Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Have a Heart Card using AALL & Create's Heartnook and Numberama Dies

Our theme this week over at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog is "have a heart."  It's a simple little quote we've all heard, often used jokingly, but it struck me that having a heart (i.e. thinking of others and making an effort to be kind) is some pretty solid advice!  Note to self: keep working on that.

I started with a great new die from AALL & Create called Numberama that cuts these fantastically funky edges.  Then I brushed some green-toned paint around just to get something on my background.

I tore out a section of Dina Wakley's ledger paper and glued that onto my background.  Then I whipped out a stencil called Water Stains and used it to add the black circle outlines.  I colored the inside of the circles with white and pink paint.

While that dried, I stamped some text and number images onto newsprint paper using Tim Holtz's Sideshow stamp set.  I cut and tore it into random shapes.  I also cut out a heart using AALL & Create's Heartnook die set.

I glued the stamped text/number paper onto my background and played around with more paint, adding yellows and oranges into the mix.  I also added some brown and black around the edges of the card to emphasize all those lovely loopy shapes.

I hand-cut a wonky yellow letter "C" shape, then used the Heartnook die set again to cut out a quirky ring shape.  I painted both of them and also painted the heart, which I added more color to after I took this picture.  I used Tim Holtz's Seasonal Scribbles stamp set to stamp the word "Love."  I also scribbled around the inner edges of my card with Distress watercolor pencils.

All that was left was assembly and wah-la!  This card was done (including a classy white glue blob on the left side of the heart that I didn't notice until I saw this picture.  Ha!).

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

• AALL & Create: Numberama Die Set
• AALL & Create: Heartnook Die Set
• Tim Holtz: Sideshow Stamp Set
• Tim Holtz: Seasonal Scribbles Stamp Set
• Distress Watercolor Pencils: Set 1
• Dina Wakley Ledger Paper: Set 2
• Fairy Hugs: Water Stain Stencil
• Sizzix Big Shot
• Strathmore Mixed Media Paper
• Dina Wakley Acrylic Paint: White, Fir, Lime, Ocean, Stoked, Carnation, Olive, Lemon, Umber, Black
• Ranger Jet Black Archival Ink

We're excited to see your heart-inspired creations this week!  Upload your project to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog for your chance to win a $25 voucher to the Simon Says Stamp store!

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Repurposed Mailing Envelope Pockets using Tim Holtz's Big Number Blocks Stamps

"Recycle" is the theme of the week for our Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!  I decided to repurpose some junk mail envelopes into paper pockets to hold some of my flashcards and other ephemera.

This project started with two envelopes, which I slapped some white acrylic paint on, then sprinkled with Infusions color stain and spritzed with water.

I had to wait for the envelopes to dry naturally because I used a heat gun on an envelope like this before and it did not end well!  The heat gun totally melted the cellophane window into a big shriveled wad, so note to self: use heat guns sparingly with window-envelopes!  

Once these dried, I added some stenciling using Tim Holtz's Dotted stencil and acrylic paint.

Once the paint dried AGAIN (a test for my un-patient crafty self), I added some more acrylic paint in different colors and stuck on some washi tape from AALL & Create.  Apologies for the blurry pic.  It was late and I was sleep-deprived. :)

Next I made a collage page to be able to tear into scraps and glue to the background envelopes.  It is a combo of stamping and paint and scribbling.

I tore up some of my collage and glued the scraps to the envelopes.

I wanted some more patterned paper, so I made some myself by stamping this plus sign image over and over onto newsprint paper.  The plus signs are from Tim Holtz's Glitch 2 stamp set.

I cut up some of the plus sign paper and decided I should decorate the backs of the envelopes, too.  I started the process over again with stamping and painting, collaging and adding Infusions and some scribbling.

The next big choice was to cut these two envelopes in half and make them into four smaller pockets.  Always a scary step to make that kind of a cutting choice!  I also added some black paper that I'd heat-embossed with white images from a previous project.

I taped up the sides of the pockets with brown tape and added some last touches of paint.  Here are all four of them from the front view:

And from the back:

And here they are filled with flashcards, library card catalog cards, and vintage recipes:

Now my cards have a stylish place to hang out and those junk mail envelopes didn't die in vain!  Here are the supplies I used that you can find at Simon Says Stamp:

• Infusions Color Stain: Royal Blood, Green Man, The Sage, Just Walnut, Violet Storms, In the Navy, Sleight Blue, and Blackcurrant
• Tim Holtz Dotted Stencil
• AALL & Create Mix and Match Washi Tape
• Seth Apter Stamp EM 73
• Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks 2
• Tim Holtz Worn Text Stamp Set
• Tim Holtz Glitch 2 Stamp Set
• Tim Holtz Big Number Blocks Stamp Set
• Darkroom Door Open Circles Stamp Set
• Dina Wakley Acrylic Paint: White, Sky, Night, Marine, Ocean, Lemon, Olive, Carnation, Umber
• Dylusions Paint: Mushy Peas, Tropical Sangria, Lemon Drop
• Distress Ink: Wild Honey, Picked Raspberry, Blueprint Sketch, Mermaid Lagoon, Mowed Lawn
• Ranger Jet Black Archival Ink

I'm excited to see how you tie recycling into this week's challenge!  Upload your projects to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog for your chance to win a $25 voucher to the Simon Says Stamp Store!

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Sparkle and Shine Tag using Simon Says Stamp's Tag Adornments Die and Vicki Boutin's Warm Wishes Patterned Paper

This week's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge theme is Sparkle and Shine.  I made a tag featuring stars in the background and a "Sparkle" sentiment, courtesy of Vicki Boutin's Warm Wishes patterned paper.

I actually used two different patterned paper packs for this tag.  In addition to Vicki Boutin's Warm Wishes, I also used Simple Stories' Life in Bloom paper.  Vicki Boutin's is the star pattern on top and the diagonal stripes are from Simple Stories.  I stuck them together and cut out the tag shape using Simon's Tag Adornments die.

I added some white paint around the edges, which I colored with pink, green and turquoise.  Then I cut a floral arch from the same Simple Stories paper.  I used one of Tim Holtz's paper dolls and made a crown for this adorable girl.

I put the whole thing together and cut out the "Sparkle" word from another one of the Vicki Boutin pages.  I looped a piece of yellow yarn through the top of the tag and this girl was all ready to sparkle and shine!

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

• Simon Says Stamp Tag Adornments Die Set
• Sizzix Big Shot
• Simple Stories Life in Bloom Paper Pad, 6x8
• Vicki Boutin Warm Wishes Paper Pad, 6X8
• Tim Holtz Solos Paper Dolls
• Dina Wakley Paint: White, Blushing, Turquoise, Lime

Let loose your inner sparkle and shine and upload your creations to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog for your chance to win a $25 voucher to the Simon Says Stamp store!

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Things with Wheels Tag using AALL & Create's Tag it Yourself Die Set and Tim Holtz's Sideshow Stamp Set

The snow is flying outside (7" on my driveway at last check) and it's a great time to be crafting inside!  I'm doing just that and enjoyed this week's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge theme of things with wheels.  I made a tag using AALL & Create's Tag it Yourself die set and Tim Holtz's Sideshow stamp set.

I started by cutting out two tags using my Sizzix Big Shot and the aforementioned Tag it Yourself die set from AALL & Create.  The first tag was cut out of Distress Kraft Heavystock and second one was cut out of Dina Wakley's Collage Sparks 1 patterned paper.

I sewed the two tags together using my sewing machine and added some acrylic paint to change the colors a bit (more white, more blue and some pops of yellow and green).  Then I stamped the silhouette image from Tim Holtz's Sideshow stamp set (which has the greatest scribbly background fonts EVER in my opinion) onto white cardstock.  I used a black Sharpie to really color in the silhouette.  Then I spritzed Distressed Ink Spray (Twisted Citron) through Tim Holtz's Gradient Dots stencil on newsprint paper and tore that up to add as collage scraps.

I assembled it all together and added some scribbly doodled dots.  I used another great Tim stamp set, Seasonal Scribbles, to stamp out the Peace sentiment.  Then I stamped some plus signs from Tim's Glitch 2 stamp set and cut those into a scallop shape.  I made another colorful scallop shape for the bottom of the tag.

I glued on the sentiment and scallops, added a few more touches of green and outlined the tags in black Sharpie to finish it off.

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

• AALL & Create: Tag it Yourself Die Set
• Tim Holtz Sideshow Stamp Set
• Tim Holtz Seasonal Scribbles Stamp Set
• Tim Holtz Glitch 2 Stamp Set
• Tim Holtz Gradient Dots Stencil
• Distress Kraft Heavystock
• Distress Spray Ink: Twisted Citron
• Dina Wakley: Collage Sparks 1
• Sizzix Big Shot
• Dina Wakley Acrylic Paint: White, Lime, Sky, Lemon, Stoked

We're excited to see how you incorporate wheels into your projects this week.  Upload them to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge for your chance to win a $25 voucher to the Simon Says Stamp store.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge New Year's Notebook using Brutus Monroe's Mixed Media Tags and Embossing Powder

Happy new year to one and all!  We are celebrating over at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog with a "new start" theme.  We're also featuring products from Brutus Monroe.  I decided to make a tag book with the hopeful mantra of "365 new chances."  I like the idea of each new day being a restart opportunity for something good.

I started with a Brutus Monroe Mixed Media tag, which I smeared white paint onto, then covered with pinky-red-orange dots using Strawberry Daquiri paint and an Altenew Halftone stencil.

Not sure why I reached for Night-colored paint, but I did.  It was a scary color combo at first!  I also drew some abstract loopy shapes with an embossing pen, then embossed them with a heat tool and white embossing powder.

Next I stamped on some leaf shapes using a Tim Holtz stamp (Media Marks 2) and embossed those as well.  I also brought some yellow and turquoise to the party.

I stamped the numbers 365 with Tim Holtz's Sideshow stamp, cut them out, then typed the "new chances" on my typewriter.  I outlined them with Distress Watercolor pencils.

The front cover was progressing right along, so I decided to decorate the back cover, too.  I added some paint and scraps and then stamped out the sentiment using Tim Holtz's Theories stamp set.

I decided to decorate the inside of the cover, too, so away I went with white paint, some dot-stenciling, and more stamping and paint along the edges.  I used Tim Holtz's Gradient Dots stencil with some Distress Oxide spray.

I added doodling and stamping and some collage scraps and this is what it turned out like on the inside:

I cut some pages from paper in my scrap bin, folded them in half, punched two holes in them with my Crop-A-Dile and tied the pages to the cover.

I sewed on a cobbled-together fabric strip to wrap around the whole thing to keep it closed.  I also added a chunky yarn loop just because...well, why not add chunky yarn when you have the chance to?

And here's how it looks when you open it up:

This little notebook was done!  Here's hoping some positive creative energy hits all of us in 2024!  I'm grateful for every day I have to give things another try.

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

• Brutus Monroe Mixed Media Tags
• Brutus Monroe White Embossing Powder
• Altenew Halftone Stencil
• Dylusions Paint: Strawberry Daquiri
• Dina Wakley Paint: White, Night, Turquoise, Carnation, Lemon, Ocean
• American Crafts Embossing Pens
• Tim Holtz Media Marks 2 Stamp Set
• Distress Embossing Ink
• Tim Holtz Sideshow Stamp Set
• Distress Watercolor Pencils, Set 2
• Tim Holtz Gradient Dots Stencil
• Distress Oxide Spray: Crushed Olive, Mustard Seed
• Tim Holtz Theories Stamp Set
• Crop-A-Dile

We can't wait to see your "new start" projects this week.  Upload your creations to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog for your chance to win a $25 voucher to the Simon Says Stamp store!