Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Sunray Card using AALL & Create's Voltage Stars Die

 A quick glance at the calendar reveals we are quickly wrapping up February!  Where did this month go?  We've arrived at the start of a new week again and with it comes a new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge theme.  This time, it's "Whatever the Weather."  That seems appropriate as my neck of the woods received a good few inches of snow a couple of days ago.  I decided to make a card with a sunshine theme using AALL & Create's Voltage Stars die.

I started by painting and scribbling around on a piece of paper using watercolors, acrylic paint, alcohol ink, Distress Watercolor Pencils and Dina Wakley's Scribble Sticks.

I used this paper and the AALL and Create Voltage Stars die to cut out a unique tattered sun ray type of shape.  The bonus is that you can use either the positive image (what you cut out) or the negative image (what's leftover from the shape you cut out).  For my card, I ended up using the lower set of shapes, which were the negative shapes left after I cut out the block of sun rays.

I needed a background for my card, so I used kraft cardstock and another die from AALL & Create called Retro Numbers that has a filmstrip type of edge.  Then I painted it with white and yellow acrylic paint and added some more scribbles.

I trimmed down my sun shape and glued it to the background.  To make the rays stand out better, I outlined them with a black pen.  I also did some black squiggles around the ball of the sun.

I decided I wanted to make the center of the sun stand out from its rays a little more, so I covered it with graph paper, white paint, and some ledger scraps.

I wanted the color on the rays to be even brighter, so I painted over some the darker parts with white paint, then added bright pink and yellow, which always creates a bright orange color.  I added a Tim Holtz "light" sticker (which I created by cutting the "de" off the word "delight"), circled it, and this card was done.

Here are the supplies I used that you can find at Simon Says Stamp:

• AALL & Create: Voltage Stars Die
• AALL & Create: Retro Numbers Die
• Alcohol Ink: Atomic
• Dina Wakley Paint
• Distress Watercolor Pencils: Set 4 and Set 6
• Dina Wakley Round Brushes
• Kraft Cardstock
• Tim Holtz Chitchat Stickers
• Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks 5
• Watercolors

We're looking forward to what weather-inspired creations you upload to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog!  When you submit a project, you have a chance to earn a $25 voucher to the Simon Says Stamp Store!

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Color Wheel Card using Tim Holtz's Picture Show Vault Die Set

 Hello and welcome to another Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!  This week's theme is "things with wheels."  I decided to utilize the picture wheel die from Tim Holtz to make a color-wheel inspired card.

I started by cutting the wheel shape, stamping some text on the wheel (thanks to Seth Apter's ESA34 stamp set), and coloring the squares from the picture wheel.

Next I used watercolor paint to color the wheel itself.

I cut a tag shape out of Distress Kraft Heavystock and attached the wheel to the folded-in-half tag using a mini brad.  Then I found some scraps from former projects: an oval of embossed white marks on brown paper, some dots stenciled on deli paper and some scribbly collage paper.  I added white paint to the wheel to tone it down a bit.

While the white paint was drying, I amped up the color on my little squares with some paint, then used Tim Holtz's Tiny Attacher to staple them to some tabs I punched.

I glued the tabs around my color wheel.

I added some other scraps to create layers and finished the front of the card off with a "Start" label sticker.  I like the word and the concept of starting; doing something -- anything --  creatively despite doubts and excuses.

Here are the supplies I used that you can find at Simon Says Stamp:

• Tim Holtz Picture Show Vault Die Set
• Strathmore Mixed Media Paper: White and Black
• Seth Apter ESA34 Stamp Set
• Watercolors
• Kraft Heavystock
• Tim Holtz Mini Brads
• Simon Says Stamp Luggage Tags Die Set
• EK Success Large Tab Punch
• Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher
• Tim Holtz Label Stickers, Thoughts
• Ranger Jet Black Archival Ink

Submit your wheel projects to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog.  You could win a $25 voucher to the Simon Says Stamp store!

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Capture Magic Tag using a Teabag Background

Another new week means another new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!  This week we are getting messy with "spritz and splatter" as our theme.  I made a tag that I used plenty of water on and includes a colored teabag in the background.

I started by cutting my tag using a Simon Says Stamp die and Strathmore Mixed Media paper.  Next I sprinkled some Infusions color stain onto a tea bag and spritzed it with water.  I also splattered on some Dina Wakley Media Gloss Spray in white.

While that was drying, I inked up a Tim Holtz stamp (from his Remnants set) with Distress Ink and spritzed it with water, then I stamped the tag with the watery ink.  I added more Infusions and spritzed it with more water.

Next I opened up the tea bag, spread it out, and glued it to the tag.  I added some blue watercolor and some green/yellow paint.  This caused me to seriously doubt my color palette choices!  This tag was two seconds from being tossed in the trash.

I decided to give it one more try and did some doodling on the tag with a white Posca paint pen.  Then I made a circle collage piece (with AALL & Create washi tape, Dina's ledger paper and Scribble Sticks) that I planned to glue on top of the tag.

I needed something else to lighten it up, so I stamped some stars (from Tim Holtz's Seasonal Scribbles set) on a piece of paper that I'd painted a light teal.

I assembled everything together, added a bit more paint, and glued on the words "capture magic" from Tim Holtz's Chit Chat sticker set.  I distressed the words a bit and added a little white paint around the tag's edges to finish it off.

Here are the supplies I used that you can find at Simon Says Stamp:

• Infusions Color Stain: Royal Blood and Violet Storms
• Dina Wakley Media Gloss Spray: White
• Simon Says Stamp Luggage Tags Dies
• Strathmore Mixed Media Paper
• Tim Holtz Remnants Stamp Set
• Distress Ink: Festive Berries and Picked Raspberry
• Watercolors
• White Posca Pen
• Dina Wakley Ledger Paper
• AALL & Create Mix and Match Washi Tape
• Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks 2
• Dina Wakley Paint
• Tim Holtz Chit Chat Stickers
• Tim Holtz Seasonal Scribbles Stamp Set

We're excited to see your spritzed and splattered projects!  Upload them to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog for your chance to win a $25 voucher to the Simon Says Stamp Store.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Tag Card using AALL & Creates Hexalove and Heart Marks the Spot Die Sets

Welcome to another Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!  The theme this week is to add some texture.  We're also highlighting products from one of my favorite companies: AALL & Create.  I ended up making a tag card with lots of layers, some cardboard, and some paper charms on a string.

I started by cutting out some shapes.  All of these wonderful whimsical shapes came from AALL & Create's dies.

I did some painting and stenciling on the tag and also painted the rings.  I wasn't sure which ones I'd be using on my final project, but spoiler alert!  I didn't end up using the white or black rings.

I folded my tag in half to form a card, decided which rings I'd use, and dug up some cardboard scraps to add another textural element.

I assembled everything onto my card and decided to add one more textural component.  I made some "paper charms" by cutting more shapes from my AALL & Create dies and painting them (front and back).

I cut a piece of yarn and strung these paper charms onto it, just like beads on a necklace.

I added the string to the side of my card and stamped a sentiment for the front from Tim Holtz.

My tag that turned into a folded card was done!  Here are the supplies I used that you can find at Simon Says Stamp:

• AALL & Create Hexalove (Tag)
• AALL & Create Heart Marks the Spot (Rings and paper charms)
• Dina Wakley Paint
• Tim Holtz Dotted Stencil
• White Posca Pen
• Ranger Jet Black Archival Ink
• Tim Holtz THMM113 Stamp Set

Upload your textural projects to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge for your chance to win a $25 voucher to the Simon Says Stamp store!

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Sardine Card using Hero Arts' Big Mouth Sardine Tin Die Set

"Have a heart" is this week's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge theme.  What says love better than sardines?  I thought the new Hero Arts sardine-themed die and stamp sets were adorable, so I made a card with them:

I cut out all the parts I wanted to use and painted the fish with watercolors and acrylic paint.  I stamped the other elements and fussy-cut them out.  I didn't realize there were dies for all the stamped elements until I'd already ordered my stamp set!  That wouldn't been a thousand times easier, so the stamp and die set is what I'll list in the supply section if you're interested in this set.  For the tin, I used silver foil cardstock.

For the label on the tin, I made some subtle painty dots in the background.

All that was left was to assemble!

Here are the supplies I used that you can find at Simon Says Stamp:

• Hero Arts Big Mouth Sardine Tin Die Set
• Hero Arts Partners in Brine Stamp and Die Set
• Watercolors
• Dina Wakley Paint
• Silver Foil Cardstock
• Archival Ink: Ranger Jet Black Archival, Barn Door
• Dina Wakley Dotted Taps Stencil

Upload your heart-themed projects to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog for your chance to win a $25 voucher to the Simon Says Stamp store!