January Art Journal Page

 Hello crafters! Happy New Year! I hope it will be filled with happiness and creative adventures.

Please note: this post has affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

This week we have a Something New theme at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog. This challenge runs for two weeks. It is a new year and it is the first Monday of a new month which means that the team is showcasing products from a specific company/designer. This week it is Paper Artsy. You can find all their wonderful products here. You don't have to use their products to join, but it is fun if you do. 

We also have a new guest designer and during January Cassie Lynch aka mk_knits will be joining us. Don't miss her gorgeous project!

I made an art journal page about the first month of this new year, also using sentiments which fit with that theme. The background was done with Paper Artsy Infusions Colored Stain, which I am very fond of using. You can get such great textures and interesting effects with them. I used two Paper Artsy stamp sets by Alison Bomber: Winter Umbels and Winter Grasses.

Working on a double-spread in my Stamperia Happiness Journal, I white embossed the stems and grasses on the page. Stamp the stem twice to extend it all the way down the page. 

Mist the paper with water and sprinkle Paper Artsy Infusions Colored Stain on to it. I used In the Navy and Violet Storms. Mist with more water. Dab off some of color if you want too. I wanted a pretty dark background. 

When dry, wipe the stain off from the white embossing and add some stamping in black ink too.

Splatter the page heavily with Winsor & Newton Permanent White gouache. 

The sentiments also come from the Paper Artsy Winter Umbels and Winter Grasses sets.

Some of the pigments transferred to the gouache, giving the white dots a multi-colored look.

The sets have really great sentiment stamps. They were stamped on left-over watercolored papers in grey and purple shades.

The title was die cut from Simon Says Stamp Silver Glitter cardstock and black cardstock, using Tim Holtz Emporium Alphanumeric set. I also found the word 'peace' on my desk, die cut from white glossy paper using Simon Says Stamp Simple Peace. 

The Infusions Colored Stains give interesting effects and this is one of my favorite areas on the page. 

I added a little Ranger Star Dust Stickles to the bottom of the page.

Join us this week in our Something New challenge! You have a chance to win a $25 gift voucher to do some fun shopping at Simon Says Stamp. You have until Monday 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in.

Do you use Instagram? If so please add #sssmchallenge so we can see your entries there too.

Thank you so much for visiting today! 

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:

* Please note: the links are affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

Snowman New Year

Hi stampers! It is the last day of 2025 and a new year is coming. I am ending the year with a snowman page in one of my art journals. 

Please note: this post has affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

I really like the snowmen from Tim Holtz Mr. Frostie and wanted one of them in my art journal. I wanted him to fill most of the page of this Stamperia Happiness Mixed Media Journal (4x8.5 in). To get that look, I sketched and extended his body. The page was stamped and painted with watercolors.

Start by stamping Mr Frostie on the page. You can also work on a sheet of watercolor paper.

Draw the body with a pencil first and then fill in with a waterproof pen.

For snow, I embossed  Tim Holtz snowflake/stars and a dot stamp using Simon Says Stamp embossing ink and White Embossing powder.

Paint the background with watercolor paint. I used Daniel Smith watercolors. Drop in two more colors before the first layer is dry.

Paint the details on the snowman and add shading with Lunar Black.

Stamp the date stamp from Tim Holtz Ultimate Grunge here and there.

Stamp sentiments with Tim Holtz Tiny Text. Here you can see the cool granulation of the Lunar Black paint.

The mix of white embossing and black stamping adds interest to the background.

Shadows add dimension and life.

The main sentiment comes from Tim Holtz Life Quotes. I might have used it on a New Year's project before since it fits so well.

Thank you so much for visiting today! 

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:

* Please note: the links are affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

Warm Hugs Card

Hello friends! Today I have a card to share, with shades of gold, brown and pink.

Please note: this post has affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

This card works well for many occasions during the cold part of the year. If you want to make a summer version, just use a leaf or flower die instead of the pine needles. Most of the products that I used are from the Simon Says Stamp DieCember release.

Die cut the Simon Says Stamp Pointy Pine Needle Sprigs from gold glitter cardstock and Tim Holtz kraft stock.

Die cut the Simon Says Stamp Sending Warm Hugs from gold glitter cardstock, Silver Vellum, and from brown and pink kraft stock.

The Simon Says Stamp Weaving Plate gives such a great texture and works wonderfully with metallic papers. Die cut from Tim Holtz Gold kraft stock.

Layer the sentiment as shown and adhere with Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively Perfect Foam Tape. 

Add Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively Dazzling Lilac Gems among the pine needles.

I sanded the gold panel slightly and inked with Scorched Timber. 

Thank you so much for visiting today! 

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:

* Please note: the links are affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

Frosty Snowmen Panel

Hello friends! I hope you are well! Today I am sharing a mixed media panel filled with a row of happy snowmen. 

Please note: this post has affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

There is something about snowmen that is so happy and joyful and the snowmen die cut and embossed with Simon Says Stamp Jolly Snowmen Embossing Folder and Cutting Dies are no exception. I used a couple of them on a recent winter wonderland project for the Simon Says Stamp store blog, but here I wanted a whole row of snowmen. 

The base is a wooden panel (7x2.7 in) and coated it with gesso using a palette knife.

Die cut six snowmen using Simon Says Stamp Jolly Snowmen. Mist with water and emboss in the coordinating folder.

I colored the snowmen with Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor Pencils, picking the colors up with a paint brush.

Crumble up tissue paper and adhere to the panel with matte medium.

When dry, paint the sky with blue shades of watered-down Distress paint.

Let the paint dry and then add some Moon Dust Stickles Glitter Gel to the sky.

Glue three of the snowmen and adhere three with foam tape. 

Apply texture paste to the ground, overlapping the snowmen slightly. Add some Simon Says Stamp Pawstiviely Dazzling Gems to the snow (Opal, Bubblegum and Surf). Then sprinkle with Distress Snowflakes and Chunky Rock Candy.

Stamp sentiments with Tim Holtz Tiny Text Christmas and cut into strips.

These snowmen are so cute and happy. I added a white dot to each eye with a gel pen.

I also added Chunky Glitter to the hats of the snowmen too.

I just love the Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively Dazzling Gems. They are so sparkly.

The sky is also very glittery, which you can see better here. 

Thank you so much for visiting today! 

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:

* Please note: the links are affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.