A Starry Sky

 A second inspiration project for the Country View Crafts Challenge on Facebook where Zoe set the theme as Snowflakes and Stars. I decided to use a mop up piece of card with TH Tiny Stars embossing folder and his Sizzix Dimensional Stars dies.

1. Dip, dip and dry card with Chipped Sapphire distress ink.

2. Put card through the cutting machine in the Tiny Stars embossing folder.

3. Apply foundry wax with finger over the star tops .... 

4. ..... and heat.

5. I wish I'd stamped over the blue, so I stamped now to get some more interest in the background.

6. Cut three stars. (see supplies below)

7. Take a new piece of card and cover in the star washi tape.

8. Mount the background onto dark blue paper and add a narrower washi tape.  The blue pieces I made myself.

 

Supplies from Country View Crafts  

Tim Holtz Distress Inks - Chipped Sapphire, Ground Espresso    https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/tim-holtz-distress-ink--re-inkers-103-c.asp

Tim Holtz Distress Archival ink - Ground Espresso                               https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/tim-holtz-distress-archival-ink-1235-c.asp

Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlits dies Dimensional Stars                          https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/tim-holtz-152-c.asp

Tim Holtz Idea-Ology - Deco sheets Sparkle Classic in gold,      Word Chip   https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/tim-holtz-idea-ology-102-c.asp

Tim Holtz Foundry Wax Statue                                                            https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/tim-holtz-distress-accessories-storage--and-mediums-855-c.asp

Tim Holtz - Stampers Anonymous - Ledger Script CMS241                        https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/tim-holtz-stamps-by-stampers-anonymous-193-c.asp

My own supplies

 Golden washi tape   and   Fabriano watercolour paper 

Snowflakes

 Hopeful

Snowflakes for Country View crafts

Under New Ownership

The first project for 2026 with CVC having a new owner and Zoe Hillman choosing the first theme.

Every year I am hopeful of a white Christmas but we rarely see snow these days in the south of England - just hoping we might see some in the new year.

The snowflakes were cut using one die and one colour. i altered two of the snowflakes to give them slightly different shapes.

I used acrylic paper and coloured up three pieces differently, 1 - just using the distress ink pad, 2 - blending the same blue over the card and 3 - again the same colour but dip. drip and dry technique.

Ink the edges of the snowflakes with Brown Distress ink and then paint a thin layer of wet glue over them and dip in some sparkly glitter

The backing paper is a piece of Tim's splattered with white paint.

The mount was created using the back of a stencil and some handmade tape added to it.

Other papers I gathered from bits boxes to build a collage

The tapes were made by sticking strips of Scotch Magic Tape onto vellum - you could use greaseproof paper. Blend over distress inks and then stamp with archival ink.

Stamp the 'Hopeful' label with blue archival, cover with clear embossing powder and heat. Ink the edges with blue and brown inks.

Layer up the pieces to put the project together.

Supplies used from https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/

Distress Archival ink – Ground Espresso – Reinker only available in the shop at the moment- https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/tim-holtz---mini-distress-archival-re-inker---ground-espresso-139012-p.asp

Tonic Studios Tim Holtz - Stamp Platform 8.5"X8.5" - https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/tonic-studios-tim-holtz---stamp-platform-85x85-75973-p.asp

Tim Holtz paper – from my stockpile but Brenda might be able to purchase it for you.

PaperArtsy Fresco Finish paint – Snowflake - https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/paperartsy-chalk-paint-fresco-finish---snowflake-175174-p.asp

DecoArt Americana Decou-Page Sealer/Glue Matte 4OZ  https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/decoart-americana-decou-page-sealerglue-matte-4oz-69604-p.asp

Distress inks – Uncharted Mariner, Black Soot, Ground Espresso  https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/tim-holtz-distress-ink--re-inkers-103-c.asp

Sizzix TH dies – Vault Winter Wishes which sold out before Christmas, but Brenda will gladly help you out if you contact her.  https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/tim-holtz-152-c.asp

TH Rock Candy Glitter - https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/tim-holtz-distress-rock-candy-crystal-glitter-clear-179-oz-179113-p.asp

Clear embossing powder - https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/wow-embossing-powders-15ml---clear-gloss-regular-t-171662-p.asp

49 and Market – Winter Stories Rubons - https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/49-and-market-1673-c.asp

Frostie the Snowman Tim Holtz

Last Christmas card for 2025

Stamp Mr Frostie with distress archival onto printed paper.

Fussy cut the image.

Paint snowman, face and nose with a mix of decoupage and white chalky finish paint to seal the paper and dry. 

Then add a weak wash of blue distress ink to give him that cold look.

Paint the nose  with Rusty Hinge and paint the Scarf with Festive Berries.

Seal the Background paper with decou-page and dry. This helps the distress inks move around somewhat rather than soak immediately into the paper.

Use a brayer and add some white paint to the background to start to tone it down,

The depth of the whiteness with the brayer wasn't enough so I made a watery wash with the white paint and dipped and splodged some over the top.

Next take some vellum and the branches from the stamp set. 

Make them look like trees. Stamp with the distress archival again.

Now to add details and put the card together. 

Die-cut greenery and add some to the background.

Use a brown drawing pen to add depth, structure and more detail to the trees.

Plan where Mr Frostie and more greenery will go. 

Stamp the sentiment directly onto the vellum.

Dip leaves and berries pieces into a tub of Snow-tex and leave to dry and use a white posca pen to create the look of snow on the tree branches. Glue pieces down and add extra snowtex.

Supplies

TH Stamp - Mr Frostie  CMS499 -  https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/cms499-tim-holtz-cling-mounted-stamp-set---mr-frostie-176446-p.asp

Distress Archival ink – Ground Espresso – Reinker only available in the shop at the moment- https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/tim-holtz---mini-distress-archival-re-inker---ground-espresso-139012-p.asp

Tonic Studios Tim Holtz - Stamp Platform 8.5"X8.5" - https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/tonic-studios-tim-holtz---stamp-platform-85x85-75973-p.asp

Tim Holtz paper –

PaperArtsy Fresco Finish paint – Snowflake - https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/paperartsy-chalk-paint-fresco-finish---snowflake-175174-p.asp

DecoArt Americana Decou-Page Sealer/Glue Matte 4OZ  https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/decoart-americana-decou-page-sealerglue-matte-4oz-69604-p.asp

Distress inks – Unchartered Mariner, Festive Berries, Rusty Hinge – https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/tim-holtz-distress-ink--re-inkers-103-c.asp

Sizzix TH dies – Festive Gatherings and Holiday Greens (currently out of stock) however Sizzix® Thinlits Die Set 11PK – Holiday Greens Mini by Tim Holtz are in stock and would be a great substitute.  https://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/661597---sizzix-thinlits-die-set-11pk--holiday-greens-mini-by-tim-holtz-180330-p.asp

Christmas Artist Trading Cards

 Using snippets and leftovers to make a collection of green ATCs.

These were made for my contribution to the INKC Retreat ATC swap.

xx

Supplies from Country View Crafts

Leftover backgrounds from previous projects using Tim Holtz inks, stamps, dies, embossing folders and stencils.

Rub-ons from 49 and Market

TH Distress Inks 

TH Stencils

TH Stamps

TH Stencils

TH Dies 

49 and Market