Best Of Times Card Tutorial

Do you have some lost treasures floating at the bottom of your scrap supplies? Dig down deep, see what you come up with, and get ready to work some magic of your own! This fabulous card was created by Tim Holtz media team member Emma Williams and we send a big thank you to her for this wonderful tutorial. I love how this card is full of dimension and texture with lots of element surprises.

Let’s get started making this card! Apply black Archival Ink to the popcorn and soda pop stamps and stamp onto the smooth side of the watercolor cardstock.

Cut around the outline of the main stamped image and using Distress Marker Pens, add a small amount of ink to your craft sheet. With a fine detailer water brush, add the first wash of color to the image. Build up the colors gradually, adding more layers of ink where necessary to give light and shade to each of the images. Continue until both images are painted.

Once the images are completely dry, take the colored soda pop bottle and dab a clear embossing ink over the entire surface of the cardstock. Apply a layer of clear embossing powder and tap away the excess.

Heat emboss the powder until molten and shiny. At this stage you can repeat the process to give a really smooth and glossy look to the stamped image.

To create the card base, cut two pieces of kraft card, measuring 7.5 x 5.5 and 6 x 6.6. Using the larger piece of card, place the Star Cluster on the edge die onto the shortest edge and die cut the card to give a decorative border. Set aside.

Apply a sheet of Metal Foil Tape over the top of a sheet of Grungepaper. Using the Stacked Stars die and only the stars from the Crescent Moon and Star die, cut 11 various sized stars.

Emboss four of the largest die cut stars using the Checkerboard Texture Fade. Apply Black Soot Distress Ink over the surface of all the die cut metal stars. Wipe away some of the paint with a damp cloth and then apply a small amount of Brushed Pewter over the top, again removing a small amount of the paint with a damp cloth to reveal an industrial effect to the metal.

Attach seven of the plain die cut stars to the star cluster border and set aside four of the largest embossed stars which will be used to decorate the front of the card.

Cut a piece of Manila card to measure 5.5 x 5 and then die cut a second piece of Manila card using the Big Ticket Die. Apply Distress Stains to your craft sheet and spritz the ink with water. Swipe each piece of card through the stains to pick up as much ink as possible. Heat dry the card and if there are more droplets of ink on the sheet, then swipe the card through a second time to pick up the remainder.

To assemble the card blank, take the smaller section of kraft card and place the inked ticket in the center. This allows you to know where to attach the tape to create the pocket for the ticket to slide in and out. Apply tape around three sides of the ticket. Attach the second piece of die cut kraft card directly over the top of the taped cardstock, ensuring that the opening is on the right hand side and the decorative edge is on the left. You now have your basic card shape.

Apply clear embossing ink to the Rays stamp, and stamp the image along the top section of the larger piece of inked Manila card. Turn the card 180 degrees and once again, ink up the Rays stamp and stamp a second time to create a mirror image. Apply clear embossing powder over the top of the ink, tap away the excess, and heat emboss until molten and shiny. Ink and distress the edges of the card with Walnut Stain Distress Ink and then mount onto a piece of Core’dinations cardstock.

Attach the matted cardstock onto the front of your card blank.

Place the Rays Layering stencil over the top of the previously inked die cut tag and using an Ink Blending tool, apply Festive Berries Distress Ink through the stencil. Ink the Remember The Now Stamp with black Archival Ink and stamp centrally onto the ticket. Ink the stars from the Mercantile Stamp set with Festive Berries Distress Ink and stamp them at the top and bottom of the quote. Apply arrows from the Life Quotes Remnant Rubs to the right and left of the quote.

Place the largest of the Rectangle Dies inside the central section of the Postage Frame Die to die cut a frame from chipboard. Paint the frame with Weathered Wood and Brushed Pewter Distress Ink.

Once the frame is dry, attach to the front of your covered card blank.

Arrange and attach the remaining embossed metal stars and the stamped and painted images, placing them together with tickets from the Expedition Ephemera collection and attaching them with your die cut Postage Stamp Frame.

Add a loop of Film Ribbon, a Cahs Key, and attach a Mini Paper Clip to one of the Ephemera tickets.

Finally, apply black Archival Ink to the “best of times” hashtag stamp and stamp onto a piece of inked Manila card. Cut the strip of the card into a banner shape and attach to the cluster of embellishments using a memo pin. Apply Remnant Rubs around the outside of the postage frame.

Place the ticket inside the pocket of your card, and add a hinge clip to allow you to slide the ticket in and out.

I hope you enjoyed this wonderful tutorial by Emma. It’s time to get out your fun supplies and create this adorable card – I guarantee you will love the end result.

Thank you for your visit. Have a wonderful day crafting!