The Gentleman Crafter

November 30, 2012

Good Morning Everybody!

It's my BIRTHDAY today! LOL!  A Very Happy Day Indeed!  A day to celebrate with my Mom, family and friends.  How could one be happier?  I was looking through albums of pictures...Happy Pictures and I thought...why not share my happy pictures with you all....Whether I was relaxing with friends, exploring, reading or with family...Happy thoughts and pictures...It's my birthday so why not...LOL!

Good Morning Everybody!

If you have been following my blog, you know that this week I'm the guest designer at Simon Says Stamp's blog.

I would be so honored if you would go over and say hello and check out my project and tutorial.  You can follow this link at noon (eastern time) today for the tutorial and pictures ...

Simon Says Stamp Blog is HERE...

The theme for all of us was a project from the heart.  So, I took it literally and created a fun and whimsical steampunky tricycling heart.....

Here are some pictures....




I hope you like it and once again please go to Simon Says Stamp to download the full tutorial.

Have an AWESOME day!  I heart ya!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Hello All!

OK, so I'm being weird....just me!  I've got a hitch in my post!  Yep...see getting weirder!  I'm just so excited and wanted to share for those of us who love Tim Holtz Hitch Fasteners!!!!!

Are you ready??????

Really?????

I just got off a Skype meeting with Tim and he said the hitch fasteners are back in the line!  Yahoooooooooooooooooo!




See the man listens I'm telling ya!  He listens!

That is all!  LOL!  So excited I just had to stop and share before I hit the hay and dream of hitch post heaven!

See ya tomorrow on Simon Says Stamps blog!  Don't forget!

Thank Y'all!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Good Morning Everybody!

Please join me tomorrow over at Simon Says Stamps blog to see my Guest Designer project and tutorial!

I was honored with being the guest designer for Simon Says Stamps this week!  Thanks Simon Says!  I had a blast with this challenge!!  The challenge for the design team was....To craft a project with heart.  So, I took it to heart and made a Tricycle Heart with mini....

Here's a sneak peek... 



A fast and easy altered art heart with a steampunk feel.  The heart box glides along on three pulley wheels.  Once the Bead Chain is “unhitched”, the inside reveals a little mini book perfect for pictures and memorabilia.

For more pictures and a tutorial on how to make this, please visit Simon Says Stamp's blog tomorrow morning, Wednesday, November 28th.

Thanks For Coming By!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Good Morning Gang!

After yesterday's snow globe project, I decided tonight I was going to get all grapey!  So Last night I pulled out the Crushed Grape Dylusions Ink Sprays for another try at getting inky in Purple!  I tell you it's more fun than a grape slush from the Dairy Queen on a Friday night!! LOL!   I was trying my hand with a bit of modeling paste on this large canvas and went GRAPE from there...

Here's what I came up with....

1. Prime the canvas with white gesso.
2. Spray the canvas with Dylusions Crushed Grape Ink Spray and a dash of Black Marble Ink Spray.
3. Use the Large Dotted Flowers Stencil and ghost the border.
4. Use the Small Let It Snow Stencil with the Adirondack Pitch Black Paint Dabber for the darker border and corner flowers.
5. Add more to the background with the Small Diamond of a Border Stencil.
6. Add modeling paste flowers with the Small Dotted Flowers Stencil.
7. Use the large tree from the Large Oh Christmas Tree Stencil.  Mask off the remainder of the tree as well as parts next to it with blue painter's tape.  On Manilla cardstock, spray the Crushed grape without misting with water (7) times.  Once dry, ghost it with the dots from the Large Dotted Flowers Stencil.  Cut "petals" out.  Next, stamp "Art" from the Word Love stamp set on the edge of the petal.  Following the steps above, spray (5) petals with the Crushed Grape and spray with water.  Towel off the remainder of the ink.  Stamp the circles from the Around The Edge stamp set and cut out.  Last, following the steps above, mist (3) petals on cardstock with water and spray the Crushed Grape ink.  Mist the inked cardstock again and towel off.  Allow to dry.  Next, stamp the three petals with the flourish from the Doodle Parts stamp set.  Round the three petals over a pencil and fold in half, inked sides together.
8. Lightly spray Black Marble Ink Spray onto Manilla Cardstock.  Using something round, trace a 3-1/4-inch circle onto the cardstock.  Stamp dots from the Basic Backgrounds stamp set onto the inked surface.  Cut the round piece out.
9. Starting with the (7) darker petals, glue them in a flower shape onto the canvas.  Next, cut the tips off the (5) medium colored petals and glue those into place.  Last, glue the (3) lighter folded petals into place.
10. Adhere the circular flower center to the folded petals below and allow curved parts to come up and over the flower center.
11. Add white detail to all the pieces, background and border with a Inkssentials White Opaque Pen.

Hello Everybody!

Wow!  I've had such a wonderful four day weekend!!  I could really get used to these long holidays!  Yahooo!  It's been so much fun having extra time to craft!...Last night, I was in the mood to make a Christmas project.  So, off I went to dig in my stash.  This is sometimes where ideas begin for me...Just digging!  I came across a set of Tim Holtz's new Idea-ology pieces...Woodlands.  It's the one with the trees and wreath... You just gotta love these pieces!  The possibilities are endless!  Right next to this sat a Ball canning jar that held some jingle bells....Then it hit me!  Snow Globe!  LOL!

Off I went to make the a snow globe.  It was so fast and easy  to make that I thought I really needed to share this with you all.  I'm going to make several for gifts like tomorrow...If I had more jars I would start on them tonight!  LOL!!  Wouldn't you know I'm in the mood to make snow globes and don't have any jars!  Hahahaha!  Have you noticed how many things in the fridge are plastic these days....Anyway let's get on with it!  I really hope you make some of these as I think it's a great home decor piece and also a great gift...  I think this came out pretty cool....I added some tiny jingle bells so when you shake the globe,  it not only snows, but you hear the sound of Christmas....



OK, here we go....

Step 1:
Take the lid of the jar off and trace around it on a scrap of chipboard.  Next, cut the circle out with Tim Holtz Scissors.



Step 2:
Paint the circle white with the Adirondack Snow Cap Paint Dabber.  Allow to dry.



Step 3:
With an Inkssentials Collage Glue Stick, run the glue over the painted surface of the white disk.  Next, adhere a piece of Tim Holtz Idea-ology Tissue Wrap and trim around the edges of the circle.



Step 4:
I'm using a Ball canning jar that I purchased from the craft store, so I adhered the disk to the flat lid and then hot glued the flat disk/lid assembly to the inside of the ring.


Step 5:
Die cut a Sizzix/Tim Holtz Snowflake Rosette from Tim Holtz Idea-ology Seasonal Paper Stash - Holidays Past and assemble.  Next, adhere the rosette to the center of the inside lid.



Step 6:
Cover the Tim Holtz Woodland Tree, with glue and then glitter with glass glitter in Silver.  Allow to dry... Note: My jar is a pint and did not fit the whole tree, so I used my wire cutters and nipped off the wooden base to the tree.

Step 7:
Glue the tree to the top of the Rosette.

Step 8:
Cover a piece of chipboard on the front and back with the Holidays Past Paper Stash and die cut with the Sizzix/Tim Holtz Reindeer Flight die.  Ink the edges and then tie a jingle bell around the deer's neck.  Apply hot glue to the bottom of the deer and adhere to the lid base.





Step 9:
Place a mixture of glitter glass,  Mica flakes, and some tiny jingle bells into the jar.  Carefully place the lid assembly down on the jar and screw tightly shut.



Optional Step.....

I painted a wooden finial, base and knobs with Adirondack Pitch Black Dabber and allowed to dry.  I then went over the raised areas with a wax candle.  Next, I painted all the pieces again with the Adirondack Snow Cap Dabber and allowed to dry.  Last, I lightly sanded the pieces with sandpaper which pulled up the white paint where the wax resist was used.



Glue the feet to the base, the base to the jar lid and the finial to the top...VOILA!!!! A really cool snow globe perfect for your Christmas decorations or a great gift!  What do ya think?





Thanks tons for coming by!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter