iGirlZoe – iGirlZoe, Crafter & Tim Holtz Addict

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12 Tags of 2015 – March

24th March, 2015 by iGirlZoe

My French studies continue to consume most of my time, but I finally took time out over the weekend to get inky and create my March tag.

I love love love the background of Tim’s March 12 tags of 2015. It’s so bright and the distress paint gives such a gorgeous deep colour. It inspired me to go bold with my colour palette and I HAD to use the same butterfly stamp as I just didn’t want to use anything else more.

One of the (many) things that I love about the 12 tags is one idea inspires another. Tim uses a masking technique and when I was preparing my butterfly mask, I had the idea to use the backing sheet to make an overlay. I don’t need the backing sheet as I’m storing the butterfly mask over the top of the stamp sheet, (a great idea of Tim’s).

The backing sheet is thick enough that you can crease the wings so they fold up. I really like the 3D effect!

Thanks for taking the time to look at my tag. You can see this months tag and techniques on Tim’s blog and you can see the post translated into French on Scrapdeco’s blog.

Category Craft, Craft Challenges | Tags: | 6 Comments | Views: 899
B is for Balloon

16th March, 2015 by iGirlZoe

Hello. Just a quick post to share a birthday card that I made for my Nephew’s first birthday. I meant to post this a week ago, but I went back to school to study French and the first week was a bit hectic.

Excuse the poor lighting. Daylight saving time hasn’t begun in Europe yet and it had been a bit grey outside when I took this pic! I need to sort myself out a portable light box. If anyone has any recommendations, I would appreciate them.

I made the negative by die cutting shrink plastic with Tim Holtz mini filmstrip and ticket decorative strip die. I dropped alcohol inks onto the plastic until it resembled a real negative strip. I printed miniature photos of my Nephew throughout his first year using my Canon Selphy printer.

I stamped, watercolored with distress markers and fussy cut the balloon blueprints and die cut a cameo frame from grungeboard and inked with distress paint and inks.

Thanks for taking the time to look at my card and thank you for your comments, I really do appreciate them.

~

supplies: tim holtz; surfaces (distress watercolor cardstock, grungeboard, manilla cardstock, shrink plastic, core-dinations kraft core)/distress ink (stormy sky, vintage photo, walnut stain)/distress ink markers (stormy sky, frayed burlap, pumice stone)/distress paint (stormy sky, picket fence)/alcohol inks (espresso)/idea-ology (paper stash french industrial, industrious stickers borders)/dies (cameo frame, sized ovals, tattered banners, mini filmstrip & mini tickets)/stamps (#154 mini blueprints 4)
other: archival ink (jet black)/glossy accents/sewing machine

Category Craft, Craft Creations, Craft Techniques | Tags: | 3 Comments | Views: 822
12 Tags of 2015 – February

25th February, 2015 by iGirlZoe

Phew! I’m just in time with this months Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2015!

I’ve just spent 4 wonderfully restful days in the mountains with my DH celebrating 7 years since I moved to Switzerland, and I took some time out to make my tag.

My love affair with my sewing machine continues, so I took Tim’s patchwork idea literally. Once I had prepared the patches, (see Tim’s blog post for the technique), I stitched between them.

My other love affair is with the new distress colour, Cracked Pistachio! I covered the industrious frame sticker with cracked pistachio paint and allowed to almost dry, then wiped sections for a great faux patina.

I stamped hearts using the new Tim Holtz stamp set “watercolor” set. I cut them out and fed them through my sewing machine, leaving a length of thread between each. I wrapped the excess thread at the top around the arrow adornment and then glued the arrow to the tag.

I repeated the faux patina on the industrious border and XO stickers, as well as the arrow adornment. I had to talk myself out of just covering the entire tag in a cracked pistachio paint wash! 😉

I am SO excited about the new Tim Holtz handwritten thinlit dies that are being released this year! Whilst waiting for them, I re-purposed a die from the holiday scrip set. I thought the sentiment was perfect for this. I made the heart as shown in my Love Distress post.

Thanks for taking the time to look at my tag. You can see this months tag and techniques on Tim’s blog and you can see the post translated into French on Scrapdeco’s blog.

I am also playing along with the Love is in the Air challenge over at Inspiration Journal and the No Rules challenge over at Simon Says Stamp.

~

supplies: tim holtz; surfaces (manilla tag, distress watercolor cardstock)/distress ink (fired brick)/distress ink markers (black soot)/distress paint (picket fence, cracked pistachio)/distress stickles (fired brick)/idea-ology (ephemera pack, industrious stickers, arrow adornment, crinkle ribbon)/dies (holiday words: script, movers & shapers mini hearts)/stamps (#217 watercolor)
other: glue n seal/glossy accents/sewing machine

Category Craft, Craft Challenges, Craft Techniques | Tags: | 7 Comments | Views: 1,300
Blueprint Cards

19th February, 2015 by iGirlZoe

A really quick post to share some watercolour cards I’ve been making using the limited edition stamptember blueprint stamps by Tim Holtz. I LOVE the blueprint stamps! Not least of all because the designs are really cool, but also because they are just the best thing in the world to colour in. Who doesn’t like a bit of colouring in?!

The blueprints are stamped onto distressed watercolor cardstock with black archival ink, and watercoloured with distress markers. The edges are distressed, stitched and spritzed over the top. Mounted onto speciality paper that has been inked with distress through stencils and distressed, stitched and spritzed. I used the alphanumeric dies to custom make some greetings from core-dinations kraft core.

I hope you have a nice weekend. I am looking forward to 4 days in the mountains with my DH, dinner with good friends, craft shopping and crafting. Hopefully we’ll even have some snow!

Thanks for taking time to visit my blog and I hope you like the cards.

~

supplies: tim holtz; distressed watercolor cardstock/speciality paper/core-dinations kraft core/distress inks/distress markers/distress stain sprays/alphanumeric dies/paper distresser/distress marker spritzer/snips scissors/waterbrush
other: archival ink/glossy accents/sewing machine

Category Craft | Tags: | 3 Comments | Views: 1,256
Matchbox Valentines Collage

14th February, 2015 by iGirlZoe

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

Whether you are celebrating Valentine’s with your honey or celebrating being single and fabulous, it’s a great excuse for making stuff.

Today I want to share with you a matchbox valentines collage that I made using the Tim Holtz Sizzix matchbox die and following the really detailed tutorial by Paula Cheney.

I had to include a photo of my sewing machine in action. I am still in shock that I can now use a machine, (albeit basically).

I cut, distressed, inked and stitched the matchbox panels. This time I made side panels which I stamped using the new Tim Holtz watercolor stamp set. I stitched through the centre of the side panels and stuck a strip of scor-tape to the back.

Here you can see the side panels stuck down as well as the heart stamps that I used to stamp the inside of the matchbox sides, (before I built them).

I gathered my distress products ready to decorate my matchboxes.

I made another tiny garden terracotta plant pot using the same techniques as I demonstrated in my matchbox halloween collage post. This time I twisted wire around the skewer and tucked in die cut hearts.

I was still swooning over the new cracked pistachio distress products, so I couldn’t resist using the paint on the arrow adornment to create faux patina. I made a second embellishment for a Valentine’s Day card.

In my matchbox halloween collage I also used corked vials. This time I filled them with tiny die cut hearts and festive berries distress glitter. I made a slit in the top of the cork and pushed a die cut heart into each with a drop of glossy accents to secure.

Thank you for taking time to look at my matchbox valentines collage. Be sure to check out Paula Cheney’s tutorial for detailed instructions on how to make your own matchbox collage.

Be sure to stop by the following online challenges and join in the fun…

“Love is in the Air” – Inspiration Journal
“It’s time to play Tic Tac Toe” – A Vintage Journey
(ideaology, sprays, ribbon)

Category Craft, Craft Challenges, Craft Creations, Craft Techniques | Tags: | 17 Comments | Views: 3,236
Love Distress

13th February, 2015 by iGirlZoe

Yesterday I sat down to work on a final Valentines project and I made this card while waiting for various parts of the other project to dry.

I know the stitching is not going to win any awards, but given that this time last year I couldn’t use a sewing machine… it’s progress. I still haven’t mastered “tension” and I think my machine probably needs dismantling and cleaning because it bangs each time the needle comes down. Someone asked me if I had oiled it and I laughed, (because I thought it was a joke)!! Okay I better shut up before someone calls the sewing machine police!

Quick, I’ll distract you with a close-up! 😉

I die cut a grungeboard heart from the movers and shaper mini hearts set and covered in fired brick distress ink, fired brick distress stickles and glossy accents.
The most difficult part was leaving it alone to dry. Hands up anyone who has impatiently stuck their finger into not quite dry glossy accents?!

It didn’t take long until I had found another excuse to break open my cracked pistachio again. The paint works beautifully as a patina, I think I even prefer the patina effect over the evergreen bough, (sorry eb).

The background was done by stamping the small hearts from the new Tim Holtz watercolor stamp set using picket fence distress paint onto kraft cardstock. The paint smooshes to the edges of the stamp when you press down and leaves a really cool border. I covered XO alpha parts with picket fence distress paint and then weathered.

Thanks for taking time to look at my card and stop by tomorrow to see my Valentines Matchbox Collage.

I am playing along with the “Love is in the Air” challenge over at Inspiration Journal.

~

supplies: tim holtz; surfaces (kraft cardstock, grungeboard core-dinations kraft core)/distress ink (vintage photo)/distress paint (picket fence, fired brick, cracked pistachio)/distress stickles (fired brick)/idea-ology (arrows adornements, alpha parts)/stamps (#217 watercolor)/dies (mini hearts, stacked words: valentines)/tools (paper distresser, blending tool)
other: glossy accents/sewing machine

Category Craft, Craft Challenges, Craft Creations | Tags: | 12 Comments | Views: 1,403
Be My Valentine?

10th February, 2015 by iGirlZoe

Hello. Thanks very much for the kind comments on my blog. It’s so much fun connecting with such a fantastic community of ~~shopaholics~~ crafters! 😉

Today I wanted to share a Valentine’s card I made. I decided at the beginning of the year not to pack away my festive dies, but rather to alter them for use in projects throughout the year.

This time I altered the Victorian Caroller and the holiday words: script thinlits dies.

I cut “believe” and “merry” to give me “be my”. I also used the alphanumeric dies, which I am obsessed with. I love having the ability to title your cards with whatever you can think of.

I used my new stamp sets watercolor and handwritten thoughts to decorate the background and with a bit of stitching I was done.

Thanks for taking the time to look at my card.

~

supplies: tim holtz; surfaces (distress watercolor cardstock, core-dinations kraft core)/distress ink (antique linen, vintage photo, walnut stain)/dies (victorian carrolers, alphanumeric, holiday words: script)/stamps (#217 watercolor, #218 handwritten thoughts)/tools (water mister, blending tool, paper distresser)
other: archival ink (jet black)/glossy accents/sewing machine

Category Craft, Craft Creations | Tags: | 5 Comments | Views: 856
12 Months of Distress – January

9th February, 2015 by iGirlZoe

Oh Cracked Pistachio… I think I love you…

My postman arrived with the much anticipated first new distress colour of the “12 months of distress.” Having a new colour each month is so exciting, it’s like having a year long advent calendar. I could not wait to break into the cracked pistachio and try it out.

I made a tag using various cracked pistachio distress products. I used Tim’s technique from January’s 12 tags of 2015 along with cracked pistachio paint and gathered twigs spray stain to create the background.

I used the cracked pistachio marker to watercolour the stamped image and spray stain to colour the crinkle ribbon.

I used the cracked pistachio ink pad to ink up a heart stamp from the new watercolour stamp set, misted with water and stamped directly onto distress watercolour cardstock. I am going to make a tag each month using the new distress colour. It gives me a chance to try out the colour and build an index.

Thank you for taking time to look at my tag and check out the following online challenges that I am entering.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – H is for… (HOLTZ)
Inspiration Emporium Monthly Challenge – February

~

supplies: tim holtz; surfaces (manila tag, distress watercolor cardstock, core-dinations kraft core)/distress ink (cracked pistachio)/distress paint (cracked pistachio)/distress marker (cracked pistachio)/dies (typeset)/idea-ology (crinkle ribbon, tissue wrap, label letters)/stamps (#47 dance card, #217 watercolor)/tools (water mister, blending tool, paper distresser)
other: archival ink (jet black)/glossy accents/glue n seal/sewing machine

Category Craft, Craft Challenges, Craft Creations, Craft Supplies, Craft Techniques | Tags: | No Comments | Views: 504
Love is… my postman

6th February, 2015 by iGirlZoe

Hello. Thank you for the lovely comments left on my blog, I really appreciate it. It has been an exciting week with new craft products arriving.

I was just getting my new Windsor and Newton watercolour set wet when the postman knocked. I suspect our postman thinks I am a little bit nuts. The Swiss are quite conservative, so my running towards the postman waving, cheering and whooping is usually met with looks of confusion and sometimes fear. It’s nice to arrive to applause and cheering, right?

With my new goodies unpacked, photographed and, (of course), shared on social media, I began to make stuff.

I used the heart stamp from the new Tim Holtz watercolor stamp set. I applied fired brick distress ink to the stamp, misted with water and stamped onto distress watercolor cardstock. I love that this watercolor cardstock has a smooth and dimpled side. Stamping on the smooth side gives you a cleaner stamped image, but for the background I prefered the dimpled effect.

By changing the greeting inside the card, this could be used for Valentines, engagement, Mother’s Day, birthday or just a notecard.

Thank you for taking time to look at my card and check out the following online challenges.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – H is for… (HOLTZ)
Inspiration Emporium Monthly Challenge – February

~

supplies: tim holtz; surfaces (distress watercolor cardstock)/distress ink (antique linen, fired brick, vintage photo, walnut stain)/stamps (#47 dance card, #217 watercolor, #218 handwritten thoughts)/tools (water mister, blending tool, paper distresser)
other: windsor and newton watercolors/glossy accents/sewing machine/crystal gem

Category Craft, Craft Challenges, Craft Creations, Craft Supplies | Tags: | 9 Comments | Views: 902
12 Tags of 2015 – January Card

21st January, 2015 by iGirlZoe

Hello. Is it just me or do you sit calendar watching for the 1st of the month?! It’s even harder now with the exciting “year of distress!” This year in addition to making my 12 tags, (and to keep me out of trouble while I wait), I am making a card too.

This card is for my husband’s cousin who celebrated her 40th birthday with a trip to New York. She also loves Wonder Woman so the colours are perfect.

I made a tag using the techniques from this months 12 tags, (see Tim’s blog for details). I mounted it to a piece of paper from the merriment stash, which I stitched. I attached a “paula bow” to the top of the tag. This is by far my favourite bow of all time and I am addicted to that crinkle ribbon! You could use twine for a more masculine look to the card.

I cut the flag from grungeboard and covered in various distress glitters using the 12 tags techniques. I LOVE distress glitter. Click on the photo for a close up, you can really see the vingtage mica look to this glitter as opposed to fine glitter which I’m personally not a fan of.

Thanks for stopping by my blog and don’t forget to check out the following challenges:

Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2015 January
Inspiration Emporium January Monthly Challenge

~

supplies: tim holtz; surfaces (manilla tag/grungeboard)/distress ink (vintage photo, walnut stain, black soot)/distress ink markers (gathered twigs)/distress stain spray (rusty hinge, stormy sky, walnut stain)/distress paint (picket fence, fired brick, broken china, vintage photo)/distress glitter (clear rock candy, fired brick, broken china, vintage photo)/idea-ology (tissue wrap, crinkle ribbon, alpha parts, mirrored stars, merriment paper stash, seasonal collage paper stash)/dies (festive gent, mini old glory)/stamps (simple sayings #155, hashtags #183)/tools (water mister, sanding grip, blending tool, paper distresser,distress marker spritzer)
other: glossy accents/glue n seal/heat tool/glue gun/sewing machine

Category Craft, Craft Challenges, Craft Creations, Craft Techniques | Tags: | 4 Comments | Views: 1,136

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