Hello friends!
Today we have a brand new challenge starting over on the
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog and this week love is in the air because our theme is called ALL LOVED UP and we hope you'll join us and play along!
When I started thinking about my project, my first thoughts were to create a soft romantic piece but after one night of channel flicking, I happened to stumble across the movie Interview With A Vampire which was showing on TV and I just had a lightbulb moment as my thoughts turned to something completely different, an alternative Valentine's project using the cutest vampire I could think of ~ it was love at first bite!
So, let's get started because our new challenge is about to begin!
I wanted to create a gothic feel to this piece but still have a certain sense of 'romance' about it ~ so, I started with the background created using the Bouquet Thinlits die and a small sized Etcetera Tag.
I gessoed the tag to prime the surface for the layers that I would be adding to it and once that was dry, I then painted it with a combination of Ground Espresso and Black Soot Distress Paint.
After heat drying the surface, I wanted to add some more texture and for this I used the Bouquet Thinlits Die and die cut three panels from Mixed Media Heavystock Card. I adhered the panels of die cut card over the entire surface of the painted tag using Matte Collage Medium.
Once it was thoroughly dry, I dry brushed the tag with Picket Fence Distress Paint and taking a damp kitchen towel or baby wipe, I wiped away the excess paint, to reveal the darker background underneath but allowing the white to accentuate the recessed die cut areas. Once I'd dried the surface, I started to add more paint layers, using the dry brushing technique ~ dipping the brush into Ground Espresso paint, removing the excess and just dragging the brush across the surface of the tag. Heat dry between each layer of paint, and then added Antiqued Bronze and Black Soot Distress Paint using the same technique.
Once I was happy with the colour and the surface was dry, I used Alchemy Wax, Vintage Gold and Old Bronze to accentuate the raised areas. I then attached the hole reinforcer piece which I painted with Candied Apple and Black Soot Distress Paint.
Now, it's time to bring this vampire's story to life and after stamping and watercoloring the image from the Monster Reunion Stamp Set, I fussy cut around the outline and mounted him onto foam to add some dimension.
Setting him to one side, I moved onto the frames and again wanted a vintage gothic feel to these ~ so, I took one the largest Vignette Frame which I painted with PaperArtsy Old Gold Metallic paint and then added some Crackle Paste around the edges of the frame. Once the paste was dry and done it's thing, I applied some watered down gold paint over the top of the crackles, dried the paint and then ran the Walnut Stain Distress Crayon over the top.
For the next layer, I took two of the Baseboard Frames and layered these over the top of one another, sandwiching a piece of inked card between the layers. I'd already got this piece of card in my stash ~ Mixed Media Heavystock inked with Old Paper and Frayed Burlap Distress Inks and stamped with a calligraphy stamp before being splattered with Black Soot Distress Paint.
I lightly sanded the edges of the frames and then once again, I added some Crackle Paste which I dried and then coloured with the Walnut Stain Distress Crayon.
Layer the frames over the top of one another and then adhere them onto the tag using Matte Collage Medium.
For the ledge that sits directly below the frame, I used a combination of the Web Trims, which I painted gold and the Pinked Etcetera Trims and attached them to form a ledge. I then applied some Crackle Paste to the Pinked Trims only, allowed it to crackle and then ran the Walnut Stain Crayon over the top. Using a water brush to blend the colour into the crackles. Attach the frame with Matte Collage Medium and place underneath the frame.
I attached my little stamped vampire and placed him on a bed of moss and Mummy Cloth. I also added some Toadstools and the Private Collection label sitting in the top left hand corner, both of which are from the Field Notes Snippets set, shipping soon!
Now every leading man needs a few hearts to woo his partner and this is no exception ~ so, after colouring a piece of card with Candied Apple and Black Soot Distress Paints, I used the Falling Hearts die to die cut a selection of hearts which I then attached to cascade and flutter across the frame section using Matte Collage Medium.
I also added one of the smaller hearts to the lapel of my Vampire's robe.
For some more humour, I attached a flying bat which I cut from black card.
To create the plaque that sits beneath the frame, I used the Tiny Type Upper Thinlits die to die cut my "Love At First Bite" quote from the copper coloured card in the Metallic Kraft Stash 2. I then attached each letter onto a banner strip of silver metallic kraft stash. To knock back the brightness of the metallic finish and have it more in keeping with the gothic feel, I ran Black Soot Distress Paint over the top, wiping away the excess with a dry towel. Mount the plaque onto foam pads and attach to the tag, placing a Hardware Head on either side.
As a finishing touch and to add a little bit of humour, I found a label from the Halloween snippets, "Warning, May Be Habit Forming" and attached this beneath the plaque.
Finally, I added some Prima Marketing Hardware Accents to either side of the frames on the tag....
...and coloured some crinkle ribbon using Barn Door, Aged Mahogany and Frayed Burlap Spray Stain before cutting it into strips and threading it through the hole in the tag...
...and that completes my project for this week, something for those who aren't into the hearts and flowers side of Valentine's Day and would love to send something a little bit different to their loved one! Hope you enjoyed the creative process and it's inspired you with some ideas of your own ~ as always, if you do make anything ~ please just tag me on social media or here in the comments and I'll pop by to take a look!
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 and you can join in up to 5 times, which means you could have 5 chances to win. 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:
Heat Gun
Big Shot
Halloween Ephemera Snippets and Crinkle Ribbon from my own stash
Outstanding work! Thank you also for the past year of crafts! I am so looking forward to what goodness you share in 2020! !
ReplyDeleteIncredible detail! You do the “goth love” theme very well!
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