Pink Perfection

A couple of weeks ago I was asked by Scott from 3M if I would like to evaluate/review the Advanced Tape Glider (ATG); of course I jumped at the chance.  These are my personal views and opinions:

• The ATG is very simple to use and the instructions are very easy to follow using the instruction guide enclosed with the product. The ATG does exactly what it says on the box! There is also a wonderful "how to" video on the website HERE giving a very quick and easy demonstration, what could be easier. The ATG is the perfect tool for use in your creative journey. So simple to use, you simply use the finger trigger to release a controlled application of tape, no cutting required you simply release the trigger when you have sufficient tape; even better there is no mess! The ATG has two 6.3mm x 32.9m rolls of tape included with each Glider meaning its long lasting between refills. The ATG is compact so easy for storage as I know what all crafters are like, we have so many products storage is always a problem LOL.  Great colour too as I know quite a few crafters who like anything pink but in my case it makes it easier to lay my hands on the equipment when I need it.

• The tape is ACID FREE/PHOTO SAFE so the perfect tool for Scrapbooking, allowing you to adhere photo's and other keepsakes securely, the tape has a very strong hold. The ATG is the perfect tool for all your Card Making requirements, adhering paper, card, ribbon, embellishments and also perfect for Invitations as there is no cutting of tape making mass production so much easier and you know that what you adhere stays stuck, therefore no problems when posting. The ATG bonds to coated and uncoated surfaces, all the surfaces I tried worked a treat. Narrow borders are no longer a problem using the ATG, quick, simple and professional. I also tried a few pieces of ribbon and the ATG was wonderful and gave a great bond and both narrow and wide ribbons ahered to my card perfectly. I also experimented with grey board, mountboard and corrugated card and the ATG adhered them all no problem and my sample card below uses corrugated card to prove my point. The tape also works fabulously with fine glitter too, so perfect if you want to add a border of glitter.
• We all love a bargain especially just after Christmas and this fabulous ATG is on offer at the moment at £9.99. Refills are also available independently. Simply click HERE and you will be transported to the 3M website.

I created the card above adhering everything using the ATG and I must admit it was very quick, clean, simple and gives a professional result and most importantly for me gives a great bond, I always worry that pieces will fall off when sending items in the post but once stuck, it's stuck.

I would like to thank Scott at 3M for the opportunity to use a fabulous product, one I will keep in my CRAFT ESSENTIALS.

Thanks for stopping by, Tracy x x

Red Letter Day

Time for another challenge over at Simon Says Stamp and Show and this week our theme is RED LETTER DAY.

Following a search on Google, I found that red letter day originated from the practice of marking the dates of church festivals on calendars in red. The term came into wider use in 1549 when the first Book Of Common Prayer included a calendar with holy days marked in red ink, these dates were designated in the book as a red-letter day;  the term is sometimes written without the hyphen. Red letter day today is also known as a gift experience. With this in mind I tried to incorporate both into my card using Tim's Air Travel set to represent the gift experience, a flight being the experience or the journey. Dates highlighted in red were used taken from the Odds and Ends set along with the sentiment stamped in red using vermillion Archival Ink . A dashing gentlemen from the Steampunk set has been added to a bottle cap and a little embossing using clear embossing powder for dimension. Copper brads and a Blue Moon metal charm token add a little more interest to the card.

The background is a piece of grey board cut 5" x 5" and covered with vintage paper from an old book, torn into random pieces and coloured with Distress Ink brushed corduroy. I added five copper brads to the side of my card to add to the masculine feel.

I adhered the vintage paper with Claudine Hellmuth Studio Matt Multi-Medium and applied a few random patches to the top so that the ink would resist these areas and leave random white patches along with the clear embossed image. "The Journey Is The Destination" seemed the perfect sentiment.

Please pop over to the Simon Says Stamp and Show blog and take a look at my fellow team members they have created some inspirational projects and remember there is also the chance to win a $50 prize from Simon Says Stamp.  I always look forward to seeing your creations each week.

Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment, much appreciated.  Enjoy your week. Tracy x x 

Birthday Greeting For Grungy Monday

I had to join in with the Grungy Monday challenge this week as I have just found out that Tim Holtz celebrates his birthday on the same day as me 7th January, so I could not let the day pass by without creating a little something for the both of us. So armed with plenty of Tim's products I created our card.

I decided to create a card with a difference, I used a door hinge to hinge both my pieces together, but I did not want it to close like a standard card but to remain open, a little like a frame.  I used grey board cut 5" x 5" square and covered with black Kraft-Core and sanded the edges to add to the grungy feel.

Once I had covered the grey board I began to decorate each side.  I added the Weathered Clock to one side adding several layers of the clock so that it also worked as a frame to house my memory frame and to give added dimension and also to use the die a little differently.

I cut the Weathered Clock from grey board and coloured with Distress Ink brushed corduroy and a little black soot around the edges.  I then applied a thick layer of clear Rock Candy, in a random fashion to add to the grungy feel and then added more brushed corduroy over the top to highlight the crackles. My gentlemen from the Steampunk set were stamped onto the back of a piece of Kraft-Core, cut out and added to the memory frame, dangling a cog embellishment for further interest. The hand and Admit One were stamped onto the same card stock and added to the clock. A metal Idea-ology corner completes this side.

The next side has Gadget Gears added applying the same treatment as before with the Weathered Clock, adding a few washers for that masculine feel, coloured with Alcohol Ink. The dashing gentleman and a metal corner complete this side.

The inside has a second memory frame and the background added from the Steampunk set.

Happy Birthday completes the card.  This is my last post for this week as like Tim I will be out celebrating my Birthday on Saturday, cannot wait.  Wishing you a Happy Birthday Tim, hope you enjoy as much as me!

Thanks for stopping by, Tracy x x

Heartfelt Creation...........

..............For my DT piece for Creative Expressions using the Sentimental Art set by Wendy Vecchi.

I used one of the Sweetheart Frame Art Parts for this weeks creation coating with two layers of white acrylic paint and once dry stamping with the fabulous lace background in StazOn black ink.

 

I added the sentiment "I will love you, forever and a day" from the stamp set, perfect for this Art Part. Three black and white buttons, one of Tim's Placquettes and LOVE added to Jump Rings giving dimension to my piece.

I used Tim's Tattered Pinecone die, creating roses rather than pinecones to add to one corner of my heart along with the foliage from the same die. This will make a perfect alternative Valentine's card for my husband.

Thanks for stopping by, Tracy x x

The Best Time To Plant A Tree.......

..............Was 20 years ago. The next best time is now. The start of my journal page and hopefully the first of many this year. I decided over the Christmas period that I really must experiment more in my journal and get a little more inky for 2012.

My first page concentrates on the Tall Conifer from 100 Proof Press. The background was created using Distress Inks and a Crafters Workshop mini branches stencil.

I added the tall conifers to either side of my path and added dots around the outside of my page. The birds are from Stampotique.

I added a little foliage to the bottom of my page using Tim's Autumn Gatherings die to give a little dimension.

Thanks for stopping by, Tracy x x

Something Old.....Something New

Happy New Year and welcome to the first Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge of 2012. The challenge this time around is Something Old.... Something New.

An old vintage tin for something old, coloured with Alcohol Inks raisin and rust, creating a little steampunk piece using images from Tim Holtz Steampunk set. Something new being a new stamp, not yet inked, Tim's Synchronicity stamp, a perfect addition for a little steampunk, with the addition of Spockets and Game Spinner. Wendy's images also play a part in this piece in the form of the Steampunk Art set along with background image from Tim's Grunge Cirque set. A little background colour from Distress Ink aged mahogany and the inside is complete.

This is what my tin looked like before its transformation.  Must admit I really enjoyed altering this one and think this will be the first of many.

I sanded the outside of my tin to remove all the paint and then coloured with Alcohol Inks. The dashing gentlemen are from Wendy's Steampunk Art and Tim's Steampunk set.  The gentleman in the background has been stamped onto acetate using black StazOn and the gentleman in the foreground is stamped onto white card, added to a bottle cap, coloured with Alcohol inks and Glossy Accents added to the top for dimension.

The reverse has again been coloured with Alcohol Inks, STEAMPUNK ART added  on white card, edges sponged with Distress Ink Aged Mahogany and Tim Holtz Idea-Ology Timepiece and Game Spinner added.

Please pop over to the Simon Says Stamp and Show blog and take a look at my fellow team members they have created some inspirational projects and remember there is also the chance to win a $50 prize from Simon Says Stamp.  I always look forward to seeing your creations each week.

Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment, much appreciated.  Enjoy your week. Tracy x x 

Altered Alice Chapter 11 Challenge, Week 1 - Stripes

Another month has passed by and here we are again with The Altered Alice and the challenge this month is to use STRIPES in your artwork. Our sponser this month is CRESCENDOh and the Design Team have all been working with the fabulous Alice In Wonderland set by Danita.

This month I decided to create a journal page using these wonderful whimsical images.

I masked my background to create the stripes and used Distress Ink broken china, a colour I often choose as I associate it with Alice's dress.  I cut two hearts from white card as hearts are also associated with Alice In Wonderland and embossed one with a Tim Holtz Texture Fade and the second with a Cuttlebug heart embossing folder.  I then sponged with broken china ink, added the hearts to my page and then added black and white stripes to the outside edge of each.

I added some of the smaller images from the set to the stripes, keeping it simple using only black Archival Ink.  I wanted to keep the images black and use only the one colour, BLUE in this case.

 

We look forward to seeing your STRIPED CREATIONS, If it features Wonderland, you will have two chances at the randomly awarded prize instead of one. Multiple entries are fine, but each must be on a separate post. Link your entries over at The Altered Alice.

Thanks for stopping by. Happy New Year. Tracy x x