LET'S CELEBRATE!!

It's Monday and do I hear some singing in the background? Why yes!  I think I do!  

It sounds like "Happy Birthday."  

It's Simon Says Stamp and Show's third birthday!  And a new announcement ... Simon Says Stamp and Show is combining all of it's challenges onto one blog site.  So now, we will be known as  Simon Says Stamp and Show, the Monday Challenge.  So, when you're checking out Simon Says Stamp and Show, be sure your link looks like this:

http://simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/ 

 I also have a blinkie on my side bar that can whisk you there.

Now...back to the challenge theme.  This week's them is all about CELEBRATING ... particularly birthdays! 

In honor of Simon Says Stamp and Show's 3rd birthday, I thought it would be fun to create a birthday card with really bright, fun colors and enhance them with Perfect Pearls Powders to give them that extra shimmer and shine. 

I began this card with two 6" x 12" pieces of Manila Cardstock.  I scored them in the middle using my Martha Stewart Score Pad.

I stamped three birthday balloons from Tim Holtz' Birthday Blueprints stamp set onto Specialty Stamping Paper with Jet Black Archival.  I colored them with various colors from my Derwent Inktense watercolor pencils and then blended with using my Tim Holtz Detailer Water Brush.  The Inktense watercolor pencils are wonderful because when wet, they will blend beautifully with water.  But once dry, they are permanent.  You don't have to spray a fixative or sealer on them.  How cool is that?

Next, I created an inside "page" for the card by leaving a 1/2" tab on the back side of one of the 6" x 12"  manila cardstock pieces.  I cut away the remainder, added two strips of 1/4" Scor Tape and stuck the tab in place next to the interior fold of the card.

 I colored the "pages" of my card with different colors of Distress Inks.  The cover is Salty Ocean.  The interior pages are Ripe Persimmon, Squeezed Lemonade, Picked Raspberry and Mowed Lawn Distress Inks.  



The Ripe Persimmon page was intentionally stamped with the Ink Applicator pad over and over to create a unique pattern.  

The Picked Raspberry page was inked and then ramdonly stamped with the polka dot pattern from the Ultimate Grunge stamp set using the Collage Glue Stick.  I heat set the glue and then added more Picked Raspberry to pick up the polka dot pattern.  

Once the pages were all colored, I started with the cover and glued on the yellow balloon.  I cut away 1" of the card, allowing the balloon to create a shaped edge.  Then I glued the green balloon onto the next page, lower than the yellow balloon.  I cut away 1" of the edge.  Finally, I glued on the pink balloon at the bottom of the back cover and cut away the excess paper.

On the interior pages, I have left places where I can attach photographs on the left and write something on the spaces provided on the right.  The areas made for writing are 3 1/2" x 5" pieces of manila cardstock that I have lightly distressed with Vintage Photo then spritzed with Biscotti Perfect Pearls Mist for an extra shine.  I then inked the edge with a black pen.  I stamped the smaller blueprint balloon from Mini Blueprints 4 in the corner and colored them in with Salty Ocean Distress Ink and a Detailer Water Brush.  I drew a string onto the balloon and added a small black line around the edges. (each interior page looks the same)

On the cover, I added some black polka dots from the Ultimate Grunge stamp set but I thought they were too dark.  So, I added Picket Fence Distress Paint to the front; softening the black dots.  

Then I added the "Happy Birthday" sheet music that is computer generated (distressed with Antique Linen Distress Ink).  I stamped the cupcake from Birthday Blueprints onto Specialty Stamping Paper and colored it with Distress Inks and a Detailer Water Brush:  icing - Picked Raspberry, cupcake paper - Salty Ocean, candle - Ripe Persimmon.  I then added Perfect Pearls Powders, using the water brush to give that extra shimmer to an already bright and fun birthday card.  I added Berry Twist to the icing, Blue Raspberry to the cupcake paper, Sunflower Sparkle to the flame and Pearl to the candle.  I cut it out and pop dotted it on top of the sheet music. 

"CELEBRATE" was stamped onto manila cardstock using Clear Embossing Powder and then distressed with Black Soot Distress Ink.  I cut around each of the letters and pop dotted every other one for more dimension.

So there you have it.  Happy Birthday Simon Says Stamp and Show~Monday Challenge!  Join in the fun and create something using a birthday celebration theme.  Then enter our contest. You could be the winner of our wonderful  

$50.00 credit voucher from Simon Says Stamp.  And ... if your project is extra special, you could be featured in one of our new features...

Good luck!

Here are all of the products available at Simon Says Stamp that were used in creating

this birthday card:

*PREORDER Tim Holtz Cling Rubber Stamps 2013 TALL TEXT CMS166	*Tim Holtz Cling Rubber Stamps 2013 BIRTHDAY BLUEPRINT CMS153	*Tim Holtz Cling Rubber Stamps 2013 *CMS154 MINI BLUEPRINTS 4	*Tim Holtz Cling Rubber Stamps ULTIMATE GRUNGE Background Stampers Anonymous	*Ranger Archival Ink Pad JET BLACK AIP31468
*Versamark WATERMARK Rubber Stamp Emboss Chalk Resist INK PAD	*Ranger Perfect Pearls BLUE RASPBERRY Individual Pigment Powder	*Ranger EMBOSSING POWDER SUPER FINE CLEAR Detail Rubber Stamp Ink	*Ranger Perfect Pearls BERRY TWIST Blue Pink Individual Pigment Powder	*Ranger Perfect Pearls PERFECT PEARL Individual Pigment Powder
*Martha Stewart SCORING BOARD Score Craft Tool 42-05002	*Scor-Tape 1/4"" Crafting Tape	*PREORDER Ranger 12"" x 12"" SPECIALTY STAMPING PAPER Inkssentials Surfaces ISP35657	*Ranger Inkssentials 12 X 12 MANILA CARDSTOCK plus Bonus Tag! Surfaces	*Ranger Perfect Pearls SUNFLOWER SPARKLE Yellow Individual Pigment Powder
*Tim Holtz DISTRESS INK PAD SALTY OCEAN Ranger SUMMER	*Tim Holtz DISTRESS INK PAD BLACK SOOT Ranger	*Tim Holtz DISTRESS INK PAD SQUEEZED LEMONADE Ranger SPRING	*Tim Holtz DISTRESS INK PAD RIPE PERSIMMON Ranger FALL	*Tim Holtz DISTRESS INK PAD ANTIQUE LINEN Brown Ranger
*Tim Holtz DISTRESS INK PAD PICKED RASPBERRY Ranger SUMMER	*Ranger Perfect Pearls MIST BISCOTTI Glimmer Spray 31253	*Ranger Inkssentials COLLAGE GLUE STICK Adhesive INK33103	*PRE-ORDER Tim Holtz Distress Paint PICKET FENCE Ranger TDD36425

InLinkz.com

CLASSES AT SCRAPBOOKS FOREVER IN BRANSON

I AM SO EXCITED TO BE TEACHING ANOTHER WEEKEND OF CLASSES AT SCRAPBOOKS FOREVER IN BRANSON, MISSOURI ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 9TH AND SATURDAY, AUGUST 10TH FROM NOON TO 5PM.

AS MY GRANDSON, COOPER SAYS ... WE WILL BE "MAKING ART" WITH ALL SORTS OF DIMENSIONAL AND FUN THINGS!  ACTUALLY, WE WILL BE MAKING A DIMENSIONAL CANVAS IN CLASS.  BUT ONCE YOU LEARN THE TECHNIQUES, YOU CAN USE THEM TO MAKE ALL SORTS OF THINGS.

  I HAVE A CLASS SAMPLE AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING AT SCRAPBOOKS FOREVER AND EVERYTHING NEEDED TO RECREATE THE  SAMPLE WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE CLASS KIT.

I WILL HAVE OTHER SAMPLES THAT I HAVE MADE USING THIS BASIC TECHNIQUE BUT DIFFERENT MEDIUMS TO FINISH THEM AT CLASS.  THIS WAY, STUDENTS CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN USING SPRAYS OR PAINTS, ETC. ON A FINISHED PIECE.

THERE WILL BE ALL SORTS OF MEDIUMS TO WORK WITH IN CLASS; MULTI MEDIUM, A VARIETY OF COLOR SPRAYS, PAINTS, GESSO, ETC.  AND FOR THOSE LADIES WHO ARE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR NAILS, I WILL EVEN PROVIDE PROTECTIVE GLOVES!

AND ... HONESTLY, I HOPE THAT EVERYONE WILL WANT TO TAKE THE TECHNIQUES I WILL TEACH THEM, SEE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PRODUCTS AND COLORS AVAILABLE TO THEM AND BE SO EXCITED TO EXPERIMENT AND PLAY, THAT THEY WILL WANT TO MAKE THEIR OWN UNIQUE ART.  

SO, IF YOU'RE IN THE BRANSON, MISSOURI AREA AND WANT TO JOIN IN ON THE FUN; CALL SCRAPBOOKS FOREVER NOW AT 417 335-7904 TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT.  THERE ARE ONLY A COUPLE OF SPOTS LEFT FOR EACH CLASS.

EVERYTHING WILL BE PROVIDED FOR THE CLASS BUT I AM ASKING ALL STUDENTS WHO HAVE THEIR OWN CRAFT HEAT TOOL AND NON STICK CRAFT MAT TO BRING THEM.  AND I ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO BRING YOUR OWN DIMENSIONAL OBJECTS THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO INCLUDE ON YOUR CANVAS:  ZIPPERS, BUTTONS, LACES, FLOWERS, SMALL METAL OBJECTS, TIM HOLTZ' IDEAOLOGY PIECES, ETC. ARE GREAT THINGS TO INCLUDE. COLOR DOESN'T MATTER!  JUST BRING IT!  I'LL BE BRINGING SOME EXTRA STUFF ALONG AS WELL.  SHIRLEY WILL ALSO HAVE SOME ITEMS FOR SALE PRIOR TO CLASS THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO INCLUDE ON YOUR CANVAS OR ON FUTURE PROJECTS.

AS AN ADDED BONUS, SHIRLEY WILL BE TEACHING A COLORING CLASS FROM 9 TO 11AM ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 10TH BEFORE OUR DIMENSIONAL CANVAS CLASS IN THE AFTERNOON.  LEARN COLORING TECHNIQUES FROM CHALKS TO MARKERS.  CALL TODAY TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT FOR HER CLASS AS WELL!  THE CANVAS CLASS IS $35.00 AND THE COLORING CLASS IS $20.00.

DON'T MISS OUT ON THE FUN!

IT'S GOOD TO BE GREEN AT SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW!

It's "GOOD TO BE GREEN" at Simon Says Stamp and Show this week!

This is my 8x8 vintage canvas that I created in celebration of the beauty of summer; with all of it's blooming flowers and leafy green bushes.  It's good to be green; have a "green thumb" and enjoy the beauty of nature. 

Click on the green link above and hop on over to Simon Says Stamp and Show's blog for a step by step tutorial.  I hope you enjoy it and it will encourage you to create something wonderful you will want to share on our challenge.

I also hope that this little canvas will inspire you to take time to find joy in nature today ... even in the simplest things, like a beautiful flower.  Then, share that joy with someone.  "BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED"

Thanks for stopping by my blog.  I hope if you like the canvas, you'll come back and leave a comment!  I always LOVE reading your thoughts. 

Have a great week!

IT'S GOOD TO BE GREEN ~ A STEP BY STEP TUTORIAL SNEAK PEEK

Hello everyone!

The theme this week at Simon Says Stamp and Show is "Good To Be Green". 

I love the summertime with all of it's beautiful greenery and colorful, perfume like flowers.  I have tried to capture the essence of summer in this very vintage and dimensional home decor piece I will be sharing with you at Simon Says Stamp and Show on Tuesday.  Be watching for the step by step tutorial!  But until then, here is a sneak peek!

I hope that you will visit Simon Says Stamp and Show's Challenge this week!  There are lots of beautiful creations that my Design Teammates have waiting to inspire you!  Then join our challenge.  You could be the winner of our random ...

$50.00 credit voucher.  And ... if your project is extra special, YOU could be featured in our

A very nice way of featuring very special projects and artists each week!

Good luck!!!  

Remember to check back with Simon Says Stamp and Show on Tuesday for the step by step tutorial.  Have a great week!

TIM'S TINY THINGS DOMINO ACCORDION BOOK

I hope all of the people visiting my blog today who live in the US had a wonderful 

Fourth of July celebration! And Congrats to Andy Murray for finally bringing the Wimbledon Championship back to England! It was a fantastic match!

It's Monday and time for another Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge!  This week, it's all about stamping; SMALL stamping to be more precise.  What a perfect opportunity for me to use one of my favorite Tim Holtz releases from this past Winter CHA ... Tiny Things.

I so love this set!  Twenty-Six vintage images all between 1" - 1 1/2".  Perfect for ATCs and small detail work on your projects ... and perfect for a domino accordion book!

I had so much fun making this little book.  The dominoes are regular size dominoes measuring 1" x 2".  

I applied Caramel and Ginger Alcohol Inks in a way to achieve random splotches of color on my dominoes by adding a little alcohol ink to my ink applicator and pouncing it over the smooth surface.

Next, I took a strip of Ranger's Metal Foil Sheet and dry embossed it with Tim Holtz' Damask Texture Fade.  I wanted the metal strip to look old so I covered the embossed metal with Pitch Paint Dabber, added a few spritzs of water and then patted it into the design with a paper towel (also removing the excess paint).  Then I added one of my new favorite play things, Renaissance Treasure Gold Guilding Wax (using my index finger).  Next layer, I added a little Gold Paint Dabber followed with a little Juniper Paint Dabber for an added patina look. When I was happy with my metal strip, I cut it into 3/8" strips and attached them around the sides of both dominoes.  

The metal sheet foil already has an adhesive backing but I added a little Glossy Accents to the sides of the dominoes, just to be sure I got great contact.  I burnished all of the edges with a Bone Folder and set the dominoes to the side.

I cut a strip of manila cardstock in a 1 7/8" x 7" strip.  I scored every 7/8" to create little pages for my accordion book.  Each page is slightly smaller than the domino covers.  The 7" strip enabled me to have 8 pages, including the each end that would cover the inside of the dominoes.  

I distressed both sides of the cardstock with Vintage Photo followed by Broken China, Wild Honey and Rusty Hinge.  Then I added a little more Broken China and aged the edges a little with Gathered Twigs and a touch of Black Soot. 

I decided on a tiny stamp image for each of the pages and stamped them in place using Jet Black Archival Ink.  Then I colorized them with a Detailer Water Brush and various Distress Ink colors listed below.  It was so much fun to bring each little image to life with those Distress Ink colors; and coloring with the Detailer Water Brush is so easy.  I love the results!  When I was finished with all of the coloring, I added "travel" and "fly" from Tim Holtz' ChitChat.  "Look Within" on the mirror page is from Tim's Words Remnants Rub Ons.  Those little rub ons are great!  As a final touch to the interior pages, I added a touch of Renaissance Treasure Gold to all of the edges.  That really popped the images even more!

Now that the interior pages were finished, it was time to do more stamping on the alcohol inked dominoes that would soon become the covers for my little book.  I chose the hot air balloon and the globe for the covers of my book.  I stamped them right on to the alcohol ink surface with Jet Black Archival Ink.  You have to be careful not to slide the stamp on the smooth surface of the dominoes.  It is easy to do; but thankfully, I had steady hands and didn't smear my images.  I heat set them with my Heat It Craft Tool and then began filling in the colors.  First I used various Distress Ink colors and heat set each one.  Then I followed up with Fired Brick, Broken China and Mustard Seed Distress Paints that had been cut with water to make them more translucent.  Then I heat set them again.  I love the results...color but not too bright.  A perfect vintage look!  Then I added two more sentiments from Tim's Words Remnants Rub Ons ... the perfect size for such a small area that I was working with.

Now to assemble my little accordion book...I applied 1/4" Scor Tape along the center of the back side of one of the dominoes and added a 12" piece of waxed thread to create a closure for my book.  Then I added 1/4" Scor Tape around all of the inside edges of the back side of the dominoes.  I attached one side of the interior pages in place and then I attached the other side; being sure that the dominoes lined up and were straight.

I almost had an oops moment!  To close my book, I had decided to wrap the cord around the book but I had no way of attaching it to anything.  I decided to remedy that by adding two Long Fasteners as little knobs to wrap the cord around; but how to attach them?  I pulled out my drill and using a 5/64 drill bit (a very small hole), I drilled two holes in the center of what would become the front of my little book.  I didn't have to drill very far; just far enough that I could hot glue and stick the cut off shanks of the Long Fasteners down into the holes I'd drilled.  Worked like a charm! 

I added a little winged heart charm that I had sitting around to the other end of the thread and my little domino book is complete.  What a fun way to spend a day in the studio...stamping, coloring and playing!

Why don't you join us at Simon Says Stamp and Show by using your small stamps and creating something fun?  Then enter it in our challenge where you could be the lucky winner of our weekly random drawing for .... 

a $50.00 credit voucher to Simon Says Stamp.  You could also receive special recognition for being one of our top artistic entries with our new feature ...

So, put on your creative thinking cap and let's see what you can come up with!

Here are all of the products available at Simon Says Stamp that were used in creating this little accordion domino book: 

InLinkz.com