Small but Bright

It’s December, and true to my nature, I am not ready or prepared! I have hundreds of unfulfilled ideas, the beginnings of lots of Christmas cards and projects and I keep repeating to myself, “next year will be different… next year I’ll be organized!”

When it comes to creating, it takes me longer to get into my holiday stride than at Halloween. The inventor stamps by Tim Holtz are among my favourites and I thought starting here and sticking with brown shades, would get me cracking on those cards…

This is my favourite of the Tim Holtz inventor holidays stamps, (Inventor 5). It’s so incredibly vintage, as well as having that cool inventor look. I dragged the smooth side of distress watercolor cardstock through a wash made from frayed burlap, iced spruce and pumice stone distress sprays. Once dry, I stamped the inventor 5 stamp and coloured the bulbs using fossilized amber distress marker and a water brush.

This was mounted onto brown classic kraft stock, then metallic confections kraft stock and finally kraft stock. The kraft stock layer was stamped with the music strip from Tim Holtz Stamptember 2018 set, (no longer avaliable, sorry). Stamped in picket fence distress paint and covered with white embossing powder. I used Tim Holtz idea-ology aristocrat design tape. This is probably my favourite tape ever. If anyone has one they don’t like/want/need… 😉

This sticker from the Tim Holtz idea-ology Christmas clippings, was perfect. I love looking through the sheets to find a sticker than matches a card. It’s a nice touch that each card is more individual if you add a different quote.

I had to mention the metallic kraft stock! OMG! This is a sheet of the mushroom from the confections set. I need an entire paper pad of just this colour and don’t even get me started on the sanding results! Blend in a little vintage photo distress ink to the sanded areas… grunge-tastic!!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you’re having fun making Christmas cards and enjoying December.

Zoe x

Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps – Inventor 5	(LATE NOVEMBER PRE-ORDER) Tim Holtz Idea-ology 8 x 8 Metallic Confections Kraft Stock	Tim Holtz Idea-ology 8 x 8 Classic Kraft Stock	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Clippings Stickers, Christmas	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Aristocrat Design Tape
Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Stain Spray – Frayed Burlap TSS42303	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Stain Spray – Iced Spruce TSS42327	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Stain Spray – Pumice Stone TSS42426	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Marker – Fossilized Amber	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad – Vintage Photo TIM19527
Ranger Inkssentials Kraft Cardstock 8.5 X 11	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Watercolor Cardstock 4.25 x 5.5 inches-TDA39549	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad – Picket Fence TIM40781	Ranger Embossing Powder – White EPJ36685	Ranger ADHESIVE – WHITE FOAM ROLL 1/2" X 1/16"x 2 YDS. IWT40514
Tim Holtz Water Brush, Detailer Brush Tip TIP33080	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Sprayer TDA47414	Ranger Inkssentials Mini Ink Blending Tool – With 4 Blending Foams IBT40965	Tim Holtz Ranger Idea-ology Sanding Grip TH92482	Tim Holtz Travel Stamp Platform – 1711e by Tonic Studios