Hello everyone!  The month of April brings us the first signs of spring and a new Make it Monthly technique tutorial.  This month’s tutorial is a Sizzix Travel Trailer Card with Distress Oxides Technique brought to you by our resident Mixed-Media technique guru. Tracy Evans!  “Take the Scenic Route” with Tracy as she shows you how to use Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Inks with Eileen Hull Sizzix dies.

Sizzix Travel Trailer Card with Distress Oxides Technique

Today you’ll be creating a card using Eileen Hull’s Thinlits Travel Trailer combined with the Rick-Rack folder from Eileen’s Dots, Flowers and Rick-Rack set.  You’ll also use Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks to color your Sizzix Die cuts and create a cool oxidized background for your card.

• Cardstock
• Thinlits Travel Trailer and Rick-Rack Folder (or Eileen Hull dies of your choice)
• Spritz Bottle
• Non-Stick Craft Sheet
• Distress Oxide Vintage Photo and Broken China (or colors of your choice)
• Distress Crayons

STEP 1: Apply Vintage Photo Distress Oxide to a non-stick craft sheet and spritz with water.

STEP 2:  Cut a piece of white card 5″ x 7″ and swipe the card through the beads of ink.

Spritz the card with a little more water.

Dry the ink with a heat tool.

Dip the card into any remaining beads of ink and  this time add bigger drops of water to the background.

Dry the card with a heat tool once again. Repeat these steps until you are happy with the coverage of ink.

STEP 3: Add Broken China Distress Oxide to a non-stick craft sheet and spritz with water.

Dab the card lightly onto the beads of ink.

Spritz the card lightly with water and then dry with a heat tool and repeat if necessary.

STEP 4: Blend Vintage Photo Distress Oxide Ink around the edges of the card.

Spritz the card lightly with water once you have finished blending ink around the edges.

Dry the card thoroughly. Here  you can see how the ink oxidizes once water is added.

The end result will be a chalky, matte like finish.

STEP 5: Emboss card with an  Eileen Hull Embossing Folder (Rick Rack border shown)

Sandwich the card between the Embossing Folder and run through a die cutting machine to emboss.

STEP 6: Highlight embossing by applying Broken China Distress Oxide to the raised area with an Ink Blending Tool.

Spritz the embossed border lightly with water and then dry with a heat tool.

STEP 7: Scribble Distress Crayon around the Rick Rack embossed area to add definition and smudge the crayon with a finger.

I love the shading the Crayon adds to the embossed area.

STEP 8: Die cut Eileen’s Trailer from white card.

Colour the Trailer with the Distress Oxides, applying with an Ink Blending Tool or piece of Cut ‘n’ Dry Foam.

Spritz the ink with water and then dry with a heat tool.

Continue to colour the Trailer parts with Distress Oxides and then assemble.

STEP 9: Add some Tim Holtz Chatter Tape for  interest.

STEP 10: Take an old container and apply White Paint to the rim of the container, applying with a finger.

Press the container onto the background of the card.

The circle acts as a spotlight for the focal image.

Add delicate splatters of white paint to add a further layer of interest to the background.

This is the completed card which I matt onto a layer of card coloured with Broken China Distress Oxide Ink. I also added a Quote Chip for added interest.

I love how all the layers are visible in the design.

The Oxides add a total different feel to the background.

I also added a touch of shading around the Trailer to age a little further.

The touches of white really lift the design.

Thanks so much for stopping by, hope you enjoyed the step by steps. Tracy x x

Thanks so much to Tracy for sharing her expertise on creating cards with Eileen Hull Sizzix dies and Distress Oxides.  This technique is a must try!  Be sure to share your creations made with Tracy’s Tutorial.

Eileen