Designer Spotlight - Simon Says Stamp

Hello Friends

I feel hugely honoured and thrilled to have been asked back by Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge to be in their Designer Spotlight for the month of September!

As many of you know, there is a new challenge every Monday and the challenge theme this week is 'Use A Clear Element'.

After scratching my head for a while I got out my acetate, my new Tim Holtz fireplace die and some glass vials and of course, my mind went straight to Halloween, not that it takes very much for my thoughts to head there!  

I pondered on what Dr Bones' front parlour might look around Halloween time.  I call this Found Relative Dr Bones, he has such a sinister look about him.

I used many Tim Holtz Idea-ology pieces in this creation, all of which are listed at the foot of this post.  I also used Ranger Multi Matte Medium as glue throughout the whole project.

First, I gathered together some of the items I wanted to use in my project.

I covered the whole tag with some of the Tim Holtz worn wallpaper, sanding the edges and then finishing the edges with Black Soot Distress Ink.

Apart from the fireplace, the picture of Dr Bones was important.  I prepared a couple of Tim Holtz's baseboard frames, in the end I just used the black one.  I cut a piece of acetate to size and painted Matte Medium on the back of the acetate to give it an aged feel.  I stamped the cobweb from Tim's new Life of the Party stamp set, using archival ink.  Once dry I assembled the picture and frame.

Next, I prepared the fireplace using Tim's new fireplace die.  After die cutting some black card, I used the 3D Texture Fades Woodgrain embossing folder to add some texture before dry brushing lightly with white gesso.  I built up the fireplace in layers to give it 3D appearance  and then added a mantlepiece to the top so that I could display some items.

For the fire itself, I due cut two pieces from acetate and one piece from Metallic Jewels Kraft cardstock.  I coloured the acetate with Alcohol Inks and then layered all three pieces in the grate of the fireplace.  I think the coloured acetate makes the fire look quite realistic as it gives it some 'movement'.  The swag is part of the fireplace die.

I added an old Idea-ology piece to the top of the frame.  Next I added some gauze to the mantle piece before adding a couple of Idea-ology bottles, a skull, some bones and a thimble decorated with a rolled rose (an early Tim Holtz die).

Here is another close up view of the mantlepiece and also the hearth.

So, we hope you will join in the 'Use A Clear Element' challenge this week at:


One lucky person will be chosen to receive:

The products I used are listed below and available from:

As always, thanks so much for your visit, I hope to see you again soon.

Hugs, Anne xx

Simon Says Products Used:

Tim Holtz Etcetera Small Tag Thickboard

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Halloween Worn Wallpaper
Tim Holtz Sizzix Fireside Thinlits
Tim Holtz Cling Rubber Stamps 2019 Life of the Party
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Skull Fragments
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Boneyard Findings
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Broomsticks
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Pumpkins Pieces
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Metallic Jewels Kraft Cardstock
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Found Relatives
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Thimbles
Tim Holtz Etcetera Bracket Trims
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Baseboard Frames
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Corked Vials
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Tiny Vials Corked Glass Bottles
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Wicked Metal Ornaments
Hero Arts Acetate Sheets 5 x 6
Tim Holtz Distress Ink Black Soot Ranger
Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink Flamingo Ranger
Tim Holtz Distress Paint Picket Fence Ranger
Ranger Multi Matte Medium 4 oz

Simon Says Stamp - Designer Spotlight - Week 2

Hello Friends

I am still pinching myself!  This is week 2 and my second project in the Designer Spotlight at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!  Thank you so much for the lovely comments last week, both here and on Facebook, I really do appreciate it!

The new challenge for this week is 'Sprinkles and Splatters'.

'

 I went all grungy, using products by AALLandCreate, Tim Holtz, Dina Wakley and Ranger.

I gathered up all the products I wanted to use, those products available from Simon Says Stamp are listed further down below, with links.

I love the Tim Holtz Etcetera Tags, they take a lot of product!

After stencilling on the tag with Ranger texture paste I painted the whole tag with Turquoise paint and left it to dry.  I added a coat of Distress Paint over the whole tag and wiped some off straight away with a damp cloth, removing paint until I was happy with the background - a technique I learned from my friend Tracy Evans.  It really highlights the embossing and tones down the turquoise colour somewhat.

The products I used from Simon Says Stamp are listed below.

AALLandCreate #45

AALLandCreate #64 Curiosity

Tim Holtz Etcetera Tag - Mini
Dina Wakley Acrylic Paint - Turquoise
Tim Holtz Distress Paint - Vintage Photo
Ranger Texture Paste
Ranger Embossing Powder - Copper
Ranger Distress Crayons
Ranger Crackle Accents


To create the magnifying glass I used AALLandCreate Stamp #64.  After stamping I fussy cut it and used Ranger Embossing Powder in Copper and then Tim Holtz Distress Embossing Powder in Vintage Photo before touching it up with Distress Markers in Rusty Hinge and Vintage Photo.

The butterfly is from AALLandCreate set #45, I cut it out and painted it with Dina Wakley paint and then overstamped with the script stamp from Set #64.  I used the same stamp to randomly stamp on the tag itself.  I cut some corrugated card, added a couple of layers of patterned paper, stamped the 'look deeper' element from set #64 and added the stamped magnifying glass over.  I added some Crackle Accents to create the 'glass'.

For my 'Sprinkles and Splatters' element I added some tiny beads from my stash (make unknown)  at the bottom and I splattered lots of paint over the whole tag.

I added some rusty wire and crinkle ribbon from my stash to the top of the tag.

When I create these larger tags I do like to add a hanging embellishment so to finish off. I added a vintage magnifying glass which I 'rusted' in the same way as the magnifying glass on the tag itself.

It would be lovely to have you join in this week 

Each week there is a fabulous $50 gift voucher on offer!

All the of the products that I used, which are available from Simon Says Stamp 

are listed above.

Thanks so much for your visit, I hope you will visit the challenge blog to see the wonderful creations that the talented Design Team have made too, you will not be disappointed!

Hugs, Anne xx

Tag Friday at A Vintage Journey

Hello Friends!

When there are five Fridays in a month we share tags over at A Vintage Journey.

At this time of year when most people's thoughts turn to beautiful autumnal colours - mine turn to Halloween!  I was inspired by a beautiful card by Richele Christensen...here.

To create the tag I used a Tim Holtz Etcetera tag (the smallest size - 10" x 5.1/2").  The background was created with Distress Oxide in Spiced Marmalade, Wilted Violet and Iced Spruce.  I used a separate piece of card, placed the inks on my craft mat, spritzed with water and dragged the card through, drying before applying another colour.

I die cut the spider web by Tim Holtz from the new Halloween range and glued this to the top of the tag.  The word 'wicked' was cut from a Tim Holtz orange deco Sheet and mounted, slightly offset onto black cardstock.  The word 'witch' is from Tim's chit chat stickers.  The stars were cut out using the Tim Holtz Witchcraft die.  Once cut, I put them back in, randomly, mixing the colours.

The spider at the top is from Tim's Ideaology range, he is attached by some thin wire, which gives him some movement.

I do love this fabulous witch with her cat, this is from Tim's new Halloween release (Witchcraft), as are the gravestones, gate and fencing (Village Graveyard).  The fence and gate are mounted with a slight bow to give some dimension and I added Tim's Twisted Thorn Edge to the base to give the look of tree roots.

I hope you have the time to go and visit my Teamies over at A Vintage Journey, they have some fabulous, inspiring tags to share with you!

Thanks so much for your visit, I really appreciate it!

Hugs, Anne xx

Simon Says Stamp - Designer Spotlight Week 4

Hello Friends!

This is my last week (sadly) in the

at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!  I would like to say a huge thank you to Simon Says Stamp and especially to Lols and the whole Design Team for making me feel welcome and for leaving me such lovely comments, I really do appreciate it.  It was a huge honour to work alongside such a talented team!!

But now,

and this week the challenge is 'Stencil It'.  For my project I used several Tim Holtz stencils and dies an Etcetera Tag and Tim's wonderful Sealife Stamp set.

I created one of my most favourite themes, an underwater scene.

I took one of the small Tim Holtz Etcetera Tags and painted it with Picket Fence Distress Paint.

I decided to use four Tim Holtz Stencils - Stripes, Dot Fade, Bubble and Splash.

Before using the stencils I used three colours of Distress Oxides, smooshing them on my craft mat and dipping the painted tag into the Oxides, several times, drying between each layer.  There were some white patches and I liked them so I stopped.

Next, I coloured Ranger Texture Paste  with Distress Oxide Re-inkers in Broken China and Cracked Pistachio respectively and applied these to the tag in a random fashion.

To create some 'greenery' I coloured some gauze with Distress Spray Stains in Broken China and Cracked Pistachio.

I stamped all of the images from the Sealife Stamp set and coloured each of these with Distress Oxide Inks and I fussy cut each of the stamped images, before coating each one with Clear Rock Candy Distress Paint.

Time to put the tag together, first I applied the gauze with some Dina Wakley Gel Medium.  I saved a piece of the gauze to put through the top of the tag.

I attached the octopus and seahorses to the tag along with some Tim Holtz Small Talk Stickers 'there is nothing like a dream to create the future'.

I die cut some greenery and wild flowers along with a Sand Dollar and Starfish, from Tim's Sand & Sea die set, colouring them as before and applied them to the tag.  I just love that lobster!

As a final touch I added some clear droplets by Pretty Pink Posh.

Will you be joining in the 'Stencil It' challenge at:

Each week there is a fabulous $50 gift voucher on offer!

All the of the products that I used, which are available from Simon Says Stamp 

are listed below.

Thank you so much for your visit today, I hope to see you again soon.

Hugs, Anne xx

Products Used Available at Simon Says Stamp

Tim Holtz Etcetera Tag - Small

Tim Holtz Splash Stencil

Tim Holtz Stripes Stencil

Tim Holtz Dot Fade Stencil

Tim Holtz Bubble Stencil

Ranger Texture Paste

Dina Wakley Gel Medium

Tim Holtz Distress Paint - Picket Fence

Tim Holtz Sealife Stamp

Tim Holtz/Sizzix Sand & Sea die

Tim Holtz Thinlits Greenery die set

Tim Holtz Thinlits Wildflower die set

Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Reinker Broken China

Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Reinker Cracked Pistachio

Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stain 

Ranger Clear Rock Candy Distress Paint

Tim Holtz Small Talk Stickers

Pretty Pink Posh 4mm clear droplets

Designer Spotlight for June at Simon Says Stamp!

Hello Friends

I have been quite giddy with excitement since I was asked to be in the Designer Spotlight for the month of June at Simon Says Stamp!!  I feel so honoured to be crafting along with such a talented group of designers!  A huge thank you to Simon Says Stamp!

And so, over at Simon Says Monday Challenge -

and the theme this week is Masculine!  The Design Team are showcasing Darkroom Door products this week.  You don't have to use them to join in, but if you do have them, the DT would love to see how you use them!

Mr first project uses one of the Tim Holtz Etcetera tags, along with Darkroom Door stamps.  You can see a list of the products I used at the end of this post.

I have a few step by steps to share with you.

I started with two different stamps from Darkroom Door, these were stamped onto plain manila card stock with Black Archival Ink.

Using the Etcetera tag I gave the tag a coat of gesso to give a nice base to start with.  The Oxide Inks were applied to my craft sheet and I smooshed the tag through, drying between each colour.

I wanted to add a little texture so I mixed some Vintage Photo Distress Oxide with Ranger Texture Paste, it coloured the paste beautifully.

I wanted to highlight the texture paste even more so I went over it all with Distress Crayon in Vintage Photo and rubbed it gently over the stencilled words.

To create the 'frame' around the sentiment, I stamped and cut up the Filmstrip border and added this to the edges of the sentiment.

I just love the Picture Wheel die by Tim Holtz.  I die cut it and coloured it with Distress Oxide and then spritzed it with water to give a mottled effect.  The pictures were cut from some Tim Holtz paper from my stash (apologies, I cannot remember which paper stack this came from).

I gathered all of the elements I wanted to add to my tag, including the glass dome which I placed over the lens of the camera to give it a more realistic look.  I decided to add some of Tim's Idea-ology filmstrip to the finished tag.

Another look at the finished tag.  I thought it still needed a little 'something' so I added a couple of little camera charms from my stash.

I hope you will join in Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge this week, the team has some fabulous inspiration for you - and we all know how difficult it is to do Masculine!

There is always an amazing prize on offer....

The products I used for my project are available from Simon Says Stamp, I have listed the products below that I used.

Thanks again for looking and sharing in my wonderful opportunity to work alongside the fabulous designers from Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!

I hope you will pop back next week to see my second project!

Hugs, Anne xxx

Products Used - Available from Simon Says Stamp

Darkroom Door Capture Life

Darkroom Door Filmstrip 

Tim Holtz Ecetera Small Tag - Thickboard

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Clear Filmstrip

Tim Holtz Sizzix die Picture Wheel 

Tim Holtz Stencil - Traveler

Tim Holtz Paper Dolls - Paperie

Ranger Texture Paste

Ranger Distress Oxide Ink

Ranger Distress Ink

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Crayon - Vintage Photo

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Hinge clip

Stampendous Spoonful of Rust Embossing Powder