Today, I have a special Blog Post for you!  I was honored to be nominated for the Creative Blog Hop by Karen Crossen at IJustNeedMoreGlue.Blogspot.com 

The Creative Blog Hop works in an interesting way.  You are nominated to join the blog hop and the only requirements are to nominate two others to follow you on the next Monday and then to answer four questions about yourself and your creative process.  Nothing to it!

The questions are:

For this card, I tried to take pictures to show you my Creative Process from beginning to end.  What I didn’t show you is how my Craft Room gets completely trashed between every project!  I just cannot be neat and creative at the same time!

•  Apply Distress Inks in Antique Linen, Weathered Wood, Pumice Stone and Gathered Twigs to a Craft Sheet, spritz with Water and drag a 4″ x 5-1/4″ piece of Manila Cardstock through.
• Immediately spritz the card stock with Water and Heat Set.

• There will be left-over Inks on the Craft Sheet.  Drag another piece of Manila Cardstock through the remaining inks and Heat Set.  Save for another project.  (The background on the right was created with the original inks.  The left is the second.)

• Stamp the Lion from TH’s Mini Classics Stamp Set and the numbers from the Ultimate Grunge Stamp Set in Black Archival Ink.
• Apply Gathered Twigs Distress Ink through a Crocodile Stencil using a Mini Blending Tool.
• Apply Black Soot Distress Ink through the Splatters Stencil using a Mini Blending Tool.

• Swipe Black Archival Ink across the Script Alphabet Stamp and stamp lightly and randomly across the card front.
• Stamp “Live The Life You’ve Imagined” from the Life’s Possibilities Stamp Set onto the Card Front using Black Archival Ink.  Immediately pour Antiquities Embossing Powder over the top.  Tap off excess and Heat Set to Emboss.

• Die Cut the Feathers from the Writing Desk Bigz Die using Whisper White Cardstock.  (Do a bunch of these and save them for another project.  They’re like little treasures when you “find” them later!)
• Swipe Picket Fence Distress Paint lightly over the Feather.  (I usually die cut two when I do this and use the one I like best.)  Heat Set.
• Apply Weathered Wood Distress Stain over the Feather and set aside to dry.
• When dry, ink the edges with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink using a Mini Blending Tool.

• At this point, I take out my “Tool Box” of Idea-ology Charms and choose a bunch that I might like to use.  I tend to HOARD these most of all!    I knew I wanted to use “Know in your heart that you are loved” because I think that is one of the most powerful gifts in life.  My hope, as a mom, is that my children always know how much I love them.
• Use Weathered Wood Distress Paint to “color” the Idea-ology Charms.

• Dye Crinkle Ribbon using Weathered Wood and Antique Linen Distress Inks.  Crumple Ribbon and Heat Set.
• Spritz Tea Dye Distress Ink onto the Craft Sheet and fill in spots on the Crinkle Ribbon so that the colors coordinate with the card background.  Heat Set again.

• Die Cut the Ink Well using Basic Black Cardstock from the Writing Desk Die and cover it with Glassy Glaze/Crystal Effects and allow to dry completely.
• Slip a piece of Jute String through a Word Band and then wrap it around the Ink Well and tie it in a knot.
• Cut the ends and fray them a little.
• Attach the feather behind the Ink Well.
• Attach the Ink Well to the project with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

• Attach a piece of Film Strip to the Manila Cardstock using a Tiny Attacher.
• Adhere a painted Idea-ology Corner to the Manila Cardstock.
• Adhere a piece of Crinkle Ribbon across the card front and secure it behind with Glue Dots.
• Use the Ribbon to tie a Triple Bow using the “How to Tie a Double Bow Using Your Fingers Technique” – (You can see the VIDEO HERE) and attach it to the card front with Glue Dots.
• Adhere a couple of painted Idea-ology Mini Gears to the card front using Brads.

• Put a piece of Jute String through the other side of the Word Band and attach it to the card front.  Secure the string behind the card stock with Glue Dots.
• Cut a piece of Weathered Wood Kraft Core Cardstock to 4-1/8″ x 5-3/8″.  Attach the Manila Cardstock the Kraft Core.
• Cut a piece of SU! Basic Black Cardstock to 5-1/2″ x 8-1/2.”  Score at 4-1/4″.   Attach the Manila Cardstock/Kraft Core Cardstock to the card.

• Emboss a 4″ x 5-1/4″ piece of Whisper White Cardstock using the TH Distressed Frame Embossing Folder.
• Use a Distress Tool to Distress the edges.  Ink with Antique Linen Distress Ink.
• Ink a Small Chat Sticker with Antique Linen Distress Ink and adhere to the center of the card stock.
• Attach the Whisper White Cardstock to the inside of the card.
• I tried desperately to find a tiny number 25 for my son’s 25th birthday.  I didn’t want the card to look like a “kid” card so I wanted it to be very subtle.  I had to settle for the strip of numbers under the sentiment which was from the same script stamp used for the background.  It reminds me of when my kids were growing up – I used to always say “THIS is my favorite age!”  And each age and stage was another “favorite!”  I love THIS stage too because they’ve both grown into incredible human beings who I genuinely like and respect.

 I hope you’ve enjoyed this tutorial.  I know it was very lengthy but I wanted to give you the progression of how it was created.  If you’d like, you can CLICK HERE to Join My Mailing List.

 

And, now I’d like to nominate Monica Weaver from Add A Little Dazzle Craft Metal to participate in the Creative Blog Hop next Monday, March 9th!!  Monica’s projects always incorporate Craft Metal and they are always elegant and beautiful.