Entomology...

Hello everyone!

Hope you all had a great weekend and ready for the new week ahead and a brand new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge! This week, our theme is called GRUNGE IT UP and as it says in the title, we want you to get your grunge on! We can't wait to see what you create and hope you'll join us for this fun challenge...

For my project, I created an Etcetera tag and used a combination of Grit Paste and Distress Paints on the background to create the look of worn paint surrounded by an oxidised, rusty border and the focal point of those beautiful Entomology stamps from Tim Holtz...

So, let's begin...it's time for the new challenge and here's how I created this piece!

To begin with, I took the smallest Etcetera tag and primed the surface with a coat of gesso which I dried thoroughly using a heat gun. I then smeared Grit Paste onto the edges of the tag and allowed this to dry.

To create paintwork effect, I started by adding layers of Distress Paint, blending a combination of Peacock Feathers and Evergreen Bough and applying it to the surface of the tag with a brush. Once I was happy, I heat dried the paint before moving onto the next layer. For this, I applied some torn Tissue Tape from the Symphony set and adhered it to the painted surface. I then brushed Matte Collage Medium over the top and once that was dry, scraped some gesso over the paint work. Once again, I dried this layer and then added some more depth of colour using Vintage Photo and Rusty Hinge Distress Crayons, just scribbling them onto the painted background and blending it out with a semi dry wet wipe. Using the text stamp from the Entomology set, I randomly stamped the wording onto the painted background using Jet Black Archival Ink.

Now to create that rusty border where I've applied the Grit Paste to the edges of the tag. For this, I applied a combination of Rusty Hinge, Vintage Photo and Black Soot Distress Crayons over the paste and then to create that real pop of colour and beautiful look of rust, I used Red Amber and Rich Copper Art Alchemy Brilliance Waxes. For this, I just applied the wax onto the raised areas of the paste using my finger and for any uncovered areas, I took an old paintbrush and just used a dabbing motion to get the wax into all the nooks and crevices of the paste. Once I'd covered the pasted areas, I then ran my Black Soot Distress Crayon around the outside and blending out the colour.

To complete the background section of this project, I attached some torn strips of corrugated card using Collage Medium and then dry brushed some gesso over the top. Once the paint was dry, I then applied some more wax to accentuate the corrugation of the card. Finally, I added the final layer to the background and applied some more paste through the Industrial Stencil, adding the numbers to the top and bottom section of the corrugated card.

I added the hole reinforcer piece to the top, which I painted with Black Soot Distress Paint and then dry brushed Antiqued Bronze Distress Paint over the painted reinforcer. Add some twine through the hole and a Snippets Ephemera piece on the side.

I now have the base of my project finished and can move onto those beautiful stamps. Taking three of the bugs from the set and using the Stamp Platform, I stamped the images in Jet Black Archival Ink onto a piece of card that I'd inked with a combination of Fossilized Amber and Frayed Burlap Distress Oxide Inks before then applying a layer of gesso over the top. I then inked up the script stamp from the Entomology set with Frayed Burlap Distress Oxide Ink and stamped the script across the surface of the card, allowing the stamp to touch some of the card but leaving other areas blank. Heat dry this to set the ink.

I then stamped the bugs a second time onto watercolour card and this time, I painted these with Distress Marker Pens. I cut around the bodies of each of the stamped images and then laid them over the top of the stamped images on the inked card panel, leaving the wings free and lifting them slightly. I then added some Clippings Stickers and a remnant rub to each bug.

I flicked some gold paint across the surface, stitched around the edge and added some Hex Fasteners to each corner before matting and layering the panel onto linen and kraft card.

I then attached my artwork to the centre of the tag, layering it over the top of the corrugated card and at this stage, placing two sprocket gears behind the panel.

As my final layer to this project, I tied some twine around the bottom section of the tag, fastening it at the back and then using a broken Ruler Piece, coloured with Walnut Stain Distress Ink, I attached the ruler with Collage Medium, placing it over the top of the twine and slightly taking it over the edge of the tag. I then took a Quote Band and applied Rust and Gold Mixative Alcohol Ink to the metal before accentuating the wording by painting Picket Fence Paint over the top of the metal and then wiping away the excess paint to reveal the quote.

To complete my tag, I added some Mini Hardware pieces and Nailhead Findings.

I hope you've enjoyed how I created this project and it will inspire you to join us and play along. 

You can find more inspiration from my talented teamies over on the challenge blog and don't forget that 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 stopping by today and I'll see you very soon!

Love Emma xxx

Recipe for project:

Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous Stamps and Stencils: Entomology, Industrial
Distress Paint: Black Soot, Antiqued Bronze, Peacock Feathers, Evergreen Bough, Picket Fence
Distress Crayons: Black Soot, Rusty Hinge, Vintage Photo
Distress Oxide Inks: Fossilised Amber, Frayed Burlap

Idea-ology: Sprocket Gear, Snippets, Nailhead Findings, Clippings Stickers, Ruler Piece, Hex Fasteners, Quote Band, Symphony Tissue Tape
Distress Marker Pen Set
Mediums: Gesso, Matte Collage Medium, Jet Black Archival Ink, Grit Paste
Alchemy Art Waxes: Red Amber, Rich Copper
Finnabair Mechanicals: Mini Hardware
Alcohol Inks: Rust, Gold Mixative
Surfaces: Etcetera Tag, Textile Surfaces, Textured Surfaces, Kraft Card, Watercolour Card, Mixed Media Heavyweight Card
Ranger Craft Sheet

Heat Gun
Tim Holtz Stamp Platform