All Her Dreams Would Come True...

Hello friends...

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend and you're ready for a new week and a brand new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge! This week our theme is called DON'T BE FOOLED BE FOILED and because it's the first week of the month, as always the DT are also showcasing a particular brand within their projects and this month, we are using Gina K Designs!

For my project, I chose to create a tag which features one of my favourite photos from the new Found Relatives set by Tim Holtz ~ I just couldn't resist that face, it's so cute and as some of you know, I always love to tell a story with my projects and this one was inspired by that gorgeous little girl and how all her dreams would come true!

It's time to begin and here's how I bought this particular project to life...

To begin with I took a medium sized Etcetera tag and began by covering it with some paper which I took from the Memoranda Paper Stash. I adhered the paper over the surface of the board using Matte Collage Medium and then applied a coat over the top to seal the paper and allowed it to dry.

To create some texture to the background, I used a palette knife and scraped some Crackle Texture Paste over random areas of the tag. Allow to dry before placing the Gina K Foliage Art stencil over the top of the textured paper and applying a layer of Grit Paste with a palette knife. After carefully removing the stencil and letting the paste dry and set, I then took a Collage Stick and gently added some of the adhesive over the surface of the tag, concentrating on the raised areas of the stencilling but also, applying some to the paper.

Whilst the adhesive is still tacky, take a piece of Wild Dandelion  Deco Foil and with the shiny side uppermost, press the foil over the top of the glue and then pull away ~ this leaves with the most gorgeous but very subtle effect of foiling on the surface of the tag.

You can repeat this process as much as you like ~ if you want more, just keep adding and if you want less, then just keep it to a minimum like I have on this project! It's entirely up to you...

To complete the background, I ran the Pumice Stone and Black Soot Distress Crayon around the outside of the tag and then splattered some Gold Foil paint and some Black Soot Distress Paint over the surface.

I also added the hole reinforcer piece which I crackled with some more of the Crackle Paste and coloured with a water brush dipped into some Gathered Twigs Distress Crayon that I applied to my glass mat.

Now, we can move on to building up the scene ~ these little scenes are something I LOVE to do, I enjoy telling stories using bits and pieces from Tim Holtz's idea-ology line and these amazing photos and paper dolls that Tim brings to us, allow me to do this so easily! I also always try to build and create dimension on my projects and this is how I achieved it on this tag...

I started with the photo, adding a colour tint to the image using Distress Marker Pens ~ look at those rosy cheeks, don't you want to pinch them!?!

I then took one of the new Lace Frames and applied the Antique Linen and Gathered Twigs Distress crayon over the top to just take away some of the whiteness of the frame, giving it more of a vintage feel. After inking the edge with Walnut Stain Distress Ink, I then placed the image behind the aperture. The photo doesn't fit the frame exactly but I took a piece of the Layered Ephemera to mask of the area that didn't quite fit and placed this onto foam pads before attaching it to the bottom section of the frame.

To create more support to the back of the photo, I added some chipboard before mounting onto foam pads and placing it over the top of my stencilled area.

You'll also notice that I placed a Keepsake ephemera piece, complete with Remnant Rub postmark, just behind the frame, in the bottom left hand corner.

At this stage, I also placed a 'love' story stick, complete with the love word accentuated with a little Picket Fence Distress Crayon and attached this on the right of frame, together with a 'parcel post' snippet ephemera piece added to the tag.

Moving onto the little shelf that sits along the bottom of the tag ~ I created this using three pieces of the new Etcetera Bracket Trims. I took 2 of the 6", and the widest trims in the set and one of the narrower trims ~ the 6" length of these trims will overlap the ends of the tag, which is what I wanted. I then placed the narrow trim directly over the top of the wider trim, and adhered it into place with Matte Collage Medium before adding the second of the wider trims over the top which then created a nice little shelf for my bits and pieces to sit on. Allow for the medium to dry before the next stage...

For the crackled effect on the shelf, I applied a coat of gesso over the surface, let it dry and then applied some more of the Crackle Paste over the top. Again allow this to dry and do it's thing and once it's crackled, I added some colour using the Gathered Twigs Distress Crayon, applying the colour directly to the surface of the shelf and then spritzing it with a light mist of water, allowing it to blend and sink into the crackles.

I wiped away any excess water from the surface before attaching the bracket shelf to my tag with Collage Medium.

Setting the tag to one side to dry and to ensure the shelf is secured into place, I started to create the embellishments that are arranged on the shelf...

I made a little bundle of envelopes from Snippets Ephemera, which are all tied together with string ~ something I've done in the past on various projects, including Halloween and Christmas pieces and something that I always think works so well on these vintage pieces! To complete this side of the arrangement, I added a pocket watch which I made using a Cameo Watch Frame, a Timepiece and the Clock Hands. I then used Distress Paints, Evergreen Bough and Picket Fence together with a touch of Vintage Gold Gilding Wax to create more of a vintage feel to the metal.

I also added a Glass Corked Vial of Bouquet Findings, complete with moss and twigs and a tiny label attached to the front, placing it next to a little spool of pink cotton with pins.

I also built up some ABC building blocks, using Tim's Alpha Dice....

...and I also added some Bauble Findings, coloured with Sherbet Pink and Mushroom Alcohol Inks.

Finally, I added the Clippings stickers ~ 'in my heart, all her dreams would come true" and placed these in the top left hand corner of the tag...

...and threaded some hand dyed seam binding ribbon through the hole in the top of the tag!

I really hope you've loved the creative process behind this tag and it will inspire you to create a piece of your own ~ maybe using your own precious photo, or add a different image from the Found Relatives set and adding a selection of different idea-ology to your shelf ~ whatever you choose to do, just have fun and enjoy 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 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 and hope to see you again soon, love Emma xxx

Recipe for project:

Gina K Products: Foliage Art, Wild Dandelion Deco Foil
Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous: Bracket Etcetera Trims, Medium Etcetera Tag

Distress Inks: Walnut Stain
Distress Paint: Black Soot, Evergreen Bough, Picket Fence
Distress Crayons: Black Soot, Pumice Stone, Gathered Twigs, Picket Fence
Distress Marker Pens

Idea-ology: Keepsake Ephemera, Lace Frames, Corked Vials, Bouquet Findings, Watch Cameo, Clock Hands, Timepieces, Bauble Findings, Found Relatives, botanical Layers, Snippets, Clippings Stickers, Special Delivery Remnant Rub, Alpha Dice, Memoranda Paper STash
Alcohol Inks: Pink Sherbet, Mushroom

Mediums: Matte Collage Medium, Crackle Texture Paste, Grit Paste, Vintage Gold Alchemy Wax

Tim Holtz Media Glass Mat

Heat Gun
Splatter Brush
Palette Knife
Moss, hand dyed ribbon, collage glue stick and gold paint from my own stash