Stitch It

 

 Hello Monday my friends! And welcome to another week on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. Thank you for joining us for the  Emboss It Challenge and we hope you will all join us again this week too.

We are showcasing the awesome designs of AALL and Create this week. If you have them, we would love to see them!

Please join me in welcoming our guest designer for October Lori E. Kennedy ! Welcome Lori!!

This week the challenge is: STITCH IT!

Even though I have two sewing machines, yes two...I still reach for my slow stitching materials first. Maybe I am just too lazy to lug out a machine, find a place to set it up to work, and do some paper stitching. I think I only pull it out if I have an extensive sewing project to do. That said, I really enjoy the meditative mood slow stitching puts me in. No matter the method - sewing machine, slow stitching, faux stitching, come have some fun with us this week! 

JAVA STITCHING

I began with a #10 media tag (Dina Wakely) and smooshed on some ink in orange and yellow. I'm thinking fall now, as the leaves are really changing here now.

Then, I smooshed ground espresso over the base colors, spritzed it with water, and lifted a few areas. 

Next step - stencil some X's with the Lotza Crossez stencil from AALL and Create and ground espresso ink.  Edge the tag too. Let dry completely.

Now, let the stitching begin! I used a yellow thread for the smaller x's and just sewed right through the tag. I tried to keep it somewhat random and not do every one.

For the larger X's, I used a blue thread, and again stitched in a random fashion. 

I love the extra pizzaz stitching gives to the tag. (I could just leave it here.)

But, onward and upward! I stamped these awesome coffee images from AALL and Create's Hot Drinks set, onto watercolor paper. Once the archival ink was completely dry, I colored the images with the new Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor Pencils. Then, it is easy peasy to use a water brush on the colored areas and turn it into watercolor - like magic! I fussy cut the images after they were dry.

I added a bit more stitching with the stitched scrap that I stamped the word "coffee'" onto. 

I tucked a thermometer gauge behind the old enamel coffee pot, and added a stitched bit from Tim Holtz at the bottom.

I wanted to add more dimension to the coffee pot, so stamped and colored a second one to pop on top.

You know how you think you are done, and then another idea pops up? That happened to me when I decided a washi tape frame would be fun around the tag to finish it off. So here you have my coffee themed tag with slow stitching and stitched scraps from Tim Holtz. I hope I've inspired you to make your own stitched creation and join us this week.

As always Simon Says Stamp will be giving away a $25 voucher to shop at the fabulous Simon Says Stamp Store 

Supplies:

AALL and Create *643 Hot Drinks stamp set

AALL and Create #142 Lotza Crossez stencil

Tim Holz Distress Watercolor Pencils

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Gauge Dials

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Stitched Scraps

Embroidery Floss

Needle

Dina Wakley Media Assorted Tags

Canson Watercolor paper

Tim Holtz Glass Media Mat

Simon Says Stamp Black Dye ink

Tim Holtz Distress Ground Espresso ink

Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks - Abandoned Coral and Wild Honey

Ranger Mini Blender tool

Ranger Mister Bottle

TIm Holtz Scissors

Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher

Simon Says Stamp Foam Tape

Prima Marketing Water Brush

Washi Tape

Mini Alphabet Stamp set

So now it's YOUR turn, Happy Crafting! Maura

Follow Simon Says Stamp on Instagram

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

You have until Monday 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in .

What Does a Gal with a Gelli Plate do?

I had a beautiful summer day recently, and had to try out my new DecoArt Premium Acrylics and some new Neons I had recently gotten. So, I packed everything up, took it out onto my deck, and laid down a big sheet of paper on the table, and started playing. I wanted to try to make my own washi tape with the gelli plate. 

I started by laying down some Dina Wakley Media tape onto a sheet of deli paper.

Using my gelli plate and a brayer, I added the first layer of lovely blues and greens. I am loving the new Premium paints - very smooth!

Adding in a stamped layer with one of Nathalie Kalbach's Art Foamies.

A cosmetic sponge and neutrals work beautifully with some Carabelle Studio stencils to add another layer. 

Decided to try out my Neons and add in a bit with these masks. (Carabelle Studio)

Time to pop it up with some bright white and the flower stencil. (Carabelle Studio)

I used a lot of the same materials to make this gelli print on a piece of deli paper.

I used some of my washi tape for an art journal page. I will have to come up with a way to use the strips left on the deli paper too.

I also monoprinted a number of sheets of paper, since it was such a lovely afternoon to be outside, and I wanted to try out my new paints. I added some stamping on these sheets.

Some stenciling on these....

...and combined my prints into an art journal page along with these great book stamps from Darkroom Door and a bit of Quinacridone Gold.

Here is the full page, which I made for my Wanderlust 2017 class. My idea was to make the washi tape look like book shelves (for the most part). As you can see, I combined paper I mrnoprinted with the washi tape.

I will definitely set up my "outdoor studio" on the deck on another lovely day this summer, and get out my gelli plate and paints to play - I highly recommend it!! 

Summer Coffee Hop: Coffee with a Friend

Today is the last day of the hop, my friends. I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have. I bet you've had a few cups of your favorite beverage as you perused all the creativity out there! I know I have! I love to have coffee with friends, and I feel like I have here at the hop! Thanks so much for stopping by this week and saying hello, I really appreciate your visit! Thank you to all my new followers, I will work hard to continue to inspire you!

SUPPLIES:

Stamps - Stampin Up

Paper - Bo Bunny

Ranger ink, washi, coffee holder

Don't forget the giveaways! Be sure to join/comment by the end of the day on Sunday to be eligible to win, and again, thanks so much!! Details HERE.

Summer Coffee Hop: Make time for Tea!

I love my coffee, but sometimes there is nothing like a hot cup of tea to relax with! I had fun making a watercolor background, then layering some washi and my image.  I hope you've been having fun the last few days checking out all the creative energy of the hop!

SUPPLIES:

Stamp: Finnabair

Peerless watercolors, waterbrush

washi, Ranger archival ink

I have three giveaways in appreciation of new followers and all visitors...you can find all the details HERE.

Washi Tape Storage

I ran across this great post from Lori Allred with some ideas for storing all that Washi tape we've been collecting. I know that I'm not the only one amassing quite a collection, right?

So, which one are you going to do? Or if you have your own storage that you love, please share.

Queen of Hearts Tag and Chic to be Shabby Challenge

Queen of Hearts Tag...playing with the Tim Holtz Blueprint stamp I won at the crop.

Working on the background with Distress Inks and water.

Playing with ink and water on the craft mat, then laying the tag down in it...seems to be a bit softer.

Stamping three images so I can do some layering.

Distress inks over each image.

Time to color in parts of the images with my Derwent watercolor pencils.

Using the water brush over the coloring is such an easy way to give a watercolor look.

I decided I wanted a bit more texture to the background so stamped with the mini blueprint and Archival ink.

Now, for some fun...tissue tape, metal, distressed ribbon...

Layered up the three stamped images to create some dimension, added a bit of cardboard, and finished up with my white pen. Now, that was a fun way to spend an afternoon.

I definitely see elements of shabby chic here...distressed ribbon, cardboard, tissue tape...so off it goes to the Simon Says Stamp challenge here.