Architecture Mixed Media Canvas

Hello friends! I hope you had a good weekend! It is Monday and the rain is pouring down here. I don't mind a bit of rain on my walks, but this is too much and even my raincoat couldn't quite handle it this morning.

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 at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog we have an Architecture/Buildings theme. I hope you will join us! Don't miss the last project by our July guest designer Natasha Vacca aka Natasha's Colorful Creations.

I made a mixed media canvas this week, with a lot of buildings and little scenes within the scene. It was inspired by Tim Holtz Photographic Collage Paper, painted with Distress Paint and stamped with a bunch of image and sentiment stamps. My canvas board is 6x6 in.

Start by coating the canvas board with gesso and let it dry. Paint with Antique Linen and then mist water droplets on the background. Dab with a paper towel to remove the water.

Pick the images from the Photographic Collage Paper that you want to use and tear around them. A torn edge disappears better on the background. I painted around the images with water and then tore. Apply a layer of gloss multi-medium on the background and carefully place the images down. Work one at a time. Add another layer of gloss medium on top of the images.

Start painting the background with Distress Paint. I made most of the sky areas blue and the rest a mix of yellow and gbown. 

The images still looked like they were floating on the background and they were not connected. To make the piece more unified I stamped the trees from Simon Says Stamp All Seasons Tree on the background. The tree can also double up as a bush or general shrubs. The trees cover up joints and connect the images.

Next I stamped a compass and a bunch of sentiments. Most of the sentiments were stamped right on the background, except for one, which wouldn't have been visible enough if stamped on the background. That sentiment was stamped on a Journal Card and cut into a strip. I used sentiments from Tim Holtz Noble Gent, Tiny Text and Simple Sayings, and from Simon Says Stamp All Seasons Tree.

Next, to add more texture, I stamped the background here and there with Simon Says Stamp Crackle Background and Cobalt Archival Ink. I have had that Cobalt ink for a very long time, but it works perfectly and I really like that shade of blue. I also added more paint, as shadows and around the edges.

I also added some Sizzix Gold Luster Wax around the edges and here and there on the background, for a hint of shimmer. Most of the images seem to come from old post cards and I love that bit of handwritten text.

The theme of the canvas is all the ideas and possibilities around buildings and homes.

I liked how the two larger sentiments are curved, adding movement to the canvas.

A cosy little town street, two women and a bicycle.

The windmill made me think of South Africa, since they are common there. 

I hope you will join us this week in our Architecture / Buildings 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 stopping by here 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.

Just a Note Tag Tutorial

Hello and welcome to my blog! I have been picking a lot of berries lately and also made some black currant jam. Today I have a tag to share using Simon Says Stamp new Just a Note release. 

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.

Embossing folders are great for adding either a lot or just a little texture to a background. Here I used the new Gradient Dot folder, which gives a really nice effect. I tend to like anything with circles or little dots. The flowers were made with the Simon Says Stamp Fresh Cut Floral Stem die and inked with the two sets of small cubes of Pawsitively Saturated Inks that are included in the Just a Note release.

The new Just a Note release is full of versatile new dies, stamps, stencils, inks and more.

Die cut the flower twice from heavystock paper.

The cube sets are great for these types of projects where you want shades of the same color. I used the Blue Seas set for the flower to the left and the Blue Skies set for the flower to the right.

The stems and leaves were inked with Tropic and Aegean.

Shape the leaves and petals with Tim Holtz Shaping Kit and glue them together.

Smear three lines of Distress Ink on a non-stick craft sheet and mist with water. Press the tag into the ink and immediately emboss in the Simon Says Stamp Gradient Dot folder.

When the tag is dry, ink with brown shades of Distress Ink.

I also embossed a strip of Tim Holtz Backdrops Vol. 5 paper. Sizzix Gold Luster Wax was applied to both the tag and the blue paper. You only need a little.

The Pawsitively Saturated Inks are great for dying ribbon and here I dyed three pieces of May Arts ribbon with three of the inks used on the flower. The dyed ribbon will coordinate with your project.

If you want to, you could have embossed the flowers with the folder too.

Sequins from Perfect Day were glued to the tag with Simon glue and I also used sentiment strips from Sentiment Strips Teacher, also from the Just a Note release.

The Gold Luster Wax gives a great shine to the tag.

Just a Note was die cut from heavystock paper and inked with two of the colors used for the flower. I also added some lace trim. 

The background gives a lot of texture, without overpowering the flowers. 

Have fun crafting!

Thank you so much for stopping by here 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.

Seaside Mixed Media Canvas

Hello and welcome to my blog! I hope you are enjoying summer, or winter, since July can be both depending on where you live.Today I have a little mixed media project to share.

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 made a 6x6 canvas board summer scene, with a lot of texture, but not so many details. I used Distress Paint, various pastes and just two small sentiment stamps. 

Start by applying gesso to the surface. I made a horizon line with the gesso, using a palette knife. When dry, add texture paste to the beach area, forming little hills.

When the paste was dry, I placed a little cheese cloth onto the paste and adhere with Snowfall Grit-Paste. I also added some paste to the water. Let dry.

Paint the sea and sky with Distress Paint. I aimed for a light-colored look here.

Paint the sand with Antique Linen and add darker shades to the sea and the sky.

Dry brush brown paint on the beach area to increase the texture. Paint some white lines and marks on the sea and sky area.

Splatter white and blue paint on the canvas. Protect the sky with scrap paper when splattering the blue paint.

I wanted the beach to shimmer and added Ranger's Mica Flakes. I also glued two real sea shells to the board.

Sentiments from Simon Says Stamp Forest Scenery were stamped with Potting Soil ink. I also painted birds in the sky.

The grit paste adds an interesting foamy texture to the sea.

The beach has a nice texture, with the combination of texture paste, grit-paste, cheese cloth, mica flakes and paint.

If you want to you can of course add more details, such as a boat. You can find inspiration for how to make little boats and for how to paint the sea with a palette knife in my At The Sea tutorial.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog 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.

Clear Floral Card

 Hello crafters! It is Monday and I hope you had a good weekend. 

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 our theme at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog is We can see clearly now. Fun! I love to use clear elements on projects the the clear Lego pieces were always my favorites (and still are). Don't miss the lovely project by our July guest designer Natasha Vacca aka Natasha's Colorful Creations.

I have always enjoyed clear cards and thought it was time to make a new one. A fun thing with clear cards is that you can do layering in a different way, since you will see all the layers from the front of the card. I used a tag on the inside of the card, both as a space for a message, but also since it looked nice as a backdrop to the idea-ology Transparent Layer that I used on the front. 

The tag was die cut from a Tim Holtz Backdrops Vol. 4 paper, using the Framed Tags set and Watering Can ink.

I stamped the circles with brown and pink ink, using Simon Says Stamp Mix and Match Circles.

For the main sentiment I used a Quote Chip Label and glued it to the front. White paint was applied around the Transparent Layer to create a frame. It was then stapled to a folded Simon Says Stamp Clear Acetate Sheet.

On the tag, I added lace and a little cheese cloth. It also created space between the tag and the clear front, adding dimension.

The ribbon was dyed with a little Frayed Burlap.

I also stamped a sentiment on the back of the tag, visible if you turn the card around.

Clear cards are a challenge to photograph because of the reflections.

I hope you will join us this week in our We can see clearly now 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 stopping by here 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.