Tim Holtz Addicts of Facebook; #THA_FEB....A 2nd Chance 2012 Valentine

 It totally rocks to see all the GREAT craftiness going on in the THA (Tim Holtz Addicts) Facebook page! If you are not in the group, and you love all things Tim Holtz...you SHOULD be! Recap: in early January, the GAs of the page announced a rehash of "The 12 Tags of" and each month, any member can do their take on the chosen Tim Tag previously done during his 10 year stint of Tags. While I did not participate during those first 5 years, I did join in on the fun of seeing all the takes on Tim's Tags posted on his Blog back then. The second 5 years were monthly Tags through the year; which I felt was easier for me to join in on than doing 10 Tags over just Christmas when things seem to pile up and time is so short. And, I WON a few of those monthly contests, too!

    The Tag chosen for this month's take just happens to have been my VERY FIRST Tag- ever! And since then- February 2012- I, and my Craft Studio, have both come a loooong way, baby! From having very few items and not even a Big Shot Machine yet... I can't believe how much I've added, and used, since then. I really have learned so much more about textures, colors and shading, and definitely about adding depth to 2-dimensional paper crafts, lighting, and balance, than I ever knew before doing that first Tag. To say it all helped me become a better Photographer is the least of it! I've come far, far, far away from that lady who had to ask "HOW did you get that to look the way it does?" to a picky crafter who must do things to the letter & not be satisfied until the last detail is good to go. It certainly has helped me overcome my housework OCD, if nothing else! lol

                             Let's take a look back, before we move on...

Tim Holtz's original inspiration included Paint Resist Technique.

This is what we are challenged to use on our own take of this Tag.

WOW. Can you say "Plain Jane"??

I'd just gotten a new Big Shot machine with all the accessories, plates, platforms, & my

very first TH Alterations Die: Tag and Bookplates. Since then, I've used the heck outta

that die! But it's still going strong and a few other people I know also had to have that die.

My second was the TH Strip Die Filmstrip. And I managed to also find a larger Sizzix die

of filmstrip even though it had already retired by then. Film and cameras are my 'thing'.

As for TH stamps and odds/ends...I had almost nil. 

Plus: Older Daughter Ashley was not in this since she hadn't met older Son Brian yet.

So many things have changed since then; most for the BEST!

So let's move on now... UPDATED TH!!!

To get started, I usually pull out anything that remotely relates to the theme I am thinking of.

That means going through stamp sets, embossing folders, IdeaOlogy...

just holding these things in my hand can get to me brain-storming

"What can I do with THIS?"

With the TH Paint Resist Technique...

Tim used both a set of stamps AND a matching embossing folder.

So my first thoughts had to come together within anything that matched under this rule.

Tim has recently released several "new" old things, just putting a new twist on some

old faves. I happen to still love the old ones, but am happy to say

I also have some of the updated items, so I was aiming for

not just a "re-do" but an updated re-do.

As usual during the brain-storming sessions...my 3 desks are often FULLY LOADED.

One of the first things to do was take care of the tiniest part- an IdeaOlogy Vial.

I used a TH Vial Label on both sides, added a Remnant Rub cut from one of the tiny texts,

then shaded in some TH Distress Oxide in Vintage Photo after filling

the vial with some double-sided pink/purple scrappy cut with a shaped puncher.

Glossy Accents made sure the cork topper won't come out.

Then; on to play INKY HANDS!

One lady in the THA group took her TH Faceted Heart Die to a whole new level:

she made a bust out of the heart in black and added some black tulle for the dress 

below the bust. WOWZA!! I was VERY impressed at that GENIOUS idea!

So, this became my match of a Gentleman for her Lady. :)

Here's what I ended up with after stamping with Distress Paint in Antique Linen

with Regular Distress Ink in Victorian Velvet on the left.

On the right- the same Antique Linen DP with Distress Oxide Ink in Black Soot. 

A better pic of the same.

Tim had a matching hearts Valentine stamp and embossing folder set for that original Tag.

I decided to use my 3D Mechanics Embossing Folder!

Then I added some depth to the color by using Distress Reg Ink in Fired Brick,

with a touch of Vintage Photo Oxide on the corners.

Then used my TH Marker Spritzer with some Black Soot Distress Marker

for some splatters all over for the last touch.

I used matboard - 1 layer- to cut the cherub from my retired-but-new-to-me 

TH Alterations Bigz Die Love Struck. This die was new back when Tim made his Tag.

(I still have 3/4 package that will likely last me past this year even using it on 

almost every project so far. An Amazon bargain! Tim's Alterations Bigz Dies work

like a DREAM with this stuff!)

You'll see I didn't sand the backside down- no need to.

But I did ink it up (Distress Oxide Antique Linen) as a tiny bit of her will show on the

backside of the Tag. (Yes, this cherub here, is a girl.)

The front of our girl was more detailed in not just Distress Oxide Antique Linen Ink,

but given a coat of Glossy Accents and Distress Rock Candy Glitter,

Then her edges got Distress Oxide Ink in Vintage Photo.

You can see the color scheme coming together already.

Now, I'm going to share my trick on how to SHRINK a Tim Holtz DIE !!

1- Choose the piece you wish to make smaller. In this case; I need a 'stache

for my Gentleman, so I used my TH Movers&Shapers Die Set and the TH Baseplate.

The paper you choose to die cut isn't important, but it needs to show up DARKER

than WHITE copy paper. Otherwise, you will end up copying out a ton of 

black ink soaking on a sheet coming out of your printer.

So I used a scrap of TH Coordinations. You can use plain colored cardstock.

2- Note the mustache die cut is temp taped (Scotch pink Glider Tape is excellent for this)

to the regular sheet of copy paper (shown lower left corner), and I have 

chosen "copy" on my free-standing Canon printer/copier/scanner.

We have 2 printers in our walk-thru office- the other is hooked to my desktop setup.

3- Here's where you 'play around' until you find the size you want.

But if you're pretty good at figuring your percentages, like I can do, or if

you're up to trying a few....I usually start out at 50%. 

4- Print.

5- Now all you need is the actual paper you wanted to use for the die cut.

temp tape the smaller piece to the chosen paper, cardstock, or material...

6- Cut around with your TH Tonic Scissors, using the copied piece on top as your cutting guide.

And there ya go!!

I now have an original piece I began with from the TH Die itself...

plus the TINIEST of 'staches for my Gentleman!!

Here's my final "2nd Chance Valentine Tag" take...

The FRONTSIDE...

...and the BACKSIDE!

A few closeup shots will help you see the details better...

That 'stache!! It's the perfect size for this Gentleman, now!

The new TH Alterations Thinlit Die Faceted Heart is an awesome die set!

(Attached to the base Tag with 2 Long Fasteners.)

There's this size, and a smaller die as well.

There's the updated Cherub from the TH Alterations Die Love Struck.

Back on Tim's 2012 version, he used TH Tissue Tape for a 'lace' backing on the

(very same Love Struck Die) heart cut. Instead of using the Tissue Tape on the

Gentleman, I chose to use it on the Cherub for her to carry her LOVE potion.

This is TH Tissue Tape "Symphony"- which I still have another full roll of,

as well as a few other retired rolls. LOVE TH Tissue Tape !!!

I also still use my TH Tissue Tape Dispenser.

Some TH IdeaOlogy that is retired is still out there...and I have it, too!

I love holding these things and playing with them while thinking over what to do with

these cool embellishments. I've seen Tim wire up his TH IdeaOlogy Arrows,

and I LOVE copying that !!

Here's an updated item I use often: TH IdeaOlogy Quote Chips.

In this case, I added some Black Soot Distress Crayon all around the sides of the Chip.

Adding some background layers for the Tag front itself:

Middle- plain manila cardstock torn a bit with the TH Tonic Paper Distresser,

then inked around with Distress Oxide Ink in Vintage Photo.

Very Bottom Layer (used as the Backside of the Tag as well) is a square of the

TH Seasonal Stack- which I've had about 8 years plus. I felt

it made a very fitting backing for this take.

The backside not only uses the old TH paperie, but I also used a square of 

Paper Stash Classic Kraft for die cutting with my TH Alterations Thinlits Stencil Numbers Set.

Some shorter IdeaOlogy Mini Fasteners look great with their tiny phillips screw heads.

The Classic Kraft also gave me the same red that I used on the Faceted Heart-

 for my first use of the TH Pocket Frame Thinlit Set.

Some numbers from TH Metallic Stickers, Silver Alpha shows how 

the number 14 plays a part in our lives.

This tiny wired heart and set of wedding rings are the only non-TH items 

that just came out of my 'everything stash'. Hobby Lobby sells the ring sets

from their wedding line. I purchased several of these for gift tags on occasions.

No Tim Tag is complete without something at the top like that

very beloved TH Crinkle Ribbon....which I need to order more of!

For the sake of following the rules of the THA FB page,

here's a full list of TH items I used on this month's Tag...

Alterations Dies & Embossers:

     Movers and Shapers Die Sets:   Mini Mustache and Pointed Finger

Bigz Dies:   Love Stuck

 Thinlit Sets:   Faceted Heart

                      Pocket Frame

                           Stencil Numbers

                       Tag Collection 

3D Impressionlits:   Mechanical      

Stamp Sets:  Dapper

Paperie:   

  Metallic Stickers: Silver Alpha

Paper Stash Classic Kraft

Paper Stash; Seasonal (retired)

Quote Chips

Remnant Rubs, Words

Tissue Tape, Symphony

Vial Labels

Distress Products:

Regular Distress Ink Pads: Fired Brick

                                                   Victorian Velvet

Oxide Ink Pads: Antique Linen

                     Black Soot

                          Vintage Photo

     Markers:   Black Soot

Glitter: Clear Rock Candy

Crayon: Black Soot (Set 03)

Paint: Antique Linen

IdeaOlogy:

Adornments: Arrows

Assemblage; Mini Vials

Crinkle Ribbon

Heirloom Roses: Halloween

Long Fasteners

Mini Fasteners

Philosophy Tags

Other Tim Holtz Signature Tools used:

Blender Tools and Blender Foam Rectangles and Mini Rounds

Craft Pick

Craft Mat (by Ranger)

Distress Marker Spritzer

Distress Refresher

Glass Media Mat

Glossy Accents (by Ranger)

Paper Distressor

Scissors (Tonic)

Shears (Tonic)

         

This one was a FUN Challenge & it's rare to get a 'Do-Over" for anything!

I hope you've enjoyed taking a look and getting some inspiration from this post.

More than anything else, I'd like you to have a SMILE over it,

and look forward to more THA crafting!

Come on over and see the awesome talent blooming!

Until then...

BE SAFE &

HAPPY BLOGGING!