Grunge Christmas Holiday Door Hanger

This weeks challenge for Simon Says Stamp and Show was to create anything "Grunge".  Well heres a little grungy holiday door hanger that I created for the challenge.   The holidays are fast approaching and every year I hope to be more prepared so I can enjoy them.  We'll see if this year I meet my goals. Hope you enjoy it.  Have a wonderful week. :-)

I used Karen Foster papers, Vintage Letters and Silent Night College and distressed them with the Zutter Distress it All. I then mounted the papers on both sides of a wooden door hanger from Creative Imaginations with Claudine Hellmuths Multi Medium. I used vintage photo and walnut stain Tim Holtz distressing inks on all edges of the papers and hanger.

I accented the holly berries with Ranger Stickles.  If you haven't used stickles you have got to try them. They are must.  I just love them.  I stamped evergreen trees with a stamp from Tim Holtz collection.  The children carrying the tree were cut out from one of the new Kaiser Craft Christmas Tags. They were also inked with distress ink and dabbed with some stickles.

I added a few pieces of bling to the trees to make them sparkle a bit.   I love the Merry Christmas ticket.  This was stamped with one of Tim Holtz ticket collections stamp on an old file folder that I had.  Distress ink and stickles add the finishing touches to the ticket.

The round circle Santa is a sticker from Karen Foster, Holy Nite Sticker sheet.  Of course I inked and distressed it.  I added a black velvet ribbon and a piece of natural string which I colored with distress ink.  A small gold bell and ribbons complete the front of the door hanger.

The back of the door hanger shows Santa looking over his list.  I added the list by folding a small piece of paper accordian style and scribbled on it with a fine black pen. It really brings the back of the door hanger to life. 

Who knows???  Maybe the back will be hung as the front at times. 

What projects are in your thoughts for this holiday season?  This was one one mine.  Thanks for sharing yours.  Be sure to hop over to Simon Says Stamp and Show to see all the beautiful "Grunge" projects that were handmade for this challenge.

TRI - FOLD LAYERS ALBUM

WOW....what a project.  I had a very relaxing time creating this tri-fold layers album.  A co-worker had told me about this type of design where you can make cards and albums this way. Thanks Peggy!!  I was excited to give it a try and what better week to do it for the Simon Says Stamp & Show layers challenge.  I am just squeaking it in under the wire as it sure was alot of work.  I am glad that I was able to finish it for this challenge.  So....here it is.  I hope you enjoy it.

This album is designed to hold 5 pictures.  I designed the cover to be able to hold a photo.  I placed a stamped tag under the acetate which can be removed. The stamped tag says " Imagination is more important than knowledge.  For while knowledge defines all we currently know and understand, imagination leads us to all we might yet discover and create."  How true this is.  Thanks Tim and Wendy and all of the many other creative people that touch our lives everyday so that we can send our imaginations and creativity to heights never known before. :-) 

I hand made the flowers with coffee filters and Tim Holtz Tattered Florals Die. Inked them of course with Tims distressing ink.  Love Love Love distress ink. :-)

I distressed all of the edges of the album using my Bind It All Distressing Tool.  Its a great little tool and easy to use.  I love the look.

Both ends of the album have a Hambly acetate sheet for placement of a photo.  I am searching for the right pictures to place in this. :-)  This would make a beautiful gift.

I used my cuttlebug for the emblossing and used Tims embossing folders for many of the items.  The cuttlebug is a must have tool.  I use it all the time.  The embossing really brings items to life.

I used chipboard, grunge board, stamps from both Wendy Vecchi and Tim Holtz collections, distressing inks, buttons, thread, brads, popsicle sticks, Martha Stewart punch, Tims Ideology metal pieces, distress stickles, regular stickles, acetate, coffee filters , glossy accents, crackle accents, some old metal Karen Foster embellisments, May Arts ribbon, some bling,  a couple of Prima Flowers & papers from Basic Greys "Cappella" line. 

I just love the dots on the handmade flowers.  I am really loving my Pigma Micron Pen.

The flower to the left is my favorite.  The petals are chipboard inked with distressing ink and the stem is a popsicle stick that I inked and stamped.

I love the center page. I used a a heart shaped Martha Stewart punch for the bottom border.

This was a fun project to make.  I think I will now make a few cards in this format.  Hmmmm maybe get some prepared for my trip to MN next week to Scrapfest.  Looking forward to some Mother-Daughter time cropping at Archivers & Scrapfest.  Thanks Simon Says for the weekly challenges and fun.  You have made me take the time I so need for my self. If anyone would like more info on this album or the directions please drop me a note on my blog.  Thanks for looking!  Have a creative day!

What A Surprise!!!

THE VIEW OFF MY DECK THIS MORNING

This morning I awoke early with lots on my mind and hoping to accomplish many tasks before leaving for work.  I sat with my coffee as I do each morning opening the laptop to my FB page. There on my wall was a post from Lynne advising me to go check out Simon Says Stamp and Show. Hmmmmm I thought.....On Wednesdays they post the winner of the prior weeks challenge along with the top 3 design winners.  Was I the random winner that the computer had chosen for the goodies...or was I one of the Top 3 Designs chosen???  There were 137 entries...WOW! 137.  I was scared to go to the site...scared to find that I may have won the goodies.  I love goodies you see...but I have so much "stuff" now that more added to the piles just may cause my husband to divorce me .  LOL   I was soooooo surprised and shocked to see that my "Birdhouse" entry that I created for the challenge
"All Things Tim Holtz Inspired" was chosen as one of the Top 3 Entries.

I had so much fun designing this little ditty and am glad everyone enjoyed it. Congratulations to Kat and Michael the other two very talented artists that joined me for the top 3 spots.  Thanks Simon Says Stamp and Show for a great blog and for everyone that enters their hard work for insparation.  Looking forward to this weeks challenge. :-) Have a great rest of the week!!