Easter Egg Accordion Tutorial

Hello everyone! Spring is here, and we had lovely weather yesterday. Right now, a tiny bit of snow is falling, but I hope it won't be more than that. This week at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog, we have a Layer It Up theme. 

Don't miss our guest designer Linda Kunsman and the pretty projects that she made this week.

I love creating with lots of layers, and for this accordion Easter card, I used layers of paint, stamping, heat embossing, texture paste and cheese cloth. At first glance, it might not look particularly layered, but that is one of the wonders of layers, they can add texture and interest, even when you don't spot the singular layers themselves. I used newly released Simon Says Stamp New Beginnings dies and stamps. If you don't want to make an accordion card, each of the panels can become an Easter, or spring, card on its own. 

If you look closely at the photo above, you'll spot a stone behind the first panel. It was windy when I took these photos and the accordion kept attempting to escape by flying away.

I used Spring Seeds and More Spring Flowers with their coordinating dies. These stamps are really sweet.

To create my eggs, I used Tim Holtz Stitched Ovals and die cut them from Mixed Media Heavystock cardstock. The die embosses a border, giving you an instant layer.

Two of the eggs were die cut with the SSS Oval of Flowers and Floral Dot Collage dies. I ended up not using the one to the right, but only decided that right at the end. When die cutting, use the Sizzix Magnetic Platform to make sure the die stays in place.

Coat them with gesso.

Paint with Distress Paints and before the paint is completely dry, rub some of it off with a paper towel.

The eggs were stamped with the You Matter stamp using coordinating tones of Archival Ink.

I added Enamel Accents to the flowers of the yellow egg - this is the egg I ended up not using. I might use it on a card later on.

Add one more layer by white embossing grasses and leaves from the More Spring Flowers set.

Finally, I added one more layer with stencils and texture paste. I mixed a little white paint into the paste first, because the paste sometimes soaks up colored Archival Ink and I wanted to make it more opaque so that the ink wouldn't show.

All four images from Spring Seeds were stamped on the smooth side of Ranger's watercolor paper. Next, I used the coordinating dies to cut them out.

The images were watercolored with Distress Inks. Smear the inks on a craft sheet, mist with water and pick up with a paint brush.

I taped a strip of cardstock along the back of the eggs to keep them together. Since oval shapes don't stand up very easily, I also gave the eggs supporting feet at the back.

I tore some cheese cloth and placed between the images and the background. I also stamped, colored and die cut strands of grass from the More Spring Flowers set. Here you see the accordion folded up.

If you look closely, you can see the layers of the faux-stitched edges, paint, stamping, paste and cloth.

And below the images, you'll find the white embossing. You could also pick either texture paste of white embossing.

This cute bunny stamp is my favourite. Stamp sentiments in the space provided.

Texture paste is very efficient when it comes to adding a layered feeling to a project.

I die cut a vellum egg and glued it behind the flower egg. You could also turn it into a shaker.

The word was die cut from watercolor paper and painted with Cracked Pistachio.

I like texture paste rose showing at the top of this panel.

The last panel features this pretty and delicate image. If you use a different sentiment, it can work many different themes. The flowers and leaves are so pretty.

I really hope you will join us in our Layer It Up challenge. As every week, you have a chance to win a $50 gift voucher from Simon Says Stamp. You have until Monday 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in.

Don't forget to follow Simon Says Stamp on Instagram, they post great stuff daily. 

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:

Simon Says Stamp OVAL OF FLOWERS	Simon Says Stamps And Dies SPRING SEEDS Set	Simon Says Clear Stamps SPRING SEEDS	Simon Says Stamp SPRING SEEDS Wafer Dies	Simon Says Stamps And Dies MORE SPRING FLOWERS Set
Simon Says Clear Stamps MORE SPRING FLOWERS	Simon Says Stamp MORE SPRING FLOWERS Wafer Dies	Simon Says Stamp EASTER	Simon Says Stamp FLORAL DOT COLLAGE	Simon Says YOU MATTER BACKGROUND
Tim Holtz Sizzix STITCHED OVALS	Simon Says Stamp VELLUM	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress 8.5 X 11 MIXED MEDIA HEAVYSTOCK	Tim Holtz ROSES	Tim Holtz ORNATE
Tim Holtz POLKADOT	Tim Holtz Stencil FLOURISH	Tim Holtz Stencil LATTICEWORK	Ranger Archival Ink DEEP PURPLE	Ranger Archival Ink VIRIDIAN
Ranger Wendy Vecchi Archival PINK PEONY	Ranger Archival Ink CHROME YELLOW	Ranger Archival Ink FRENCH ULTRAMARINE	Ranger Archival Ink Pad JET BLACK	Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad CRACKED PISTACHIO
Tim Holtz DISTRESS INK SALTY OCEAN	Tim Holtz Distress Ink TATTERED ROSE	Tim Holtz Distress Ink VICTORIAN VELVET	Tim Holtz Distress INK SHABBY SHUTTERS	Tim Holtz DISTRESS INK PAD GATHERED TWIGS
Tim Holtz DISTRESS INK MUSTARD SEED	Tim Holtz DISTRESS INK PAD ANTIQUE LINEN	Tim Holtz DISTRESS INK MOWED LAWN	Tim Holtz DISTRESS INK SQUEEZED LEMONADE	Tim Holtz Distress Ink SPICED MARMALADE
Tim Holtz Distress Ink DRIED MARIGOLD	Tim Holtz Distress Ink TUMBLED GLASS	Tsukineko Versamark EMBOSS INK	Simon Says Stamp SPRING SEEDS Wafer Dies	Simon Says Stamp EMBOSSING POWDER WHITE
Tim Holtz Distress Paint TUMBLED GLASS	Tim Holtz SHADED LILAC	Tim Holtz Distress Paint CRACKED PISTACHIO	Tim Holtz Distress Paint SPUN SUGAR	Tim Holtz Distress Paint SQUEEZED LEMONADE
Dina Wakley Ranger WHITE Paint	Ranger Wendy Vecchi SUNFLOWER Enamel Accents	Ranger Wendy Vecchi FORGET ME NOT Enamel Accents	Dina Wakley Ranger WHITE GESSO	Tim Holtz Distress COLLAGE BRUSH SET
3M Scotch ACID FREE 0.25 Inch x 36 Yard REFILL	Tim Holtz Tonic MINI SNIPS	Ranger TEXTURE PASTE	Simon Says Stamp White FLOUR SACK TOWEL	Sizzix BIG SHOT MACHINE Gray And White
Sizzix MINT Standard Cutting Pads	Hero Arts CLEAR ACRYLIC BLOCK 3 by 3	Hero Arts SMALL BLOCK TRIO CLEAR ACRYLIC BLOCKS	Dina Wakley Ranger PALETTE KNIFE	Ranger Inkssentials Non Stick CRAFT SHEET
Ranger Inkssentials GLOSSY ACCENTS	Ranger Inkssentials US HEAT IT CRAFT TOOL	Ranger Inkssentials EUROPEAN HEAT IT CRAFT TOOL

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