@erinmcrafts: July 2021

Hello there! I was flipping through my dies recently, looking for something completely unrelated, when I spotted this cute moose fella (long owned but never opened! 🤦🏻‍♀️) and was struck with inspiration. So, Christmas in July it is!

Let me to show you how I created this festive little scene ✨

The Background…

I grabbed a medium Ideaology vignette tray and covered it in cheesecloth, adhered with Collage Medium (such a simple and fun way to get a nice textured background). Once dry, I painted thoroughly with Ground Espresso distress paint.

Then added a layer of Sizzix Luster Wax in Rose Gold to the raised texture with my finger.

The Moose, Trees, and Stars…

I started by making some of my own papers from mixed media heavystock: two brown variations, a green, a creamy off-white and a pale yellowish piece. See the Distress Paint combos I applied to each piece below…

Once my first layers of distress paint were dry, I added a layer of Versamark with the Tapestry stamps, followed by Distress Glazes and clear embossing powder, then set with the heat tool.

Now to cut my elements! I decided I wanted my moose from the Merry Moose set a little thicker, so I cut an extra set from plain heavystock and glued behind my ‘fancy’ brown-toned papers. I used the Treeline die with my green piece, the Swirling Stars die and moose collar were cut from yellow piece, and the words + antlers from the cream-colored piece.

The Snow…

I have always had the idea in my head that the Crochet strips would be cute as snow and this was the perfect excuse to try it out. I cut (many! 😅) pieces from heavystock and applied a coat of clear embossing serum, then sprinkled white embossing powder and heat set. I wanted to grunge them up slightly so they weren’t so starkly white, so added some vintage photo oxide over the top, let dry a bit, then wiped back considerably.

The Sentiment…

I cut my sentiment from the Merry & Bright set. I wanted it thicker, so I cut two layers of plain heavystock + 1 layer from my handmade creamy paper and glued together. I wanted to customize it to say Be Merry instead so I cut the B from Bright and some extra ‘e’s from Merry and glued them together.

I added a paper ‘reinforcer’ to the back over where I glued my letters together for some extra strength and used a good amount of Collage medium in the front to help camouflage the seam 👌🏻

I decided I wanted to give my sentiment some extra elevation and had the idea to mount it on some sewing pins. First I colored them with Caramel alcohol ink, then stuck them in various places into my heavystock, securing with Collage Medium.

The Gluing Process…

Thought I’d share some snaps during my gluing phase!

The Word Band…

I love these word bands but I’ve never had great luck getting the recessed phrase to contrast nicely for crisp readability. SO, my work-around is to use a remnant rub over the top instead. Love the final look!

I first add collage medium to the band, getting in the grooves of the phrase to help hide it.

Then added caramel alcohol ink over the whole piece and let dry completely.

I cut the white remnant rub phrase of choice, peeled the back off and rubbed thoroughly on the metal band. Then peeled the front clear layer off very carefully. To finish it off, I added a coat of vintage collage medium over the top to seal it in place and create more of a grungy look.

I Attached some jute cord to each side and secured in place just above the bottom edge.

The Finishing Touches…

To finish it off, I added caramel ink to four mini hardware heads and placed in each of the corners and inked a handle from the Mini Hardware Pulls set and two larger hardware heads before adhering on the top of my tray. As an afterthought, once they were dry, I rubbed on a bit more of the Rose Gold wax with my finger to help tie them to the tray a bit better.