Simon Says...Thanks/Thanksgiving

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

it's the first challenge for November and the Design Team are showcasing products from Indigo Blu, you don't have use Indigo Blu products to enter but if you have them, we would love to see what you can create with them.

This week we are welcoming the fabulous and super talented Suman Pandit aka Just Like that, Aesthetics In Art and Design into the Designer Spotlight. If you haven’t visited her blog before you really should pop over for a browse, her creations are awesome.

and the theme for this week is...

THANKS/THANKSGIVING

I'm sharing a "Be Thankful" card and believe me I'm very thankful to be sharing anything at all because this particular crafting adventure did not get off to a great start, in fact it had more than it's fair share of adapt and overcome moments before it was over but more about that later...

With Autumn/Fall in mind I used Antique Linen and Fossilized Amber Distress Oxide inks to colour a panel of Distress Watercolor card...

but the stamp I had intended to use, purchased ages ago with this challenge in mind, was nowhere to be found. I hunted high and low and turned the cubbyhole upside down and when the cubbyhole crew member with the super sensitive "retrieving is what I do" nose had no luck either, I knew it was time to hit the adapt and overcome button. and move on.

So I looked out an old faithful stamp, Indigo Blu Cross Hatching and inked it with Wild Honey Distress Oxide to create some interest on the background...

and also used rather appropriately for the season Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous Leaf Prints inked with Ground Espresso, Rusty Hinge, Tea Dye and Peeled Paint Distress Inks

and heat embossed with Ranger's Clear Embossing Powder...

I added a touch of green to the background using the Linen Mini Layering Stencil from Set 22 with Peeled Paint Distress Oxide ink.

added Numbers Remnant Rubs...Chit Chat and Big Chat Stickers, stamped Cross Hatching again inked with Black Soot Distress Ink and fixed the panel to a slightly larger panel of Cork Textured Surfaces. Back to showcasing Indigo Blu, I applied FlitterGlu on to a small piece of Cut'nDry, tapped it on to the Cross Hatchings stamp, stamped randomly around the edges and sprinkled with Indigo Blu Mega Flakes, tapped them down with my fingers, brushed off the excess and burnished with a stiff brush.

I also wanted to create the sentiment with the Mega Flakes but guess what, I didn't have enough FlitterGlu left to cover this piece of white card, so it was time for Adapt and Overcome Moment No 2. 

I tapped the Versamark ink pad on to a scrap of white card, sprinkled with Ranger Sticky Embossing Powder, heated until it melted and covered with the Mega Flakes...it works in exactly the same way as the FlitterGlu and if you don't have any of these products, Stick-It or any make of adhesive sheet would work too. I then die cut the letters from the sparkly Mega Flakes panel and black cardstock using Tim Holtz/Sizzix Alphanumeric Thinlits, added a strip of the cork Textured Surface along the bottom of the panel and fixed the letters in place slightly offset to create a shadow effect. I finished off by matting the panel on to a Black Card blank, made myself a cuppa and breathed a sigh of thankful relief that my day of adapt and overcome moments was over.

You can find all the products I used over at the fabulous Simon Says Stamp online store...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 all have the chance to win a $50 gift voucher to spend at Simon Says Stamp. You have until Monday 8am Ohio time...1pm UK time...2 pm CET to join in...

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

LinkDeli.com

Happy Friday...Happy Mail...

Hi folks...the weather in my neck of the woods sure has turned chilly and despite having to wrap up like Michelin Man to accompany my furry companion on his daily strolls, I'm not really complaining because it's perfect weather to hunker down in the cubbyhole with a cuppa, yummy Sugar Ring Donuts from M&S and play with the new Seasonal Tim Holtz/Sizzix Thinlits, starting off with the gorgeous Home For The Holidays.

And just when I thought that Friday in my happy place couldn't get any better, the doorbell rang and this arrived...

a big big thank you to Santa Tim and Mario for their kind hearts and generosity and to the kind elves at Sizzix for the speedy delivery. The cubbyhole now has two Sidekicks, one who insists on sleeping right at my feet and snores like a train and this adorable dinky little brother to the Vagabond.
I'm fortunate that I have space to have my Big Shot Plus set up ready for use but if you have limited space to craft, I totally get Tim's point about the inconvenience of looking out your big machine to cut one small die so it's definitely going to be a game changer for lots of crafters. And do you know what, after putting it through it's paces, I'm adding my name to that list too.

It's small enough to sit right next to me on my workdesk, no more flitting back and forth cutting those itty bitty dies and although it's cute, dinky and lightweight, it has the same cutting power of any other Sizzix machine...we all know that Sizzix pride themselves on the quality of their machines and once you flip that lever, that sucker pad engages and it's stuck like glue to your work surface and going nowhere. So you won't be surprised to read that I love it, it's definitely a keeper, in fact I'm wondering how I ever managed without it. I can't wait to play with the embossing folder, stamps and dies that come with the machine and I'm looking forward to seeing what our adorable Professor has up his sleeve for future Sidekick products.

If you're still sitting on the fence, not yet convinced that you can't live without this amazing little crafty helper, pop over and watch Tim's Facebook Live video which may help you make up your mind.

You probably won't be surprised to know that I'm planning a mega fun die-cutting session with my new chum this weekend but whatever you have planned, have fun and I'll see you all on Monday with my DT project for Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge.

Toodle-oo for now

Hugs Kath xxx

Tim Holtz Holiday Inspiration Series - Watercolor Trees

Hi folks...it's the most wonderful time of the year and Ho Ho Ho...the Tim Holtz Holiday Inspiration Series has begun. 

Throughout the month of November and beginning of December, I'm so excited and thrilled to be joining a group of friends and talented crafters sharing holiday projects with you all on our blogs. All the projects will be showcasing products from the new Holiday Season release, you can watch all the Facebook Live product release videos HERE and just in case you miss any of the projects Tim will be sharing a weekly recap each Saturday over on his Blog.

Christmas is my favourite time of year and nothing symbolises Christmas more than a Christmas Tree. I have many fond memories of decorating the tree with my kids and grandkids, fun but stressful on occasions especially when it came to the big switch-on and the lights didn't work and I confess to doing a little bit of rearranging of the usually haphazard decoration once the kids were safely tucked in bed.  

I'm sharing a card I made using Stampers Anonymous Watercolor Trees and there is no stress involved in decorating these trees, everything you need is included in the stamp set.

I started by trimming a panel of white card to be slightly smaller than the A2 card blank, cut contrasting papers from the Idea-ology Christmas Paper Stash and coloured the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.

I stamped the larger tree main image with Peeled Paint Distress Ink and the matching shadow image with Forest Moss. I gave the panel a generous dusting of anti-static powder and stamped the pot for the tree, the garlands and baubles on the tree with Candied Apple Distress oxide ink and heat embossed with Ranger Clear Embossing Powder.  You can use the garland as a decoration on the tree but I decided to repeat stamp it to create garlands hanging from the ceiling.

I stamped the sentiments from the stamp set on to the wood plank paper with Versamark ink, heat embossed with Ranger Super Fine White Embossing Powder and added Christmas Clippings Stickers and Christmas Design Tape. For some extra Christmas shine, I added Glossy Accents to the stars and the baubles.

I'll be back soon to share another Holiday Inspiration project.

Toodle-oo for now

Hugs Kath xxx

LinkDeli.com

Better Late Than Never...

Hi folks. I'm seriously late to the party today...it's been a bit of an "out and about" gallivanting kind of a day and I was intending posting this yesterday but Monday was a little manic so here we are with my "better late than never" recap of all the projects I made for the Tim Holtz Halloween Inspiration Series...

I can't begin to describe how thrilled I was to be invited to join so many talented designer friends on this amazing fun inspirational spooky journey, so a big thank you to Tim, Mario and Paula for letting me tag along.

I'll be back tomorrow with another exciting project.

Toodle-oo for now

Hugs Kath xxx