Inlaid Die Cuts

Hello! A new challenge started at Mix It Up. The challenge is to use an inlaid die cut. To be completely honest, I had never heard of this technique and so google helped me. Haha! What an interesting and fun time I had. I should have gone for a more simple die cut, but I never take the easy way! Haha!

I started with a Prima watercolor paper that already had a resist on it. I added some Lindy's magicals from my favorite Steampunk set and got to adding some color. The paper took the water like a champ! I totally enjoy how the magicals flow together and work so beautifully together!

Now comes the inlaid die cut part. After google, and my team explained this technique to me, I was intrigued to try it! So, I used a Sizzix Tim Holtz MM#2 die and cut it out of my paper. I saved all of those little tiny pieces and then cut the die again using white fun foam. I was able to keep the fun foam in the die cut and then just laid that into the paper die cut. Whew! That saved some time. 

Then I started to add the paper die cut on top of the inlaid foam die cut. Very time consuming but also kind of relaxing. I knew where the pieces needed to go and just went at it. I used TomBow glue for this step. 

I added a Reneabouquets butterfly and another die cut for the sentiment (thank you to Sara Emily for that one!). The sentiment die cut was heat embossed using white and gray powders. It is a bit wonky but so am I.

I then added some lovely flowers (also from Reneabouquets) and a handmade bow I made from some crinkle ribbon. I used Lindys Stamp Gang mists for the ribbon.

And there is my take on the inlaid die cut technique. Have you tried this before? I may be the only to have not heard about this technique. Lol! Carpe Diem! Hugz! ~Niki

I am going to share this creation with these lovely challenges:

Mixed Media World-Anything Goes with a Mood board Twist

I was inspired by the colors from the peacock feathers and the swirls in the tree picture.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge-Anything Goes

Deep Ocean Challenge #162-Favorite Color Combo

Of course my favorite color combo is blue with hints of grungy rust and white

4 Crafty Chicks #366-Anything Goes and a Cray Egg

Scrappy Land Challenge #72-Anything Goes

It's Ornamental!

Hello peeps! I do hope you enjoyed your Halloween and all that it entailed. Today starts a new challenge at Anything But Cute #7-It's Ornamental and the super sweet, and talented Cec is our hostess! Here is what she said, "Since the holiday will be coming up pretty quickly, we want you to create a mixed media ornament for your Christmas tree or a Christmas decor item for your house or table.

I love, love, love the Christmas holiday and go all out for it! So without further adieu here is my design! Who knew I could go from shock horror to soft and pretty!?! Lol. Grab a cuppa, this is a long one. :)

I started with a paper mâché mailbox. Applied some gesso and LSG sprays to the front and back. Then started on the Shimmer Sheetz. 

Using 3 different colors of embossing powder and a tree stamp, I got to stamping. The EP adds some nice texture to the Sheetz. TIP-Shimmer Sheetz don't hold up to heat embossing and will warp a bit but it can still be done! I used two sheetz to cover the sides of the mailbox and overlapped those at the top. Then came the die cuts. 

The flower was made with TH Tattered Flowers die. I layered three pieces and added some EP randomly, as well as some Stickles. The bird is a new Sizzix die. The bottom layer of the bird die was painted with DecoArt Media Cobalt Teal Hue (my cuttlebug didn't cut it all the way through but I used it anyway). The top die cut was heat embossed with a Recollections EP. Glossy Accents was liberally applied and I put the pieces together. The glossy accents gooped out through the holes in the top die cut which resulted in a glass like appearance and added some nice texture to the bird. 

The mailbox edges were painted with DecoArt Media Cobalt Teal Hue as well and then snowflake stickers were added. 

The filigree die cuts were made from white and a pale blue cardstock. Both were then lightly edged with Mermaid Lagoon DI. My ribbon was hand died with LSG sprays and helped to create my birds "nest". The flower has a bit of bling added and some small feathers. So many luscious layers! More layers help create nice texture and depth to any design. 

The snow on the mailbox flag (as well as the top of the candlestick) was created by using DecoArt Snow-Tex

This is the front of the mailbox. I used another die cut and lightly edged it with Mermaid Lagoon DI as well. The "Merry Christmas" sentiment is a TH rub on (thanks Samra!)

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! Although, I don't really like snow IRL-too cold for me. Brrrr! 

The back of the mailbox had a snowflake rub on and an embossed sentiment as well. 

The candlestick was painted white and then Cobalt Teal Hue, I then added a layer of white crackle paint. Once that was dry, I took a damask print stamp (inked with ML DI) and randomly applied it to the entirely awkward shape. Stickles added some glitter and Snow-Tex added some more texture. Pretty! 

And now for

THE SURPRISE: 

I created a false front to the opened mailbox and it raises up when the lid is closed. The reindeer, trees, and moon (actually my thumbprint, lol) are heat embossed onto vellum. The mini tree was sprayed with LSG sprays, and texture was added with the DecoArt Snow-Tex. I painted the mini lights with Cobalt Teal Hue and gesso. The floor was made to look like ice by sprinkling EP and layering DecoArt Liquid Glass over it. The cobblestones were hand cut and lightly pushed into the "ice". 

Whew! You made it to the end! Congrats! I hope you had a fun journey and create some amazing designs! Thanks for stopping by. Hugz and Carpe Diem! ~Niki

I will be sharing this altered design with these challenges:

Country View Challenge November #33-The Colour Blue

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge-So Glossy.

I used Glossy accents to adhere almost everything in this design, as well as adding dimension to the bird die cuts

One Crazy Stamper Inc November Challenge-Christmas/Winter

Lets Craft and Create Challenge #107-Lots of Bling

I used lots of glitter, diamonds and gems, as well as luscious embossing powder that has bling in it.

Sweet Stampin Challenge-Dies And/Or Punches

I used 3 different dies on this design.

Rhedds Creative Spirit-Anything Goes Altered Art/Mixed Media Only