Creative Chemistry 102 Rocks!!

   Today begins the first day of the latest class hosted over the Online Card Classroom and this class is very popular because it's taught by Tim Holtz, who is great admired in the craft world for his creativity and amazing talent!    Creative Chemistry 102 is a follow-up of the first workshop Tim taught last year at OCC!  I can tell you, it's only Day one and it's already a big hit for me.

   This is a full week class, but the content includes far more than I can complete in one week.  Today, the very first day there were SEVEN, yes that correct, seven brand new videos, along with pages and pages of even more detailed instructions that will teach you each technique as well as share a fabulous inspiration product created by Tim along with several fantastic Guest Designers....!   Even though I have taken the first class, I'm always blown away at the content we had today, and it's only Day One!!    Of course, you have to take the class to totally see just how much it covers and while I can share the projects that I create, obviously we can NOT share any of the specifics on the techniques, designs or other hints and tips shared with us !   The only way you'll learn all that is to take the class and I am one of many who I know will highly recommend it.   However, before you can enroll in this one, it is a requirement that you first take - Creative Chemistry 101, which is also awesome!  In that class Tim will cover all the basics and this class is pretty much a continuation of that along with an introduction to some new products that have since hit the market!!  

    I can tell you that today's focus was learning all about Distress Paints, which are one of the newest Ranger Products to hit the market.  And although I do have a few, after today, I have already ordered MORE and know that I'll use them in a variety of ways!!  If you already enjoy working with the Distress Inks and Stains, you also love these and these also work different and are unique to all other products!

   If you know TIm or have ever taken any of his workshops, you'll also know he loves techniques and almost always demonstrates each by creating on tags.  And I will again be creating a new sets of tags during class, that I'll keep and add to my others sets, so that I can quickly pull out a tag and make something using that technique.  Here is a picture of my tags from last year --

 

    Each tag is a different technique and each one has all the details on how to creative that design on the back.  I've also taken several technique classes at my LSS, where we also make the same tags, so I now have quite a large collection, which currently fit on to two large rings I have hanging in my craft room!!

    I have three new tags to share now and each of these was created based on only the very first technique we learned today!   I have others started using the second technique, but those need extra drying time, so I will continue to work on them each day and share what I complete!   I decided to turn my tags into Christmas Tags and used other elements (die cuts, inks, Shimmer etc,) to complete these!   In class you can create any type of tag you want or you can even simply try the technique on cardstock or whatever you have on hand, it's all up to you!!

   This is my very first tag from class and I think it may be my favorite of the day, since I'm so into the colors of teal and aqua.

  And here is a close up of my fun little Tree, which is one of the SSS Exclusive dies that I cut in my Vagabond and then colored to match my tag, using Distress Inks and Stains...something I did on my own.   I also decorated my tree with some gems and sequins and at the very end misted it with shimmer for some extra sparkle.

 And still in the same "teal" colors -- well somewhat, this was my next tag, and for this one I turned it into a snowflake theme using assorted SSS Snowflake die cuts that I already own.

 

 
  And this is the third tag, again all created using just one new technique which I changed up a bit, by adding other elements and colors.   This one again features the same little Die Cut Tree, but is done in a different color combo!!    Do you see the purple?  Do you believe that when I bought my first few Distress Paints that I did NOT buy any purple...Yes, it's true...but I did manage to bring purple in, by adding purple sequins to my tree and also picking up some trim to tie on that had a combination of colors including purple.   I also tried hard to the let colors mix on my tag so that there is some purple there too!  ....!   Ah Ha!!

    These were actually very easy to make and now that I know how to do this one technique I have all kinds of fun ideas.  I could create large backgrounds in this style and then use it for a card background or even use them to then cut my die cuts from...or I could also emboss them either in an Embossing Folder, or by stamping and heat embossing them.  Plus, I could have stamped on these or done so much more.  Oh this is going to be a FUN week and although my fingers are already covered in ink, it doesn't bother me a bit.  I have one of those little Ranger Scrubbers and it takes all the ink off very easily!   Oh and I also have a new class Apron, which is perfect to wear when you are playing with inks, paints and stains!!

   See you again tomorrow and let's hope I can at least create a few tags each day, EVEN if I do not share all the techniques.  I know at this rate I can not keep up, as some take longer and there is drying time needed!  But, I have a lifetime for work on these and also lifetime access to all the class content!   Woohoo!!!