Happy Birthday...

Hello everyone and welcome to the brand new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge! This month, Simon Says Stamp is celebrating their 7th birthday and because it's such a special occasion we would like you to create something to help with our birthday celebration! It could be a card, a tag to attach to a gift, a gift or maybe a birthday banner or cake topper! Whatever you decide to make we will be looking forward to seeing how you join us for the party!

As it is the first Monday of the month, and because it's our birthday, we are also showcasing our very own Simon Says Stamp Products!

For my card, I combined one of Tim Holtz's Crazy Dogs with a couple of SSS products and hope you love the card I've made...

It's time for the challenge to begin...

 

For this card, which measures approx 17cm square, I started by cutting two panels of textured card stock to create my background. I then placed the Collage Frond die in the centre of the first card panel and die cut the aperture. In the second piece of card, I place the die slightly offset to where the first die was placed on the first piece of card ~ by doing this, it will give me the double layer of leaf effect around the aperture. Once both card panels are die cut, layer the one over the top of the other, aligning the aperture to create a double layered frond effect around the circle.

I wanted to create a worn wood effect to the background and began by adding a layer of Antique Linen and Frayed Burlap Distress Paint, blending the colours with a semi dry baby wipe. I then heat dried the card before adding more colour using Distress Crayons ~ I chose, Ground Espresso, Black Soot, Walnut Stain and Pumice Stone. Scribble a small amount of colour from each crayon over the painted surface and then once again, using the semi dry baby wipe, I blended out the colour until I was happy with the desired effect.

I then used an old credit card to scrape some white gesso over the background to create the worn effect.

Once the background was thoroughly dry, I then moved onto the leaves and painted these with Peeled Paint Distress paint before adding a layer of Fairy Wings Sparks paint over the top for a slight shimmer.

Attach Hex Fasteners to each of the four corners and using Gold Rush and Steampunk Copper Alchemy Paints, paint the fasteners to create this gorgeous rusty look.

For the next layer on the card, I used the SSS Flora Background stamp and stamped this onto a piece of kraft card using Versamark Watermark Ink pad. Sprinkle with white embossing powder and heat until molten. I then cut the card to the same size as my painted panel before mounting the painted panel over the top using foam pads for dimension and lining it up perfectly so that the centre of the Flora stamp showed through the aperture of the Collage Frond die.

Matt the background layers onto a piece of blue card from the Classic Kraft stash, followed by a layer of gold metallic and finally a layer of black soot kraft stash card. Mount the matted layers onto a kraft card blank.

Now for the fun part...it's Crazy Dog time and I stamped two images of my cute little pup onto Mixed Media card, coloured both images using Distress Marker Pens before die cutting them with the corresponding Sizzix dies before layering the pieces to create my dimension pup. I then added a party hat and a balloon from the Crazy Things Stamp set, and again die cut using the Sizzix dies.

I then stamped used the Crazy Talk stamp set to stamp the message 'you're how old?' onto kraft card, matted onto a piece of red card. I attached the message to a memo pin, and tucked the pin behind the aperture of the Collage Frond.

I attached my crazy dog, his party hat and ballon onto the card, placing him so that it looked as if he was jumping out of the circle to say "you're how old?"!!!

I added some gems and sequins around the image before tying some red string down the spine of the card and adding some tokens ~ 'happy' and the number '7. I gave each token a rusty effect by applying Picket Fence Paint and a small amount of Rich Copper Alchemy Wax over the metal....

...which completes my card and project for this week and I hope you love this fun card and enjoyed the creative process behind it!

As always, if you do need any further inspiration, then look no further than our blog to see all the wonderful creations from all the very talented Design Team members and this week, not one but TWO lucky random participants have 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 stopping by today and see you again very soon!

Love Emma xxx

Recipe for project:

Simon Says Stamp Products: Collage Frond, Flora Stamp
Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Stamps and Sizzix Dies: Crazy Dogs, Crazy Things, Crazy Talk

Distress Paints: Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Peeled Paint, Picket Fence
Distress Marker Pens
Distress Crayons: Set 3 Ground Espresso, Pumice Stone
Tim Holtz idea-ology: Hex Fasteners, Memo Pins, Typed Tokens, Number Tokens
Surfaces: Classic Kraft, Metallic Kraft, Mixed Media Heavyweight, Kraft card
Mediums: Gesso, Ranger Foam, White Embossing Powder, Versamark Ink Pad, Jet Black Archival Ink
Prima Marketing: Gold Rush Alchemy Paint, Steampunk Copper Alchemy Paint, Fairy Wings Sparks Paint, Rich Copper Wax
Red Twine
Little Things From Lucy Gems, Sequins
Ranger Craft Sheet
Sanding Tool

Big Shot

Heat Gun
Canvas paper from my own stash