Smile...

Hi everyone...

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a happy start to the new year! I can't quite believe that it's already two weeks since we were celebrating the big day, it's gone so fast and how are we already in the second week of January?!?! But the 1st Monday of a new month and a new year is finally here  and that means there is a brand new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge starting today and this week our theme is called USE SOMETHING NEW!

We want you to use something that is brand new, or something that is new to you ~ maybe a new technique or a new product you've never tried before and whatever you choose to create, we can't wait to see it and hope you'll join us! The DT are also showcasing SSS products within their projects, which is something you can do if you choose but it's not necessary to do if you want to play along....

For my project, I created a tag using a couple of new products from the You Are Loved release by Simon Says Stamp and hope you love this vintage style, layered project that is all about the love of a beautiful child!

So, let's begin the brand new challenge and here's how I created this project...

 

To begin with I prepped my tag my applying a layer of gesso over the surface and then drying it. I then started to add my paint layers, starting with Antique Linen which I dried using a heat tool, followed by Pumice Stone which I dry brushed over the first paint layer. This technique will only give a hint of colour, not change the colour but it does add some more interest and depth.

I then added some torn pieces of tissue tape to the central area of the tag before taking the first of my 'new' products the SSS All My Heart Stencil and applying Grit Paste, mixed with a little Antique Linen Distress Ink, through the stencil directly onto the background. 

I added a layer of Matte Collage Medium to the surface, dried it thoroughly with a heat tool and then applied Victorian Velvet, Pumice Stone and Vintage Photo Distress Crayons over the top of the tape and paste. Once I was happy, I stamped some script (I used my well loved script stamp from the Entomology stamp set) in Jet Black Archival Ink over random areas of the tag and then using an old credit card, scraped some gesso over the top.

As a final layer of texture on the tag, I used some Crackle Paste which I applied with a palette knife ~ just scraping the paste onto random areas of the background and allowing it to dry and work it's magic. I love the finished result once all the crackling has appeared and it really does give it the perfect finishing touch.

To complete the tag, I splattered some black paint over the top and added the hole reinforcer piece to the top, which I had painted with Ground Espresso Distress Paint.

Now for the layers, and I started with some of the smaller Snippets Ephemera pieces, then layered some Collector Ephemera pieces over the top, mounting one of the pieces onto a piece of burlap to give some more texture and each time I added a new layer, I used foam pads. Each of the ephemera pieces are aged with inks and crayons to give a vintage look to the project and I also added small tears into the edges.

For the next layers, I used the Botanical Layer pieces and attached one of larger pieces to sit underneath a baseboard frame which I adhered with foam pads over the top.

I finally added the Photo Booth image which I mounted onto a piece of linen and placed this in the centre of the frame, surrounding it with more Botanical Layers. You can see how much dimension is in this piece in the photo below and that is all built up with the foam pads that I added between each layer.

To complete this layered section of the tag, I added a Word Key with a knot of ribbon attached to it. To accentuate the wording on the key, I applied some Picket Fence Distress crayon over the top and then wiped away the excess. 

I also placed a button and index clip to the cluster arrangement.

To complete the tag, I wrapped some twine around the bottom section of my tag and then I used the second of my new products and stamped the message in Jet Black Archival Ink from the Love Messages stamp set straight onto a piece of vellum that I then adhered to a small piece of scrap paper using Matte Collage Medium. I love how you can see a muted pattern from the paper showing through the vellum quote. After mounting it onto gold metallic kraft card, I attached it to my tag, placing it directly below the arrangement.

As the finishing touch, I placed some hand dyed ribbon through the hole at the top and three little Melange Diamond Pebbles that I painted with a touch of blue, gold metallic paint and popped these into the top right hand corner....

...and that completes this week's project, which I hope you love and also enjoyed all the techniques of how I build up the layers and texture that bring the piece to life.

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 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 taking the time to stop by today ~ love Emma xxx

Recipe for project:

Simon Says Stamp products: Love Messages, All My Heart
Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous: Entomology

Distress Paint: Antique Linen, Pumice Stone, Ground Espresso

Idea-ology: Collector Ephemera Layers, Snippets Ephemera, Symphony Tissue Tape, Photo Booth Vintage Photos, Botanical Layers, Baseboard Frames, Word Keys
Distress Crayons: Victorian Velvet, Vintage Photo, Pumice Stone

Mediums: Matte Collage Medium, Grit Paste, Jet Black Archival Ink, Gesso, Ranger Ink Crackle Paste

Surfaces: Metallic Kraft Stash, Mini Etcetera Tag
Prima Marketing: Melange Diamond Pebbles, Blue Gold Metallic Paint
Hemptique Twine

Tim Holtz Media Glass Mat

Tim Holtz Guillotine

Heat Gun
Linen, button and ribbon from my own stash