Lest We Forget....We Will Remember Them

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new week over on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog! This week our theme is all about THINKING OF YOU and we hope you'll put your thinking caps on and join us because we can't wait to see what you create!

For my project I was inspired by a weekend of remembrance and because today is also Armistice Day, I created a project to commemorate all those who have served our country ~ we will never forget, whatever time of year it is!

So, here we go and let's get started...

To begin with I took a Mini Etcetera Tag which I covered with papers from the Tim Holtz 8" x 8" Etcetera paper stash and cut a panel of a neutral coloured paper from the pad that has some typography on it and adhered it to the surface of my tag. Trim away the excess paper from around the edges.

I then wanted a panel of paper that would sit down the centre of the tag and for this I used the postcards design and cut a panel approx 9cm in width. After adding some machine stitching down either side of the panel, I then adhered it into place using Matte Collage Medium before applying a layer of medium over the top of the covered tag to seal the paper.

To create more of a vintage feel to the papers I applied some Crackle Paste to the edges, just smearing the paste onto the surface with a palette knife and allowing it to dry. Once the crackles had appeared I used Distress Crayons, to add colour and applied Gathered Twigs and Walnut Stain over the top of the crackles before taking a paint brush dipped into water and blending out the colour of the crayon. If you need to 'knock back' any areas of colour, just take a semi dry baby wipe to remove the excess.

To complete the background I added some flicks of Black Soot Distress Paint across the surface and set the tag to one side and then attached the hole reinforcer piece which I painted with a combination of Black Soot and Ground Espresso Distress Pain before looping a piece of rope through the hole.

Now to create the frame and for this I used one of the smaller sized Baseboard Frames from the pack and lightly sanded the edges before inking them with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. I then attached a panel of paper showing the Union Jack that I cut from the ATC sheet that is in the Correspondence Paper Stash. This fits perfectly behind the aperture. I added some more Crackle Paste to the inside of the aperture and once dry, I accentuated the crackle with the same crayons that I had previously used.

For the poppies that sit around the aperture I used the flower heads from the Bouquet Findings. I took about four bunches of flowers and coloured them with Barn Door Distress Spray Stain. Once the flowers were dry, I then snipped away the flower heads from the main stems and inked the edges. I then arranged and attached all my flowers around the aperture, keeping a few back for the ledge.

I created the ledge using Scalloped Etcetera Trims ~ I used three which are all various lengths and widths. After applying a coat of gesso to each trim and letting it dry, I then applied some Crackle Paste and allowed this to do it's magic.

Once it was crackled I then applied some more of the same colour Distress Crayons over the top, using exactly the same technique as I used on the background. Attach the trims to the tag, placing two of the longest length directly onto the tag and then adding the shorter length trim over the top to create a ledge.

I attached the poppy frame above the ledge using foam pads and then attached one of the Baseboard Paper Dolls, lightly colour tinted with Distress Marker Pens. I just thought this darling little boy was perfect for this project and to complete him, I added another of the flowers to appear as if he was holding it in his hand.

To add texture along the ledge, I used some Mummy Cloth, dyed with Brushed Corduroy Distress Spray Stain and attached it all along the length of the ledge. I then added some moss and all but one of the remaining flowers! With the last flower, I snipped away the petals and placed those onto the frame and onto the ledge to appear as though they are falling around him.

I added some dry flowers as a finishing touch...

...and then painted each flower centre with Black Soot Distress Paint.

Now all that's needed to be done is add those details....

...starting with a star adornment, inked with Rust and Gold Mixative Alcohol Ink and attached to the frame, together with an Air Mail ephemera piece.

I placed four 'rusty' Hardware Heads along the bottom of the tag, attaching them to central panel of paper...

...and two Hex Fasteners at the top of the tag.

I adhered the Union Jack Snippets Ephemera piece to the background of the tag....

...and a Remembrance Clippings Sticker to the top of the frame.

The final piece was a Typed Token, 'Brave' which I again inked with Alcohol Inks before attaching to the ledge.

That completes my project for this week and I really hope it's inspired you with some ideas of your own!

Have fun creating your projects and don't forget, if you would like to see 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: Scallop Etcetera Trims, Mini Etcetera Tag

Distress Paint: Black Soot, Ground Espresso
Distress Ink: Walnut Stain

Distress Spray Stain: Barn Door, Brushed Corduroy
Distress Crayons: Walnut Stain, Gathered Twigs
Alcohol Inks: Mushroom, Gold Mixative
Idea-ology: Etcetera Paper Stash, Snippets, Clippings Stickers, Bouquet Findings, Baseboard Frames, Baseboard Paper Dolls, Hex Fasteners, hardware Heads, Star Adornments, Typed Tokens

Mediums: Matte Collage Medium, Crackle Texture Paste
Surfaces: Correspondence Paper Stash
Moss
Tim Holtz Media Glass Mat

Heat Gun
Big Shot
Dried Flowers from my own stash