Thursday, April 23, 2026

Ladder Tag

Hi crafters! I hope you are well! Today I have a mixed media tag to share with die cutting, heat embossing, paint and stamping. 

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.

Layers of ink - Ladder tag tutorial by Anna-Karin Evaldsson.

I had one of the die cuts from Sizzix Seth Apter Tracks on my desk and turned it vertically. It looked like a rickety ladder which gave the idea for this tag. I paired it up with some words and die cut one word with alphabet stamps. 

Die cut Seth Apter Sizzix dies.

Start by die cutting five ladders using Seth Apter's set. I die cut from Tim Holtz Kraft Stock and a wood grain paper. 

Glue together the ladders.

Glue them together with Simon Says Stamp craft glue, off setting the back layer slightly to create a shadow. The top layer is the woodgrain paper.

Paint with Distress Paint.

Coat a tag with white gesso and press patterns with a palette knife. When dry, paint with Distress Paint. Mist with water to blend.


When the tag is almost dry, wipe off some of the paint. 

Stamp with Simon Says Stamp Swiss Dots.

Silver emboss Simon Says Stamp Swiss Dots in some areas. Add a little silver powder along the edges too.

Stamp with Tim Holtz School Desk.

Stamp the background with Tim Holtz School Desk alphabet stamp and birds from Mini Ornates.

Add Black Soot paint.

Add a little Black Soot around the edges.

Die cut clouds.


Die cut title with Tim Holtz Handwritten Journey.

This sentiment was die cut from silver kraft stock and black cardstock using Tim Holtz Sizzix Handwritten Journey. The stamped sentiment is from Tim's Tiny Text.


Gesso in the background can give very interesting textures.


This sentiment was die cut with Tim Holtz Vault World Travel, using the same combination of papers as for 'explore'. The sentiment is a Small Talk sticker.


By layering many die cut, you can get a more dimensional ladder. The edges were inked slightly with Scorched Timber. 

Layers of ink - Ladder tag tutorial by Anna-Karin Evaldsson.

Thank you for stopping by here today! Have fun crafting!




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.



Monday, April 20, 2026

Faceted Hearts Tag

Hi friends! Yesterday we went to look at the Sakura trees flowering, which is always a sign of spring. And today I have a pink and purple tag 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.


This week we have a Use more than one stencil theme at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog. I hope you will take out those stencils and join us! Don't miss the project by our April guest designer Thom Santilla.  

Layers of ink - Faceted Hearts Tutorial by Anna-Karin Evaldsson.

I made a tag with five dimensional faceted hearts and used two different stencils for the background. I used Tim Holtz Vault Rosettes for the hearts and the two stencils are Tim Holtz Sparkle Fade and Simon Says Stamp Snowfall and Banks.

Ink with Distress Ink.

Start with a tag cut from watercolor paper and build up layers of Distress Ink. Smear ink on craft sheet, mist with water and press the paper into the ink. Let dry and repeat. Use a little Distress Oxide ink at the end.

Stamp with Simon Says Stamp Pepita Background.

Ink Simon Says Stamp Pepita Background with Wilted Violet. Mist with water 3-4 times and stamp.

Add white dots.

Apply paint with a sponge through Simon Says Stamp Snowfall and Banks.

Die cut hearts with Tim Holtz Vault Rosettes.

Die cut hearts using Tim Holtz Vault Rosettes. I used papers from Tim Holtz Pink Palette and Red Palette 8x8 in paper packs.

Ink with Distress Ink.

Fold and score the lines. Ink with Distress Ink.

Mist with Distress Spritz.

Mist the tag with Distress Spritz Saltwater Taffy through Tim Holtz Sparkle Fade stencil. It will give a beautiful shimmer. Also mist the hearts. 

Assemble the hearts.

Assemble the hearts.

Add Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively Dazzling Opal Gems.



Distress the edge of the tag and add a line with a white gel pen.


When die cutting the hearts, place the die so that the text on the front of the heart is the right way around. Test on scrap paper first. 


I added a little bit of cheese cloth under each heart.


Here you can see the shimmer from the Distress Spritz better.


Each heart has a different pattern and a different shade of pink.


You can of course also use the techniques for a card.


Here you can see the Distress Spritz better.

Layers of ink - Faceted Hearts Tutorial by Anna-Karin Evaldsson.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

Join us this week in our Use more than one stencil 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.


Monday, April 13, 2026

Pink Florals Card

Hello crafters! I hope your weekend was good! Here new signs of spring appear almost every day, which is wonderful. 

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 Bright & Cheerful theme at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog. Lots of options! Don't miss the beautiful project by our April guest Thom Santilla.  

Layers of ink - Pink Florals Card Tutorial by Anna-Karin Evaldsson.

I made a card with very bright and cheerful colors and some glitter and bling too. The flower was stamped with Simon Says Stamp Beautiful and Curious (I just love the name of that stamp set) and everything was colored with watercolors. 

White emboss Simon Says Stamp Beautiful and Curious.

I die cut a square from watercolor paper with Simon Says Stamp Basic Shapes Squares. White emboss the floral stamp from Beautiful and Curious. 

Paint with Daniel Smith watercolors.

Paint the flowers with watercolor paint, dropping yellow paint into the pink before the pink paint was dry. 


Paint the leaves and stem and then paint the background. I didn't use green for the grass, but instead dropped in yellow paint letting it mix with the blue paint on the paper.

White emboss Tim Holtz Halftone Background.

When the paint was dry, I white embossed dots from Tim Holtz Halftone background as a frame around the flower.


The embossing will resist the paint. Don't worry about trying to get perfect coloring. 


I die cut squares from Simon Says Stamp White glitter cardstock and from watercolor paper, using them as mats. Distress the edges of the watercolor paper squares. A Tim Holtz Small Talk sticker was used as a sentiment. 



Die cut sentiment with Tim Holtz Handwritten Celebrate.

The sentiment was die cut with Tim Holtz Handwritten Celebrate from Simon Says Stamp Color Blend cardstock and white glitter cardstock. The Color Blend cardstock is glossy. The stamped sentiment comes from Simon Says Stamp Cool Birthday.


I used mummy cloth / cheese cloth as a border together with an old heart ribbon.


Join us this week in our Bright and Cheerful 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.