WELCOME TO MY HOUSE !!

Hello everyone!  This week's Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge is a really broad theme ... anything but a card!

I decided to do something that REALLY isn't a card...not even close!  I built a house!  Actually, I named it  "The House That Tim Built" because of all of the Ideaology and other items that I used to create this vintage cottage. 

I am, of course, referring to THE "Lord Tim of Holtz" 

(as Linda Elbourne - our wonderful Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge Hostess so

affectionately refers to him).

So, here is my house...the "House That Tim Built"

Front View of "The House That Tim Built"

The basic house is about 6" tall.  It is made out of paper mache and was purchased at a large craft and hobby store.  I first covered the body of the house, including the eaves on the upper portion with papers from Tim Holtz' Lost and Found Paper Stash collection.  I sanded all of the edges and inked them with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.  Then I dry brushed a little white paint over a few places on the surface of the house.  Next I used the ruler stickers from Tim's new Crowded Attic Salvage Stickers to create the lower portion of the walls.  I die cut the edges with Tim's Brackets On The Edge die cut and glued them into place.  I love the detail on those stickers!

Next, I painted the roof with a Fired Brick-ish color and inked the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.  I highlighted portions of the roof with Burnt Umber Acrylic Paint to bring out the ridges and valleys.  Then I added Tissue Tape to all of the edges of the roof.  I inked them with Fired Brick and a touch of Vintage Photo.  The chimney was painted with Golden's Yellow Ochre Acrylic Paint and dry brushed with Burnt Umber. Now the house was built!  Time to decorate!

Closeup of Front Door and Window

The front door and window are made out of a 1"x3" Copper Memory Frame and a 1.5"x1.5" Copper Memory Frame.  I selected vintage images from Tim's Lost and Found Paper Stash paper and cut them to fit the frames.  Then I melted Clear UTEE in a Melting Pot, poured it into the frames and let it set up.  It looks like old vintage glass in the window.  The front door is embellished with Foliage Flowers and Leaves and a small keyhole and key from Locket Keys.  The window has gathered Tissue Tape above it that has been inked with Fired Brick.  The Fleur De Lis on top of the window is from Adornments with just a touch of "bling" in the center.  Hanging from the upside down (frame) window is a small Bauble. 

 

Views Of The Sides Of "The House That Tim Built"

The sides of the house also have windows.  I dry embossed a piece of thin copper metal to make a window frame and window box.  I die cut the tops of the window frame and box using the Plaque and Postage die.  The window boxes have more of the foliage flowers and leaves hot glued onto them.  I added Corners to the ridges on the sides of the house and other knobs, numerals and keys from the Ideaology line.

 The Back Side Of "The House That Tim Built"

The back side of the house features an Ornate Plate with one of my favorite sayings, "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes" from Tim's Odds and Ends 100th Collection Stamp Set.  This time, I used Glossy Accents to fill in and seal between the paper and the rim of the Ornate Plate.  I used the largest wings from the new Regal Adornments set behind the Ornate Plate.  On the roof, I heat embossed another one of my favorite sayings "Live the Life You've Imagined" with Black Soot Distress Embossing Powder.  I made a flower out of Tissue Tape inked with Fired Brick and added a bling" button from Fanciful Buttons Accoutrements to the center.  Finally, I selected a beautiful butterfly from Tim's Crowded Attic Salvage Stickers; inked it with Fired Brick, Broken China and Rusty Hinge and attached the body to the roof of my little house.

So that's it!  My vintage cottage dripping with Tim!

Frozen Charlotte was so happy the house was all finished that she decided to take up residence in the chimney!

So now, it's YOUR turn to create ANYTHING BUT A CARD!  Check out the  WONDERFULLY CREATIVE AND UNIQUE ideas that our Design Team has for you at Simon Says Stamp and Show! Then enter the challenge!  You could be the lucky winner of our most generous sponsor's prize of a $50.00 CREDIT VOUCHER to Simon Says Stamp STORE! ... And, you can receive our Elite Top 3 Award for your extraordinary work!  So, come on and play! 

Have a wonderfully creative day and take time to PLAY!