A Hint Of Clover ~ Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

Hello everyone...

...and hello to a brand new week and a brand new challenge over on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog.

This week, whether it's spring in the air or just the leprechauns making their appearance for St Patrick's Day, we're feeling a lot of love for clover, shamrocks and green in general. Will the luck of the Irish be with you? Do you want to craft with just a hint of bold clover green? perhaps feature your favourite green ink pad or marker ~ we can't wait to see what you dream up this week!

I decided to make a card this week and for those of you who know me and my work, you will know that I love dimension on my cards and projects, so...with this in mind, I chose to create a card that had a dimensional focal point ~ a four leaf clover which I hope will bring me some good fortune if I wish hard enough!!

To begin with, I created a card blank from kraft card to measure 20 x 18cm in size. I then cut a piece of the Wallflower Stash paper, which I distressed and tore around the edges and mounted it onto a matt of black card before matting the layers onto my card blank.

The next stage was to create my clover and for this, I applied some Mowed Lawn (which is the perfect colour for clover) and Peeled Paint Distress Stains onto my craft sheet, spritzed the ink with water and then swiped a piece of white card through the stains to pick up the colour. If you feel you need more colour, just go back for more until you're 100% happy! Dry the card and then using the smaller heart die from the Mini Movers and Shapers, die cut 12 hearts from the inked card.

To create one dimensional leaf, use three of the die cut hearts, score a vertical line and fold each heart down the centre. Take the first heart and apply a small amount of glue on the back of the right hand side of the folded heart and attach it to the left hand side of the second folded heart. Apply some more glue on the attached second folded heart and attach the left hand side of the third heart. Open out the folds and you should now have one complete dimensional leaf. Repeat with the remaining hearts until you have four leaves. Ink the edges of the leaves with Walnut Stain Distress Ink and set aside to work on the background.

Next, I cut a piece of Manila card and swiped it through a combination of Brushed Corduroy, Frayed Burlap, Old Paper, Picket Fence and a touch of Peeled Paint Distress Stains that I applied to a craft sheet. The stains give a fabulous marbled effect to the card.

Once the card is dry, I added some splashes of Gesso and then spritzed the background using the Distress Marker Spritzing Tool and a Pumice Stone Distress Marker Pen.

To complete the background, I inked up the Tim Holtz Handwriting stamp with Watering Can Archival Ink and randomly stamped over areas of the card before adding some lines using a ruler, which I dipped into the ink pad and then sewing around the edge of the card with black thread.

Die cut a piece of decorative paper from a Tim Holtz paper stash using the Honeycomb Frameworks die and ink the edges of the paper. Attach across the bottom section of the inked card, together with a piece of Crinkle Ribbon, dyed with Scattered Straw Distress Stains.

Mount the card onto the centre of your covered card blank and then start to add all your elements. I tied some more of the crinkle ribbon into a scruffy bow and attached this to my card, adding a Wire Pin, Wish Bone and an Enameled Tag, which I added a Remnant Rub to.

I cut a stem from green card and attached this to pop out from my bow before adding the four dimensional clover leaves and a the lucky 13 number from the Ephemera pack. At this stage, I also added a pointy finger from the pack.

To complete the card, I used the Alpha Parts and applied Treasure Gold Gilding Wax over the top for a beautiful shimmer.

I hope you've enjoyed the process of how I put this card together and that it's inspired you and maybe you too can create your own piece of lucky four leaf clover.

Don't forget that if you're looking for some more great ideas and inspiration for this challenge, then you need to look no further than the blog to see all the wonderful creations from all the very talented Design Team members and every week, one lucky random participant has the chance to win a $50 gift voucher from Simon Says Stamp. Good luck....

Thank you so much for all your visits today and hope you all have a great week ahead

See you again soon...love Emma xx

Products used:

Tim Holtz Stamps: Handwriting Stamp

Sizzix/Tim Holtz Dies: Mini Hearts Movers & Shapers, Honeycomb Frameworks Die

Distress Stains: Scattered Straw, Old Paper, Frayed Burlap, Picket Fence, Brushed Corduroy, Peeled Paint, Mowed Lawn

Inks: Watering Can Archival Ink, Walnut Stain DI, Pumice Stone Distress Marker Pen

Mediums: Gesso,  Treasure Gold Wax

Idea-Ology ~ Enameled Tag, Wishbones, Crinkle Ribbon, Ephemera Pack, SignMaker Alpha Parts, Wired Pin, Remnant Rubs

Surfaces: Manila card, White Card, Tim Holtz Wallflower Paper Stash, black Card, Kraft card

Ranger Craft Sheet

Distress Marker Spritzer Tool

Hot Glue Gun