Steampunk Father's Day Card with Topflight Stamps

This week at Topflight Stamps our brand focus is on IndigoBlu! I appreciate the variety of detailed stamp designs they have. I created this steampunk card to use as a Father's Day card. (It will be here before we know it!)

The base is a grungy Gel Press print from my stash. The focal image is the Steam Cottage stamp.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the Topflight Stamps store for a wide selection of different and hard to find stamps, stencils and other paper crafting supplies from all around the world! Also keep an eye on the Topflight Stamps blog. There is new inspiration posted often!

Topflight Stamps Supplies Used:

IndigoBlu stamp - Steam Cottage

IndigoBlu stamp - Wrapped

Lavinia stamp set - Light Bulbs

AALL & Create stamp set - Everyday Sentiments

AALL & Create die set - Holey Fun

Paper Rose die set - Cog Frame

Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Sprays - Industrial Chic

VersaFine Clair ink pad - Nocturne

Gel Press print

watercolors

 

Steampunk Snowman Birthday Card with Topflight Stamps

This week at Topflight Stamps our theme is "Anything Goes".  I made my husband a birthday card featuring the adorable Steampunk Snowman stamp from IndigoBlu.

The base is an inky background made with Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Sprays and cut using the SkyCrossed Paradise AALL & Create Die Set. The snowman I stamped, watercolored and fussy cut. He's pretty cute – I'll have to work him into some Valentine cards. ;-)

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the Topflight Stamps store for a wide selection of different and hard to find stamps, stencils and other paper crafting supplies from all around the world! Also keep an eye on the Topflight Stamps blog. There is new inspiration posted often!

Topflight Stamps Supplies Used:

IndigoBlu stamp set - Steampunk Snowman
IndigoBlu stamp set - Wrapped

AALL & Create Die Set - SkyCrossed Paradise #34

AALL & Create stamp set - Everyday Sentiments

Lindy's Stamp Gang spray sets - Industrial Chic, Autumn Leaves

Clair ink pad - Nocturne

Paper Rose Die Set - Cog Frame

watercolors

Steampunk Christmas Tag with Topflight Stamp

This week at Topflight Stamps our theme is "Gift Tags/Containers/Gift Card Holders". (Getting ready for the holidays!) I created a gift tag focusing on this adorable Steampunk Snowman stamp from IndigoBlu.

The base is a Gel Press print cut using the Taggletastic #30 AALL & Create Die Set. I added some sparkle texture paste using the PaperArtsy Snowflakes stencil. The snowman I stamped, watercolored and fussy cut. He's pretty cute!

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the Topflight Stamps store for a wide selection of different and hard to find stamps, stencils and other paper crafting supplies from all around the world! Also keep an eye on the Topflight Stamps blog. There is new inspiration posted often!

Topflight Stamps Supplies Used:

IndigoBlu stamp set - Steampunk Snowman

AALL & Create Die Set - Taggletastic #30

Paper Rose Die Set - Cog Frame

PaperArtsy stencil - PS070 Snowflakes

Gel Press print

watercolors

IndigoBlu Steampunk Card with Topflight Stamps

This week at Topflight Stamps our brand focus is on IndigoBlu. I created a Steampunk themed card set using the new Steam Cottage stamp for the focal image. It has such great detail!

I cut the card base using the Counting Circles die set and added some gears I cut with a Paper Rose set. I raided my handy stash of Gel Press prints to use as a bottom layer on the front.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the Topflight Stamps store for a wide selection of different and hard to find stamps, stencils and other paper crafting supplies from all around the world! Also keep an eye on the Topflight Stamps blog. There is new inspiration posted daily!

Topflight Stamps Supplies Used:

IndigoBlu Stamp Set - Steam Cottage

IndigoBlu Stamp Set - Wrapped

IndigoBlu Stamp Set - Fly High

AALL & Create Die Set - Counting Circles

Paper Rose Die Set  - Cog Frame

Gel Press print

watercolors

Steampunk Card with Topflight Stamps

I'm back again with another AALL & Create card for Topflight Stamps! This is such a great brand and it encompasses several different styles and designers. For my second card I made another steampunk themed one.

The Dashing Crow is one of my favorite steampunk stamps. Isn't he a fun guy? I'm also really loving the AALL & Create die sets with all the little elements you can layer up. Check them out in the store!

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the Topflight Stamps store for a wide selection of different and hard to find stamps, stencils and other paper crafting supplies from all around the world! Also keep an eye on the Topflight Stamps blog. There is new inspiration posted daily!

Topflight Stamps Supplies Used:

AALL & Create Stamp Set - Dashing Crow #445

AALL & Create Stamp Set - Intersecting Circles #364

AALL & Create Stamp Set - Everyday Sentiments

AALL & Create Die Set - Taggletastic #30
AALL & Create Die Set - SkyCrossed Paradise

AALL & Create Stencil - Digits Geared #111
AALL & Create washi - Burlap Black #16

Versafine Ink Pad - Black Onyx
watercolors

Brand Focus at Topflight Stamps – AALL & Create

Hello, this week on the Topflight Stamps blog the theme is all about the AALL & Create brand! This is one of my favorite brands and it encompasses several different styles. For my card I went for a steampunk theme for a Father's Day card:

AALL & Create stamps, stencils and die sets all work together wonderfully!

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the Topflight Stamps store for a wide selection of different and hard to find stamps, stencils and other paper crafting supplies from all around the world! Also keep an eye on the Topflight Stamps blog. There is new inspiration posted daily!

Topflight Stamps Supplies Used:

AALL & Create Stamp Set - Industrial Scripts #116

AALL & Create Stamp Set - Shredz #1157

AALL & Create Die Set - Taggletastic #30

AALL & Create Stencil - Digits Geared #111

Versafine Ink Pad - Black Onyx

Paper Rose Die Set - Cog Frames

Paper Favourites - Distressed Wood

Funkie Junkie Focus – "Hats Off to Our Men!"

Sometimes it's hard to come up with ideas for masculine cards or gifts but we'll have plenty of inspiration for you with our current Funkie Junkie theme, "Hats Off to Our Men". The challenge was to celebrate the men in our life with a card or gift. I decided to go with a card:

You can't go wrong with steampunk!

This was a fun card to put together and it gave me a chance to play more with Distress Watercolor Pencils.

First I stamped the background of Mixed Media Heavystock with a grid of stamps from the Creative Blocks set in Hickory Smoke Archival Ink. Leaving the stamped paper in place on my stamping platform, I colored the stamped details with the pencils and then blended them out with a brush.

After the paint was dry, I re-stamped over the top of it all with more Hickory Smoke Archival Ink. This brought back the detail of the stamped images.

I also used the pencils to color the Paper Dolls Portraits ephemera piece. (Distress Crayons work pretty well too.)

Thanks for stopping by. Keep an eye on the Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog, Inspiration Ave. because you are now getting regular doses of expanded (and inspiring) content each week. Don't miss it…

Supplies used:

Tim Holtz Stamp Set - Creative Blocks

Tim Holtz Stamp Set - Grunged

Tim Holtz Die - Gadget Gears - retired

Tim Holtz Die - Gadget Gears #2 - retired
Tim Holtz Die - Industrial - retired

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Paper Dolls - Portraits
Distress Watercolor Pencils
Tim Holtz Kraft Stock - black
Tim Holtz Mixed Media Heavystock
Sizzix Textured Cardstock Pack

Distress Collage Medium Matte

Distress Ink - Scorched Timber, Lost Shadow, Vintage Photo, Black Soot
Distress Archival Ink - Hickory Smoke

Some links in this post are affiliate links which do not affect the price you pay but allow me to earn a small percentage of a sale. Thanks! (My husband also thanks you!)

Reuse & Upcycle! Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge

Hello Funkie Junkie fans! It's time for a new challenge. Our hostess this time is me and the theme is "Reuse & Upcycle!" 

Ready for some spring cleaning? Try using something that would end up in the trash as part of your creative project! Upcycle thrift store finds, use your junk mail or product packaging in creative and 'arty' ways. Let's see what you can do with "trash".

"I" is for inventor and "G" is for gadgets! I had a lot of fun with this industrial assemblage. I rummaged through my stash of "found objects with possibilities" and the recycling bin!

Detail 1

Detail 2

I think you will be surprised at some of the things I used in addition to a load of Tim Holtz Idea-ology and other products! Let's take a look:

First we have a cardboard cheese box, junk mail postcard, random number tags I'd saved and some metal bits that were going to get tossed. Also vintage filing dividers of some sort that I found at a thrift store outlet. (Guess how fast those made it into my card?)

I had some vintage letter stencils in my stash that I thought would be an interesting addition.

More stuff! Old resistors and the burned out tail light bulb from our SUV. Saved from the trash LOL!

Next step, grungify! I painted the metal parts and the cheese box with black gesso and then "rusty" paint colors. I wrapped the edges with Tim Holtz Linen Tape and copper wire. I also cut a slot for the card to fit into and a hole for the light bulb assembly.

I added lots of layers – stamping in the background, scraps from other projects. I love how the round Idea-ology Gauge Dial fit perfectly into to metal bit from my stash!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you check out the fun challenges we have on the Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog. They are always good for sparking your creativity! You have two weeks to join the current challenge so I hope you give it a go.

Supplies used:

Tim Holtz die set - Abstract Faces

Tim Holtz die set - Bold Text #1

Tim Holtz stamp sets - Mesh & Linen, Inventor 7, Glitch 2

Distress Ink - Vintage Photo, Black Soot

Ranger Archival Inks - Crackling Campfire, Black Soot

Metallic Kraft Stock

Black Gesso

Distress Collage Medium Matte

label maker

Tim Holtz Idea-ology: 

Linen Tape Agenda

Ephemera Gauge Dials

Gauge Dials (metal)

Tiny Clips

Hardware Heads

Paper Doll Portraits

Ephemera Snippets Number Strips

Ephemera Snippets Curator

Industrial Grunge Challenge on The Funkie Junkie Blog

Hello. It's time for another new challenge over on the Funkie Junkie Challenge Blog! This time the theme is "Industrial Grunge" so pull out all the gears and metal bits.

I wanted to combine spring and industrial so I came up with this "mechanized" garden piece. 

The base is a Thickboards tag from Tim Holtz. These super sturdy tags are so fun to create with! 

I also wanted to play with my new Saltwater Taffy Distress products so they are a major part of the color scheme.

The garden is filled with a combination of metal bits (like the painted flowers) and die cut bugs and foliage. Some parts I embossed with "industrial" folders like Circuit, Mini Mechanics, and Mini Foundry.

Here's a peek at some the the in-progress steps and tips:

1) First I made a bunch of tag backgrounds to choose from with Distress Spray Stains.

2) I also made a variety of backgrounds from Distress Kraft Metallic cardstock and alcohol inks to die cut elements from.

3) Broke out my Colorize Woodgrain Die Set to make the strip on the bottom of the tag. Sometimes it's hard to visualize how the colorize dies go together and what layer is what color. In those cases I'll make a practice one to keep with the dies for future reference. Here's how it looked for this set:

All the pieces cut out.

Assembled! It helps to have ones to look at 'in person'.

I knew I wanted to have a layer of the plank be embossed with the Circuit embossing folder and making the practice ones helped me decide which plank design and which layer would work best.

Here are the layers of the plank I ended up using in the project.

4) Backgrounds in place on the tag. I stamped and stenciled to add visual interest.

5) I also embossed the background. I used the Code stencil with Transparent Gloss Texture Paste. While still wet, I sprinkled the paste with Rusty Hinge and Saltwater Taffy Glaze embossing powder. Once the paste dried, I heat embossed the powder. It adds great texture!

6) You can buy various Thickboard Trims to go with the Etc Thickboard tags. I used some to make a ledge to build my garden on. There is a die set, Decorative Trims, which makes it super easy to cut paper to cover the raw Thickboard Trim pieces. I've also used the die set to just cut paper for use in card making. It's pretty handy!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you check out the fun challenges we have on the Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog. They are always good for sparking your creativity! You have two weeks to join the current challenge so I hope you give it a go.

Supplies used:

Tim Holtz die set - Woodgrain Colorize

Tim Holtz die set - Funky Insects

Tim Holtz die set - Decorative Trims

Tim Holtz die set - Funky Foliage

Tim Holtz die set - Funky Floral, Large

Tim Holtz 3-D Embossing Folders - Circuit, Mini Mechanics, Mini Foundry
Tim Holtz Stamp Sets - The Professor, Halftone & Rings, Purveyor, Inventor 2

Tim Holtz layering stencil - Code

Prima stencil - Machinery

Alcohol Ink Products

Ranger Alcohol Ink

Ranger Alcohol Ink Blending Solution

Tim Holtz metallic kraft stock

Prima Mechanicals - Metal Blooms

Etc. Tags Thickboards, Small

Etc. Thickboards Bracket Trims

Tim Holtz Type Chips

Tim Holtz Machinery Heads, Hardware Heads

Distress Paint - Fossilized Amber, Saltwater Taffy

Distress Stain - Saltwater Taffy, Vintage Photo, Aged Mahogany, Brushed Corduroy

Distress Oxide Stain - Saltwater Taffy

Distress Glaze - Rusty Hinge, Saltwater Taffy

Sizzix Rose Gold Luster Wax

Ranger Texture Paste - Transparent Gloss

Some links in this post are affiliate links which do not affect the price you pay but allow me to earn a small percentage of a sale. Thanks! (My husband also thanks you!) 

Steampunk Card for Topflight Stamps

Hello and happy Monday to you! This week on the Topflight Stamps blog we are taking a closer look at the AALL & Create brand. (One of my favorite brands, so many cool stamps and stencils!) I went steampunk and created a fun mixed media card.

The background started out as a Gel Press print and I added stamping, embossing and stencil mono-printing over it. It's a pretty busy background so I stamped my focal image onto an oval die cut and mounted it on a Wobble spring to pop it off the background and provide a fun interactive element. (I love the Dashing Crow stamp!)

I stamped and fussy cut the lightbulbs. I also used Hunkydory foam squares to make them stand off of the background as well.

There is a Memorial Day Sale going on over in the store through Monday at Midnight EST! Check it out! ;-)

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out all the wonderful products from around the world you can find all in one place, Topflight Stamps.

Supplies used:

Topflight Stamps Products:
AALL & Create Stamps - #445 Dashing Crow, #116 Steampunk Border, #434 Newsprint Numbers, #387 Steampunk Alchemist
AALL & Create stencil - #111 Digits Geared
AALL & Create washi - #16 Burlap Black

PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Paint - Chalk
Versafine Black Pigment Ink
Gel Press Plate
Prism Ink - Thundercloud
WOW Embossing Pad
Boho Blends embossing powder - Antique Yellow
Hunkydory foam squares
Wobble springs

Other:

cardstock
Tim Holtz Hex Fasteners
Tim Holtz Small Talk stickers, Snarky

Some links in this post are affiliate links which do not affect the price you pay but allow me to earn a small percentage of a sale. Thanks! (My husband also thanks you!) If you shop at Topflight Stamps, use my coupon code LISAHOEL for 12% off your order.

Rinea Foil Paper, Steampunk Style

Good evening! I have been having more fun playing around with Rinea Foil Paper and their new 2.0 Ghost Ink. (Lots of fun, trust me on that!) I was experimenting with 'steampunk' styles and ended up making a pair of cards that are perfect for a man's birthday.

I gave one of these to my Dad for his birthday.

I also used Sizzix dies and 3-D embossing folders, stamp sets from Tim Holtz and a Xyron machine to make these cards. Let's take a look:

Step 1 - I used my Xyron Creative Station to apply adhesive to the back of a piece of glossy black Rinea foil paper. Then I used a 3-D embossing folder (Mechanics) to emboss the gear design. (The foil paper embosses beautifully!)

Step 2 – Rinea Ghost Ink is formulated to remove the color from the foil paper to reveal the silver metal base. You can stamp with the Ink pad and in this case I used just the reinker bottle for this technique.

I put a drop of ink on my craft sheet and used a make up wedge sponge to lightly brush it on the raised portions of the embossed foil. It started to take off the color right away. I buffed off the rest of the ink with a paper towel or rag and it really removed the color. Easy peasy!

I tried it with other folders and colors of foil paper.

I ended up not using this one for a card.

These are the two background I used, on brown and black foil. Having the Xyron adhesive on the back made it really easy to attach them to the card base. I layered diecuts and fussy cut stamped images on the top to complete the card. It's a quick and easy technique that looks really cool!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you have a great weekend. ;-)

Dies:

Tim Holtz Sizzix

3-D Embossing Folder, Mechanics ( Sizzix / SB )

3-D Embossing Folder, Foundry ( Sizzix / SB )

Gearhead ( Sizzix / SB )

Baroque ( Sizzix / SB )

Other:

Rinea Foil Paper - Copper, Black, Brown

Rinea Ghost Ink 2.0 re-inker

Tim Holtz stamp set - Purveyor

Tim Holtz stamp set - Simple Sayings

Xyron Creative Station Lite machine

Xyron Permanent Adhesive Cartridge

Archival ink - Jet Black, Carnation

Some links in this post are affiliate links which do not affect the price you pay but allow me to earn a small percentage of a sale. Thanks! (My husband also thanks you!) If you shop at Topflight Stamps, use my coupon code LISAHOEL for 12% off your order.

There is a big sale at Sizzix going on now through the 25th. Use the code GRAS30 for 30% off your order and shipping is free over $65!