Showing posts with label graduation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label graduation. Show all posts

Thursday, May 04, 2023

The Inspector Einstein Graduation Card

Hello Everyone! Today, I have a very special card to share with you, made with the new Inspector Stamp Set from Tim Holtz and Stamper's Anonymous. My daughter is graduating from the University of Texas (they bleed burnt orange there) tonight,  and this is the card I made for her, full of lots of symbolism that I know she will understand as we have many inside jokes. I did my best to turn the Inspector into Albert Einstein, with all that crazy gorgeous hair, for the obvious 'she's so brilliant' reason, lol!  Despite a few mess ups made while finishing this up in the car on the way there, I know she will love this card. We could not be any more proud of her, and this huge milestone in her life that will really get her started on a whole new journey. I hope it inspires any of you who might be celebrating a graduation soon. 

I broke out the Specialty Stamping Paper from Ranger for this project...it's my fav! I cut it to 4.75 x 6.75 for a 5 x 7 inch card. I applied the two oranges, Spiced Marmalade and Wild Honey, from Tim's Distress Archival Ink line to the glass mat several times straight from the pad. I misted this pretty heavy with 91% Rubbing Alcohol and then ran the paper through the wet areas and picked it up and tapped it back it several times until most of the paper was covered and then I let it dry. I am always in love with the marbling effect that happens with this paper.

 Using The Inspector set, I first stamped the gauge face in Black Soot Archival and also stamped it onto sticky note for masking. I cut out the mask and placed it over the gauge and then stamped the alpha background in both orange inks again going different directions, BUT I added Black Soot Archival to the 'A' in the top left corner, and stamped the 'U' and 'T' by themselves in the lower right corner. I also added the Hashtags sentiments in Black Soot. I didn't stamp the numbers from the Register stamp, and instead stamped the date numbers 5042023 using a Rotary Date Stamp.

 I stamped the images I was going to cut out onto another sheet of SSP, BUT for The Inspector, I masked off his head and hat so only his face and clothing would stamp. I messed up on the light bulb with the grad cap (from Crazy Things set) so I stamped it again. I also stamped the diploma and bow tie and heart (that is very hard to see on his lapel). I colored these all in with Distress Watercolor Pencils and Detail Waterbrush. I added black hair lines for the top of his head with a non permanent pen, and then colored over with Hickory Smoke and Picket Fence pencils that blended with each other perfectly and the black pen. When dry, I used only the Picket Fence to create definite lines of white to finish his hair, side burns, and mustache.  I really love using the Pencils on the SSP, it's different as the water doesn't absorb quickly so the color moves around more.

I cut and folded the Kraft Cardstock card base to 5 x 7 inches, matted it with Black Cardstock, and added the card front. I adhered all the cut out pieces in place with two sided tape. I stamped another sentiment from Crazy Talk and mounted it onto Black Cardstock, then I die cut the letters from white and orange cardstock using the Varsity Alphanumeric Thinlits from Sizzix. I really choose the wrong color for the orange cardstock as this is more Crackling Campfire looking instead of Rusty Hinge colored for the burnt orange, and that is the only thing I would change, but I was on the road by then before I really noticed the colors. Oh well. I tried to color in the white stitching in the car over the letters so it is very sloppy looking, but when still the colored stitching looks nice. To finish it off, I added Glossy Accents to the glass in goggles, the light bulb, and the heart on his lapel. 

Supplies:
(Paper Trimmer, 91% Rubbing Alcohol in Mister, Stamp Platform, Sticky Note, Ink Blending Tool, Water Mister, Detail Waterbrush, Two Sided Tape, Scissors)
-Ranger Specialty Stamping Paper
-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Archival Ink: Spiced Marmalade, Wild Honey, Black Soot
-Stamper's Anonymous Tim Holtz Stamp Set: The Inspector,  
-Stamper's Anonymous Tim Holtz Stamp Set: #Hashtags, Crazy Things, Crazy Talk
-Ranger Surfaces: Kraft Cardstock, Black Cardstock
-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink: Gathered Twigs
-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor Pencils:  Mustard Seed, Fossilized Amber, Rusty Hinge, Candied Apple, Tattered Rose, Kitsch Flamingo, Black Soot, Vintage Photo, Picket Fence
-Core'dinations Tim Holtz Adirondack Collection Cardstock
-Sizzix Tim Holtz Thinlits: Alphanumeric Varsity
-Ranger Glossy Accents 
-Black Pen, White Gel Pen
 
Thank you so much for stopping by here today! I'll be back again soonish. Until then, not only do I wish you'll get your hands creatively dirty soon, but MAY the FOURTH be with you!

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Tim Holtz Sizzix Chapter 2 - Colorize Rupert and Egg at the Rock Cave Graduation Card

Hello All! Here is my last make from the Tim Holtz Sizzix Chapter 2 release. I saved the best for last! This one is made with Colorize Rupert of course, as well as the Ovals Stacked Tiles (more rocks and an egg...I love this set) and a couple of Chapter 1 dies. A little back story on this so you can understand my thinking in it's design, my youngest is about to graduate high school and he is the one who watches Harry Potter with me. I loved the tests that Harry had to go through in the Goblet of Fire, especially getting the egg from the dragon. To me, it's a lot like life...having challenges and trials and hopefully overcoming to get a reward, so that is why I designed the egg and the rocky scene for the dragon. Now that my son is of age, he will probably have to overcome a few dragons in his life. I know he will love this card and get my meaning. Hope you like it too. Enjoy!

For the Dragon Rupert, use dark gray felt for the Green 1, silver glitter felt for the Green 2, silver scales ribbon felt for the Green 3 and Green 4 for the face, and dark gray felt for the arms and legs. I purchased the felts from Hobby Lobby fyi. Use green cardstock in place of the yellow. Assemble Rupert and use a black marker to help define some of the gray areas so you see them better. Set this aside.
 
For the egg, die cut the smallest oval from the Ovals Stacked Tiles Thinlits using gold Metallic Kraft Stock. Run it through the Blueprints Embossing Folder, choosing a portion that looks like a building (I found the London Eye and tall building.)...use your imagination. You want this to resemble the Harry Potter egg from Goblet of Fire. Open a Long Fastener and spread the legs of the brad so they are angled out, and use a craft hammer or pliers to flatten it as much as you can. You want it to be arrow like. Adhere it to the top of the egg with Collage Medium. Pounce over this with Gold Mixative. Use a Ground Espresso Distress Crayon and Waterbrush to color in the debossed areas and highlight the images. Ink the edges of the egg heavily with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink from Ranger.
 
 
For the background of the card, cut a piece of White Heavystock to 5 1/4 x 7 5/8 inches. Mist the heavystock with Speckled Egg and Tumbled Glass Distress Sprays from Ranger. Lightly add a few mists of Pumice Stone Distress Spray Stain. Let it sit a few seconds and lightly mist water for a little mottling. Let this dry or use a heat tool to dry it completely. Ink around the edges in Speckled Egg Distress Ink. Stitch around the upper half of the background using white thread. Set this aside. 
 
 For the cave, use three pieces of Cracked Leather Cardstock, and mist each with Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, and Pumice Stone Distress Spray Stains. Let dry or use a heat tool.
  
Die cut one of the pieces with the Bubbling Thinlit, another piece with several of the Sized Ovals (using the three largest sizes), and leaving the third piece alone for now. Set the oval pieces aside for now. Use the Die Brush and Die Pick to get out all of the pieces in the Bubbling Thinlit. Set aside the larger circles and some of the smaller ones as well. Save all the little pieces that you don't use for another project.
 
 Using the Collage Brush and Collage Medium, adhere the Bubbling piece to the last piece of Crackled Leather, making sure to coat the top as well to seal in the inks and give a more workable surface for the next part.
 
  
Using Ground Espresso, Hickory Smoke, Peeled Paint, and Iced Spruce Distress Crayons, apply the crayons to random areas on the Bubbling piece and use a little water on your finger to move the color around and into the cracks and open areas until you like the look. Dry this. 
 
 
Turning the Bubbling piece vertically, use the largest Stacked Oval and die cut this for an opening to the cave. Save that egg shape for another project. Trim the bottom part off so it looks more like an opening, and ink the edges of the opening in Black Soot Distress Ink. Trim around the top portion randomly making a hill shape. Adhere a piece of black cardstock to the back of the cave, using a small pieces of foam tape on the bottom for a small gap look and two sided tape on the top part. Ink the edges of the cave using Hickory Smoke. Set this aside.
 
 
For the tree you will use the smallest die set of the pine tree. Die cut one in a darker green, one in a lighter green, and one in brown. There will be two of everything so you can actually make two trees if you die cut another brown, and save the other tree for another project as you will only need one tree for this. Make sure to ink the edges of everything in Gathered Twigs before adhering the pieces as shown on the package of the die. If your background is already stitched around, adhere the cave on the upper left side of the background about an inch down from the top and the tree next to the cave using either Collage Medium or two sided tape or both like I do.

 
For the rocks, take the Ovals Stacked Tiles and all of the largest circles from the Bubbling Thinlit, as well as some of the small and tiny circles, and arrange them (NOT adhering yet, just playing with the arrangement) on the background so the bottom area will be covered in the rocks and you will know how many you need and have an idea of where the rocks will go. Keep a few more circles out though just in case you need them. Also, if you don't have enough you can leave the center area uncovered as the dragon will go over that space and cover it up. Once you like the arrangement, use Distress Inks straight from the pad and lightly rub the pads over the bumpy texture of the ovals, using Hickory Smoke, Speckled Egg, Crackling Campfire, Gathered Twigs, Fossilized Amber, and Twisted Citron, and even mixing them on a few of the ovals. The Citron and Campfire give a nice mossy look I think. After you ink one lay it back down where it was so you don't lose your arrangement. I did three rocks in each color except for Gathered Twigs and Hickory Smoke as I did many more of those as they are the typical rock look. When all the surfaces are rubbed with ink, use a Blending Brush with Gathered Twigs and working in a circular motion, lightly color over the Hickory Smoke, Twisted Citron, and Speckled Egg rocks for a more blended and realistic look. Use another Blending Brush and Hickory Smoke Distress Ink and lightly color over the Crackling Campfire, Fossilized Amber, and Gathered Twigs rocks. Ink the edges of the rocks in either Gathered Twigs or Hickory Smoke. It's a good idea to take a phone picture of the arrangement of rocks so you know where everything goes after the next part.
 
To add to the shadow and bleached out areas from the sun on the rocks, 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 crescent like shape at the top of the rock, add the white ink lightly going back and forth 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. If you didn't snap a photo of the rock placement before, now is the last time you can. Transfer the rocks to a clean paper towel or splat box. I tried to keep mine in the same placement just spaced out for this part. To keep the Distress Inks in place and to further add to the real feeling of the rocks, mist them liberally with Distress Resist Spray. This will definitely keep the inks from smearing and add a nice sheen to 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, and you can now transfer them back onto the background. Use your phone photo if you need to so you know where the rocks will go. 
 
 This was my phone photo so that I would know where my rocks would go. 

 
Use Collage Medium to adhere the rocks in place. I had a few left over so I made a tiny rock cairn on the right side below the tree. I think it's so cute! Once all the rocks are adhered, trim off any overhang, and ink the edges of the rock portion with Hickory Smoke. To add the darker shadow areas between the rocks, use a Hickory Smoke Distress Crayon and a little water with the paintbrush (or Detail Waterbrush) and brush over the tops of each rock making a solid darker line. Seriously, these rocks are not only addicting but actually look real. Trim a piece of black cardstock for the matting to 5 1/2 x 7 7/8 inches, and adhere the background to it using two sided tape. Add this to a kraft cardstock base card 5 5/8 x 8 inches that is inked in Gathered Twigs.

 Adhere Rupert on the card front using two sided tape or Collage Medium. Add the egg so it looks like he is holding it using foam tape. Choose the sentiments you want to use from the Small Talk Stickers for whichever occasion you want and cut them apart. Ink the edges in Gathered Twigs and adhere them to the rocks, adding a little Collage Medium for extra adhesion.
 

Supplies: 
(Die Cut Machine, Craft Hammer, Alcohol Ink Blending Tool, Detail Waterbrush, Paper Trimmer, Distress Sprayer with Water, Heat Tool, Ink Blending Tool, Sewing Machine with White Thread, Die Brush, Die Pick, Distress Collage Brush, Scissors, Foam Tape, Two Sided Tape, Blending Brushes (3))
-Sizzix Tim Holtz Thinlits (Chapter 2 2021): Colorize Rupert 
-Dark Gray Felt, Silver Glitter Felt, Silver Scales Ribbon, Black Pitt Pen 
-Ranger Tim Holtz Collage Medium: Matte 
-Tim Holtz Idea-ology:  Classic Kraft Stock, Metallic Kraft Stock, Long Fastener, Small Talk Stickers
-Sizzix Tim Holts Framelits (Chapter 2 2011): Ovals Stacked Tiles 
-Sizzix Tim Holtz Texture Fade: Blueprint 
-Ranger Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink Mixative: Gold 
-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Crayon: Ground Espresso, Hickory Smoke, Iced Spruce, Peeled Paint 
-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Mixed Media Heavystock: White 
-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stain: Speckled Egg, Tumbled Glass, Pumice Stone, Frayed Burlap, Antique Linen 
-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink: Speckled Egg, Black Soot, Gathered Twigs, Hickory Smoke, Crackling Campfire, Fossilized Amber, Twisted Citron, Picket Fence 
-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Cracked Leather Cardstock 
-Sizzix Tim Holtz Thinlits: Bubbling, Funky Trees 
-Ranger Surfaces: Black Cardstock, Kraft Cardstock 
-Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Resist Spray
 
I'll be back soonish. Thank you for following along on this Chapter 2 Sizzix journey and for all the lovely comments. Until next time, I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!