Faux Tea Roses

I hope you're all having fun following and, hopefully, playing along with us for the Compendium of Curiosities III challenges (CC3C). If you haven't entered yet, this is a great challenge to jump in. Tim's Faux Tea Roses can be found on page 65 of Compendium of Curiosities III. Just make up a few and begin creating! All the guidelines for the challenge can be found here. Make up your project, enter it on Linda Ledbetter's blog, comment on the host blogs and you've got a shot. TWO shots, actually. One winner is chosen by vote of the Curiosity Crew and will find a boat load of prizes (generously donated by Tim and Mario) raining down on their head. Another winner will be selected at random and will receive a $50 gift certificate from Inspiration Emporium.

This challenge was a blast!! I love LOVE these pretty roses, made with Tim Holtz Alterations Tattered Pinecone die. We've had the pinecones made with this die in our shop (Rocky Mountain Memories) for some time. I knew you could also do roses with it, but had never done it. Oh my gosh, its really easy and gorgeous result!!

I created my roses with Sticky Back Canvas adhered to a piece of scrapbook papers. I colored one of them with Mustard Seed Distress Stain and the other two with Mustard Seed Distress Paint. I wanted to use both mediums to get an idea of the difference in texture & color. They both worked really well, but the stain seemed to be a little brighter.

 I picked up a bit of Mustard Seed Distress Stain and touched up the roses in places where you could see the white core of the paper.  I touched up the edges of the petals with some Vintage Photo Distress Stain. I had so much fun making this little mini book with a Maya Road linen 4x6 book. I covered the pages with tissue paper from an old dress pattern, adhering with Ranger Matte Medium. I'll give you a look at the inner pages, just for fun.....

My theme came from the yellow roses, which always makes me sing a little tune, being a good Texan. The theme started there and carried through.

 The letters on the cover are painted with Chipped Sapphire Distress Paint which, it turns out, is just the color of the Texas state flower, bluebonnets. The white dots are done with Liquid Pearls and are a nod to the touches of white in these pretty flowers. Mustard Seed and Chipped Sapphire are a fabulous color theme, I'm sure I'll be using those two a lot!

 My bestie came to visit me this month with her husband and took this shot of a longhorn in the bluebonnets on the way. How do you get more iconic Texan than that? Well, maybe Bluebell ice cream as a bluebonnet container. Yummmmm, best ice cream ever. Just a few of my favorite things. ;-)

 The center spread has a foundation of Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste through a Dyan Reavely stencil. I layered on Tim's Flying Bird from Stamper's Anonymous on the left, symbolizing the Texas state bird, the mockingbird. Tim's "life is good" stamp, a silhouette of the state and a sway of yellow roses completes it!

 I rode horses as a girl growing up in Texas so I included a shot of me barrel racing. Tim's Picture Wheel die by Sizzix is the perfect frame for letters, numbers, small pictures or any small pieces.
My favorite thing about this picture is how my legs weren't long enough to reach the stirrups. I shared the saddle with my daddy that night and his legs were a lot longer than mine!!

Well, that's enough of my little indulgence. It sure was fun for me and I hope it was fun for you, too.

Location:Rocky Mountain Memories, Estes Park, CO

CC3C Distress Glitter!!

Welcome to the 2nd CC3C!!  Challenge... Yeah.  Good word for it.

Glitter?  Me?  Not really a glitter girl.  BUT!!!  I did have fun with Tim's Distress Glitter!  It really is different!  When I do use glitter or stickles (and its not often) I like to use just a little, as an accent and so it is on my Distress Glitter project.


I started with my background using Wendy Vecchi's Alcohol Archival technique on Specialty Stamping paper.  LUV (luv luv luv) this stuff.   Nothing takes ink like this paper.  I used Hydrangea and Tree Branch reinkers for the technique and then stamped a little Fancy Florals with Hydrangea ink. 


I embossed a panel of black cardstock using Tim's Eiffel Tower Texture Fade.  I rubbed over the raised areas with a Butterscotch Adirondack Pigment ink pad.  I used a blending foam and hit some of the raised area with Ranger Matte Medium and then sprinkled Antique Linen Distress Glitter over the panel.


I inked some strips of Specialty Stamping paper with alcohol and Hydrangea Archival Reinker (using the video technique linked above) and cut out flowers with Tim's Tattered Flower Garland decorative strip die.  I layered the flowers and affixed them with a brad, embossed with Ranger Queen's Gold embossing powder.  LOVE Queen's Gold, its my go-to EP.

I dragged the flowers and the edges of the leaves through Ranger Matte Medium and then sprinkled with Antique Linen Distress Powder.

I cut letters from Tim's Typeset Decorative Strip die.  This is a really great die.  Full upper and lower case alphabet, plus letters and symbols.  ALL in one die!  Nicely sized.  Sadly, there's no apostrophe, which I needed for the French phrase "Je t'aime".  No worries, I just used the letter "2" and snipped off the top curve for my apostrophe.


I can't wait to see what you all will do with Distress Glitter and your own ideas & techniques.  Amazing the grungy look the Duke of Distress has given us with his unique glitter.  Amazing!!  Comment on this blog, on all the Curiosity Crew blogs and enter your your art for a chance to win this week's CC3C.  All the details you need to enter are here.  The talent we're seeing is just blowing us all away!!  The winners will certainly deserve the amazing prize packages, generously (GENEROUSLY) donated by Tim Holtz, Inspiration Emporium and Funkie Junkie Boutique.  But the first thing you'll need to play along is Compendium of Curiosities III, where all the techniques are taught.  Want a signed copy?  Just click!!

AND!!  Here's a thing.  Tim Holtz has added a CC3C board to his Pinterest page!!  Click here to go straight to the CC3C board.  Woo hoo!  Follow Tim to see CC3C entries and maybe have a chance to have YOUR work added.  How cool is that???

Location:Cherokee Dr,Estes Park,United States

Not too mean to get sick....

When I was a kid in Texas, I used to hear the expression "too mean to get sick".  We'll I guess I'm NOT too mean to get sick!!

Despite all my best intentions to respond to all of your kind comments, a wicked cold has waylayed me for about a week now.  So I'll reply here by saying "thank you, thank you" for all your kind words!!  I want to wish you all the very best of luck in winning one of the first CC3C challenge prizes.  I hope you'll continue to play along this Saturday and on all our succeeding challenges.  There's a staggering amount of talent posted on the CC3C page and I can't wait to see what's coming down the pike!

BTW, there's sort of a Fort Knox of prizes waiting to be given to our winners.  Why shouldn't that be YOU?

Compendium of Curiosities III Challenge

We begin!  Welcome to CC3C!  I'm so excited to be going on this journey and I hope you'll play along.  You can get all the details on how this challenge works at the website of our fearless leader, the lovely Linda Ledbetter.  Linda is so gracious and invited the CC3C team to come together to host this challenge.  Check out the CC3C page.

Compendium of Curiosities III is Tim's best book yet.  I really love the techniques, all very doable and crazy awesome results!  You can get your copy at Rocky Mountain Memories or get a signed copy from Tim! 

Our first challenge is Paint Marbling.  The technique can be found on page 43 of Compendium of Curiosities III.  If you haven't used Distress Paints yet, you gotta get some!!  Yummy, rich, opaque color.  You can change the color of just about anything.  Color safe?  I don't think so.

Here's the tag I did using Paint Marbling on the background.

After creating my Paint Marble background with Crushed Olive, Spun Sugar and Broken China Distress Paint, I used Wendy Vecchi's Fancy Floral's background stamp in Dandelion Archival Ink.  I scratched the edges with a Paper Distresser and Vintage Photo all around the edges.
I stamped flowers from Wendy's Blooming Art set and from her Build-a-Blossom Stamp-It Stencil It set.  Build-a-Blossom has a coordinating stencil and stamp for the little sprig in Blooming Art.  The flowers are stamped onto the tag itself with Carnation Red Archival ink and in Jet Black onto Clearly for Art Whiteout.  More about that later.
I stenciled the leaves onto the tag with Wendy's white Embossing Paste, tinted with Fern Green Archival ink.  I stenciled a few more leaves onto a scrap of paper, let them dry and then cut out those stenciled leaves for a little layered dimension.

I used Wendy's Archival Alcohol technique (I just named it that, just this second!!) that she demoed at CHA this January.  Check out her technique by clicking here.  I used Blue Violet and Chrome Yellow Archival reinkers on Clearly for Art Whiteout.  CFA takes the ink in a very weird, awesome way, so you have to play with it a little, which I'm always happy to do!!  I stamped the flowers in Jet Black, cut them out and then heated and shaped them.  Apply the flowers with some Ranger Matte Medium and sandwich a little Grungeboard or Grungepaper behind them to get them to glue to the tag.

I added words from Wendy's Framed Art set.  (I LOVE this set.  Its got an awesome frame that could be used a bunch of ways.  Love.  It.)   I just wanted part of the words, so I cut and separated the words.  I could have just inked part of the words, but I like to do it this way.  I love cling stamps for many reasons, but one is that I easily cut them up and use parts of them and then put them back together.  When cutting away part of a stamp, if you cut an angle or a notch, its easy to fit the pieces back together on an acrylic block and use it and originally designed.  If you look at the left edge, you'll see the little notch I cut.

I added Wendy's Blossom Bucket door (SUPER cute!!) to the tag for a hopeful message to go along with the hopeful message in the Framed Art set.  I like hopeful things.  I added a little brad head embossed with Aged Taupe Embossing Enamel (the same on the smaller flower centers).  I hand wrote the word "open" with a fine tip Sharpie and detailed the letters a little.

I resisted putting a little bird on the top of the door.  Don't get used to it, I won't be able to resist often!

Make a comment on all of the CC3C host blogs for a chance to win prizes from our sponsors Inspiration Emporium,  Funkie Junkie Boutique, and from Tim Holtz!
Linda Ledbetter
Candy Colwell
Hels Sheridan
Yvonne Blair
Susan Mostek
Anita Houston
Annette Green
Marjie Kemper

Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge!!

I've been waiting to be able to announce to you that I have been invited to help host a new challenge from the lovely Linda Ledbetter:  Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge!!  Beginning April 26, Linda, et al, also known as The Curiosity Crew, will issue a challenge from Tim's newest technique book, "Compendium of Curiosities 3".  (Tim Holtz has technique books???  You bet!  Check them out all three volumes here.)   The challenge works like this:

The first challenge will be posted on the CC3C page on April 26.

• A new challenge will be posted every two weeks thereafter.
• Challenges are not posted in chronological order from the book; we'll keep you guessing!!
• There will be PRIZES, i.e., GOODIES, i.e. SWAG!!@!@!@!  This is a sponsored challenge from the generous folks at Inspiration Emporium, Funkie Junkie Boutique and Mr. Tim Holtz himself!!!
• Technique instructions won't be posted on any of the hosting blogs.  You'll want to find those in Tim's book, available at Rocky Mountain Memories.
• Participating hostesses will post links on their blogs for the rest of the Curiosity Crew, so you'll be able to find them all easily.
• More instructions will come on the CC3C page next Saturday, April 26.  

I have it on good authority that the first challenge will be an good one for you to create and participate, so be sure and check it out on April 26.  You may already have the goodies you need right in your studio......

One of the things I'm most excited about is the chance to direct you to blogs from some of the most amazing, creative, talented, BEST friends I've ever had.  Linda Ledbetter, Susan Mostek, Candy Colwell, Yvonne Blair, Hels Sheridan, Annette Green, Anita Houston and Marjie Kemper are hosting this challenge.  You are going to be blown away by their creations and I hope you'll bookmark their blogs for viewing pleasure.  Meet your Curiosity Crew on  the CC3C page now!!

Rebounding from the Flood

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving, with plenty of family, food, and most of all a season to remember how much we have to be thankful for. I have been on a "eucharisteo" journey, a journey of being deliberate about having eyes to see how blessed we are, a journey giving thanks for 1000 gifts. Please know how much you are a part of that journey.

We are taking this opportunity to respond to so many of you who have been so kind to remember and care for us since the Flood of 2013. It still amazes us to remember the morning of September 12 and how, even though we had heard the strong rain all night, we had no idea what lay ahead of us. Now that Highways 7, 34, and 36 are reopened, we are seeing more and more of our friends who are coming back to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain Memories. The resounding question has been "How can we help?". So we've put together a letter that attempts to answer that question. From our heart to yours. With thanks.

Estes Park

Flood Recovery Update

December 3, 2013

Dear RMM friends,

Since the September floods, we have heard from many of you with this question: "How can we help RMM overcome its newest challenges?" From our heart to yours, abundant thanks. Here is a list of action items that would a big help.

Remember Colorado. In your thoughts and prayers.

Visit Estes Park. Shop RMM on Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays, 10 – 4, all winter. Beginning in March, we'll be back to our seasonal hours of Monday - Saturday, 10 - 5.

Shop by Phone. If you are unable to travel, but need supplies, call us with your phone orders at 970.577.1415. Every little bit will help. Flat rate shipping & handling is only $7.95.

Shop On-Line. We have re-launched RMM's ON LINE STORE. It is stocked with top picks from RMM’s brick & mortar shop. All items have been selected to make great gifts for anyone who loves Estes Park, the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, & the Great Outdoors. Our flat rate shipping & handling is just $7.95.

Follow RMM on Facebook. From any page at RMMemories.com, click the Facebook icon at the top right corner, or search "Rocky Mountain Memories" on Facebook and “Like”.

Like our Pages & Products. Check out RMM’s New ON LINE STORE & New GALLERY pages. Then help us extend our reach. Click “Like” at the bottom of each page or product you believe others might like to see.

Share our Story. From any page within RMMemories.com, click “Share” in the left hand column.

Plan a Class for you and your friends! Call Cheryl @ 970.577.1415 for details or to arrange.

We also need your feedback to debug the redesign of our new site and tell us what we missed. Hey, feel free to tell us what you like, too!

We are working long & hard to make Rocky Mountain Memories a better experience for you. Thank you all for your patience, friendship & loyalty. And, thanks for making RMM a place for doing the things we love with the people we love, like you!.

Our best hopes, and a blessed Christmas season, to you.


We are all looking forward to a GREAT 2014!

Rick & Cheryl

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Cherokee Dr,Estes Park,United States

Wow, what a week!

Rick and I are so amazed and thankful. Firstly, because of God's protection as we found our little shop safe and dry from the flood waters that swept through Estes Park on Thursday, September 12. And secondly, because of all the prayers and notes and thoughts and texts and emails from you, our very dear friends.

It had rained all night, but we just thought the river would be up. We woke up to news the the schools were closed and that Highways 34 and 36 were closed. Little did we know that Estes Park, along with communities all over the state of Colorado were to experience a historic flood.

We want to give you an update on things directly related to the shop:

Fall Festival: We regret to say we will have to cancel Fall Festival 2013. We are so sorry to have to make this call, but it is necessary for the safety of our customers and due to restricted access over Highways 34 and 36. The store is fine, but you won't be able to get to us. We'll be contacting students who have already paid for classes to refund your class tuition.

Store Hours: Once its announced that the roads are open to non essential traffic, we'll be back on our normal schedule. Until then our hours will be limited, but we are still open. Visitors who are still here and Estes Park residents can call or email me and we'll make an appointment to be at the store for you.

Thank you so much for your support. Colorado is a collection of resilient, amazing people and are showing that now every day. I'm proud to be a part of this community. As we learn more, we will update you on the website, on Cheryl's blog, Facebook and by email. Everyday things are getting better. Hold on to the best thought with thanksgiving! Mountain strong!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:RMM: Dry, Thankful & Open!