A KALIDESCOPE OF COLOR

Happy Monday Everybody!  This week's Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge is all about COLOR....A KALEIDOSCOPE OF COLOR!  So, put on your thinking caps and create something with lots and lots of color!  Stop by the Simon Says Stamp and Show blog to see what my amazing Design Teammates have created for you this week.  There are some great ideas, products and techniques for you to check out!

If you're wanting lots of intense color, try Dyan Reaveley's Dylusions Sprays!  They are amazing and so easy to use!  They are what I used on this tag to get such vivid colors.  And this is on a manila tag! Imagine how these colors would pop on a white background!  
I knew that I wanted to use Tim Holtz' Mona's Sketchbook stamp set on this project.  So, I sort of laid out the design in my head and then got to work.

First I cut out a piece of cardstock the size of my stamped Mona image and masked a #8 Manila tag with it.  Then I lightly misted my tag with water and began randomly spraying Vibrant Turquoise, Bubblegum Pink, Pure Sunshine and Fresh Lime.  I gave them a chance to wick and run. Then I dried the sprays and removed the mask.

This is what my tag looked like after the masking and before I lined up my Mona Lisa stamp as best I could and stamped it in place using Jet Black Archival Ink. 

I then used my three shades of green watercolor pencils from my Faber Castell Mixed Mdeia Green Aquarelles to colorize and blend the area behind Mona's head (to soften the manila tag that was exposed).  These watercolor pencils are so easy to use!  I just colored in the area and then used my Tim Holtz Detailer Water Brush to blend out the color.  It's a nice, subtle background that doesn't compete with the more vivid colors of the overall tag.  Next I added some color to Mona's face with Faber Castell's Gelatos.  I used Peach for the fleshy tones in her face and Guava for the blush in her cheeks, lips and a hint of color on her forehead.  Instead of using a water brush on her face, I simply rubbed the color and blended it with my finger.

Next I heat embossed "Creativity Is Allowing Yourself To Make Mistakes.  Art Is Knowing Which Ones To Keep" at the top of my tag.  I used Black Embossing Powder to really make it pop against the colorful background.

Then, I added the beautiful butterfly.  This is a Holly Berry House stamp that I have had for a long time.  To get the vibrant color, I first sprayed another plain manila tag with the same Dylusions spray colors that I did for the tag.  Then I heat embossed the butterfly in black so that the black lines would really stand out. I wanted the body to be more neutral so I used my Pitt Artist Pen Big Brush in Warm Grey from the Faber Castell Mixed Media Sampler to color directly onto the stamp and then I stamped out just the body section.  I then used the Watercolor Pencils and the Pitt Pastel Pencil from the same Neutral Mixed Media Sampler set to colorize and blend the butterfly body.  Again, I added the brown tones directly onto the body and then blended them out using the Detailer Water Brush.  I glued the butterfly in place and the pop dotted the body over the butterfly to give added dimension.

Finally, I added an Ideaology keyhole from the Locket Keys set around the hole in the tag.  I added a piece of black Hug Snug ribbon and a mini safety pin with a couple of little antique gold trinkets attached.  At the right side of Mona's head, I added a couple of Ideaology Sprocket Gears to hide an area of the bare tag that I wanted to "tone down".  I also wired a small antique gold butterfly charm to hang freely from the sprocket.


A Kaleidoscope of Color!!!  That's your theme this week!  I can't wait to see your entries into our challenge.  We always have such wonderful entries!  It's hard to choose the TOP THREE!  You may also be the lucky winner of our generous sponsor's weekly 

Good luck & take time to play ... it's SOUL FOOD!