Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Frame It Notebook using Whimsy Stamps' Boho Basic Stitches Die Set and Carabelle Studio's The Elegant Man Stamp

Welcome to another Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!  This week's theme is Frame It.  I created a notebook cover framed out with circle dies from Whimsy Stamps.

I started with a piece of Strathmore Mixed Media paper that I painted with water and acrylic paint.  If you see the finished product here, you might ask, as I did, why even bother painting something that gets totally covered up in the end?  I know.  Chalk it up to the process and not knowing where anything will end up.

While that was drying, I cut some circles/rings using Whimsy Stamps' Boho Basic Stitches Die Set.  I fingerpainted onto the rings with acrylic paint.

I went back to my background page and added some white polka dots using Tim Holtz's Dotted stencil, but here again, this all gets covered up anyway.

I stamped this dapper gent and using a stamp from Carabelle Studio (The Elegant Man) and added some AALL & Create washi tape to give him some extra pep.  I toned down my background with some white paint, then practiced laying everything out.

I glued everything down, added a few more pops of color and included a strip of alphabet text from Tim Holtz's Glitch 2 stamp set.  I made a border at the bottom using more of the AALL & Create's washi tape.  I typed out the "Be not daunted" sentiment on a typewriter and added that on.  I went around the edges with dark brown paint and when that dried, I sewed my cover to a notebook.  I splattered on some Dina Wakley black media gloss spray.  To keep the notebook closed, I added an elastic with a washi tape flag on it.

Here's a picture showing the elastic as a separate element:

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

• Whimsy Stamps Boho Basic Stitches Die Set
• Carabelle Studio, The Elegant Man Stamp
• AALL & Create Washi Tape: Mix and Match
• Tim Holtz Glitch 2 Stamp Set
• Tim Holtz Dotted Stencil
• Strathmore Mixed Media Paper
• Sizzix Big Shot
• Ranger Jet Black Archival Ink
• Dina Wakley Acrylic Paint: White, Sage, Marine, Ocean, Fir, Lemon, Fuchsia, Lime, Sky, Umber, Tangerine
• Dylusions Acrylic Paint: London Blue, Cherry Pie, Tropical Sangria, Strawberry Daiquiri
• Dina Wakley Media Gloss Spray: Black
• Distress Crayons: Set 12

We can't wait to see how you frame it up 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.