Monday 27 August 2018

Leaves are falling, autumn is calling...

"...and all at once, summer collapsed into fall" ~ Oscar Wilde

Welcome back everyone...

...and welcome to the brand new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and this week our theme is all about my favourite season of the year ~ Autumn/Fall. I absolutely love this season and as the temperature is slowly dropping, I can't think of anything better than pulling on my sweaters, jeans and boots and going for long walks on a crisp autumnal morning ~ it's heaven and this is what inspired my project for this week! I decided to create a mini Etcetera tag that has a feel of the outdoors, combining wood, leaves and some lovely little ladybugs that are playing amongst the foliage...
So, let's get started and here's how I created this project, full of dimension and of course, a few layers.

To begin with I took the mini Etcetera Tag and covered it with some wood effect paper that I took from the Halloween Paper Stash ~ this paper was from last years pad but I'm so happy to see that it has also been included in the 2018 pad too. I adhered the paper in place using Matte Collage Medium and then sanded the edges to get a neat finish to my tag before applying a layer of Collage Medium over the top to seal the paper.

Once the medium was dry, I then applied some Crackle Paste around the edges, allowed the paste to dry, crackle and do it's thing before adding some colour using the Gathered Twigs Distress Crayon. I now have my basic tag ready for decorating.

Moving onto the next stage, I wanted to create a really lovely textured wooden background that would sit behind my leaves and I also wanted some dimension, so for this I took the largest Vignette Panel and applied some Crackle Paste over the top using a palette knife, again letting the paste do it's thing and develop those lovely crackles.

When the paste is thoroughly dry, I then added some colour, spritzing the wood with Gathered Twigs Distress Spray Stain and letting it soak into the surface. I then applied some Peeled Paint Distress Oxide Ink over the top, blending it into the crackles with a blending tool before spritzing it with a light misting of water ~ I love the effect that this has given the wood, making it look all gnarled and worn. I attached one of the Baseboard Frames over the top the panel, wrapped some twine around the frame and then adhered this onto my Etcetera Tag.
To complete the tag, I coloured the hole reinforcer piece with Antiqued Bronze Distress Paint and a little Ground Espresso over the top, before attaching the piece to the tag and adding rope through the hole.
Now that we have all the basic layers completed, it's time to move onto the embellishing and to begin with I made all those gorgeous leaves using the Tim Holtz Fall Foliage Die and a variety of Distress Oxide Inks.
To create these leaves I used HeavyStock Mixed Media card which I swiped through the various inks that I applied to my Glass Mat and had misted with water. As you can see, this selection of Oxide Inks, create these beautiful autumnal colour tones which are just perfect for this project.

Once all the leaves were cut, I then inked the edges with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink before spritzing them with a hint of Antiqued Bronze Mica Spray.
After shaping the leaves to create a more realistic look, I then lightly crumpled each of them before unfolding them and arranging the leaves on the left side of the frame, attaching them over a bed of Spanish Moss and some twigs from my garden.
To create balance to the project, I added some Snippets Ephemera pieces to my framed panel and also, I attached a Vignette Hardware piece and Index Clip.
All that's left now is those adorable little bugs and for this I stamped the Ladybird image from the Entomology stamp set, three times onto some Mixed Media card.
Coloured each stamped image, cut them out by hand and then layered the pieces up with foam pads, applied between each stamped layer which then creates these dimensional insects. I then added a layer of Glossy Accents over the top and allowed it to dry before placing my two little ladybugs onto the project ~ nestling one amongst the leaves...
...and the second on the corner of the frame.
To complete the tag, I added a 'Lucky" Quote Chip...
I hope you've enjoyed the creative process behind this week's tag and loved the inspiration of this piece, it was definitely a project I enjoyed creating!

Don't forget, you can find more inspiration from my talented teamies over on the challenge blog and every week, one lucky random participant has the chance to win a $50 gift voucher from Simon Says StampYou 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





Spanish Moss and Twigs from my own stash

23 comments:

  1. I loved this when I saw it on SM , Emma but now when I get up close..... it's amazing . That gnarled wooded panel is awesome and I love the the aged wood tag. The ladybugs add a wonderful touch of character and the 'just nailed' in nail is that attention to detail you do so well . Thanks for a day full of smiles . Big hugs x

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  2. OMG so realistic; those leaves are beautiful and the lady bugs!! Okay that background ... though WOW !!! Happy Monday Product Queen Thanks for the stroll through your yard :) <3

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  3. that crackle paste over the vignette panel is amazing. I have got to try that!! wow, wow, wow!

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  4. Oh Emma this is fabulous..Loving the leaves and ladybugs.. xxx

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  5. PINNED of course. This might be my favorite all time Autumn project ever! The wood, the ladybugs, the leaves, the colors...all perfection!

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  6. I love how you brought your piece to life, Emma. All those beautiful Fall colours and lady bugs, are very inviting. Thank you for sharing. xx

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  7. Emma, this is a beautiful autumnal make, the wood/crackle background is gorgeous, as are those wonderful leaves. Your tag really does have a wonderful autumn feel to it! Hugs, Anne xx

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  8. Gorgeous tag Emma :-) I just love the way you layer and add so much interest to your creations this is absolutely STUNNING!!! :-) LOVE it :-)

    luv
    Lols x x x

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  9. Stunning tag! The wood and crackle background is brilliant, love it. So beautifully decorated.

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  10. Fantastic tag, Emma! Your wood crackle is amazing, and love, love all the colorful leaves with the little twisty bit and bug! Gorgeous piece my talented friend! So glad it is finally cooler for you. hugs, Maura

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  11. i really couldn't imagine loving this more than I did when i saw it on social media, but when I look at the close ups in their full glory, I am awestruck! That vignette panel is utterly amazing!! I love the colors of your leaves and the ladybug is a sure sign of autumn! Glorious piece of art! I love it Emma. xx

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  12. Incredible layering Emma. Really a stunning tag.

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  13. Beautiful tag, Emma. Love looking at all the amazing little details you add to your projects!

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  14. Amazing tag! Love the pretty leaves (fall is my favorite season too) and that darling ladybird! Fantastic textures!

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  15. This is a FABULOUS piece of art, Emma! The inside of the frame is just perfect and looks like you glued a piece of bark taken from an old tree. What an amazing effect! Love it. Th colorful leaves gives such a warmth and the ladybugs are such a cute detail! Hugs, Macarena

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  16. beautiful autumn project Emma, love that crackly backgrund and those ladybugs are so cute, hugs kath xxx

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  17. The crackle paste looks fantastic on the wood paper, such a cool effect. Love the leaves, nail, ladybugs and all the special details.

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  18. Love the fantastic texture you created on the tag, Emma. All the details and embellishments are amazing. :)

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  19. This is really a lovely piece! I think the leaves are so realistic and reflect every bit of beauty this wonderful time of year holds! I also thought the incorporation of the lady bug was incredibly clever!

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  20. This work is absolutely stunning, my favorite part is the background! It's a masterpiece of mixed media techniques! Love love love! barbara

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  21. Gorgeous piece, Emma! Love this project a lot! The background is amazing and love the cute ladybugs! Hugs, Sandra

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  22. omg the details on this project are OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! my jaw dropped!

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Thank you for all your comments and messages, they are all appreciated and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon...
Emma ~xx

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