Like Clockwork...

Hey everyone and welcome to this week's brand new challenge over on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog. Our theme is SHOW US YOUR METAL and whatever you choose to use, we hope you'll join us and play along!

For my project, I created a card using plenty of metal elements, including a rusty metal background which started life as silver metal tape foil...

and hope you enjoy the creative process behind this project!

To begin with, I cut a piece of metal foil tape approx 22 x 14cm and attached the foil to a piece of card. I then ran the adhered foil through a die cutting machine using the Rivet Texture Fade to create that gorgeous embossed background. At this point, you might be thinking that the embossing folder is slightly smaller than the card but if you emboss the top section first, then move the folder down to the lower section, it matches up perfectly to give a continuous pattern with no joins!

Once the card was embossed, I then wanted to create this rusty look and for this, I began by using Black Soot Distress Paint which I applied to the foil, before taking a kitchen towel to gently wipe away the excess of the paint. By doing this, the paint will seep and settle into all those embossed areas.

Next I took Tarnished Brass and once again, applied this over the top of the embossed foil, using my fingers to blend it. Again wipe away the excess.

Once dry, I then used Evergreen Bough and Vintage Photo Distress Crayons and applied these to the foil, blending them with my fingers to add that final touch of 'rust'.

When I was entirely happy with my rusty effect, I mounted the foil onto black card, leaving a border around the outside before die cutting a circular aperture into the upper section.

For the next stage, I took a piece of adhesive canvas and using the Imaginary Stamp from Tim Holtz, I stamped the image with Jet Black Archival Ink directly onto the canvas, adding highlights of colour with Distress Marker Pens.

I distressed the background of the canvas using Pumice Stone and Old Paper Distress Paint and then added Small Talk stickers, outlining them with the Pumice Stone Distress Marker Pen.

Attach the stamped image to a piece of card, placing it behind your circular aperture and use foam pads to attach the metal frame over the top.

Mount the metallic layers onto some more cardstock, including metallic kraft core card, ensuring each time that a border is left around the previous matt to create a layered frame.

Now for the final embellishments of the gears and for this, I used the new Tim Holtz Gearheads dies to die cut a plethora of gears from some more metal foil tape, which I then coloured using the same products as I used on the embossed background.

I attached all my gears, layering some to create dimension and adding some inside the circular aperture.

Finally, I added some metal embellishments, coloured with Distress Paints and a small touch of Treasure Gold Gilding Wax....

...and attached screw head brads, old watch parts and sequins to the centre of the gears.

I would love you all to be able to see this project in the flesh as the metallic has a real shine to it but is  so hard to pick up on the camera!

As always, 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. You have until Monday 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in and 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: Imaginary

Tim Holtz Sizzix Dies/Texture Fades: Gearhead Thinlits Die, Diamond Plate and Riveted Metal

Distress Paint: Black Soot, Tarnished Brass, Pumice Stone, Old Paper

Distress Marker Pens

Distress Crayons: Set 1 and 3

Idea-ology: Adornment Arrows, Small Talk Stickers, Dapper Design Tape

Surfaces: Black Card, Metal Foil Tape Sheets, Sticky Back Canvas, Metallic Kraft Core Card

Jet Black Archival Ink

Ranger Black Adhesive Foam

Treasure Gold Gilding Wax ~ Spanish Topaz

Ranger Craft Sheet

Blending Tool

Heat Gun

Screw Head brads, clock parts and Idea-Ology Word Sticks (Muse) from my own stash