That's Life: Don't Stop Believing...

Hello friends...

It's time for the brand new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge to begin and this week we are encouraging you to get out your paints, or pencils and do some water-colouring with our fun challenge theme. So whether you choose to create your own piece of artwork or use a stamp and watercolour between the lines, then we hope you'll join us and play along.

For my make, I created some mini motivational pocket cards that are packed full of encouragement and positivity. I think everybody has 'one of those moments' when they need some encouragement and I thought these would be perfect to send out to those that are struggling right now, just to say hello and let them know I'm thinking of them.

I made two sets to begin with and on each of these pieces, I used the Stampers Anonymous Floral Trim stamp set by Tim Holtz and watercolored the backgrounds with Distress Inks and Distress Watercolour Pencils.

So let's get started and here's how I created this set....

MAKING THE BASE ENVELOPES

I began by die cutting my two pocket envelopes from Mixed Media Heavystock card, using the Sizzix Collector Die Set by Tim.

I spritzed each envelope with a combination of Speckled Egg, Old Paper and Frayed Burlap and once dry, I inked along every edge with Walnut Stain Distress Ink, before folding along the scorelines to assemble the envelope. I adhered the joins with red line double sided tape.

On the envelope flap, I machine stitched a line across the flap, then added a stamped decorative trim using one of the border stamps from the Ornate Trims stamp set. To complete the envelope I punched a hole using my Crop-A-Dile before adding and securing the eyelet into position and threading some twine through. The twine is cut long enough to act as a wrap around the envelope to keep it closed.

The envelopes are now ready to decorate.

WATERCOLOURED PANELS

For the watercolored panels, I chose to use a very loose style of watercolouring, not too precise, just going with the sketchy look of the stamps themselves. I began by cutting two pieces of watercolour cardstock, slightly larger than the stamp I was using from the Floral Trim set and after stamping the whole of the stamp outline onto my panels using Black Soot Archival Ink, I coloured the image using the following colours by 'squidging' Distress Inks onto my glass mat. I used a waterbrush to apply Broken China for the flowers, and Mustard Seed for their centres and for the leaves, Bundled Sage, Mowed Lawn and Rustic Wilderness.

I always heat dry the colour between applications and once I was happy with the blends, I took my Distress Pencils to add shading. I used Villainous Potion, Black Soot, Salty Ocean and Faded Jeans to add the depth and shading I needed, all applied by touching the nib of the pencil with my waterbrush and laying down each individual colour.

I dried each of the panels thoroughly before adding the shading to the background. For this I used Old Paper and Frayed Burlap Distress Ink, again smooshed onto my craft mat and picking up the ink with a waterbrush to apply direct to paper, filling in all those little areas between the petals and leaves. After flicking some of the darker distress ink across my panels, I dried both panels.

With my Floral Trim coloured, I took one of the panels and cut the image down to make two mats that are slightly smaller than the envelopes from one panel.

We're now ready to bring each set to life....

SET 1

Taking one cut panel and one assembled die cut envelope, I machine stitched a border around the panel and then added some more details, including stamping the word 'Perfection" from the Eccentric stamp set in the bottom left hand corner and added a remnant rub in the top left hand corner.

I mounted the finished panel onto the front to complete the envelope, ready for the card to be placed inside.

Moving onto the next stage, and this is where we use the second stamped image and cut this panel into two pieces using the Mini Card die, with the rounded edges, from the Collector Set.

Once again, I machine stitched a border around the outside and then added some detail to the card including the number 3 Snippet Ephemera piece in the top left hand corner.

Along the bottom of the mini card, I applied a piece of Photographic Collage Paper that I had on my desk after I tore it away from the roll and never used it. I adhered this into place using Matte Collage Medium. Finally, I stamped the Hello Friend sentiment beneath that, which is from the Tiny Text stamp set.

On each card I used a Mini Paper Doll. This set features the group of girls, and I used a waterbrush to watercolour the image with Distress Crayons before adding white pen highlights.

I adhered the girls directly onto the panel with Matte Collage Medium.

I finished the panel by mounting it onto some of Tim's kraft card from the Cool Set and added a Tiny Clip that I clipped to the top edge.

QUOTE CARD

The final card for this motivational card set is the encouragement sentiment and I began by cutting a base of watercolour card, using the Label die from the Collector Die Set.

Using the Note Quotes stamp set by Tim Holtz, I began by stamping the circle in the centre of the label using Black Soot Archival Ink.

I then created a mask by stamping the circle again but this time on a post it note. I cut around the outline of the stamped image, laid it over the top of the image on the card, then inked up my Floral Trim and stamped over the top of the card panel.

Once I removed the mask, I stamped my 'shine bright' quote inside the circle using Prize Ribbon Archival ink and then watercoloured the image and the background using the same colours and same technique as I used for the envelope and the mini card.

After I machine stitched a border around the outside, I also machine stitched around the stamped circle outline before I mounted the artwork onto a piece of cool kraft stock card.

SET 2

The second set is created exactly the same as the first...

...the only differences are that this time, I stamped a second Decorative Trim along the bottom of the panel attached to the envelope which I then embossed with gold embossing powder.

...and in the bottom left hand corner of this envelope, I added a number which is from the Eccentric Stamp Set.

The mini card features another mini paper doll and she is standing on a Handle With Care label from the Eccentric set, and this was stamped in Fired Brick Archival Ink.

On this mini card, I added the tab at the top. This was cut from Mixed Media Heavystock card, inked with Walnut Stain and Old Paper Distress Ink and has the word "Believe" stamped onto it. I then stitched the tab into position.

I attached a label to the left hand side of the card, complete with a number that I applied using a Remnant Rub.

The card is mounted onto some more of the Cool Kraft Stock, cut slightly larger than the card itself.

Finally, I made the second motivational card but this time stamped the quote in Rustic Wilderness Archival Ink, before I looped and attached a piece of velvet ribbon to the top of the card.

So that's my project for this week completed and I hope you feel inspired by this set of motivational cards and the techniques I've used to make them. They are so much fun to make and now ready to send out to all those friends who need a little boost in their lives.

...and before I go, I just wanted to leave you with a message for the week ahead!

As always, if you make anything, or if you've been inspired by anything that you've seen here on my blog ~ then please, let me know by tagging me on social media or leaving a comment here and I will be right over to take a look!

Don't forget that every week, one lucky random participant has the chance to win a $25 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 next Monday at 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in and good luck....