A little birdie told me… that Sizzix Chapter 1 is here!

Hello Friends! Happy Saturday! I hope that you are all doing well. I am back today to share a project that I created for the new Tim Holtz Sizzix Chapter 1 that Tim hosted today. Did you see his YouTube Live? Well…if you didn’t you can CLICK HERE and check out the replay. It was loaded with lots of new products and tons of awesome inspiration.

The project that I’m sharing today is one that I made using the new Bird and Egg Colorize thinlet set.

Here’s a peek at some of the other projects that I created. I’ll be sharing those over the next few weeks, so, stay tuned!

It took me awhile to jump on the “colorize train”, I’m not sure why, but now that I’m on, I don’t think I’ll be jumping off anytime soon. The details that you get from colorize is simply amazing.

You know how I love creating inky backgrounds and I love the effect you can get by using them to cut out the individual pieces and to build. The tiny drips, spots and watermarks that distress ink leaves on paper, in my opinion, really brings it to life. I went in a very vintage and shabby chic way..but, would you expect anything different? I tried to keep this simple because that little bird needed to be THE focus…you know I have a thing for birds, right? He is adorable and fits perfectly into a shabby chic vignette. I can’t wait to make him into a blue bird with rosy cheeks and a slightly pink & orange chest. Oh, don’t mind me, but I’m just jotting down another idea!

So, let’s get to it!

I started by creating some background papers…some I found in my scrap basket, some I made specifically for this project. I knew I wanted a “Robin” looking bird, so I grabbed my Walnut Stain, Antique Linen, Rusty Hinge and Crackling Campfire Distress Spray Stains and began creating on Distress Watercolor Paper. I spritzed and sprayed and dipped and dried until I had a few to choose from. Then I cut out all my pieces, and began laying them out.

Some were rubbed with Walnut Stain Distress Ink, some Crackling Campfire, Some Black Soot, you can see how the layers stack and then see where you need to add more color. Some areas got a little wash of watered down Antique Linen Distress Paint. I sometimes use this to add details because the paint layers on top of the inks leave shadows and highlights. It washes out a little but works out nicely. If I need a truer white that doesn’t lighten as easily, I use Dina Wakley White Gesso.

The base of my bird was cut from a piece of black/brown idea-ology Distress Kraft Stock from the neutral pack. This is perfect because to add distress and a worn look, you just sand the edges using sandpaper or a sanding grip…instant distress! I rubbed the sanded edges of the bird with a blending tool loaded with Walnut Stain Distress ink. Just be sure to do your sanding on a piece of scrap chipboard, and not you glass media mat as it will scratch the glass.

I adhered the bird together using Collage Medium and foam squares, then finished him off with a little Walnut Stain Distress Ink on a blending tool.

I created a background using a #8 Mixed Media tag with some Speckled Egg, Rusty Hinge and Crackling Campfire Spray Stains. I spritzed the tag with water, then spritzed on some of the ink. I dried it, then dipped it into drips that were left on my mat, layer after layer… once it was to my liking, I dried it, then stitched on some tiny twigs that I found in my stash.

These little twigs came from a wreath/swag thing that I found at goodwill for $1. You know I love a good stick and these are perfect for sewing onto projects with my sewing machine because they’re skinny and twisty (don’t tell a true seamstress that I sew twigs onto paper, I’m sure my Grandma is twinging) My advise, go very slowly sewing it, and always be on the lookout for tiny twigs, even if you pull them out of a wreath.

I added some scraps of mummy cloth, floral moss and stitched on a larger stick towards the bottom of the tag. Then I changed the thread in my sewing machine to a rusty orange color and stitched randomly around the outside.

I dug through my gritty and grungy vintage button tin…yes, I have one of those. 😉

Then stitched on the buttons near the bottom of the tag using some thread and a needle and added scraps of ribbon and mummy cloth.

To make the tag more substantial, I painted a #8 Etcetera Tag with some Distress Paint and then attached the tag to it. I’m working on making a big collection of #8 Etcetera tags to decorate my studio…so, I can’t wait to add this one and hang this one up very soon!

Check out those grungy buttons! Gritty and grungy o’natural, distressed the natural way…and how that fabric covered one went perfectly with this make! Makes me so happy!

With that, my project was complete!

Thanks so much for stopping by my tattered nest and be sure to follow my blog for more tutorials for this release coming very soon. Have a great weekend!

Creatively yours,

Stacy

Products used to create this make… be sure to click HERE to shop at Simon Says Stamp

and HERE to shop at Scrapbooks.com

Sizzix Bird and Egg Colorize thinlet set, Distress Mixed Media #8 tags, Distress Watercolor Paper, idea-ology Kraft Stock Neutrals, Distress Spray Stains-Walnut Stain, Rusty Hinge, Crackling Campfire, Antique Linen, Speckled Egg, Distress Inks-Walnut Stain, Blending Tools, Distress Paint- Antique Linen, idea-ology Mummy Cloth, Vintage Buttons, Sticks, Fabric scraps and more…

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