Embrace The Journey...

Hello friends...

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and you're ready for a brand new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge! This week our theme is called Vacation and we can't wait to see how you interpret the challenge because it's going to be a fun theme to play along with.

My project is all about fun in the sun and I created a vintage style panel inspired by one of the new photos from the brand new Tim Holtz's Found Relatives set. I just adored this photo which actually reminded me of one taken of my grandmother ~ she was wearing an almost identical dress to the lady on the left and in the photo taken of her, she was also sharing some good times with her friends ~ the similarities are almost uncanny and I just knew I had to use this for today's project.

So, let's get started and here's how I created my panel all about friendship, good memories and Remembering The Now...

To begin with I started with my background and took a canvas board, 24 x 18cm and added my paint layers, starting with Tumbled Glass Distress Paint. I always heat dry the paint between each layer and after doing this, I added the next colour, a light wash of Antique Linen, followed by Pumice Stone, which I dry brushed across the surface. Once I was happy with the background, I then cut a piece of the Travel Collage Tissue and adhered this with Collage Medium across the centre of my panel. I applied a coat of the Matte Collage Medium over the top to seal it and allowed it to dry thoroughly.

After adding some torn strips of Elementary Tissue Tape to the top and bottom of the strip that I then started to apply Crackle Paste around the edges which will add some nice texture. I allowed for the paste to dry and the crackles to appear before using a water brush and picking up some Hickory Smoke Distress Crayon that I scribbled onto my craft sheet and just applying it over the crackles to accentuate them and allowing the colour to sink into them.

To add even more texture and a final layer, I used Grit Paste that I applied through the Dot Fade Stencil. You can see that I added it to the four corners.

To complete the background, I added a postmark stamp which will eventually sit just behind the photo frame when it's added to the panel...

...and some numbers in the top right hand corner, taken from the Correspondence Stamp Set.

I also adhered a label, complete with No. 5 stamped onto it and a hardware accent attached.

Setting the background to one side, we can move onto the die cutting and started with the shells. I cut these from Heavy Stock Mixed Media card and then embossed them with the Texture Fade. To give the shells some colour, I applied a layer of Tumbled Glass Distress Paint as a base. I then started building up the colours and creating that beautiful look of nacre by using Sparks Alchemy Paints ~ Fairy Wings, Unicorn's Hair and White Pearl. You don't need a lot of these paints, it really is the smallest amount to just accentuate the body of the shell and keeping the Tumbled Glass background colour. Ink the edges with a little Walnut Stain Distress Ink and then using a rounded pencil or similar object, gently ease the shells around the pencil to create a convex shape. I then added some foam pads to the back of the shells, building the foam up in the centre so that it will keep the shape once attached to my project.

For the tropical touch, I used Tim's Tropical die set and cut the flower, stamen and leaves from the Mixed Media Card. To add colour to the flower, I used four die cut layers to create the one flower ~ I used a base of Candied Apple Distress Paint, followed by a touch of Picked Raspberry Distress Paint over the top. Once dry, I then applied a small amount of Unicorn's Hair Sparks Paint to the edges and then layered each petal section, slightly offsetting them as I go to create my 3D flower.

I added the centre of the flower , cut from yellow cards and the stamen, cut from black card before adding a small amount of Glossy Accents to the middle of the flower and sprinkling Black Micro Beads over the top.

To make my photo frame, I layered a Baseboard Frame over the top of a Lace Baseboard Frame and adhered them with Matte Collage Medium. I then took this fabulous photo and to make to add a slightly more vintage feel, I applied some Vintage Collage Medium to the edges. Allow for the medium to dry and then ink the edges with a little Walnut Stain DI. Attach the photo to the black Baseboard Frame.

On this particular project, I didn't want to add colour to the photo, I wanted to keep it a natural sepia tone but I did add a touch of colour to their cheeks, using Picked Raspberry Distress Marker Pen.

I now have all my elements ready to go and just need to build up those layers and create the story....

I attached the framed photo onto the right hand side of the panel.

I then placed the die cut shells, the hibiscus flower and leaves onto the bottom left hand corner of the frame. Here, you can see the dimension that the foam has given to the shells...

To add even more texture to the piece, I added some Art Stones around the shell arrangement ~ the stones are just sprinkled over the top of some Matte Collage Medium that I applied with a palette knife before allowing them to set.

Once the stones are set and the medium is dry, I applied a small amount of the Sparks Alchemy Paint over the surface, just to create a little shimmer and shine.

As a finishing touch, I attached some moss in between, and around the shells and a single pearl, which is a bauble adornment.

To complete the panel, I attached a quote chip ~ Remember The Now and a star adornment.

Added some Nailhead Findings that I have in my stash, altered with a little Evergreen Bough, Picket Fence and Antiqued Bronze Distress Paint....

...and finally added a Hinge Clip, complete with off cut of ribbon, that I clipped to the top of the frame.

Have fun creating your projects and 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:

Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous: Correspondence, Dot Fade Layering Stencil
Tim Holtz/Sizzix: Seashells, Tropical
Distress Oxide Inks: Peeled Paint, Mowed Lawn
Distress Paint: Black Soot, Tumbled Glass, Antique Linen, Pumice Stone, Picket Fence, Picked Raspberry, Candied Apple

Distress Crayons: Pumice Stone, Gathered Twigs, Black Soot
Distress Marker Pens

Idea-ology: Found Relatives, Remnants Design Tape, Hinge Clip, Quote Chips, Star Adornments, Bauble Adornments, Lace Baseboard Frames, Baseboard Frames, Travel Collage Paper, Elementary Design Tape

Mediums: Matte Collage Medium, Black Soot Archival Ink, Grit Paste, Crackle Paste
Surfaces: Distress Watercolor Card, Mixed Media Heavystock Card
Prima Marketing: Hardware Accents, Mini Art Stones, Art Stones, Sparks Alchemy Paint; Fairy Wings, Unicorn's Hair, White Pearl

Tim Holtz Media Glass Mat

Heat Gun
Palette Knife
Moss, Canvas Panel and Tim Holtz Nailhead Findings from my own stash