Simon Says - Use Dies in DieCember

Hi Everyone...welcome to another week on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog. Thank you for joining us for last week's challenge and we hope you can join us this week too because

The first challenge of the month is when the Design Team feature one particular brand/company and to celebrate the start of DieCember, we are all using the fabulous products from our very own Simon Says Stamp.

We are also welcoming back the lovely and talented Carrie Swift as our Designer In The Spotlight. If you haven't visited Carrie's Instagram Gallery before, please pop over, you are in for a real treat.

The theme for this week is....

USE DIES

I created a Christmas snowy scene card using Simon Says Stamp Cozy Birdhouse and Birdies dies, Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous Flurries Mini Layering Stencil from Set 50 with Distress Grit Paste and Distress Rock Candy Chunky Glitter and Reverse Merriest Christmas Sentiment Strips.

I trimmed Tim Holtz/Idea-ology Christmas 2025 Backdrops paper to 4" x 5.1/4", fixed to white cardstock and added a light layer of White Gesso using a Distress Small Brayer.

I inked the edges of the panel lightly with Vintage Photo Distress Oxide ink using a Mini Round Blending Tool, applied Distress Grit Paste Opaque through the Flurries Mini Layering Stencil from Set and sprinkled with a mix of Distress Rock Candy and Rock Candy Chunky Glitter, while still wet.

I die-cut Simon Says Stamp Cosy Birdhouse from Distress Watercolor card, coloured the birdhouse section and edges of the shutters with Vintage Photo Distress Oxide, popped the shutters, roof and window sill up on Simon Says 3D Thin Foam Squares, applied a coat of Ranger Glossy Accents to these pieces and sprinkled with the Distress Rock Candy and Rock Candy Chunky Glitter mix.

I die-cut the branch from Distress Woodgrain card using Simon Says Birdies die, coloured with Vintage Photo Distress Oxide ink by dragging the ink pad over the die-cuts and fixed in place with Distress Collage Medium. I die-cut the birds from Distress Watercolor card, coloured lightly with Vintage Photo Distress Oxide ink using a Mini Round Blending Tool and fixed in place with Simon Says 3D Thin Foam Squares. I die-cut the legs, beaks and eyes from Distress Black HeavyStock and the heart from Lipstick Red cardstock. I added Silver Cord behind the birdhouse and attached to the panel with Distress Collage Medium.

I die-cut the foliage from Simon Says Emerald cardstock using the Pine and Post Envelope Gift Card Holder dies. I used my Crop A Dile to create the berries from Lipstick Red cardstock, fixed in place with Distress Collage Medium and added Ranger Glossy Accents to the berries and heart.

I trimmed the Reverse Merriest Christmas Sentiment Strip to separate the wording and fixed to the panel popped up on 3D Thin Foam Squares.

To finish I inked the edges of the panel with Scorched Timber Distress Ink to darken and added water splatters. I matted the panel on to an A2 panel of Lipstick Red cardstock and fixed to an A2 white card blank.

You can find all the products I used over at Simon Says Stamp, just click on the links below

Why don't you pop over to the Monday Challenge Blog and check out the amazing creations from my very talented Design Team mates and as always you have until Monday 8am Ohio time...1pm UK time...2pm CET to join in with the chance to win a $25 voucher to spend online at Simon Says Stamp

You can also follow Simon Says Stamp on Instagram

and if you use Instagram...

please add #sssmchallenge to your entry uploads so we can see them on there too

I look forward to seeing what you create this week...

Have Fun and Happy Crafting

Hugs Kath xxx