Love Is In The Air...

Hi everyone...

Hope you all had a great weekend and ready for the week ahead and also, I hope you're all ready for a brand new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge because this week, the team are showcasing Carabelle Studio products and combining it with our theme ~ LOVE IS IN THE AIR! So, however you choose to interpret this challenge we can't wait to see what you create and hope you'll play along!

For my project, I created a panel that features the quote "Follow Your Heart" and it inspired me to design this project all about a little boy, who has a heart full of love and plenty of dreams for the future...

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

To begin with I cut a panel of canvas card, 20 x 16cm and began to create my textured background. I started with some randomly torn strips of tissue tape, which I applied to the central area of the card and then brushed some Matte Collage Medium over the top. I then added some colour using Distress Crayons, scribbling the Victorian Velvet, Black Soot and Vintage Photo Crayons directly onto the taped area and blending them out with my fingertip and a semi dry wet wipe. 

To create more layers, I then inked up the stamp from the Entomology Stamp Set and stamped this onto random areas of the background.

Once I was happy with the colour, I then applied Grit Paste through the Constellations Stencil to create the texture. I allowed the paste to dry before adding some more colour using watercolour paint, that I applied directly over the top of the paste using the Metallic Accents Paint set and always concentrating in the central area of the background. I also added some flicks of paint to the background using the same colours from the palette, together with Black Soot Distress Paint.

Gently heat dry the painted area, do not overheat as this might bubble the paste.

Once dry, I inked the edges of the card and added some torn strips of Design Tape and a Clippings Sticker to the corners. I then matted the background onto black card, followed by kraft card.

I now have my background to layer the details onto and to start I created a tag, using the tag die from the Side Kick Starter Set and inking the tag with Vintage Photo, Frayed Burlap, Antique Linen Distress Oxide Ink Pads. I stamped the Love definition quote from the Love Struck Stamp set onto the tag, added some twine through the hole reinforcer and then matted it onto kraft card and then mounted it onto the central area of my background, using foam pads for dimension.

I then used the Industrial die to die cut some gears from chipboard which I covered with Metal Foil Tape. Once I had enough gears, I used Rust, Gold Mixative and Pitch Black Alcohol Inks to alter the surface to create a rusty appearance. 

I then layered my gears across the page and at this stage, I also added some metal embellishments, Sprocket Gears and Rustic Gears which I thought complimented the die cuts perfectly.

To complete this section, I also added some nails from my tool box that I altered in colour using some more of the alcohol inks and some Tim Holtz Hex Fasteners, together with some knobs and some mini hardware pieces from Prima.

For the heart that I've used, I covered some more chipboard with metal foil tape and then used the Heartfelt die to die cut the heart. I then ran the die cut through my machine in the Rivets Embossing Folder before adding colour using Red Pepper and Mushroom Alcohol Inks. To create a more worn look to the metal work, I then sanded the raised areas and inked the edges with Black Soot Distress Crayon.

I mounted the heart onto my tag and then attached an Arrow Adornment, altered with alcohol inks, and placed this across the heart before attaching my little boy (this image is in the brand new set of Paper Dolls) which I colour tinted with Distress Marker Pens.

I finished my layout by adding a quote chip ~ Follow Your Heart, some star adornments and a couple of Nailhead findings which I added to the corners.

So, that completes this week's project and as always, I hope you'e enjoyed the creative process and loved the piece I've designed!

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:

Carabelle Studios: Constellation Stencil
Tim Holtz/Sizzix: Heartfelt, Industrial, Rivets and Diamond Plate Texture Fade
Tim Holtz Stamps: Love Struck, Entomology
Distress Paint: Black Soot
Distress Oxide Ink Pads: Vintage Photo, Frayed Burlap, Antique Linen
Distress Crayons: Victorian Velvet, Vintage Photo and Black Soot

Idea-ology:Quote Chip, Sprocket Gear, Symphony Tissue Tape, Special Delivery Remnant Rubs, Adornment Arrow, Paper Dolls, Star Adornments, Mini Sprocket Gears, Clippings Stickers, Design Tape
Prima Marketing Rustic Gears, Knobs, Mini Hardware
Mediums: Grit Paste, Gesso, Metallic Accents Paints
Alcohol Inks: Gold Mixative Alcohol Ink, Red Pepper, Rust, Pitch Black, Mushroom
Surfaces: Chipboard, Black Card, Kraft Card, Metal Foil Tape
Ranger Craft Sheet

Big Shot

Tim Holtz Sidekick Die Cutting Machine

Heat Gun
Canvas card and sisal fibres from my own stash