Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: PARTY!

I am so honored to have been asked to be a guest in the Designer Spotlight for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog!

 Thank you to the Blog Team!

The new challenge "PARTY" lasts for 2 weeks! A randomly chosen participant will receive a $25 gift certificate to Simon Says Stamp! Please visit the blog for all the details! Remember to use #sssmchallenge on Instagram.

This week I made a PARTY invitation! Now I may be biased but I think this is so much better than an evite.

One of my favorite techniques is to use Tim Holtz Ranger alcohol inks and alcohol ink alloys on embossed acetate.

Clear acetate embossed with the Simon Says Stamp "Magnetic" folder.

I applied the alcohol ink alloys to the BACKSIDE, the debossed side. It takes quite a bit of ink to cover this panel because of the divots. I used a dropper to add 91% Isopropyl Alcohol to alcohol ink alloy to help it move but use too much and it'll make the ink too sheer. You just have to use your judgement. I used an old paintbrush to move around the alcohol ink and also tilted it. I did this over a box to catch any spilled ink, because it will stain.

View from the UNINKED side

In person, you can see uneven ink areas. After it was dry, I flipped it over so the inked side is now the back and mounted it on white cardstock. The imperfections seem to disappear because no light can pass through it once mounted on cardstock. Remember, since acetate is plastic you have to use an adhesive that is meant for plastic. I used Distress Collage Medium, put a book on it and let it dry for hours.

I diecut all the pieces from silver, gold, red and green metallic cardstock. The names of the dies and the direct link to Simon Says Stamp are listed below. Everything was adhered with the Distress Collage Medium, I popped the celebrate sentiment with diecut fun foam. Again, I put a book on it to dry for hours. I mounted the whole thing onto red metallic cardstock and then that onto a regular A4 white card.

That's my making story. It's better than an evite...right?

Here's what I used for this invitation with clickable links to Simon Says Stamp!

Simon Says Stamp! Magnetic embossing folder

Simon Says Stamp Curly Streamers wafer die

Tim Holtz Sizzix Happy Hour Thinlits die

My Favorite Things Celebrate die

Tim Holtz Ranger Alcohol Ink Alloys

Tim Holtz Distress Collage Medium

This is my last post as a Guest in the Designer Spotlight for December (thank you design team!). What fun the Simon Says Stamp blog challenges are, I had a great time thinking creatively.

 I hope you visit the blog to see what the talented designers created! 

I'll be sharing more PARTY ideas on Instagram @susanbcards

Thank you for visiting and I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

 

Simon Says Stamp! Monday Blog Challenge: Cold as Ice!

I am so honored to have been asked to be a guest in the Designer Spotlight for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog! Thank you to the Blog Team!

This week's challenge is "Cold As Ice"! A randomly chosen participant will receive a $25 gift certificate to Simon Says Stamp! You can enter up to 5x by next Monday 8 A.M Eastern time. Use the hashtag #sssmchallenge on Instagram!

Today I'm sharing a "Cold as Ice" card I made...a card that would ideally be handed to the recipient as there is a diecut dimensional house on it...but isn't it cute? I used the Tim Holtz Sizzix "Paper Village" die and trimmed down the house so it wouldn't stick out too far from the card. Here is how I cut down the house:

Diecut the house-front, back (not pictured) and roof.

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I added 2 score lines right of the house front, 1/4" each. 

Trim off the excess, as shown. Fold on score lines, this will create a house only 1/4" deep.

Repeat for the back of the house.

Cut down the roof to 3/8" (it'll create an overhang to the house front).

I added metallic paper for the windows before assembling. It's easier to paint the pieces before adding the window and assembling, if so desired. The roof is pushed forward to keep the back flat (so it can be glued to the card) and create an overhang in the front of the house. You can use glue to assemble the house but SSS Red Line Tape is stronger and you won't have to hold the pieces in place until adhered.

I diecut colored cardstock for the trees, leaves and flowers. I applied white acrylic paint in areas to look like snow. After it was all assembled, I added Distress Collage Medium and Distress Mica flakes to the scene. I added Stickles for even more "Ice". 

The sentiment is from Stampers Anonymous Tiny Text Christmas.

Here is a video so you can see the sparkle!

Here's what I used for this card with links to the Simon Says Stamp! store:

Tim Holtz Sizzix Paper Village Thinlit Dies

Tim Holtz/Sizzix Tall Pines Thinlit Dies

Tim Holtz Mini Holiday Greens Thinlit Dies

Tim Holtz Sizzix Funky Foliage Thinlit Dies

Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Tiny Text Christmas stamps

Ranger Stickles

Distress Collage Medum

Distress Mica Flakes

Simon Says Stamp Red Line Tape 1/4"

Thank you for visiting my blog! I can also be found

 @susanbcards on Instagram. Have a great week!

 

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Tim Holtz Santa!

I am so honored to have been asked to be a guest in the Designer Spotlight for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog! Thank you to the Blog Team!

This week's challenge is "Santa" using Tim Holtz products but you can use whatever you have! A randomly chosen winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to Simon Says Stamp. (You can enter up to 5x AND get a bunch of cards done.)

You can enter at https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/

Be sure to use #sssmchallenge on Instagram!

For my home decor project I used:

Tim Holtz Sizzix "Woodland Santa" Colorize dies

Tim Holtz Sizzix "Festive Bouquet" Thinlit dies

Tim Holtz Sizzix "Holiday Greens" mini dies

Tim Holtz Sizzix "Merry and Bright" Thinlit dies (sentiment)

Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous "Winter Watercolor" stamps

 Distress Oxide Spray Crushed Olive

Distress Spray Stain in Barn Door

Distress Mica Stain Sprays in Tree Lot, Holly Branch and Peppermint Stick

Distress Ink in Walnut Stain

Distress Mixed Media Heavystock

Wood wreath painted with black acrylic paint

Scrap piece of silver glitter cardstock colored with Tim Holtz Ranger Black Soot alcohol ink

Chunky glitter

Steps:

The small wood wreath is from the floral section for around $1, I painted it black.

I sprayed the Distress MM Heavystock paper in shades of green and another in reds.

The paper on the right is regular 110 lb cardstock, the right is the Distress MM Heavystock, using the same color sprays. I'm showing this so you know why I like to use the Distress MM Heavystock for sprays. 

I had a scrap of silver glitter cardstock that I applied black alcohol ink onto with some rubbing alcohol to move it. I used this for the sentiment, belt buckle, shoe highlights and the center of the poinsettia.

I diecut all the other pieces, using plain cardstock for the white, black, grey and brown areas on Santa. I applied a little glue and chunky glitter on the greenery.

For the center of the wreath, I traced the wreath and hand cut it. I smooshed some Walnut Stain Distress ink on a mat and dragged the paper through it, drying, then dipping the paper for age spots.

 I then inked the Winter Watercolor stamps and lightly sprayed them with water to get a loose, watercolor effect.

I have a plate holder to display it but you can easily attach a small hook or a lovely piece of ribbon to the back and hang it.

It seems like a lot of steps but I always have pieces of inked paper ready to go or scraps I saved from other projects (like the glitter paper). I also end up diecutting more than I need of the flowers or greenery and save those in the packet with the dies.

I hope you like my project, leave a comment here or on my Instagram @susanbcards. I'll be posting more Santa projects this week! 

Memory Box Domed Window

 This Memory Box "Domed Window Emboss and Cut" is an embossing folder that also cuts out the window panes. I just love this image. I wanted to put this Simon Says Stamp "Snowflake Visions" embossed panel as the view. 

Lately I've been taking acetate sheets (WRMK makes a pad of 12x12 sheets) and cutting them down to embossing folder size. Then I place it into the folder and through the Big Shot to get clear embossed sheets. I took some gold acrylic paint and painted the backside of the snowflakes. I then took some watered down white acrylic paint and using a slightly damp paper towel, I pounced it on the back of the acetate. When you look at the front of the acetate it looks kinda dreamy, like cotton. I mounted this on a pink piece of cardstock, you can see in the photo it looks slightly pink.

I then placed the Memory Box window panel over the acetate, and mounted this on a larger white card, popping it up with a foam sheet.

The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp "Holiday Greetings Mix 1".

The embossing folders, and stamps were all purchased at Simon Says Stamp.

Thanks for looking, I post several times a week on Instagram @susanbcards