Dare to Dazzle mixed media panel

Hello! 👋🏻 Popping in to share this starry little mixed media piece I’ve been working on, “starring” 🙃 the Tim Holtz Dimensional Star dies and Star Trims 3D embossing strips. I loved watching the Olympics this summer and felt inspired to make a little something to mark the occasion 🇫🇷👩🏻‍🎨 

Here’s a bit more detail about how this project came together 👇🏻

The Background…

Started by cutting the Star Trim emboss strips from mixed media heavystock paper and gluing on an Etcetera rectangle panel (6x8.5in)

Sanded down the edges with a sanding block and painted with Uncharted Mariner, then more sanding before the wax! Planning the composition…

 Next, added Mined wax highlights to the raised texture, stars, panel edges, and heat set. I also used two Caramel-inked screw eyes and chains (sans clasps) to make the hanger on the top edge. Tore up bits of collage newspaper to start adding some grunginess

Covered the collage paper bits, corners and random edges with grit paste, followed by Caramel ink

The Bottle…

Cut 2 chipboard pieces from the Bigz Bottled up die, glued the layers together and added the bottle details to the front (extra piece on bottle mouth, Star Trim and a metal Ideaology star for the center). 

First painted with Antique Linen, but decided to go darker 🤷🏻‍♀️ so re-painted with Scorched Timber, followed by Mined wax highlights, grit paste and caramel ink

The Stars…

Cut 10-12 stars of all sizes from the Dimension Stars set and folded up. Covered some stars with Mined wax, some with collage paper, some Antique Linen paint… added grit paste, a Caramel-ink wash, and wire pieces down the middle of each

The Sentiment…

Cut “Dare to” letters from the Tiny Type Lower font out of heavystock paper. Cut DAZZLE from the Alpha Bold set (wanted these super thick so cut 6 sets of each letter and glued together)

Covered with Mixed wax, heat set, then added splotchy grit paste

Added Caramel ink on top and glued the letters on pieces of film strip

Used a Caramel-inked large hinge clip to hold the strips. Added the black clipping stickers (from the Metallic sticker book) to an inked memo pin and tucked in the side of the clip

The Finishing Touches…

Lots of other little bobs and bits in the ledge layers… gritty scalloped trim pieces, metal ruler, gears, film strip, clothespin, etc… 

Added more excelsior shavings in a few spots, along with more grit paste and Caramel ink in random places + those teeny-tiny stars for extra sparkle ✨

Also added a few “Paris” and “24” little Easter eggs 😍

And THAT is my razzle-dazzle project, thanks so much for looking!

And go Team USA LA28! 🇺🇸☺️

Happy crafting!

x Erin

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The Products…

Dies… Bigz Bottled Up, Dimensional stars, Decorative Trims, Alphanumeric Tiny Type Lower, Alphanumeric Bold

Embossing folders… Star Trim Impresslits 

Surfaces… mixed media heavystock paper, rectangle chipboard panel, chipboard sheets, chipboard trim

Mediums… collage matte, grit paste translucent

Ideaology… clasp chains, screw eyes, collage paper sheets, metal ruler, metal stars, gears, mini clothespin, mini hinge clip, film reel, large hinge clip, hardware heads, Memo Pin, large gear, Metallic Sticker book

Alcohol ink… Caramel

Foundry Wax… Mined

Distress Paint… Scorched Timber, Antique Linen, Uncharted Mariner

Other… flexible wire, excelsior (wood shavings)

Beach Vibes ☀️

Hi there! Hope your summer is going swimmingly 🤭 Sharing this fun little hanger featuring the walrus from the Tim Holtz Under the Sea 2 dies. Felt inspired by the warm weather to give him some beachy surroundings!

The Frame…

Started with a baseboard frame and added some paper cuts (from the Mixed Media #5 set)

Tinkering with the composition pre-paint…

Painted with Broken China, then brushed on some Scorched Timber crayon and wiped off so it stayed in the recesses… Added a couple Caramel-inked eyelets to the corners and a piece of wire for a rustic hanger

The Sign…

I cut a few pieces of the large rectangle from the Specimen set for the main sign piece. Then used the Woodgrain folder to emboss one of the rectangles + a bit of Mixed Media scrap paper for the sign post… Also used a few pieces of scrap chipboard risers as reinforcers for my sign post

Next, I cut the Alphanumeric Labels letters, glued on the sign base. Painted all with Walnut Stain paint, then rubbed Antiqued Bronze paint over all of the raised texture and letters with my finger. I added tiny Caramel-inked hardware heads to the corners and also dulled some of the Antiqued Bronze with the same caramel ink. Stuck in the little ‘Contagious’ clipping sticker last minute 💡 my fave detail ✨

The Sun…

Cut the sun pieces from the Labels set… Painted with Fossilized Amber, Rusty Hinge, and Crackling Campfire. Followed by a coat of clear crackle and Scorched Timber crayon. The “Community Fun” button is from the Vintage Flair Ideaology set + a Caramel-inked clock hand and large hardware head on top… ugh, obsessed with this🔥

The Walrus…

Cut 2 layers of the walrus from the Under the Sea #2 set, glued together and painted with Picked Raspberry… Then coated with clear crackle and Scorched Ember crayon

The Clouds…

Cut some clouds from the Edison set, added grit paste and painted with white and dabs of Broken China

The Sand…

Cut pieces from the Splat set for my sand dunes and added grit paste

Painted with Frayed Burlap + a bit of Caramel ink along the top of a few pieces…

Tucked in some Frayed Burlap-dyed cheese cloth in between my dunes for extra texture and added a ruler from the baseboard layers pack, a gear + a clipping sticker

Quick look at the back side 🍑 after all elements were glued (I’m weirdly always curious about this! 🧐)

That’s all for now—thanks so much for looking and happy crafting! ☺️❤️

x Erin

The Products…

Dies… Under the Sea 2, Specimen, Splat, Labels, Edison, Alphanumeric Labels

Surfaces… Baseboard Frames, Mixed Media Heavystock paper

3D embossing folder… Woodgrain

Distress Paint… Broken China, Frayed Burlap, Seedless Preserves, Picket Fence, Wild Honey, Crackling Campfire, Rusty Hinge, Scorched Timber

Distress Mediums… Collage Matte, Translucent Grit Paste, Clear Crackle

Ideaology… Gear, Clipping Stickers, Baseboard Layers, Mini Hardware Heads, Clock hand, large Hardware head, Vintage Flair

Other… cheese cloth, wire, eyelets, Caramel alcohol ink

Beautiful Blooms tag 🌼

Well hello again, fellow creatives! I’ve had these fun crackly flowers sitting around for AGES and finally decided to add them to this yummy textured tag and little frame. I’m so pleased with the combo of different surfaces/ mediums. Crackle is super hard to beat in my crafty book but that lace background… Mmm *chef’s kiss*! 😍 A few more snaps of the assembly below 👇🏻

The Background Tag…

Cut Intricate Lace from mixed media heavystock paper and glued on a small thickboard tag with collage medium.

Gave it a base coat of gesso before applying more Distress.

I used a 1/2” hole punch to cover the tag hole from the under side.

Next I added some random splotches of grit paste, then painted with a couple coats of Ground Espresso before rubbing on Vintage Photo and Brushed Corduroy with my finger.

The Flowers and Leaves…

Used heavystock paper to cut Modern Floristry dies. Leaves are painted with a blend of Rustic Wilderness and Forest Moss. Flowers are Picket Fence, Scattered Straw, and Wild Honey. Generous topcoat of clear crackle.

Once the crackle was fully dry, I brushed on Walnut Stain crayon, then wiped off the excess with a paper towel.

BLOOMS Letters…

Cut three sets of BLOOMS from the Stretch Lower set using heavystock paper, glued two layers together for extra thickness and coated with clear crackle, then rubbed on Walnut Stain crayon. Painted my other set of letters with Walnut stain and glued slightly offset from the crackly letters.

The “beautiful” word is from the Tiny Text remnant rubs pack.

Finishing Touches…

Painted a large Vignette Frame with Walnut Stain, glued a piece of clear acetate to the under side, added Caramel-inked hardware heads to the corners, then randomly splotched on clear crackle paste to the edges. Also added Hitch Fasteners under each corner to elevate my frame on the tag so I could tuck in my floral bits.

Inked a drawer pull with Caramel alcohol ink + “glittering in the sun” phrase from the clippings sticker book. Also added a couple inked clips to the tag edges. 

Okay, that’s a wrap on my crackly blooms project! Nice to see it finally assembled 🤭 Also really glad spring is (almost) upon us, happy crafting! ❤️

x Erin

Tim Holtz Products…

Sizzix Dies… Modern Floristry, Alphanumeric Stretch Lower, Intricate Lace

Surfaces… Mixed Media Heavystock, small thickboard tag, clear heat-resistant acetate

Distress Mediums… Collage Matte, transparent crackle paint, grit paste, gesso

Distress Paint… Ground Espresso, Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo, Brushed Corduroy, Picket Fence, Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, Rustic Wilderness, Forest Moss

Distress Crayon… Walnut Stain

Alcohol Ink… Caramel

Ideaology… Clippings sticker book, hardware heads, hitch fasteners, hardware drawer pulls, clips, 

Tools… Blending Brush, glass mat, Sizzix Big Shot, 1/2” hole punch

Cardboard + Distress = 🤯

Check out this cardboard tag background I made this weekend, I’m obsessed! 

A few steps so far…

I think I’ll make it a sunset scene with clouds and mountains, back soon! 😋

Happy crafting!

x Erin