That's Life

Tuesday, 20 January 2026

Blog Hop featuring Tim Holtz stamps and Simon Says Stamp coordinating dies...

Hello everyone and welcome to the latest Blog Hop featuring the Simon Says Stamp Exclusive co-ordinating dies that coordinate beautifully with some of Tim Holtz's best loved stamps.

I'm so excited to be joining this hop, and if you're hopping along, you might have arrived here via Barb Engler's blog but if not, and you want to catch up with everyone who is participating in this hop, then don't worry because you can head back to the beginning, by clicking HERE. Also, if you would like to see the entire product release and many more, then just pop on over to HERE.

For my project, I created a vintage style Etcetera Panel, and combined the Field Notes Co-Ordinating Dies and stamp set with the beautiful butterfly from an older release, Perspective.

So, let's get started and here's how I create this panel....

To begin with I used one of the smaller size of the Stampers Anonymous Rectangular Etcetera Panels from the pack of 4 and I painted it with Scorched Timber Distress Paint.

PANEL

To cover the panel, I used a piece of paper from Backdrops Vol 4, cut to the same size as the panel. I added rips and tears around the outside edge of the paper and machine stitched a border all the way around and inked the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. I then adhered the paper to the board with Matte Collage Medium, keeping the rips and tears in place and crumpling the corners for a touch of "oldy worldy vintage".

After adding some splatters of Burnt Sienna Acrylic Paint from my stash and flicked this across the covered panel, I set this to one side to move onto the tag.

TAG

For the background, I chose to use the Stampers Anonymous Roses Layering Stencil by Tim Holtz and using blending brushes, I inked through the design with the following colours of Distress inks:

Kitsch Flamingo, Peeled Paint and Rustic Wilderness

Once my inking was complete, I added some text using the script stamp from the Tiny Toadstools stamp set by Tim Holtz before I laid the stencil back over the areas that I had inked and applied Translucent Grit Paste over the inked areas. Remove the stencil and wash immediately and set the tag aside so the paste can dry.

When my paste was thoroughly set, I added a neutral colour to the background using Antique Linen Distress Spray Stain and Old Paper. I dabbed away any heavy areas of colour, gently heat dried the tag and then inked the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink before adding a few splatters of the Burnt Sienna Acrylic Paint across the surface of the tag.

After machine stitching a border around the edge of the tag, I mounted this onto a piece of Kraft card, cut slightly larger than the tag itself with strips of Design Trim Tape placed around the edges of the Kraft card.

To complete the tag, I placed a Curator Snippet in the top right hand corner, and added some Cello Sticker Tape over the top.

I then placed a W R Makers Eyelet through the hole at the top of the tag and set it with the Crop A Dile.

Attach the tag to the covered board using foam pads to add dimension.

FIELD NOTES EPHEMERA

Now, it's time to create the ephemera pieces that sits down the left hand side and that's where we can use the Field Notes stamp set with this amazing new coordinating die set...

To begin with I chose the ephemera pieces I wanted to use ~ I chose 5 different pieces. I then used Tim's Archival Inks to stamp these onto Mixed Media Heavystock card inked with various shades of Distress Inks. Once I had the pieces stamped, I then used the coordinating dies to die cut the individual labels and ephemera.

After inking the edges, I attached them to my panel, placing four of them in a cluster on the left of the tag. I adhered some of the labels directly to the panel with Matte Collage Medium, but placed foam pads on the remaining labels to add some dimension...

I attached the last label, "This Side Up" in the top left hand corner.

BUTTERFLY

With my pieces in position, I stamped the image of the butterfly from the Perspective Stamp Set, and watercolored this with Tim's Distress Watercolour Pencils. I then used the coordinating die set to cut out the image.

After shaping the wings, and attaching the thorax to the centre, (which is a separate die cut), I attached the butterfly to a circular Sizzix Vintage Label Die Cut. I used the largest circle in the set.

Finally to complete the panel, I used the wording "Field Notes" from the Specimen Remnant Rubs and applied it to an off-cut of card before adding this to my panel, placing it just beneath the butterfly...

...and I attached to long fasteners to the panel, placing these in the bottom right hand corner and applying some gilding wax over the top to add some shine to the metal.

I finished this piece with a large Hinge Clip that I had in my stash, and clipped this to the top left hand side of the panel.

So, that's my project complete and I hope you love the piece I've created ~ it's so much fun to used these dies and saves so much time on fussy cutting each individual piece ~ which is something I never relish doing but now, don't need to! More time for crafting...

Thanks so much for stopping by today and now it's onto the next stop of this hop...

See you again soon, love Emma xxx

HOP ORDER:

Simon Says Stamp Blog

RECIPE FOR CARD

CLICK HERE to shop all products used to make this card

Simon Says Stamp Co-ordinating Dies and Stamps: Field Notes Bundle, Perspective, Perspective Die Set

Tim Holtz?Stampers Anonymous: Etcetera Panel, Roses Layering Stencil, Tiny Toadstools

Tim Holtz/Sizzix: Sizzix Big Shot Foldaway Machine, Sizzix Vintage Label Die Set

Tim Holtz Distress Inks: Walnut Stain

Distress Paint: Lumberjack Plaid, Scorched Timber

Distress Spray Stains: Antique Linen, Old Paper

Distress Watercolour Pencils

Tim Holtz idea_ology: Hardware Heads, Cello Stickers, Specimen Remnant Rubs, Curator Snippets, Backdrops Volume 4

Mediums and Adhesive: SSS Foam Squares, SSS Tape Runner, Black Soot Archival, Translucent Grit Paste, Archival Inks

Surfaces: Mixed Media Heavystock Card

Tools: Blending Brushes, Blending Tool, Splatter Brush, Crop A Dile

Tim Holtz Glass Media Mat

Monday, 19 January 2026

Spread Your Wings

Hello everyone...

Can you believe how fast this last week has gone? It's literally flown by, which also leads me nicely into the brand new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. This week our theme is called THINGS WITH WINGS and we would love for you to join us and play along, and share your makes featuring something with wings!

For my make, I chose to focus on insects and some of you might remember a post from last year where I showed you a technique for faux enamelling and how I used this to create some beautiful effects on the Funky Insects. Well, with this week's challenge in mind, I decided to make good use of one of those insects and create a tag to showcase things with wings...

So, let's get started and here's how I made my tag...

For this project, I used a Size 8 Etcetera Tag and Mixed Media Tag...

TAG

To begin with I started with the Mixed Media Heavystock Size 8 tag and I placed the Countdown Layering Stencil over the tag. Using a blending tool and Distress Micro Glaze, I dipped the sponge into the glaze, picking up a tiny amount of the medium, and dabbing away any excess from the sponge. You really only need a small amount of the glaze for this technique. I then applied the glaze through random areas of the stencil. When you remove the stencil and tilt the tag towards the light, you will be able to see the clear glaze that you've applied on the tag.

Allow for the glaze to dry before applying the colours. I used the following Distress Spray Stains:

SPRAY STAINS: Rusty Hinge, Chipped Sapphire, Vintage Photo, Ground Espresso, Antique Linen

OXIDE SPRAYS: Crackling Campfire

Once I was happy with the blend, I allowed the tag to dry, inked the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink before machine stitching a border around the outside edge.

I then adhered the tag to my Etcetera Tag before adding the postmark stamp, from the Field Notes Stamp Set, which I placed in the top left hand corner.

I added a safety pin to the stitching and a Machinery Head, painted with Black Soot Distress Paint over the hole reinforcer. To accentuate the detail on the metal stud, I applied some gilding wax.

FUNKY INSECT

For the tutorial of how to create the faux enamelling for the insect using Distress Glazes and the Sizzix Funky Insects die set by Tim Holtz, just click HERE

Once the insect is complete, I set this to one side to work on the frame and the layers...

FRAMES

As you might have noticed, I LOVE dimension and layers and this piece has it all...

For the layered focal point, I used an idea-ology Label Frame, some cotton calico and a Mica Tile from my stash, and the idea-ology Optics Frame.

I started by dying my cotton calico using Frayed Burlap Distress Spray Stain. I misted the material with water, then applied the stain before heat drying the fabric and cutting it to size, slightly larger than the frame. I frayed the edges of the fabric before attaching it to my tag with Matte Collage Medium.

For my next layer, I used the Label Frame. I'm using it vertically, and altered the frame with Distress Paints, Crackling Campfire, Black Soot and Antiqued Bronze. I then applied some Gilding Wax over the surface.

I placed a panel of card behind the aperture which I had in my scraps box. This is just a piece of inked card, stamped with some calligraphy script. I attached the frame over the top of the cotton calico, again using Matte Collage Medium, which I used throughout.

I then attached the Mica Tile before altering the Optic Frame with the same paints as before. I then added some red cotton which I wound around the handle.

Attach the Optic Frame onto the Mica Tile and then add another smaller piece of Mica Tile before attaching the Funky Insect moth.

STAMPED DETAILS

To complete the tag, I added some stamping labels, the FRAGILE and HANDLE WITH CARE.

Both of these are from the Stampers Anonymous Mail Art Stamp set by Tim Holtz, and I stamped them in Fired Brick Archival Ink.

We're nearly there, and all that's left for me to do, is add the two metal studs at the bottom. These are both long fasteners and after carefully snipping off the legs of the fastener, I hammered the studs to look old and beaten up, then attached both in the bottom left and right hand corners of my tag.

I painted them with the same paints as I used to alter the metal frames, and added a touch of wax over the top.

I then completed my tag, by painting a Hinge Clip with a combination of Candied Apple and Black Sloot Distress Paint. Once dry, I clipped this to the side of my tag, added some chain from my stash and Hund a Word Tag, "Found" from the end of the chain.

So, that's my project complete and I hope you love the inspiration and techniques I've shared.

As always, if you make anything, or if you've been inspired by anything that you've seen here on my blog ~ then please, let me know by tagging me on social media or leaving a comment here and I will be right over to take a look!

Don't forget that every week, one lucky random participant has the chance to win a $25 gift voucher from Simon Says Stamp and you can join in up to 5 times, which means you could have 5 chances to win. You have until next Monday at 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in and good luck....

Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by today...

Love Emma xxx

Recipe for project:

Stampers Anonymous: Etcetera Tag, Countdown Layering Stencil, Mail Art, Field Notes

Sizzix: Tim Holtz Big Shot Foldaway, Funky Insects

Distress Crayons: Walnut Stain

Distress Glaze Embossing Powder

Distress Spray Stains: Chipped Sapphire, Rusty Hinge, Vintage Photo, Crackling Campfire, Ground Espresso, Frayed Burlap

Distress Ink: Walnut Stain

Distress Paint: Candied Apple, Black Soot, Antiqued Bronze

Tim Holtz Idea-ology: Cello Sticker Tape, Machinery Heads, Word Tag, Hinge Clip, Label Frames, Optic Frame, Long Fasteners

Mediums: Matte Collage Medium, Foam Pads, Micro Glaze, Fired Brick Archival Ink, Black Soot Archival Ink

Glass Media Mat

Tools: Blending Tool, Heat Gun

Cotton Calico Fabric and Mica Tile from my stash

Monday, 12 January 2026

A Whole New World...

Hello everyone...

It's time for a brand new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and this week, our theme is all about having FUN WITH FOIL.

Now, if you're anything like me and foiling just isn't your thing, (to be honest, a foiling machine has never even been on my radar of crafty goodies to buy ~ I know they're fabulous and create wonderful effects but I've just never thought of getting one). So, I had to think of a way to use foiling on my make and decided to use metallic gilding flakes and foil sheets to give accents of metallic shimmer and shine but all without the aid of the machine.

So, let's get started and here's how I made this panel about three young boys, who are embarking on a journey going where their heart will take them....

For this make, I used the larger sized Rectangular Etcetera Panel and painted the edges with Black Soot Distress Paint before applying some older Tim Holtz idea-ology design tape from my stash around the outside edge of the panel.

PANEL and EMBOSSING

To begin with I created the background and for this, I used the Tim Holtz Sizzix 3D Large Typewriter Embossing Folder to emboss a piece of Distress Watercolour Card, that is cut to be slightly smaller in size than the Etcetera Panel.

With my card embossed, I then started to add colour to create a rusty patina effect to the cardstock using the following Distress Spray Stains and Oxide Sprays:

DISTRESS SPRAYS: Speckled Egg, Rusty Hinge, Vintage Photo, Salvaged Patina, Crackling Campfire, Walnut Stain

OXIDE SPRAYS: Speckled Egg

I applied each spray to the cardstock, and then spritzed water over the top to get some movement on those inks. Once I was happy, I then heat dried the card, inked the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink and machine stitched a border around the outside.

Now to add some foil accents and for this I used Deco Foil Transfer Sheets in Champagne, together with Deco Foil Transfer Adhesive, applied to the embossed typewriter letters using a dry paint brush. Dip the brush into some of the adhesive, making sure the brush isn't overloaded, you need a minimal amount. Wash brush immediately you finish with the adhesive!!!

Allow for the adhesive to become tacky, before laying the foil sheet, shiny side uppermost, over the top. Gently rub to ensure contact, but don't rub too hard to damage the embossing and once the foil makes contact with the adhesive, remove and voilà, you should see some foil accents over the top of the lettering.

I repeated this technique over random areas of the background until I was happy and then, adhered the embossed card onto the Etcetera Panel using Matte Collage Medium.

ETCETERA FACADE

We're now ready to move onto the next layer, the Etcetera Facade and I chose one from the pack of four and then flipped this upside down, so that point of the facade is downwards and I also kept the circle in place ~ I didn't remove it.

I covered the facade using Large Collage Strips, cut to fit and adhered these with Matte collage Medium, applying a coat of the medium over the top. Once the medium was dry, I rubbed Walnut Stain Distress over the top, focusing on the joins of the collage pieces, which helps to create more of a vintage look to the piece.

I attached the facade to the risers that are included in the pack and then adhered the piece to my panel.

At this stage, I also added a small pointy finger in the top right hand corner, and then die cut a heart from gold foil card which I rusted using some Crackling Campfire and Black Soot Distress Paint, before placing the heart next to the finger.

To form the ledge that sits across the bottom section of the facade, I used one pinked etcetera trim, that I covered in decorative paper, die cut using the Sizzix Decorative trims die set by Tim Holtz and formed an 'L' shape with a ruler piece, that I broke the ends off.

I then adhered this into position, placing it directly onto the facade.

Finally, I added a Nail Tack into each corner and used Distress Paint to add a rusty finish to the nail, and around the entry of the nail, where it's was hammered into the facade itself...

...together with some small strips of Cello Sticker Tape.

WORLD TRAVEL

To create the globe, I cut my individual pieces from silver metallic Kraft card. I applied some Turquoise and Monsoon Alcohol Ink to the solid circle to create the blue colour of the ocean and set this to one side. I then took the remaining three pieces, you will have the circular globe plus two of the land die cuts and using the Transfer Adhesive, I once again painted the surface with this glue.

Once the adhesive becomes tacky, I then applied some Metallic Flakes over the top. Using a stiff brush or pad, remove any excess flakes to reveal the smooth, metallic finish to the die cuts.

To form the globe, layer each of the pieces using foam pads and then attach this to the facade using more foam pads to add dimension.

BRINGING THE SCENE TO LIFE

Next to the globe, I added a Paper Doll from the Paper Doll Poses pack, and colour tinted this with Distress Crayons. If you need to see how I do this, just pop the word paper doll into the search engine on the left of my blog and it will come up with many tutorials.

I attached the paper doll to the facade, placing it so that it will overlap the right side of the globe.

On the left of the paper doll trio, I added a Figure Stand. I LOVE these stands, they are one of my absolute favourites from Tim's idea-ology range and for this piece I chose to use the star, which I painted red using Candied Apple Distress Paint, with a minute amount of Black Soot mixed in, to take away the brightness of the red, and create more of a vintage tone.

I attached the figure stand to the ledge...

...and then placed moss all along the ledge.

FINISHING DETAILS

We're nearly there and all that's left is the details, details, details....

I added two Machinery Heads to the bottom right hand corner of the panel and painted these with Crackling Campfire, Black Soot, Antiqued Bronze and Salvaged Patina Distress Paints to create the rusty look to the metal.

On the side of the facade, I clipped a hinge clip which I painted using Salvaged patina and Antiqued Bronze Distress Paint and hung an idea-ology "Story"word tag, from the clip, again painted with Distress Paints to add more of a vintage touch.

Finally I attached the quote chip label, which tells the story, "Go Where Your Heart Takes You", and I placed this onto foam pads and attached it in the bottom left hand corner.