That's Life: Love Letters...

Hello and Happy Monday everyone...

This week's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge is all about SPRITZ AND SPLATTER and whether you use spritzes and sprays to make a background, or choose stamps and stencils, we hope you'll join us and play along.

For my make, I created a fun and slightly alternative Valentine piece and used Distress Spray Stains and Oxide Sprays to create a spritzed background, with some added splatters along the way. As you'll probably have noticed by now, the star of my project is The Count and I'm going to show you how he isn't just for Halloween, because even The Count can use his 'Love-O-Meter" to check if he thinks that love could be in the air....

So, let's get started, it's time to create....

ETCETERA PANEL

For this make, I used the smaller of the two sizes from the Stampers Anonymous Rectangular Etcetera Panel pack and I covered the edges with some older Tim Holtz Design Tape that I still have in my stash.

I then moved onto the background and for this I cut a panel of Mixed Media Heavystock card slightly smaller than the Etcetera Panel and spritzed it with a light misting of water. I then used the following colours of sprays to make the background:

DISTRESS SPRAY STAINS: Vintage Photo, Rusty Hinge, Crackling Campfire, Ground Espresso

DISTRESS OXIDE SPRAYS: Speckled Egg

Once the cardstock is thoroughly dry, I then used the alpha stamp from The Inspector Stamp Set and stamped this with Versamark Clear Embossing Ink, four separate times so that I covered the entire background. After sprinkling Gold Embossing Powder over the inked areas, I heated the powder until molten.

Once I'd inked the edges with Walnut Stain Distress ink, I machine stitched a border around the outside and then adhered the card panel to my Etcetera Panel.

ETCETERA FACADE AND TRIMS

For the next layer, I used an Etcetera Facade and painted this with Scorched Timber Distress Paint. Once it was dry, I then used the Shattered Stamp inked with clear embossing ink, and stamped the design onto the facade before applying gold embossing powder and heat embossing the powder until molten.

I then attached the risers that are in the pack to the back of the facade and placed the facade onto my panel, slightly overlapping the top edge.

On the top section of the facade, I added a bat. This was die cut from metallic kraft stash using the bat die from The Count die set and I created dimension to the die cut by cutting it several times and layering the pieces over the top of one another.

I then adhered it into position and added the no.14 in Roman Numerals using more gold cardstock and cutting the numbers with the Tiny Type Alphanumeric Die set by Tim and Sizzix. I always add self adhesive sheets to the back of my card when I’m die cutting small or intricate pieces…

Underneath the facade, I added a Web Trim and Scalloped Etcetera Trim. Once again, I painted these with Scorched Timber Distress Paint and once they were dry, I layered the Scalloped Trim over the top of the Web Trim, before attaching them to my panel, placing them just below the facade.

To create the "Love At First Bite" quote, I used the Tiny Type Alphanumeric Die Set again, and cut the letters using more of the gold metallic Kraft stash. I then adhered each letter to the scalloped trim.

To complete the trim, I added some Hardware Heads and painted these with Black Soot, Crackling Campfire and Antique Bronze Distress Paint.

THE COUNT

We're now ready to create the count using the die set from Sizzix/Tim Holtz.

Ink colours and cardstock used:

FACE: Distress Watercolour Card, inked with Antique Linen Distress Ink and edged with Frayed Burlap. I also used Polychromos Pencils for added highlights and shadows

WAISTCOAT and CAPE LINING: Distress Watercolour Card, inked with Lumberjack Plaid Distress Ink

SUIT and CAPE: Black Kraft cardstock from the NeutralsKraft Stock Stack

EYE and SHIRT: White Heavystock Card

Once I had all my card layers die cut and coloured, I started layering each piece and building the character to create The Count.

"LOVE-O-METER" and LOVE NOTE

Next to The Count, I added the love-o-meter and used the stamp and co-ordinating die from The Inspector bundle to stamp the gauge image from this set. I began by stamping the first image in black ink (this will form the outer rim of this piece) and then applied Rusty Hinge Distress Glaze Embossing Powder over the top. Die cut this section with both of the circular dies to form a frame. Now die cut the smaller dials from the central piece that you've cut, again using the co-ordinating dies from the set.

Now stamp the image a second time, and die cut this section with the smaller circular die. I then cut a plain piece of card using the larger circle die in this set, and attached both of the stamped pieces to this die cut to form my gauge. Attach the smaller die cut dials using foam pads.

I coloured my gauge using Polychoromos Pencils and Antique Linen Distress Spray.

On the end of one of the hands, I placed a small die cut heart that I have in my offcuts box.

LOVE LETTER

The love letter is cut from Mixed Media Heavystock card inked with Distress Inks, using the Love Notes Sidekicks die set. I folded the die cut along the scoreline to form the envelope and inked the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink before stamping the xoxoxo onto the top edge using a stamp from the Love Notes Stamp set. If you don't have this set, then you can write this instead.

BUILDING THE SCENE

With all my pieces ready, I built the scene and began by attaching the gauge, followed by the Count who I placed next to him.

All my pieces are attached with foam pads to add dimension.

I attached the Love Notes envelope to the bottom left of the ledge and then added moss to create texture.

To complete the project, I stamped the hearts using the heart from The Inspector stamp set. I stamped this in Fired Brick Archival Ink and then die cut the image with the co-ordinating SSS die set.

Place four of the stamped hearts around The Count using foam pads, and a fifth heart on the centre of the envelope to complete this make....

So, that's my project made and I hope you love this fun piece. It's definitely a piece that can be made for that person you love who isn't all about pink hearts and red roses!!

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....