That's Life: Living In America...

Hello friends...

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and ready for the new week ahead. As always, Monday means that we have a brand new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and this week, our theme is RED, WHITE and BLUE.

Now, the first thing that will spring to mind is July the 4th, and American Independence Day but you don't have to do that because there are so many other ideas and products that will lend themselves to this fun challenge theme and we can't wait to see how you will be inspired by these colours...

I will admit that I always like to create a US themed make at this time of year and 2025 continues that theme because I was inspired to make a vintage style Stampers Anonymous Etcetera panel and I used a combination of Tim Holtz products, including one of the brand new dies from the exciting launch of the Co-Ordinating die sets from Simon Says Stamp.

So, let's get started because it's time to share how I created this Red, White and Blue panel...

For this make, I used the larger sized Etcetera Panel.

I attached Design tape Trim around the edge of the panel...

ETCETERA PANEL

To cover the background, I used a combination of papers from the 12' x 12" Correspondence Paper Pack that recently came back from the vault for a limited time only. Unfortunately, these are now sold out, but if you were one of the lucky ones to get this, then I hope to tempt you to actually use it but if you didn't manage to get any of these pads, then any red, white and blue papers will work for this make.

To begin with I chose a piece of paper with a red pattern and cut two strips, approx 1" wide and after adding machine stitching down the sides, I attached these to either side of my panel, before cutting a larger panel that will fit down the centre. I chose a blue pattern for this panel, and machine stitched a border around the edges.

I then attached the panel with Matte Collage Medium, and added a different Design Tape Trim to run down each side of this larger panel. I then applied a coat of Collage Medium over the surface of the paper to seal it, and once dry, I used Walnut Stain Distress Crayon, running it around the edges, and blending out the colour with my finger tip.

In each of the four corners of the panel, I adhered some Screw Heads directly to the side strips, and painted these with Uncharted Mariner Distress Paint.

Now to make those stripes and this is where I used one of the brand new co-ordinating die sets that work in conjunction with the Stampers Anonymous stamp sets. I chose to use Ornate Trims and began by stamping four different designs of trims.

I stamped these in Barn Door Archival ink, and made sure that I would have enough to attach to my panel.

After inking the edges with Frayed Burlap Distress Ink, I then began layering them onto my background, attaching each trim with Matte Collage Medium to form the three sets of stripes that sit across the bottom section of my panel.

You will also notice that I attached a second trim over the top of the first trim to form a different pattern.

With my trims in place, I moved onto adding some Etcetera Scalloped Edge Decorative Trims. For this I used the Scalloped Edge Trim, and using the matching Sizzix Decorative trim Die, I cut some of the same patterned paper and covered two trims.

I then attached two of my stamped and die cut ornate trims over the top. I sealed each piece with Matte collage Medium, and then attached them to my panel, adhering one across the top, and the second one as the fourth stripe on the bottom section. To age the paper, I used Walnut Stain Distress crayon, before I used the Splatter Brush to add speckles of Black soot Distress Paint across the surface.

Once the paint was dry, to complete the panel, I added some Metallic Droplets in between the joins of the Ornate Trims, adding these to just two rows, one at the top and one at the bottom.

We're now ready to move onto the embellishments....

PAPER DOLL PORTRAIT

For this project, I used the image of the elegant gentleman and colour tinted it with Distress Crayons. Once I was happy with the colouring, I attached the photo to my panel using foam pads to add some dimension to the piece and placed some Mummy Cloth around the base of the paper doll.

Just above his head, in the top right hand corner, I added a "Via Air Mail" ephemera piece ~ so sorry, but I don't know which set this from, as a couple of packs of mine fell out of my cupboard, and the ephemera went everywhere and they all got a little bit jumbled up! 😬

To complete my gentleman, I added a monocle. This is actually a very old idea-ology fastening that I have in my stash and it worked perfectly for using as a monocle, which I attached with a dab of collage medium.

STARS

For these stars, I used the 3D star that is included in the Sizzix Vault Rosette Die Thinlits Set by Tim Holtz. I cut three stars from Mixed Media Heavystock, and then folded them along the scoreline to create the stars.

To colour my stars, I used Distress Spray Stains and Distress Spritzes in the following colours:

WHITE: Antique Linen

RED: Lumberjack Plaid

BLUE: Uncharted Mariner

When the card is dry, I created the 3D stars and spritzed a little Antique Linen Distress Spritz over the top. Using a heat tool, I dried the stars, before I attached them to my panel, placing them around the Paper Doll Portrait.

In between the larger stars, I added some smaller die cuts. These stars are cut from silver metallic Kraft card using the Falling Stars die set. I sanded the surface of each star, inked them with Walnut Stain Distress Ink and then attached them to my panel with collage medium.

FLOURISHES

Across the Etcetera Trim that is beneath the gentleman, I added some idea-ology metal pieces. I used three pieces taken from the Flourishes, Ornate Adornments and Foliage Adornments packs.

To add a touch of vintage to each piece, I used Statue and Sterling Foundry Wax on each of these pieces, applying one layer of wax at a time and then adding the second layer over the top, but not giving the metal a complete coverage. This will allow the layer of wax underneath to show through and create the variation of colour to the metal.

After I'd heat set the wax on all the pieces, I applied some dribbles of Mushroom alcohol ink over the metal to add more of a vintage feel to the pieces. I then rubbed some Black Soot and Crackling Campfire Distress paint over the surface, making sure it settled into all the recesses and the detail, before wiping away the excess paint and polishing the metal with a soft cloth to bring back the shine from the waxes.

I attached each piece along the trim, using collage medium and after sanding the edges, and inking with Walnut Stain Distress Ink, I attached the "Be Brave" Theories Quote Chip over the top.

On either side of the chip, I placed two of the smallest sized Screwheads, painted with Uncharted Mariner Distress Paint.

We're nearly there and all that's left are the finishing touches....

FINAL DETAILS

I applied a Labeled Remnant Rub number in the top left hand corner.

I added a Star Adornment on the right hand side of the panel, just underneath the paper doll portrait, and I painted this with Lumberjack Plaid Distress Paint...

...and then clipped a large Hinge Clip to the left hand side. I painted the clip with a combination of the Lumberjack Plaid Distress Paint, Antiqued Bronze and Black Soot. I then hung a no. 4 from a Hook Clasp, which I then clipped onto the hinge clip.

And that is my project for this week complete and I hope you've enjoyed the tutorial and love the piece I've created. It's definitely been a fun piece to make and I hope I've done my friends in the US proud with this panel.

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....