Wednesday 4 March 2015

Blending Tim and Anne!

Hello and welcome.

I needed to make a 25th birthday card so reckoned I should join in with the 'Special Numbers' challenge at 'A Vintage Journey'. I've only entered the Tim Holtz tag challenge once before so I'm way overdue to try that again too. I've ended up with the following card that fits both challenges. It's also a salute to the terrfic inspiration obtained during every visit to the lovely Anne's blog. She consistently delivers beautiful creations with clean lines and i.m.o. the very best use of the colour black in blogland.



My card is a take on Tim's March tag here. I don't have any distress paints in bright colours so my background is done with distress inks instead. I used Tim's 'Bird Branch' stamp and his 'Clockwork' stencil. I hadn't used the embossing powder on texture paste technique before and really love the results so will definitely do again. (That's Ranger's 'Queen's Gold' popping up there).

I wasn't sure how to adapt Tim's tag design into a card but having recently admired Anne's clever card here I decided to copy her technique so as to place a second bird on the branch (slightly floating alongside the one in the circle). Anne kindly sent me a link to a video showing how to do extended die cuts. It looks easy in the video but my M.E. brain really struggled to actually get the cut right - having several times amputated the bird the wrong way! I've watercoloured the 'extended' bird using my TH waterbrush and D.I.s so that it might appear to be the same lesser spotted species as the one in circle.

One of my other blog pals recently used jigsaw pieces but can't recall who - please shout out if reading! (or 'Reach Out' in parlance du jour!). (Edited to add, it was the fabulous Lisa from You made me Ink). I painted the jigsaw pieces with Adirondack 'Snow Cap' and then with crackle paint in 'Picket Fence'. I tried edging each piece with black ink but it made the card look too busy so abandoned idea and made them pristine again. The digits 2 and 5 are rather handily on the TH 'Christmas' stencil so stencilled same onto pieces to left side, again coating the texture paste with gold powder and heating once dry.

The glossy black 2 and 5 to right of circle are die cut using Sizzix 'Mini Reindeer 25' movers and shakers. Inked them with Ranger black archival and coated liberally with glossy accents. I further decorated card with various idea-ology elements that I black embossed. To complete, I arranged black string to right side around an Idea-ology hitch fastener to mirror the wraparound that Tim often does with his fabulous tags.

Very many thanks for your visit - it's a pleasure to see you stop by.

Nicola x

I wish to enter card to the following challenges:
Tim Holtz - 12 tags of 2015 - March
A Vintage Journey - Special Numbers

As there is a smidgeon of green ink within the circle I hope it's not too much a stretch for me to also enter:
Simon Says Stamp Monday - Just a hint of clover

Also delighted to join in at the 2nd birthday celebrations at:
Country View Crafts challenge - theme is Anything Goes

26 comments:

  1. Blending three of my favourite crafters with your own incredible talents, well you couldn't fail to come up with an incredible card Nicola! You've used Tim's tag, Anne's elegance and Lisa Minckler's (You Made Me Ink) puzzle pieces idea to perfection and this card is stunning. Pinned, and I've got my fingers crossed for you on the challenges. Thank you so much for joining AVJ. Jenny xxx

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    1. Thanks so much Jenny and I've updated post re Lisa.I knew someone would remember! Nicola xx

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  2. Oh Nicola, you and Jenny have me blushing! Thanks so much for the shout out my dear friends! You have done a brilliant job on the out of the box technique (I do feel a tad sorry for the amputated ones - lol) and your colouring is superb! I love the puzzle pieces too, I will check out Lisa now.. This is my kind of card Nicola - I really, really love it!

    Thanks so much for joining in at A Vintage Journey! Hugs, Anne xx

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  3. This is beautiful Nicola and I really love the embossing on the texture paste which adds such richness to your lovely creation.
    Fliss xx

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  4. Beautiful card Nicola. I love the textures and the colours are so striking :)
    Hugs
    Mandy xx

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  5. Hello Nicola
    This card is wonderful and a little bit different from your usual shabby chic style with the pop of colour and your use of black. This has such a striking effect and I like that you added the birthday numbers onto the jigsaw pieces.
    Sorry I have been so quiet, a combination of things. I know you understand.
    Wishes to you
    Lynne

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  6. Nicola, I love this, beautiful birds and texture I like the jigsaw pieces
    Kevin xx

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  7. What fabby use of the Timmy clock Nicola, gorgeous texture yet so cleverly combined with elegance and style.

    B x

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  8. A simply fabulous card, Nicola - no surprise when you combine the inspiration of three fantastic crafters with your own special magic. It's so sharp and cool - love that gilded texture and the stringing of the cog - brilliant! Thanks so much for joining us on A Vintage Journey.
    Alison xx

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  9. Wow Nicola, this is pure genius! I can't believe you have managed to combine CAS with steampunk and mixed media and pulled it off swimmingly! Gorgeous!! Love the metallic stencilled clock and the way you used the circle die window as the outline! Genius my friend! hugs :)

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  10. It is wonderful Nicola, I love the clock with the stencile and gilding and your birds shine so magic in the choosen colours, and so sweet with the jigsaw pieces .
    Dorthe, xo

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  11. Popping over from TH blog where I saw your take on Tims tag this month. I absolutely adore this piece! How amazing and intricate! I just can't say enought good things about this. Awesomesauce! ~Niki

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  12. Such a striking design Nicola so beautifully executed in every way. Love it.
    Julie x

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  13. So different from what I usually see here, but I really like it. Very creative! Love how you used the pen nib for one of the clock hands, and the use of gold.

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  14. Beautiful card Nicola! Love the gold detail! Hope you have a great weekend!

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  15. Absolutely stunning Nicola. Love how you've interpreted the inspiration but made it completely your own. The colour and textures on the embossed clock look fabulous.
    Hugs Avril xx

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  16. Absolutely gorgeous Nicola, what a wonderful combination of inspirations you have taken to create your own magnificent card, I love the clean lines and those two birds together look maxing. Thanks for linking to A Vintage Journey.
    hugs Brenda xxx

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  17. Very creative! You seem to have mastered the techniques beautifully!

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  18. What a truly clever and artistic piece! I love how you mixed the clean black elements with the beautifully blended colors on the clock. The birds are a stunning focal point and the whole thing really is a feast for the eyes. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing your project and I'm so glad you shared it with us here at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog!

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  19. Ohhhh yeah! I'm not the only one who has only entered a TH tag challenge once before. I thought I was in a club of one, but now I find you are too..WOO HOO! :) Well, I'll just say that you have done a gorgeous job with pristine (I like that word) card and the use of vibrant rich colors mixed with stark blacks and crisp whites are fabulous together. Had a great laugh with the amputated bird comment. It's horrific how many precious images I've managed to maim!
    Thank you so much too for the shout out, but likewise, you always inspire me!
    Big hugs to you Nicola,
    Lisa x

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  20. What a wonderfully creative design Nicola! The colors behind the clock face are beautiful - love the gears works on the right corner - thanks for joining us in the AVJ Special Numbers Challenge!

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  21. Hello Nicola.
    This looks gorgeous, and yes as soon as I saw the puzzle pieces I thought of Lisa.
    Thank you for joining us this month at CVC.
    Smiles:)
    Sue

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  22. Oh Nicola, this just looks fantastic! Such a great idea and I just love what you did with those two birds sitting together like that, they look great! Thanks so much for adding it to our numbers challenge at A Vintage Journey and Countryview Challenges!

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  23. COOL!!! LOVE the clock, and oh that color!

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  24. A fabulous card, very creative as usual, and so beautiful!!! I love it Nicola. Have a nice day in Dublin, hugs from me Corinne xx

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  25. Love the intensity of the colours on this card - luscious!

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Thank-you! Your visit and comment is very much appreciated. Nicola x