That's Life: Hey Mickey...

Hello everyone and Happy Monday...

Hope you've all had a good weekend and as we begin the new week, I hope you're ready to get creative with us over on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog. This week, our theme is all things MASCULINE and we can't wait for you to join us and play along.

For my make, and with Father's Day just around the corner, I wanted to celebrate a very special man ~ my Dad and even though he is no longer with me, he is always in my heart. My Dad absolutely loved all things Disney, and since I was a young child I remember how we would sit and watch all the Disney films and remember his face and smiles. So, with this in mind, I thought what could be better than creating a project using Mickey Mouse and I hope you'll join me, to see how I made this piece!

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

ETCETERA PANEL

To begin with I used the smaller size of the Stampers Anonymous Etcetera Panels and I ran a black marker pen around the edge of the panel.

I then cut a piece of Black Heavystock Card, the same size as the panel itself and spritzed the card with a combination of Crooked Broomsticks, Unravelled and Burning Ember Mica Stains. I misted the card stock with water and allowed the stains to blend before heat drying the card and machine stitching a border around the outside.

After adhering the card to the panel, I then cut a piece of paper from Backdrops vol 4, (I chose the paper that has the bookplate design) and cut this slightly smaller than the Etcetera Panel, ensuring the bookplate was placed at the top.

I added some rips and tears around the outside edge of the paper before once again, machine stitching a border around the outside.

To add some more detail to the paper I used the Digits Mini Layering Stencil from Set 48 and applied Walnut Stain Distress Ink through the stencil directly onto the paper.

I then used the Circuit stencil from the same set, and applied Crackle Paste through the stencil onto random areas of my paper. Once this is dry, I mounted the paper onto my covered Etcetera Panel.

Where the book plate is, I cut a separate panel of paper from the Backdrops pack so that it will fit inside the bookplate frame.

I inked up the Stampers Anonymous newsprint stamp by Tim with Black Soot Archival Ink and stamped this directly onto the panel of paper. After inking the edges, I matted the piece inside the frame on the background and added some pieces of Cello Sticker Tape around the edges.

To complete the background, ready for the star of the show, I attached a Ruler piece across the panel. I broke the ends of the ruler piece and then dragged the Walnut Stain Distress Ink across surface to alter the colour. Underneath the ruler, I added a strip of the polka dot Design Tape Trim.

Finally, I stamped the No. 5726 in Black Soot Archival Ink, placing it in the top left hand corner using the stamp from the SA Eccentric Stamp Set.

MICKEY MOUSE

Now to bring this piece to life and we'll start with Mickey.

Mickey is die cut from card using the Spellbinders Classic Mouse Steamboat Willie Die Set, and because I wanted to keep him black and white, as was the original Steamboat Willie, I inked the card with the following Distress Spray Stains:

Black Soot, Hickory Smoke, Antique Linen, Lost Shadow

Once I'd assembled Mickey, which is really easy because all the lines are scored into the die cut pieces for you to follow, I added some white pen detail before setting him to one side to create the frame behind him.

The frame is cut from Black Heavystock card using the die set, Frames and Sentiments and I cut three layers to make one solid piece and layered these to create one solid frame. I then cut a 4th frame from Mixed Media Heavystock card, but this time I placed the "Oh Boy" die into the dies so that it will cut the letters into the circular frame. Run this through the machine.

I then used Antique Bronze, Black Soot and Distress Paints to add the coppery tones to this sentiment frame, applying the paints one at a time to build up the tones I wanted and to create tarnished look to the card. Once I was happy, I attached the frame over the top of the black card layers.

With the frame complete, I added an idea-ology Gauge Dial to the back of the aperture, before attaching Mickey with foam pads onto the frame, and then attaching him to the panel using more foam pads and adding him to the left hand side of the ruler piece.

To the right of Mickey, I added the word "DAD" and used the Classic Mouse Alphabet dies to cut layers of card which I coloured with Lumberjack Plaid Distress Spray Stain.

I adhered the layers to form the letters which should resemble the thickness of chipboard and then mounted the letters onto black card to form a drop shadow behind.

I attached the letters to the panel and added some die cut hearts around them.

SPROCKETS AND GEARS

For my sprockets and gears, I cut a selection from metallic cardstock using the Vault Industrial die set. As with all my pieces on this make, I wanted them to be more substantial, so I cut multiple layers to form each individual piece.

I used the same Distress Paints as I used on the frame to add colour to my metallic gears and at this stage, I also painted some of the idea-ology sprocket gears which I combined with the die cuts.

Once I was happy with the colour and they had a rusty appearance, I arranged the gears on either side of Mickey and placed Screw Heads in the centres of some of the gears.

Finally, I added an Ephemera piece, "'A Token of Love" behind one of the larger die cut gears and placed this amongst the arrangement.

COMPLETING THE PANEL

We're nearly there and all that's left is those finishing details...

I mounted the "In My Heart" Theories Quote Chip onto a piece of cotton fabric and then attached this to the bottom section of the panel. I placed a Screw Head on either side, again rusted with the same colours of Distress Paint.

I also added some more screw heads to the top section of the panel, together with a Hinge Clip and a binder ring.

Finally, I cut some stars using the Frames and Sentiments set and cut these from the same red card as I used for the hearts. Once cut, I placed three stars around the quote at the bottom of the panel.

So that's my make complete and I hope you love this piece as much as I loved making it ~ 'oh boy', it sure was fun.

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....