Monday, March 16, 2015

Among Lions

Hello everyone! I hope you had a good weekend! It is Monday again and time for another Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, this week our theme is lions and lambs. We are looking forward to seeing how you are inspired by animals this week (it doesn't have to be lions and lambs).

I knew exactly which photos to use for this theme, of meeting a new lion cub friend. This little guy was four months old and sleepy since it was a warm day. We had quite some time to sit with him. My favourite photo is the hand to paw one at the top. I made a mixed media background, aiming to create a lot of rough texture, reminiscent of the warm African soil. I made it into a tutorial. If you make a smaller version, the background fits great for art journaling and card making too.

I started out by die cutting quite many shapes using one of my new favourite Sizzix sets by Tim Holtz, Scribbles & Splats. I also used it in this post. Place a piece of wax paper between the die and the paper if you struggle to die cut the fine details.

Coat a 12 x 12 watercolour paper working one section at a time, placing the die cut shapes into the gesso and covering them with gesso too.

Paint with watered down Antique Linen and Pumice Stone Distress Paint. While the paint is still slightly wet, mist with Pumice Stone and Gathered Twigs Distress Spray Stain. Leave to dry.

Place the Wildflower stencil on the background and mist with Gathered Twigs. Continue with the Burlap stencil and Gathered Twigs and Pumice Stone.

Both the Mixed Media and the Shape Strips sets work great at stencils. I die cut them from Simon Says Stamp Masking paper.

Place your die cut stencils on the background and smear Ranger's white Texture Paste through them with a palette knife. The paste will pick up colour from the mist that is already on the background.

Dry brush Umber paint on the background, especially where the die cuts are, to highlight the shapes and add more texture. 

I stamped the background with a script stamp, which happens to have South African addresses, and a dot stamp, using Jet Black and Cobalt ink.

Finally, I couldn't help myself but to add some paint splatters too, this time with Chipped Sapphire paint.

The die cut pieces become a part of the background and add great texture. If you compare the look of the heart here, to the project I posted on Friday, you'll see two pretty different looks using the same die. I love the versatility of dies.

The title was stamped on a label die cut from manila cardstock. The cardstock had first been coloured with Distress Ink, by smearing Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Stormy Sky and Faded Jeans on my craft sheet, misting with water and pressing the paper into the ink.

I used the Handwritten Love set to die cut words for the layout. This set has words that are useful for many different themes.

The tickets were stamped on inky manila cardstock, cut out and distressed. They come from one of my favourite stamp sets, Odds and Ends.

I stamped some Hashtag words on more labels. The journaling is written behind the layout, since I needed lots of space.

This row of tiny hearts is so cute. Here you can see how the paste picks up colour from the background.

I hope you will join us in our animal inspired challenge this week, and as every week, one random participant wins a $50 gift voucher from Simon Says Stamp

Thank you so much for stopping by today!

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:





16 comments:

  1. Fabulous page. Your son looks so enthralled and I love the hand to paw photo also. I like your idea of covering the die cuts with gesso and using them to make a textured background. Love this layout!

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  2. I love love love this layout, the background is fantastic! Thank you very much for sharing

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  3. You always show us how to use dies in the most creative way, I love the background you created here and the photos of your son with the lion cub are amazing too. A fantastic layout! Anne xx

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  4. I love the background too, the colors, the shapes... Thanks for sharing

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  5. Absolutely perfect set of photos and pretty amazing.. Love your background and those mixed media dies they look like so much fun! Beautiful layout!

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  6. WOW! What an experience for your son! A cherished memory for him for sure! I love the background you created to frame these lovely photos! Perfect for the subject :)

    *mwah*
    Steph
    Simon Says Stamp!

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  7. Wow, so cool that your son was able to pet the lion cub! The layout is amazing! Fits perfect with the pictures! Hugs, Sandra

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  8. Fantastic layout! Love all the die cuts and layers! So fun and creative! Awesome photo!

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  9. Fantastic artwork - I love it

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  10. I'm in complete and total awe of this layout. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE everything about it. Thank you for the wonderful tutorial and OH BOY...what an experience. Love this!

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  11. Beautiful layout and I just love the photos! So sweet!

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  12. Wow... this is such a cool layout! Love the steps and tutorial. The photos are amazing. :)

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  13. Stunning tutorial! I love it! Amazing work ! Barbaryaya

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  14. Wow!! Anna-Karin, you always come up with such wonderful ideas and I love how you've created the background to this layout, it's just stunning! Beautiful piece of art, as always! :)

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  15. So many layers of loveliness here! And how funny that you had something SO perfect for this challenge! Those pics are the best!

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  16. Wow! I've just stumbled upon your site and I'm impressed (a little overwhelmed too, if I'm being honest). I'm a relatively new scrapbooker. I've created one scrapbook years ago, and I did it wrong. ;-) I will be attempting to re-create something very similar to this eventually, once I accumulate supplies veeeeeery slowly. Just wanted to stop by and say thanks for the inspiration!

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Thank you so much for leaving a comment! Happy Crafting!