Simon Says Stamp February Card Kit - Take 2

Hi folks, I promise I won't be making a habit of posting twice in one day but our doggy strolls have been somewhat curtailed by the icy conditions underfoot and I've taken advantage of the extra time to catch up with the crafty list. The cubbyhole crew have been snug and cosy in our crafty place, cranking up the crafty production line and having fun with the beautiful Simon Says Stamp Love Always February Card Kit and I can't believe this gorgeous kit hasn't sold out yet. You can check out what's included in the kit HERE.

A word of warning, this is a long blog post with lots of photos, so you might like to make yourself a cuppa, find a comfy sofa and we'll begin with Card No 1. 

I trimmed the Authentique Romance paper included in the kit to be slightly smaller than an A2 card blank. I die cut SSS Stacked Hearts from SSS #120 Ultra White Card and fixed in place with Distress Collage Medium Matte

I popped some of the die-cut hearts back into the negative spaces,

stitched around the panel to create some interest and fixed it to the card blank with Distress Collage Medium Matte

I stamped the heart image from the Love Always stamp set 3 times with Ranger Red Geranium Archival Ink (which happened to be a great match for the patterned paper) on to white card, fussy cut, fixed to the card with Tim Holtz/Sizzix Mini Foam Adhesive to create dimension and added a few more die-cut hearts to balance out the design.

I stamped the sentiment with Red Geranium Archival Ink and die cut using my new best friends, SSS Nested Banners

and if you're still with me, here's Card No 2 which almost ended up in the bin...

I trimmed a panel of the Authentique Romance Paper to be slightly smaller than the Black A2 card blank that was included in the kit. I used Simon Says Stamp Stitched Squares to die-cut a frame from SSS #120 Ultra White card

I fixed the frame to a section of the Authentique Paper to help with placement of the sentiment stamp which I inked with SSS Intense Black ink and heat embossed with SSS Clear Embossing powder, again included in the kit.

I die cut a second frame using smaller Stitched Squares dies, fixed to the same paper as before and trimmed around the edges of both frames.

I stamped the music border from Love Always twice with SSS Intense Black ink and heat embossed with the clear embossing powder.

I stamped the bird from the stamp set twice with the same ink, heat embossed and fussy cut the branch and legs and the body only from the second image.

I stamped the outline heart 3 times on to the Authentique Romance paper and fussy cut.

I fixed the frames and heart in place with Distress Collage Medium Matte, popped the bird up on Tim Holtz/Sizzix Mini Foam Adhesive to create dimension and coloured with Distress Oxide re-inkers. And it's confession time, I should have coloured the bird before I stuck it down because the sleeve of my top picked up some of the Black Soot re-inker from the palette and transferred it to the bottom of the panel. I immediately tried to wash it away with clean water but it had already soaked into the paper and I knew if I kept wiping the paper it would start to pill. Time for some quick thinking to save the day. I added some Black Soot Distress Oxide re-inker to my Glass Media Mat, diluted it well with water and added it randomly on the background to makeit look as if it was part and parcel of the paper. But I still wasn't happy so it was time for drastic measures.

I looked out some Stampendous Chunky White Embossing Powder, sprinkled it on that black blob at the bottom right and heat set from underneath until it had melted. Now it didn't look too bad so I sprinkled more embossing powder randomly on the rest of the panel and hey ho, who would ever know.

Tomorrow's another day and it's hard to believe we're heading for February already. I'll be back with ONE blog post to share a card made with Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous Mini Media Marks.

Happy Crafting
Hugs Kath xxx

*** Where available I use compensated affiliate links which means if you make a purchase I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can find my affiliate and product disclosure HERE.

Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous - Media Marks 2

Hi folks, the last day of January already and Christmas is now a distant memory, although I'm still eating my way through the left over Christmas cake and treats. Tough job but someone's gotta do it. We've had a little dusting of snow in my neck of the woods and it's a bit icy underfoot but it's Winter, that time of year when I look my Michelin Man dog walking gear out from the wardrobe and practice walking like a penquin in an effort to stay upright.

But back to the crafty stuff and today I'm sharing a colourful whimsical card I made for the Stampers Anonymous Booth at Creativation using Tim Holtz Media Marks 2 Stamp Set CMS 363 which is part of the January release and is available to buy now at your favourite store or online retailer.

I trimmed a panel of Distress Watercolor card to be slightly smaller than an A6 card blank, stamped the scribbly image from the stamp set with Versamark ink and heat embossed with Ranger Superfine White Embossing powder.  I spritzed the Distress Oxide inks with water and painted blocks of colour on the panel.

spritzed with water using the Distress Sprayer and blotted with kitchen towel to create that oxided water droplet effect.

I stamped the leaf spray and swirly circle (looks like a flowerhead to me) with Black Soot Archival

and stamped the small circles, crosses and dashes on the background and around the edges.

I die cut the word "Bloom" 4 times from a scrap of Distress Watercolor card using Tim Holtz/Sizzix CutOut Lower Thinlits, covered the scrap with Idea-ology Christmas Design Tape and die-cut the letter "O", layered up to create dimension and fixed in place with Distress Collage Medium Matte.  I distressed the edges of the panel with Tim Holtz Paper Distresser.

I added Idea-ology Christmas Design Tape to the card blank leaving a small border and fixed the panel in place.

I'll be back later today to share more Simon Says Stamp February Card Kit cards. In the meantime, have fun but take care if the weather is wintry where you are.

Hugs Kath xxx

*** Where available I use compensated affiliate links which means if you make a purchase I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can find my affiliate and product disclosure HERE.

Simon Says Stamp February Card Kit...

Hi folks, I'm always excited when the postie delivers my Simon Says Stamp Card Kit and this month was no exception. I couldn't wait to dive in and check out all the goodies in the "Love Always" February Card Kit

which at the time of writing is still available to buy or if it has sold out by the time you are reading this, the individual items from the kit are available HERE.

The kits are great value for money at $34.99 as a one-off purchase or $29.99 if you subscribe and this month's kit includes two amazing stamp sets. Time to look out some inks and have fun and here's Card No 1

The beautiful 6" x 6" Rose Lattice Background was crying out to be embossed so I inked it up with Versamark ink

stamped on to a panel of SSS #120 Ultra White card measuring 3.1/4" x 4.3/4" and heat embossed with the SSS Clear Embossing Powder included in the kit

I applied a generous amount of water over the panel and used Distress Oxide re-inkers diluted with water to drop in colour letting the water work it's magic and blend the colours.

I stamped the sentiment and heart from Love Always on to a vellum panel and the hearts again on to a scrap of vellum with Simon Says Intense Black ink and heat embossed with the clear embossing powder.

I added small dots of Distress Collage Medium Matte to the back of the vellum panel, behind the sentiment and dark areas of the hearts and fixed in place. I stamped the stitches image from Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous Stitched inked with SSS Intense Black down the edges of the panel.

I fixed the panel to SSS Black Cardstock and matted on to an A2 White Card. I fussy cut the extra hearts and fixed on top of the stamped hearts using Distress Collage Medium Matte and added a black Eclectic Elements Thread bow.

and it's a two for the price of one kind of a day, with card No 2

I die cut SSS #120 Ultra White card using SSS Wonky Rectangles die, spritzed with water and applied a light wash of Pumice Stone Distress Oxide ink.

I inked the centre of the 6x6 Rose Lattice Background with Hickory Smoke Distress Oxide ink, spritzed the stamp with water, laid the die-cut panel on top and pressed with my fingers to transfer the ink to the card.

I inked the floral image from Love Always with SSS Intense Black ink and stamped on to a scrap of Strathmore Bristol Smooth Paper,

coloured with Zig Clean Color Brush Markers and fussy cut.

I stamped the sentiment at the top of the panel,

and added splatters of Black Soot Distress Spray Stain and Ice Crystal Sequins.

I added strips of the Authentique Romance paper from the kit and fixed the flower in place, adding Tim Holtz/Sizzix Mini Foam Adhesive to the top layer to create dimension. I matted the panel on to an SSS A2 Black card blank included in the kit. 

Buckle up for another double dose of crafty sharing tomorrow, until then
Happy Crafting
Hugs Kath xxx

*** Where available I use compensated affiliate links which means if you make a purchase I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can find my affiliate and product disclosure HERE.