Monday, February 26, 2018

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:

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.

Monday, February 19, 2018

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:

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.

Monday, February 12, 2018

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:


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.