My Cards and Tags: Card using 49 and Market- Captured Adventures

This week's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog theme is, "In My Garden."  I made a simple card using some fabulous products from 49 and Market.

I started by cutting a piece of collaged paper I made (Washi tape strips and paint) with Kaisercraft's Lattice die and my Sizzix Big Shot.  I wasn't sure which supplies I would be using, so I just laid some colorful stuff out to see how things looked.

I removed my lattice panel from the die and cut out several sections of it.  I glued it to my background, which is a piece of paper from 49 and Market's Captured Adventures collection.  I also glued some of the lattice "pop-out" shapes back in place.

Next I cut a flower out of text paper using Tim Holtz's Wildflower die set and my Sizzix Big Shot.  With delicate dies, I find a pick tool indispensable for removing paper from the die shape.  Once I had my flower free, I outlined it with a black Sharpie.  I added just a hint of blue ink to the top of the flower.

I glued the flower to the background and stamped an "Explore" sentiment at the top of the card and it was done!

Here are the supplies I used that you can find at Simon Says Stamp:

Kaisercraft Lattice 4x6 die	Sizzix Big Shot	49 and Market Captured Adventures 6x6 Paper Pack	49 and Market Captured Adventures Stamp Set 2	Tim Holtz Sizzix Wildflowers
Hero Arts Neon Blue Ink Pad	Ranger Archival Jet Black Ink Pad	Fiskars Acrylic Blocks	Sizzix Die Pick Accessory

How will you interpret our garden theme this week?  I can't wait to see what you come up with!  Upload your project to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog for your chance to win a $50 voucher to the Simon Says Stamp store.

My Other Creations: Notebooks Using Dina Wakley's Abstract Figures Stamps

This week's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge is, "Grunge it Up."  I loved using some new products on these notebook covers:

Interestingly enough, this project started out as tags.  I cut the tags using a Tim Holtz/Sizzix tag die and some Strathmore Mixed Media paper.  You know I love me some polka dots, so I slathered some black paint on through Tim Holtz's new Dotted stencil.  Once I'd stenciled the dots, I finger-painted all around them with more black paint.

Next I layered up some strips from Heidi Swapp's fabulous new paper collection called Hawthorne.  It's filled with rich raspberry shades, grays, woodgrain patterns and even a touch of navy.  I outlined the strips with black Sharpie and glued them to my tags. 

I stamped some figures from Dina Wakley's new Abstract Figures stamp set and inked them up with Hero Arts ink and added some touches of paint.  I have to say that I debated about this stamp set because I didn't know what to think of the figures at first.  I am not really an abstract figure type of girl.  But each figure has a different pattern and I think those patterns keep these figures bold and energetic-looking, which I like.  I also gave them plenty of color.

I punched circles out of some colored collage paper I'd painted on a different project and glued that to my tags before gluing on my figures.  After the figures were in place, I added just a few more scraps of paper here and there to finish it off.  I realized at this point that I didn't like the proportions of the artwork on the tags (I had too much wasted space at the top and bottom of each), so I ended up trimming down the tags into mini notebook covers.

That patterned paper with the orange polka dots has been a favorite of mine for about a million projects now!  It's from Bo Bunny's Believe line.

Here are the supplies that you can find at Simon Says Stamp:

Tim Holtz Dotted Stencil	Dina Wakley Abstract Figures Cling Stamps	Heidi Swapp Hawthorne 12x12 Paper	Strathmore Mixed Media Paper	Tim Holtz Sizzix Framelits Tag Collection dies
Sizzix Big Shot	Dina Wakley Black Heavy Body Acrylic Paint	Dina Wakley LAPIS Heavy Body Acrylic Paints	Prima Impasto paint, Azure	Prima Impasto paint, Crimson
Hero Arts Neon Blue Ink Pad	Hero Arts Neon Pink Ink Pad	Hero Arts Neon Green Ink Pad	Hero Arts Neon Red Ink Pad	Ranger Archival Jet Black Ink Pad
Bo Bunny Believe 6x6 Paper

I can't wait to see how you get grungy this week!  Be sure to upload your creations to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog for your chance to win a $50 voucher to the Simon Says Stamp store.

My Other Creations: "These Words Matter" Notebook

"Take Note" is this week's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge theme, so you know which direction this notebook-making-maniac went!  I do have to say, though, that this notebook and I had such a battle that I didn't know who was going to still be standing at the end of it.  I almost chucked this thing at least 78 times, but I am finally at peace with the way it turned out.

I knew it was bad when it was 1:00 in the morning and I was too busy cursing a piece of Washi tape to go to bed.  It was grim.  And just when I thought it was going better, my toddler asked me why I had made a row of teeth at the bottom of my book.  Nice.

So yeah- no process pics this time because I did then re-did, then double re-did too many times to count.  But I do have some detail shots.  I used Donna Downey's Dandelion Pods stencil to form the middle part of the cover and colored them with Washi tape, Dina Wakley acrylic paint, Hero Arts ink and Distress Ink.  I also did some stitching with black thread.  

This section is made with Kaisercraft's Lattice die.  I outlined some of the insides with black Sharpie and also added some patterning with Tim Holtz's new Stitched stencil.

I made a scallop border at the bottom out of patterned paper scraps.  Then I added a sentiment that I had in my stash to finish off the cover.

In the end, I'm glad that this notebook and I came to an understanding.  I suppose it's good to have a frustrating project every now and again to make sure that we stay humble!

Here are the supplies I used to make my notebook, which you can find at Simon Says Stamp:

Donna Downey Dandelion Pods Stencil	Kaisercraft Lattice 4x6 die	Sizzix Dotted Circles die	Impression Obsession, The Journey cling stamp	File Tab Punch-We R Memory Keepers
Fiskars Corner Punch	Sizzix Big Shot	Happiness is Homemade 12 x 12 paper by Echo Park	Crate Paper Carousel 12x12 Paper	Tim Holtz Stitches Stencil
Dina Wakley LEMON Heavy Body Acrylic Paints	Dina Wakley Lime Acrylic Paint	Dina Wakley TURQUOISE Heavy Body Acrylic Paints	Dina Wakley TANGERINE Heavy Body Acrylic Paints	Dina Wakley Ranger WHITE Media Heavy Body Acrylic Paints
Dina Wakley Black Heavy Body Acrylic Paint	Dylusions Paint - London Blue	Hero Arts Neon Pink Ink Pad	Hero Arts Neon Chartreuse Ink Pad	Hero Arts Neon Green Ink Pad
Ranger Archival Jet Black Ink Pad

I'm excited to see how you "take note" this week!  Be sure to upload your creations to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog for your chance to win a $50 voucher to the Simon Says Stamp store.