Tim Holtz/Sizzix Chapter 1 - Bold Text Thinlits

Hi my friends, I'm sharing cards I made for the release of Tim Holtz/Sizzix Chapter 1 using the Bold Text Thinlits and because you can also use the fall out letters, I ended up with 3 cards for the price of one. If you missed the YouTube Live launch, you can watch the replay and be inspired by all the amazing projects from the Makers on Tim's YouTube Channel or Blog.

I began by colouring a 6" x 4.1/2" panel of Distress Watercolor card with Worn Lipstick, Fossilized Amber and Evergreen Bough Distress Spray Stains and die-cut 4 times using the Happy Birthday To You - Bold Text Thinlits.

I poked the letters out from each panel and set them aside in 4 piles

I fixed the panel temporarily to black cardstock and paper pieced the letters back into their individual spaces using a Sakura Quickie Glue Pen.

I removed the panel, leaving the letters behind on the black card, matted it on to black cardstock,  trimmed to leave a small border, decorated with Sizzix Gold Star Sequins and fixed to a white card blank. 

I trimmed the second panel to leave a small border, cut in half down the centre and matted on to 3" x 4.1/2" white card blanks.

I'll be back soon more makes with the Chapter 1 release, in the meantime, have fun with whatever you are making.

Hugs Kath xxx

Simon Says - Love Is In The Air

Hi Everyone...welcome to another week on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog. Thank you for joining us for last week's challenge and we hope you can join us this week too because

The first challenge of the month means the Design Team are featuring products from one company/brand and this month we are all using our very own Simon Says Stamp Exclusives.

We are also welcoming the lovely and talented Susan Babcock aka Susanbcards as our Designer In The Spotlight, if you haven't visited her blog before, pop over and say hi, you are in for a real treat.

The theme for this week is...

LOVE IS IN THE AIR

I created "two for the price of one" Valentine cards using the new Tim Holtz Intense Alcohol Pearl and Rose Gold Alloy inks, Simon Says Big XOXO die, Clear Acetate and Reverse And Back Again Sentiment Strips.

To make the shaker card, I trimmed Distress White Yupo Paper to 4.1/2" x 6.1/2",dripped on Blending Solution, added drops of Tim Holtz Intense and Intrigue Alcohol Pearls and moved the ink around with the Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink Air Blower. I added more Alcohol Pearls and drops of Blending Solution until I was happy with the background.

I die-cut the shaker aperture using Simon Says Big XOXO die and fixed acetate on the back of the panel.

I fixed foam adhesive on the back of the panel and added a mix of pink and silver iridescent Sizzix Sequins.

I added a panel of Simon Says Black Cardstock on top trimmed to be 1/8" larger and fixed to a 5" x 7" white card blank.

I created the second card to use up the left over letter die cuts.

I trimmed the Yupo Paper to 4.3/4" x 6.3/4", dripped Blending Solution on to the top and bottom corners, added drops of Intense and Intrique Alcohol Pearls and moved the colour around with the Air Blower as before. I added splatters of Intense Alcohol Pearl diluted with Blending Solution and dried.

I inked the script stamp from Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous Faded Type with Black Soot Distress Archival and holding the stamp in my hand, stamped randomly over the background.

I added splatters of Rose Gold Alloy ink, diluted as before with Blending Solution and dried.

I die-cut Simon Says Big XOXO from black cardstock, layered with the left over Alcohol Pearl die-cuts and fixed to the panel with foam adhesive.

I trimmed the Simon Says Reverse And Back Again Sentiment Strips with my "how did I ever craft without" Tim Holtz/Tonic Studios Mini Trimmer best friend and coloured the edges with a black marker.

I fixed the sentiment strips to the cards with Distress Collage Medium

I matted the second card on to black cardstock trimmed 1/8" larger and fixed to a 5" x 7" with card blank.

You can find all the products I used over at Simon Says Stamp, just click on the links below

Why don't you pop over to the Monday Challenge Blog and check out the amazing creations from my very talented Design Team mates and as always you have until Monday 8am Ohio time...1pm UK time...2pm CET to join in with the chance to win a $25 voucher to spend online at Simon Says Stamp

You can also follow Simon Says Stamp on Instagram

and if you use Instagram...

please add #sssmchallenge to your entry uploads so we can see them on there too

I look forward to seeing what you create this week...

Have Fun and Happy Crafting

Hugs Kath xxx

Tim Holtz/Sizzix Chapter 1 - PaperCut Chicks Colorize

Hi my friends, I'm sharing an Easter treat bag I made for the Tim Holtz/Sizzix Chapter 1 release using PaperCut Chicks Colorize and Simple Plaid Thinlits. If you missed the YouTube Live, you can watch the replay and check out all the amazing projects from the Makers on Tim's Blog HERE or YouTube Channel HERE

I began by removing the handles from a kraft bag and die-cut an aperture in the front using a Nesting Circle die. I placed a panel of cardstock inside the bag so that the die wouldn't cut through to the back. I coloured a panel of Distress Watercolor card, slightly larger than the bag, with Squeezed Lemonade and Scattered Straw Distress Oxide inks, die-cut Tim Holtz/Sizzix Simply Plaid Thinlits twice from Distress Watercolor card and attached to the panel with Distress Collage Medium.  I smooshed Scattered Straw, Spiced Marmalade and Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide inks on to the craft mat on my Glass Media Mat, spritzed with water and laid the panel on to the inks. I dried and tapped the panel back in to pick up the remaining droplets until I was happy with the background. I  die-cut a circle aperture in the panel to match the aperture in the bag and fixed acetate behind the aperture. I die-cut several of the Tim Holtz/Sizzix Bold Text Thinlits from matching colours of cardstock until I had the letters I needed to spell out Happy Easter and arranged around the aperture, fixed in place with Distress Collage Medium.

I fixed Sizzix Adhesive Sheets to coloured and black cardstock, die-cut using Tim Holtz/Sizzix PaperCut Chicks Colorize and assembled using Tim Holtz/Sizzix Squeezers from the Shaping Kit which are perfect for lifting and placing those itty bitty pieces.

I die-cut the eggs from Distress Watercolor card, assembled, coloured lightly with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink using a mini round blending tool and added splatters of the ink.

I die-cut the daisy flowers and stems from green, orange and white card using Tim Holtz/Sizzix Bunny Games Thinlits

I fixed the panel to the kraft bag, trimmed off any excess from the bottom and sides and assembled the die-cuts to create an Easter scene.

I filled the bag with mini chocolate eggs and once again, I over-estimated the amount needed so guess who will also be having an easter treat.

I smooshed Scattered Straw and Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide inks on to the craft mat on my Glass Media Mat, spritzed with water and tapped the ribbon into the ink, scrunched up in my hand and dried.

I punched holes in the top of the bag and tied the ribbon in a double bow to use as a closure

And I have a confession, because this project didn't need to make a journey across the pond and I have plenty of time to refill to give to the grandkids, I carefully removed the closure and scoffed the entire contents, oops, I have no willpower or shame, obviously but that can be our little secret.

I'll be back soon to share more projects using the Chapter 1 dies, in the meantime, have fun with whatever you are making.

Hugs Kath xxx

Valentine's Day

Hi my friends, well, where did January go, can you believe it's the first day of February already, the month of love and I'm sharing some valentine makes from the archives using some of my favourite dies from Tim Holtz Sizzix and Simon Says Stamp. For more details, click on each picture for a step-by-step photo tutorial.

Have fun with whatever you are making

Hugs Kath xxx