Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember® Blog Party

Hello and welcome to my blog! The best month of the creative year has begun and I am happy to take part in the blog party to celebrate the start of STAMPtember® at Simon Says Stamp. This is the 17th STAMPtember®! There will as lots of inspiration, creativity and surprises!

I am happy to be a part of the huge blog party to celebrate the start of STAMPtember®!

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.

STAMPtember® is a month-long celebration of stamping at Simon Says Stamp, with inspiration, new products and surprises. You can find the beginning of the blog party on the Simon Says Stamp Store Blog. It is a big party, with 109 stops from all over the world!

There is of course also a big new exclusive STAMPtember® release. The STAMPtember® release is full of fantastic new stamps of course, but also dies, stencils, inks and paper products. So much! You can find it all here.

I also have a free gift for you. You will get the exclusive Celebration Balloons Embossing Folder and Dies with a qualifying purchase, if you use the code CBEFD. It is valid while supplies last.

I made a tag, but you can easily turn it into a card instead.

I made an pumpkin tag with lots of texture. I really like the shape of the new Simon Says Stamp A7 Notched Rectangles and thought they could be turned into a tag. Since the die set includes 13 dies, you can easily create a layered effect. I also used the Harvest Heirloom die set, the To Friendship stamp set and the Pumpkin Wreath embossing folder, all from the STAMPtember® release.

Start by die cutting a A7 Notched Rectangle from watercolor paper.

Ink the Simon Says Stamp Pumpkin Wreath folder with Antique Linen and Frayed Burlap. Mist the paper with water and emboss.

When dry, watercolor the design with Distress Watercolor Pencils. I dip the pencil in water and pick the paint up with a paint brush. 

Ink the edges.

Splatter with three shades of Distress Watercolor Pencils. Dip in water and flick a paint brush against the pencil.

Die cut two more Simon Says Stamp A7 Notched Rectangles. One from inky green paper and one from kraft cardstock. Stitch around the focal panel with a sewing machine. Punch a hole and add a reinforcer. If you don't want to use the big pumpkin, you can stop here and stamp a sentiment in the wreath.

Die cut the pumpkin from Simon Says Stamp Harvest Heirloom, from watercolor paper.

White emboss one of the sentiments from Simon Says Stamp To Friendship. Lots of great sentiments on this set!

Smear Distress Ink on a non-stick craft sheet, mist with water and press the pumpkin into the ink. Let dry.

Repeat, until you are happy with the look. 

I also added a little brown Distress Ink and some Distress Oxide ink in the same way.

Finally, I splattered some watercolor pencils on the pumpkin too.

The Harvest Heirloom set also contains a whole bunch of very versatile leaves and foliage. Die cut from inky green papers.

Shape to give them life.

I tied the tag with Wrinkled Faux Silk Ribbon dyed with Distress Ink and two additional ribbons.

To Friendship also comes from Simon Says Stamp To Friendship and was stamped on inky orange paper. Such a great little sentiment stamp! Distress the edges of the tag layers.

Glue leaves and a stem to the pumpkin. I adhered the pumpkin to the background with Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively Perfect Foam Tape. 

Splattering with Distress Watercolor Pencils adds a nice texture.

Shape the pumpkin before adhere it to the tag, to add dimension. 

This is such a lovely sentiment.

Much of the background is covered by the pumpkin, but you can still spot some of the dry embossed design.

Tuck the foliage in here and there and add Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively Dazzling Sunbeam Gems.

Don't miss all the inspiration along the blog party. All the links are available at the Simon Says Stamp Store blog. Throughout the month there will be surprises. Don't miss it!

There is also a s special STAMPtember® Gallery where you can find inspiration and add your own projects.

These are all the stops in the party:

1. Adriana Arminio
2. Alberto Gava
3. Amanda Wilcox
4. Amy Rysavy
5. Amy Tsuruta
6. Anaelly Lopez
7. Anna-Karin Evaldsson
8. Anne Fiene
9. Barb Engler
10. Barbara Tarayao
11. Beth Opel
12. Betsy Green
13. Bibi Cameron
14. Bobbi Lemanski
15. Bonnie Crane
16. Brenda Noelke
17. Candice Crawford
18. Carly Tee Minner
19. Carol Hintermeier
20. Cathie Cowles
21. Cathy Zielske
22. Celes Gonzalo
23. Cez Tolentino
24. Charlene Madrid
25. Cheiron Brandon
26. Christine Giancaspro
27. Christine Heye
28. Christine Okken
29. Debbie Frank
30. Deniz Do
31. Emily Midgett
32. Emma Williams
33. Enza Gudor
34. Hanh Nguyen
35. Heather Hoffman
36. Heather Ruwe
37. Heejung Hunsberger
38. Hollie Worvill
39. Jane Tyrrell
40. Janet Katz
41. Jean Doeringsfeld
42. Jenn Shurkus
43. Jennifer McGuire
44. Jessica Vasher
45. Joe Sysavath
46. Judy Tuck
47. Kailash Naidoo
48. Karen Boyce
49. Karen Downs
50. Karen Maldonado
51. Karin Åkesdotter
52. Karin S
53. Kath Stewart
54. Keisha Charles
55. Kim Hamilton
56. Kim Taylor
57. Kirstynn Snelson
58. Kristin Sluhan
59. Kulbir Kirkland
60. Laura Bassen
61. Laura Williams
62. Lea Lawson
63. Lisa Addesa
64. Lorena Wakefield
65. Lorraine Aquilina
66. Maggie Haas
67. Marieke Slaats
68. Martin Stone
69. Mary Reiner
70. Maura Hibbitts
71. Megin Brooks
72. Melanie Barrett
73. Michelle Peckham
74. Mindy Eggen
75. Miriam Prantner
76. Natalia Alton
77. Natasha Polite
78. Natasha Vacca
79. Nichol Spohr
80. Nicki Baxley
81. Nicky Meek
82. Nicole Brown
83. Nina-Marie Trapani
84. Nora Noll
85. Pam Torkelson
86. Rachel Alvarado
87. Rachel Finn
88. Rachel Kleinman
89. Renée Bergeron
90. Revati Panickar
91. Rosemary Dennis
92. Sandi MacIver
93. Savannah O’Gwynn
94. Shari Carroll
95. Simeen Batra
96. Steff Munnings
97. Susan R. Opel
98. Susan Valle
99. Suzy Plantamura
100. Tana Conley
101. Thaís Carvalho
102. Tina Smith
103. Tracy Ware
104. Trina Pham
105. Verena Shapiro
106. Wendy Horsley
107. Jennifer Kotas
108. Kelly Santi
109. Melissa Phillips

Thank you for visiting! See you soon again!

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.

(The list of supplies is not working at the moment. Hopefully it will be fixed soon. All new supplies are linked in the text.)

Petal Tipped Card

Hello friends! A couple of days ago, the weather changed and I can now feel autumn in the air. I hope you had a good weekend. Lots of much needed rain fell here. It is the last day of August, which also means that STAMPtember® starts tomorrow at Simon Says Stamp. The best stamping month of the year.

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.

It is Monday again and this week we have a Get in Shape theme at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog. Use any shape but squares. Fun! Don't miss the last project by our August guest designer Cassie Lynch.

I made a petal tipped card for this week, with fun textures and shimmer. Shaped cards are fun to make! The cardbase and front were die cut with the Simon Says Stamp Petal-Tipped Labels set. I used an embossing folder to great the pattern with the small flowers.

Apply embossing ink to Simon Says Stamp Flower Puff embossing folder. Emboss watercolor paper. Sprinkle white embossing powder on top and return the excess to the jar. Emboss.

Smear Wilted Violet and Salty Ocean on a non-stick craft sheet and mist with water. Press the paper into the ink. Then mist Salty Ocean Distress Spray Stain in a few places and Picked Raspberry Distress Spritz for shine.

Die cut with Simon Says Stamp Petal-Tipped Labels. Fold the cardbase and place the edge of the die just outside the folded edge. 

The second panel was die cut from left-over watercolor paper and misted slightly using the same inks.

Die cut Simon Says Stamp Bright Butterflies from inky or watercolored paper. Die cut the bodies from the Flourish Butterfly Trio from purple glitter cardstock.

The open card looks like this. I will stamp or write a sentiment when I have a recipient for this card. The base is die cut from Simon Says Stamp Mint cardstock.

Fold the wings of the butterflies and glue to the background.

I also added some Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively Dazzling Prism Gems. The Prism gems partly take on the colors of the project, depending on the light.

The background is shimmery, but you can't see all the shimmer in the photos.

Die cut hello from Simon Says Stamp Paper Cut Words Vol. 1, from blue glitter cardstock and from watercolored cardstock. I misted the latter with a little Picked Raspberry Distress Spritz. The sentiment was stamped on the same paper as the butterflies were die cut from, using Simon Says Stamp A Little Artsy and Prize Ribbon Archival Ink.

A shaped card is a fun surprise for the recipient.

Join us this week in our Get in Shape 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.

Flower Trio Art Journal

Hi crafters! Summer is coming to an end and we are starting to feel autumn in the air, but there are still flowers around. Today I am sharing a floral art journal page made with stamps, ink, Distress Micro Glaze and white embossing powder.

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.

Repeating the same stamp more than once is a great way to cover a page. Let one or more of the images run off the page for a finished look. I worked in my Stamperia Happiness Mixed Media Journal 4x8.5 in and used lots of ink combined with Distress Micro Glaze to protect the colors of the flowers.

White emboss the large flower from Simon Says Stamp A Little Artsy three times. White emboss the sentiment from Simon Says Stamp Be Your Beautiful Self. 

Smear Distress Ink on a non-stick craft sheet, mist with water and pick up with a paint brush. Watercolor the flowers. Drop darker shades towards the center before the lighter yellow is completely dry.

When dry, cover the flowers with Distress Micro Glaze, using your finger. The glaze will protect the colors. 

Smear Distress Inks on a non-stick craft sheet, mist with water and press the page into the ink. Let dry.

Repeat adding layers of ink, letting the background dry in between. Finish with a little Distress Oxide ink.

White emboss the Tim Holtz halftone dots on the background, from the Psychedelic Grunge set.

I also stamped the alphabet stamp from Tim Holtz School Desk here and there, with Jet Black Archival Ink. The sentiments is from Tim's Small Talk stickers and I also added some Design Tape Trim.

The ink will create a great textured background. Here you can see that I let some of the yellow ink and the Distress Micro Glaze extend past the edges of the flowers. 

I used brown ink for the flower center, even though you only see a hint of it. 

Add tape under the title and another sentiment sticker.

When I embossed the dots, some powder got stuck to the glaze. I left it, since I like the look of stray embossing powder.

The journal spread, with the new page to the left and a previous floral page to the right, where the Hyacinth was colored with pencils. You can find that tutorial here. 

Here is an another example using the flower stamp from Simon Says Stamp A Little Artsy, but with black ink.

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.