Company's Itty Bitty Jar of Berries was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto a white Inchie Square. Inchie Squares are the highest grade Alphamat Artcare matboard.  Sold in convenient boxes of 1" squares, 72 per box.  Inchie Squares are archival and are about one millimeter thick, creating an instant embellishment with dimension. 

The berries became gumballs for this card, and used Copic Spica glitter pens to color.  The white Inchie Square was matted onto Licorice cardstock.

Life is Sweeter sentiment is from Hero Arts Clear Design - Friends.  Memory Box Presto Flourish was stamped with Adirondack Willow ink, and also stamped with embossing ink onto Currant cardstock then heat set.  Sentiment was cut and embossed with Nestabilites Circle dies.  Patterned paper - We R Memory Keepers Nonsense.

how to speed dry

Desperate times call for desperate measures.   Needing to speed dry my crack...Distress Rock Candy Crackle Paint that is... I came up with this contraption. 

I keep one of those dollar-store, battery-operated mini fans at my workstation to cool UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel) quickly, and I paired it with a jumbo clothespin that I plan to alter in the near future. 

This speed drying method dried the Rock Candy Crackle in about 4 minutes.  Normal air drying time for product (at this time of the year) is around 15 minutes.

A Glue Dot is temporarily holding the bird diecut in place, preventing it from literally flying away.

sympathy lily card

I picked up a package of miniature, dainty lilies at my local Michaels Craft Store, but you could make these from polymer clay too if you have the time.  The vintage dictionary page was aged with a few of Tim's Distress ink pads and trimmed to 1" x 3".

The lilies were tied together with green silk ribbon, then adhered carefully to the dictionary page with mini Glue Dots.  The layers were as follows:  1x3 glass pane, lilies and aged dictionary piece, 1x3 Ranger Memory Capsule - all neatly placed within a 1x3 Ranger Memory Frame.

I adhered the completed embellishment to a simple card front using craft Glue Dots, adding a knot of Gold satin ribbon.  Hero Arts sentiment.  Card interior is simply a sympathy verse and a snippet of Memory Box Jack O'Lantern Cardstock.

For a great tutorial on how to mail a bulky and/or delicate handmade card like this one, please check out Sharon Johnson's (No Time To Stamp) blog post from July 30, 2008.

distress crackle rock candy sympathy card

 

Texture so yummy you'll want to touch...

One of Tim Holtz's newest products, Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint, is featured in today's project.  Tim has a video tutorial using Rock Candy Distress Paint, and in today's post I'll show how to create three easy sympathy cards. 

Sadly, sympathy cards are depleted from my stash faster than any other type of card; I create them in batches.

Using one of Christine Adolph's images from Stampington & Co - Elegant Stems #C8412 - I stamped three times onto Papertrey white cardstock using Ranger Archival ink in Jet Black. 

I stamped just the circle portion of the image three more times, punched out using a 3/4" circle punch, and sponged Distress Antique Linen, Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain using a blending tool.

Next - airbrushing.  I have the compressor from Ellen's store, but started out with her beginner's kit and got hooked...  Airbrushed Copic BV04 over the lower portions of the images.

Airbrushed Copic YG95 next...

And lastly airbrushed Copic YR24.  You'll note the airbrushing was not neatly done.  It doesn't have to be for this project, so just have at it and dive right in.

Tore apart the white cardstock into three images.  I left the 'exposed' rough torn side on the left, top and bottom sides.  The right side will be covered up with a gauzy-style ribbon.

Using a blending tool and Distress Walnut Stain, fully ink up the edges and blend inward just slightly. *Note - I went back and inked up the right sides - the white cardstock shows through the gauze ribbon too much.

Liberally and roughly apply Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint to each image.  Do not try to cover the whole image - just most of it...leave a bit of cardstock naked to hit with ink later (next step).  Allow to air dry completely.  Or, allow to dry about 50% - 75% of the way then take a heat tool to the wet areas until dry. 

side note:  Don't try using a heat tool to speed dry Distress Crackle Metallic Paints - only use a heat tool with the 24 colors, Picket Fence and Rock Candy included, and only once the crackle has set up about 50% to 75%.  The Distress Crackle Metallic Paints will bubble and become unsightly if hit with a heat tool.

After the crackle paint dried I worked Distress Vintage Photo ink into the cracks using a blending tool, then wiped away any excess ink with a clean, soft cloth.  Click on the image to zoom and view the beautiful cracking this product provides.

If you're asking about dry time for this product, I live in northeast USA, New Jersey, and it's August - high humidity.  With the ceiling fan running, dry time was about 10 minutes.  The cardstock was curled but just slightly.  Recommend adhering directly to cardstock, or if you want to pop the image using dimensionals, first mat to a piece of good cardstock to provide stability.

Trimmed 1" ivory gauze ribbon lengths in half lengthwise using pinking shears.  The pinked edge simply adds to the texture of this style ribbon.  Using light adhesive, stabilize cut ribbon, then sew a zig-zag stitch using ivory thread and a sewing machine.

I added a smudge of Distress Dusty Concord ink to the 3/4" punched circles after determining more purple was needed.  And I aint' even Prince.

Three sympathy cards made in record time.  Love this look of visible texture.  Finished card size:  4-1/4" x 5-1/2".

Card interior features a sentiment from Verses Rubber Stamps and Hero Arts.  A strip of leftover airbrushed cardstock and 7gypsies Catania add interest and color.

altered heat tool

A few years ago I spied Tim Holtz using a Ranger Heat It craft tool - and let's just say, you could immediately identify it was Tim's!    Ellen Hutson did a write up on this tool in this post a few weeks ago - excellent product.  You can email Ellen to find out when this will be back in stock - I didn't see it in the store today but did yesterday.

The tool arrived, and I took a sanding block to the Ranger logo.  It takes just a light touch and maybe two or three minutes of very light, but concentrated sanding strokes.

Gather your favorite Ranger Alcohol Ink colors and have a party!  Tim has an alcohol ink video tutorial here for those that have never played with these.  The dots of color on the caps are glossy paper and a 1/4" circle punch (again, I saw some of Tim's bottles identified this way).  By marking your alcohol ink caps it prevents messing up the nozzle with another color.

I sealed the heat tool by painting it with a water-based sealant - DecoArt DuraClear Varnish in Gloss, available at Michaels craft stores, and a wide, soft brush.

I like that this heat tool from Ranger has a loop in the cord, near the handle, so I can hang it - takes up zero workspace.

(Alcohol ink colors used:  cranberry, red pepper, butterscotch, citrus, stonewashed, stream, purple twilight - the silver metallic was omitted from the project  - the colors were enough without it.)

scrappy socks

Today's layout was inspired from a card in an old Stampin' Up catalog - it utilizes coordinating scraps...which I do love to use versus store and forget... then eventually toss. 

I took a few scraps of October Afternoon's Detour papers and cut them in various squares.  The white cardstock scalloped and embossed square is a Nestabilities die.

Lockhart Stamp Company's Warm Socks image was stamped onto several OA Detours scraps, using Jet Black Archival Ink.  Socks and background were cut out and pieced together. 

This was a speedy card - no coloring!  OK I did use one blue marker on the sock feet and toes... the paper does all the work, and the OA papers all coordinate without any effort on my part at all.

'...that stinks' is from Lockhart also; ribbon is Strano (Jillian).

'feeling a little better?' sentiment is from Lockhart, and the Warm Socks image was stamped using Aqua Adirondack ink.  Lagoon envelope coordinates with the Lagoon cardstock base (Memory Box).

ingredients:  Lockhart Stamp Company images.  Memory Box cardstocks (Lagoon envelope; Lagoon cardstock used); Ranger Archival and Adirondack pads and refills; complete line of Nestabilities dies and all related accessories - Ellen Hutson; October Afternoon papers, full line of Strano ribbons - StarLitStudio; white cardstock - Papertrey Ink.

crackle birds

Today's post is all about Distress Crackle Paint - the quick how-to is located on Ellen's CLASSroom blog here.

Tim Holtz developed this product with Ranger Industries; it's made in the USA.  The CLASSroom blog is just one of Ellen's helpful blogs geared toward education, by sharing a wide variety of crafting techniques.

Best wishes for a great week!