Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Mini Mixed Media Pages using Brutus Monroe Grunge Type Creative Cards

We are getting stitchy this week at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog!  Yes - just incorporate any sort of stitching and you'll hit the challenge theme.  I made some mini journal pages with stitched elements here and there.

I started with this mini notebook, which I made from chipboard and then bound.  I collaged on both pages.

Next I cut out a number 4 from Brutus Monroe's Grunge Type Creative cards as well as some circles (negative and positive shapes) from AALL & Create's Film Drip die set.  I painted the circles and frames.  I also tore out a scrap of patterned paper from Amy Tangerine's Paper Play book and sewed across it with my sewing machine.

I attached the 4 to my page and did some scribbling around it with Distress Watercolor Pencils.

Last week, I made some earrings that were made with fabric scraps.  I decided to use some of those leftover fabric scraps and incorporate them into my pages.  I glued some fabric onto the page on the left and sewed some fabric scraps together for the page on the right.  I attached my little fabric scrap bundle with a loop pin.

On a secret project disaster sidenote here, notice how the 4 is totally ripped and wrinkled in the finished project versus how it was in the previous photo.  I had glued it on crooked and it was driving me nuts, so I tried to rip it off the page and re-glue it.  But the glue won and I ended up with a bit of a ripped mess that I had to try to piece back together.  But it all worked out in the end!

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

• AALL & Create: Film Drip Die Set
• Tim Holtz THMM113 Dot Stencil and Stamp Set
• Amy Tangerine's Paper Play Book
• Brutus Monroe Grunge Type Creative Cards
• Distress Watercolor Pencils: Set 2 and Set 3
• Tim Holtz Multi Collage Eclectic Elements Fabric
• Odile Bailloeul Festiva Fabric Bundle
• Tim Holtz Loop Pin
• Dina Wakley Paint

We're excited to see how you incorporate stitching into your projects!  Upload them 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: "One You" Earrings using AALL & Create's Power Words Washi Tape, Loop Pins, and Fabric Scraps

We've made it to another Monday and it is a sweltering one here in my neck of the woods.  I hope you're all surviving in whatever summer conditions you're living in at the moment!  Stay where it's comfortable and keep being crafty.  After all, we have a great theme this week over at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge of "add some text".  I decided to make earrings that say, when put together, "one you."  It was meant to remind me that each one of us is unique and one-of-a-kind, even though we can strengthen each other through shared experiences.

I started with some pieces of thin metal that I painted, then cut into rectangular shapes.  I stuck some AALL & Create washi tape to the top half of the rectangles.

Next I colored some blue and green stripes onto white paper using Distress Watercolor Pencils.  I glued the striped paper to the bottom of the rectangles.

I added some paint to my rectangles, then I got out some white beads and colored them with alcohol ink in shades of yellow and green.

I used Tim Holtz's Multi Collage Eclectic Elements cloth to cut out some numbers.  Then I sewed the numbers to some Odile Bailloeul Festival fabric.

I stuck my fabric scraps onto Tim Holtz's loop pins.  With my fabric scraps ready, I stamped "one" and "you" (from a Simon Birthday Greetings stamp set) onto paper, cut out the words, and glued those to the rectangles.  I added more paint to my metal rectangles and punched some holes out of the rectangles with my Crop-A-Dile.  I loaded some beads onto more loop pins, added a few last beads and these earrings were finished!

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

• AALL & Create: Power Words Washi Tape
• Distress Watercolor Pencils, Set 2
• Alcohol Ink: Sunshine and Lettuce
• Simon Says Stamp: Inside Greetings Birthday Stamp Set
• Archival Ink: Barn Door
• Tim Holtz Multi Collage Eclectic Elements Cloth
• Odile Bailloeul Festival Fabric Fat Quarter Bundle
• Crop-A-Dile
• Tim Holtz Loop Pins
• Dina Wakley Paint

Add some text to a project and upload it to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog if you want a chance to win a $25 voucher to the Simon Says Stamp store!

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Altered Notebook Cover - Not Alone using Dina Wakley Paint, Watercolors, and Tim Holtz Photobooth Images

Hello and welcome to another Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!  Our theme this week is "Fun with Paint," and that is certainly a joy for me to do!  I love the versatility of paint and use it all the time.  I decided to make a notebook cover using acrylic paint and watercolors.  I like how acrylic paint can be pretty opaque and dries quickly.  I like how watercolors are so fluid and translucent.  They both  bring interesting qualities to the table for sure!

I started by making a collage using acrylic paint and watercolors.  I did some scribbling with Dina Wakley's Scribble Sticks and also flicked on some Dina Wakley Gloss Spray in black and white.

Next I cut my collage to the size I needed for the cover of a small notebook.  I stamped some plus signs (from Tim Holtz's Media Media 2 stamp set) and heat-embossed them on blue paper.

I cut the blue paper into a frame shape and glued that to my painted background.  I blended it in with more paint.

Next I took some Tim Holtz photobooth images and cut them down into smaller squares.  I wrinkled them and sanded them a bit to give them more of a distressed look.  I added some blue and white polka dot paper up the side, but didn't like how it looked and covered it up at the end.

I added some polka-dotted brown paper to the side instead and typed a "not alone" sentiment.  I felt like this group of women represented a universal support system that I have seen in my own life.  What power can come from a group of good women!  I sewed the collage to a small notebook cover and this project was done.

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

• Dina Wakley Paint
• Watercolors
• Distress Embossing Ink
• White Embossing Powder
• Heat Tool
• Tim Holtz's Mixed Media 2 Stamp Set
• Distress Watercolor Pencils, Set 1 and Set 4
• Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks, Set 5
• Tim Holtz Photobooth Images

We're looking forward to seeing how you incorporate paint into your projects this week.  Upload your challenges 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: Bitty Box of Confidence using Sizzix's Forever Journal Essentials Stamp and Die Set and a Tim Holtz Matchbox

This week's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge theme is "Back to School."  We're also featuring products from 49 and Market.  I remember that going back to school could be pretty scary (I'm talking to YOU, junior high!) so I made a little box of confidence for any kiddos who need some extra emotional support when that first back to school bell rings.

I started with a Tim Holtz matchbox, which I painted and collaged a bit on.  Then I used the Sizzix/49 and Market Forever Journal Essentials stamp and die set to make a cute little ticket for the top of the box.  I cut and painted some rings from AALL & Create's Retro Numbers die set, not knowing for sure at this point what I'd use or not.

Next I did a little more painting and stamping on my box with some Seth Apter stamps and glued one of the die-cut rings to it.  Then I cut a piece of Dina Wakley Ledger paper to go inside my box and outlined it with Distress Watercolor Pencils.  I cut this happy and supportive-looking crew from Tim Holtz's Photobooth images.

I typed out a "We believe in you" sentiment on my typewriter and glued it to the ladies.  Then I attached them to the inside of the box using adhesive foam squares to give them a little bit of raised dimension.  

I glued my ticket to the front of the box and this little confidence-booster was done!

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

• Sizzix/49 and Market Forever Journal Essentials Stamp and Die Set
• Tim Holtz Matchbox
• AALL & Create Retro Numbers Die Set
• Seth Apter Stamp Set: ESA35
• Dina Wakley Ledger 2 Paper
• Dina Wakley Paint
• Tim Holtz Photobooth Images
• Distress Watercolor Pencils: Sets 2 and 3
• Ranger Archival Ink: Jet Black and Crushed Olive
• Distress Ink: Tumbled Glass
• Adhesive Foam Squares

Upload your back to school 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: Bear Notebook Cover using Dina Wakley's Scribbly Bears Stamp Set and AALL & Create's Driplight Die

Welcome to another Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!  Our theme this week is "four legged friends."  I grew up with pet allergies (cats were absolutely deadly!!) so I went with a bear for my four legged creature feature.  This bear collage now forms the cover of an upcycled book I'm looking forward to filling in.

I started by cutting and painting this drippy frame shape from AALL & Create's Driplight die set.  Next I stamped a bear sketch from Dina Wakley's Scribbly Bears stamp set.  I colored my bear in with Distress Watercolor Pencils.  I also found a Tim Holtz Collage Frame and painted that.

I turned the drip die sideways and layered all the elements.  Then I forgot to take a bunch of progress pictures and made a collaged background for these elements.  I glued everything together and added a "Be True" Tim Holtz quote chip.  I glued my collage to the front of an upcycled book.  I also added some Tim Holtz Cello Sticker Tape around the edges and scribbled around the whole cover in pencil.

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

• AALL & Create Driplight Die Set
• Dina Wakley Scribbly Bears Stamp Set
• Distress Watercolor Pencils: Sets 2, 3, and 4
• Tim Holtz Layered Frames - Collage
• Tim Holtz Cello Sticker Tape
• Tim Holtz Quote Chips
• Dina Wakley Paint
• Ranger Jet Black Archival Ink

Join in on 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: Decorated Tin with Tim Holtz Fabric Ribbon

It's the beginning of another week and that brings us to a new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!  This week's theme is "not a card" and we are featuring products from Tim Holtz.  I decorated a tin box and sewed a fabric ribbon to wrap around it.

I started by sanding the lid of the metal tin so that paper would adhere to it better.  To decorate the tin, I cut out a lid-shaped background paper that I collaged together.  In the forefront, I wanted to use that wonderful X-shape found in Tim's Mini Glitch stamp set.  I stamped the image onto a piece of ledger paper and colored it with paint and Distress Watercolor Pencils.  I also stamped some alphabet letters from Tim's Glitch 2 stamp set along the top and bottom.  I flicked some Peacock Feathers Distress Ink Spray onto it as well as some Neon Alcohol Ink.

I glued the X piece onto the background collage and glued the whole panel onto the lid of the tin.

I wanted to add a sentiment, so I chose the words "soulful adventure" from Tim's Chit Chat sticker set.  This tin was inspired by a road trip my family just took.  There were pops of color, but also a lot of beautiful desert sand.  I'd never been to this area before and was a little nervous to venture into the unknown, but it was wonderful in the end.  I thought "soulful adventure" fit perfectly with all we saw and did and appreciated in nature.

I wanted to add one last element, so I cut a few strips from different yards of Tim's fabric and sewed them together to form a ribbon.

Here is the finished tin with the ribbon tied around it.  It is a bit crazy-pants with the patterns on the tin and the patterned ribbon, but I liked the energetic joy it evoked for me.

I plan to print a few small pictures from our trip and put them inside my tin so I can look back and have a physical reminder of the soulful adventure that it was!

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

• Tim Holtz Mini Glitch Stamp Set
• Tim Holtz Glitch 2 Stamp Set
• Ranger Archival Ink: Jet Black and Spiced Marmalade
• Distress Watercolor Pencils: Set 6, Set 5, and Set 3
• Distress Ink Spray: Peacock Feathers
• Neon Alcohol Ink: Fluorescent
• Tim Holtz Chitchat Stickers
• Tim Holtz Fabric: Eclectic Elements Collage: Red Palette, Eclectic Elements Collage: Multi

What will you make that's not a card?  We're excited to see your creations!  Upload them to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog for your chance to win $25 to the Simon Says Stamp store!