This is a unique challenge blog where we are inspired by and focus on the Vintage; shabby; mixed-media; art journaling; industrial, timeworn and steampunk genres and encompass the talent, flair, expertise and ideas of many artists that we are inspired by. We welcome all types of projects - cards, journaling, assemblage, layouts, albums, atcs, altered art in fact whatever you want to share (as long as it is in good taste).

Friday 27 April 2018

Creative Card Making Tutorial in a Rusty, Crusty Style


Welcome! It's the fourth Friday of the month, and that means it's time for our 'Creative Cardmaking' feature here at A Vintage Journey. Sara Emily here sharing some ideas for putting together a card focusing on our preferred genres - vintage; shabby; mixed-media; art journaling; industrial, timeworn or steampunk style.

My husband reminded me his brother's birthday was coming up and wanted to mail him a card today. Yikes! This is a simple card and took me less than an hour from idea to photo session. Using a selection of Tim Holtz products makes this super easy.  I have a product list on my blog. Sadly, I have no step by step photos, since I was really pressed for time.




I started by choosing this dapper fellow from the Paper Dolls pack, and my vignette was formed from that. I thought the chap looked a little bit like my brother in law. I knew I would add some gears (there's always plenty of them in the Closet!), so next I chose an appropriate, old Tim Holtz paper stash paper for my background. These are all kind of jumbled up, so I don't know which pad it's from. To add some timeworn quality to the paper, I dipped it in a watery puddle of Vintage Photo Distress Oxide and dried it. Gently tapping it into the remaining ink and then adding Seth Apter's Patina Oxide Baked Texture randomly and heating gives it some rusty interest. Distressing the edges with a distressing tool (or you could use scissors), and blending the edges with a dark brown ink (I used Ground Espresso) always adds some vintage or timeworn quality.


An easy way to add some interest to the Paper Dolls is to provide a backdrop for them. You could do this with some ephemera or vintage papers from your stash, but I chose to do some stamping on a scrap of cardstock laying on my desk. I dipped it in the leftover Vintage Photo DOX on my craft mat, spritzed with water and dried. Add some darker Distress ink randomly, and splash with some water, then dry for some more vintage goodness. The stamp is one of my newest of Tim's inked in Watering Can archival. More distressing and tearing off edges, then swiping with a Distress Crayon, heated to melt. I backed this panel with a scrap of chipboard to give it sturdiness and add little dimension from the background panel.


To give my little fella some life, I patted him with Faded Jeans and then Vintage Photo DOX pads, spritzing lightly with water and drying between colors. I edged with Ground Espresso ink.


Finally I layered it all up on black card stock, then an old gold embossed paper from my stash, and then onto a black card blank.  Before layering onto the blank, I distressed the edges and swiped on Distress crayon and heated to age it.


 Lastly, I tucked in some die cut gears from my stash. I made these quite a long time ago, so I don't remember what I used to give them the rusty patina, but they went quite well with Seth's powders, don't you think? A Chit Chat sticker adhered to the torn edge from the hand made ephemera panel makes a snarky Birthday greeting.


 So, there you have it!  I'm pretty satisfied with my quick card, but I think I would have chosen a different color for his suit in retrospect. I'm quite pleased at the seredipity in this project. I made it month's ago, but it fits in perfect with our current 'Rusty and Crusty' challenge. You still have several more days to play along! I can't wait to see what you will make!

I hope I've provided you with some tips or techniques you can use on your own project. Please let me know if I did!

Crafty hugs!
Sara Emily

37 comments:

  1. Wonderful tutorial and card Sara. Lovely to see how you built up your layers and composition from your starting point! Wonderful ageing techniques too! Xx

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  2. Love your fabulous card Sara and I bet your BIL will too! Great techniques and a fab tutorial!!

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  3. Fabulous card! Sara. Love the vintage, industrial feel and those pops of rusty patina. I bet your BIL loved it . x

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    1. Thank you, Amanda! I hope he did, too! I don't even know if it made it to him! Our mail is the worst! Hugs!

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  4. This is fantastic Sara, the chap looks as if he could walk off the page, great card. Creative Blessings, Tracy x

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  5. Fabulous ephemera layers and I love the touches of embossed texture bringing it all to life.
    Alison x

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  6. This is amazing, Sara Emily!! The rusty texture and vintage details are spectacular!! Wow!! It's so fabulous!!

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  7. Your card looks wonderful, Sara Emily! Happy Birthday to your BIL!

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    1. Thank you, Patty! I made this card back in Feb. I hope he had a good birthday, too! Hugs!

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  8. (Would you look at that photo styling?! What a pro! :) ) Sara Emily, this is just amazing! I'm so in love with all of the extra touches you ALWAYS add that take everything you do to the next lever (when I would have just stopped short). This is truly amazing and a masculine work of art! You've wowed me yet again! Great post. Hugs, Autumn

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    1. Awe, you're too kind! You've taught me everything I know! Hugs back!

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  9. Well Sara it doesn't look like a quick card to me - it looks amazing. I love those rusty cogs and yes, Seth's Patina does work beautifully with all the elements on your card, it really brings the design together wonderfully well. I have to make a very quick man card tonight, so you have really inspired me - thank you!! Hugs, Anne xxx

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    1. Thank you, Anne! Happy to inspire in your hour of need! Ha! Ha!

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  10. What a great card design Sara Emily! love the gentleman with his inked suit, your wonderful layers, rusty gears and corners! Look how creative you were at the drop of a hat! (or a short notice birthday card request!!) Julia xx

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    1. Thank you, Julia! Sometime, pressure has a way of bringing out our more creative side! Hugs!

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  11. What a fantastic card you have created Sara Emily! All those layers of vintage goodness, combined with the patina and gears has formed the perfect masculine card. Thanks for sharing. ~Ann

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    1. Thank you, Ann! Have a great weekend! hugs!

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  12. What a fabulous card Sara Emily, your BIL will love it I am sure! Fab layers and you've really made that wonderful dapper Paper Doll the star of the show with all those lovely rusty adornments. Thanks so much for sharing it, Deb xo

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    1. Thank you, Deb! Those Paper Dolls are a big hit with me and have saved me many a times! :):)

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  13. It's a miracle - or it is to me that you can create and finish something so wonderful in an hour!!
    Bravo Sara Emily!!
    Sandy xx

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    1. Thanks, Sandy! I'm usually very slow, so I was pretty happy to get it done so quickly. Hugs!

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  14. Totally love this fabulous male card Sara x Wonderful layered details on the papers and the rusty cogs look great too. The gent is sitting there quite proudly, I am sure your BIL will love it x Thanks for sharing the details x

    Hugs Annie xx

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  15. Wow this card is wonderful I love it, all the rusty effects and the life you've given to the paper doll with the papers and the gears, I love it, hugs María.

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  16. Wow! Love how this came together! The embossing really does add some interesting texture! Chrisx

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    1. Thank you, Chris! I do love those Baked Texture powders! Hugs!

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  17. Wonderful card...ad great reminder to make up a stash of gear wheels :D XXX

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  18. Thank you, Gina! Yes, me too! I'm out of stash!

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  19. Wow!! This is totally awesome Sara! I love the distressing and aging you've given these papers .. looks like a little treasure discovered in an old box found in the attic .. absolutely amazing!! Hard to believe you made it in just an hour .. brilliant!!! Got to get me some of those Seth Apter powders. You've used them so well, they look fabulous! Love this!! xx

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  20. A truly creative and fantastic card Sara Emily. I am in awe that you designed and made it in an hour, it’s amazing xxx

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  21. This is wonderful. Love the vintage feel, those layers and all that texture.

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