I started with two tags cut from Strathmore Mixed Media paper. I inked up a Jumbo Plaid stamp from The Stamp Market with a few different colors of Distress Ink, then spritzed the stamp with water and stamped it onto my tags.
I followed that up with more stamping using The Stamp Market's Criss Cross stamp and Flora and Fauna's Texture 5 set (the plus signs). I added in some different colors with Prima Water Soluble Oil Pastels, then I made some dots with a polka dot stencil and white paint.
I love color and patterns, but I wasn't liking how these tags looked, especially when I knew I'd be adding more colorful flowers on top. So, as I always do when things are looking too crazy, I covered up most of my work with a palette knife and white paint. I know, I know. Why do all that work only to cover it up? I didn't intend to, but when I don't like how something's going, white paint saves the day. And all that work I did does still contribute to the layering and overall visual effect.
While my tags were drying, I made my flowers. I cut them out of some collaged paper I had made for another project and after I rolled them into their rose shapes, I smooshed them down a bit so they didn't look so perfect and uniform. Then I cut some hydrangea petals out of text paper to use as leaves for the roses.
I added some color back to the edges of my tags with acrylic paint and glued on my flowers, cutting thin stems for them out of black cardstock. I also added a bit of stamping back on with the Criss Cross pattern.
I added some pink and white paint to my roses and then used some Infusions powder stain on the bottom of my tags to represent dirt. I also stamped on some tiny-print words by my stems using a Paper Artsy stamp (EEA03). I added some Bingo-style numbers from Inky Antics' Circles and Frames stamp set.
Here's a closer look at my flowers:
I hope wherever you are, there are signs of beautiful blooms on their way!
Here are the products I used that you can find at Simon Says Stamp:
I'm excited to see your interpretation of our theme this week! Upload your masterpieces to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog for your chance to win a $50 voucher to Simon Says Stamp.