Young Love ~ x,y,z Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

Hey everyone!

Welcome to a new week and to a brand new challenge over on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog! This week we are focusing on not one, but three letters of the alphabet ~ X,Y and Z!! You could be inspired by the end (as this is the end of the alphabet), zoo animals, yellow or yarn! What else can you think of? It's up to you to decide and we can't wait to see what you share with us all this week!

For my project, I decided to create a journal page about the story of Young Love and because I never make life easy for myself, I incorporated the letters X, Y and Z within my page and here's what I did...

To begin with I took my Dylusions journal and started to create the background by applying Scattered Straw and Mustard Seed (Y for yellow) Distress Ink directly from the pad to the page. I then gave a light spritz of water and moved the journal around to make the inks run. Once happy, I heat set the inks with a heat tool before adding strips of Tissue Tape across the two pages.

Next I wanted to add some layers and started by sponging Jet Black Archival Ink through the Mesh Layering Stencil using a blending tool. I then started to add my next layer to the background by applying Texture Paste through the letters XO (x of XO) from the Valentine Layering Stencil. I added the lettering to random areas of my pages.

For the next layer... I used the Zig Zag Dots stencil (z for zig zag) and applied more Texture Paste through this stencil, again adding it to random areas on my page. For my final layer, I used the Cracks Stamp from the Cracks and Specks stamp set by Tim Holtz and inked it with Wendy Vecchi's Orange Blossom Archival Ink and stamped the cracks onto the page.

To complete the pages, I added some splashes of Black Soot, Barn Door and Picket Fence Distress Paint by picking up the paint on a paint brush and just flicking the colour across the two page spread and added some Industrious Border Stickers.

Now that the background was complete, I started to create my focal point and to tell the story and for this I used one of the Photo Booth images from Tim Holtz. When I look at these images, I instantly see a story in every photo and for me, this photo shouted "Young Love". 

I began by distressing the edges of the photo to give a more aged look and then matted the image onto layers of Core'dinations card and Wallflower paper stash. (This is a great way of using up those offcuts that you always save a future project).

I attached the photo to my background, adding some coils of black wire behind it, which created the perfect frame told draw the eye into the page.

To complete the page, I attached a Flash Card, a vellum butterfly and First Class Mail piece, both from Ephemera packs and some pieces of Idea-ology.

As the finishing touch, I added the "Hello Darling" Small Talk sticker and used a Pumice Stone Distress Marker to highlight around the edge of the sticker and also around the edge of the Flash Card...

...and that completes my journal pages!

I really hope you've enjoyed how I created my journal pages and you've enjoyed how I incorporated the letter's X, Y and Z within this project. If you need any further inspiration for this challenge, then you need look no further than our 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:

Simon Says Stamp Products: Zig Zag Dots Stencil

Tim Holtz Stamps: Cracks and Specks

Pumice Stone Distress Marker Pens

Distress Ink: Scattered Straw, Mustard Seed

Distress Paint: Black Soot, Barn Door and Picket Fence

Inks: Jet Black Archival Ink, Orange Blossom Archival Ink

Idea-Ology: Small Talk Stickers, Sketchbook, Symphony Tissue Tape, Photo Booth Vintage Photos, Thrift Shop Vintage Ephemera Vellum, Emporium Ephemera, Memo Pin, Sprocket Gears, Frames and Trims Industrious Stickers

Embellishments: Prima Wired Thread

Tim Holtz Layering Stencils: Mesh

Surfaces: Dylusions Journal, WallFlower Paper Stash

Ranger Texture Paste

Ranger Craft Sheet

Heat Gun

Big Shot

Blending Tool

Ranger Water Mister