Tim Holtz Sizzix Chapter 2 - Punky Funky Insects on Ovals Rocks ATCs

Hi Everyone! I'm back with another make from the Tim Holtz Sizzix Chapter 2 release. These four are magnetic Artist Trading Cards (ATCs), and are made with the new Funky Insects and Flower Field Thinlits, as well as the new Ovals Stacked Tiles Framelits. You've seen me use the Ovals as a vase, as a bowl, and as eggs on the Easter card, but this time the Ovals are rocks. Seriously, these Framelits are super versatile, and I had such fun making the rocks...addicting. The last of my makes for this release will all be using the Ovals, and that should tell you how much I loved these dies. Plus you get so many in the package. I digress...back to these ATCs. Grab snacks for this one and enjoy!

For the background for the cards, cut a piece of White Heavystock to 5 x 7 inches. (You will cut this into four pieces later for the four ATCs.) Mist the Heavystock with Speckled Egg and Tumbled Glass Distress Sprays from Ranger. Let this dry or use a heat tool to dry it completely. Die cut all the pieces from the Mechanical Bigz Die using another piece of White Heavystock. Save all the pieces from the inside of the die cuts as you will use them all and be creative and make the inside pieces into other shapes. Lay all the pieces onto the blue background and play with the arrangement while covering the whole paper with all the pieces. If you need to snip off a die cut piece to fit, use the part you cut off somewhere else.

 

Use Collage Medium to adhere all the pieces in place, and brush a layer of Collage Medium over the top to create a nice sealed surface for the next part.

 

Scribble Pumice Stone Distress Crayon over the adhered pieces, and using your finger with a little water on it, spread the crayon over all the edges so that they are defined and darker. Do the whole sheet, and then use a slightly damp paper towel to remove any crayon on the blue open areas.

 

 Color over the white pieces with a combination of Stormy Sky and Weathered Wood Distress Crayons, and blend over them with your finger. The warmth of your finger helps to move the crayon, but if you are having a hard time, use a tiny bit of water. Once all are colored, add the metallic crayons over this, using either Tarnished Brass, Antiqued Bronze, or Brushed Pewter on each part, and trying to equally distribute the colors. If you get color on the blue background portion where you don't want it, use a slightly damp paper towel to wipe it off. Dry this lightly with the heat tool.

Liberally mist this with Tumbled Glass Distress Spray Stain and let it sit a few minutes. Use a paper towel to gently clean off any of the color on the Mechanical pieces. Some color might rub off especially around the edges of the pieces, but that is ok. If that happens, ink those parts with Speckled Egg Distress Ink and an Ink Blending Tool for a great distressed look to the Mechanical pieces. Dry this with the heat tool. Cut the piece into four equal pieces (2.5 x 3.5 inches) and mount on thick mat board ATC cards with two sided tape. Ink the edges with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink. Set these aside.

 

 

For the rocks, use a piece of Cracked Leather Cardstock, and mist with Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, and Pumice Stone Distress Spray Stains. Let dry or use a heat tool to dry the cardstock Using four of the largest ovals from the Ovals Stacked Tiles as well as four of the smallest ovals, die cut these from the colored paper.

 

 

 Use Distress Inks straight from the pad and lightly rub the pads over the bumpy texture of the ovals, using Crackling Campfire on two of the largest and two of the smallest, and then Twisted Citron on the others. Rub a little Speckled Egg over all these as well. Ink all the edges with Gathered Twigs.

 

To add a bleached out area from the sun on the rocks, and to make them look a little more realistic, use a little Picket Fence Distress Ink with a Blending Brush that is almost closed for a little more control of the white, and working in a circular shape in the middle of each rock, add the white ink lightly until the ink underneath has lightened up. The white really makes a difference with the rock looking so real. I think this part is essential. Ink the edges in Hickory Smoke this time for a little shadow look. Transfer the rocks to a clean paper towel or splat box, and mist liberally with Distress Resist Spray to keep the Distress Inks in place and to further add to the real feeling of the rocks. While they dry undisturbed, unscrew the top of the Resist and rinse with water by cupping the water in your hand and misting the sprayer until all the Resist is gone and water is spraying through. Clean out the nozzle and tube, and then spray until all the water is out, and then screw back on for next time...no clogging now for your next use. Your rocks should be dry after cleaning the Resist. Set these aside. 

 

 

For the Insects, die cut four of the insects first with the blackish color of Metallic Jewels Kraft Stock for the base of each insect. Then die cut the bodies with yellow metallic (Confections Metallic Kraft Stock) for the bee, red metallic for the beetle and lady bug, and whitish metallic for the body of the moth. Die cut the bee's wings with the same white metallic, and the moth's wings with two different blue metallics. Assemble all the insects using Collage Medium. 

 

Select Transparent Wings that will fit over the insect's wings, and trim them down if you have to for a good fit using scissors, or use the coordinating die cut to make them perfect. Use a tiny strip of two sided tape in the middle of the wings to hold them in place on each insect. Poke a tiny hole with a craft pick in the center area of the head below the eyes for the Tiny Fastener to go through to hold a Mini Gear in place. Add a little Collage Medium to help hold the gear as well. Set these aside.

 

 

 For the flowers, use a small sheet of the Distress Watercolor Cardstock and die cut the Flower Field Thinlit on one side of the paper. Remove the die, and die cut as much as you can on the remaining paper using the die again. Remove these flowers from the die, and make sure you have at least 24 flowers (at least 6 per ATC). Using Distress Spray Stains and a Detail Waterbrush, pour out a tiny amount of spray onto the craft mat and pick up with the brush and color in the flowers. I used Candied Apple, Tumbled Glass, Fossilized Amber, Twisted Citron, Rustic Wilderness, and Antique Linen. I used the Antique Linen over some of the bright areas to tone down the color, which was mainly Candied Apple, and I added dots of it over the Tumbled Glass for an almost purple look. 

 

 

Now it's time to add the pieces onto the cards. Cut the flowers into four separate bunches, one for each ATC, and play with the arrangement of rocks and flowers for each insect. Snip the flowers apart if you want and layer them behind and in front of the rocks and insects. Once you like the arrangements, use Collage Medium to adhere the rocks and flower in place, and even add a little foam tape to some of the flower heads if they are in front of the rocks. Trim off any overhang, and ink the edges of the rock portions with Hickory Smoke Distress Ink. Add foam tape to the back of the insects and Collage Medium to their legs, and adhere them onto the largest rock for each ATC.

To finish off the ATCs, add the darker shadow areas between the rocks and flowers by using a Hickory Smoke Distress Crayon and a little water with the Detail Waterbrush and brush over the lines where the rocks meet, as well as underneath them and around the flowers. Select the sentiments from the Clippings, cut them apart, ink the edges in Gathered Twigs Distress, and adhere them onto the smallest rock on each ATC using Collage Medium. Cut the magnet sheet to fit the ATCs and adhere to the back of the cards. 

 

Supplies: 

(Paper Trimmer, Distress Sprayer with Water, Heat Tool, Die Cut Machine, Scissors, Collage Medium Brush, Ink Blending Tool, Two Sided Tape, Craft Pick, Ink Blending Brush, Detail Waterbrush, Foam Tape) 

-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Mixed Media Heavystock: White

-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stain: Speckled Egg, Tumbled Glass, Pumice Stone, Frayed Burlap, Antique Linen, Candied Apple, Fossilized Amber, Twisted Citron, Rustic Wilderness 

-Sizzix Tim Holtz Bigz Die: Mechanical 

-Ranger Tim Holtz Collage Medium: Matte 

-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Crayon: Pumice Stone, Stormy Sky, Weathered Wood, Tarnished Brass, Antiqued Bronze, Brushed Pewter, Hickory Smoke 

-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink: Speckled Egg, Gathered Twigs, Hickory Smoke, Crackling Campfire, Twisted Citron, Picket Fence 

-Mat Board ATCs (4)

-Sizzix Tim Holtz Thinlits (Chapter 2 2021): Funky Insects, Flower Field 

-Tim Holtz Idea-ology:  Metallic Jewels Kraft Stock, Metallic Confections Kraft Stock, Transparent Wings, Mini Gears, Mini Fasteners, Clippings Sticker Book 

-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Cracked Leather Cardstock

-Sizzix Tim Holts Framelits (Chapter 2 2011): Ovals Stacked Tiles 

-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Resist Spray 

-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor Cardstock 

-Sticky Magnet Sheets

A big thank you for all the comments from my last post. I appreciate it immensely. I'll be back again soon with another Sizzix make. Until then, I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!