B is for blizzard, blustery and cold

Hello everyone, I have some exciting news.
This month I have been asked to be in the designer spotlight for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge.

  I can't begin to explain what an honor it is to join this group of amazingly talented designers for the month of December on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog. Thank you so much to Lols and the entire SSS team for allowing me this wonderful opportunity.

"B is for..."

Since this is the first challenge of the month, it means that the DT projects are featuring products from a specific designer and this month it's Brutus Monroe. We'd love for you to use any of his products in your work, but it is not required for you to join in.

It is with great pleasure that I share my take on this week's challenge theme.
B is for blizzard, blustery and cold...

Perhaps it's due to the recent crazy weather we have been having, or maybe just a desire to spend a snow day cozied up inside, but whatever the reason, as soon as I heard the theme for this week would be "B is for..." I knew I would be making a blustery blizzard.

The base of the project is a small Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous etcetera tag. I knew I wanted the front side to be covered in a wintery scene. Using a piece of bristol larger than the tag, I layer antique linen and stormy sky distress oxides using the smooshing technique, spritzing with water and drying in between layers. When I have achieved a background that I am happy with, I add stormy sky distress ink into random areas, then dry with a heat gun. Next, I splatter picket fence and brushed pewter distress paint onto the piece. I set it aside to dry.

While the paint dries, I die cut a flurry of snowflakes using the Tim Holtz / Sizzix flurry 2, flurry 3, and paper snowflakes mini thinlet dies. I always find it a good idea to cut more pieces than I will probably need. This gives me flexibility with placement and any leftover pieces are simply put away for future projects.

I also prepare a vignette frame that will contain a snowy scene. I first paint the frame with a coat of weathered wood distress paint. When dry, I add a layer of collage medium crazing. When the crazing is dry, I rub ground expresso distress crayon into the cracks and along the beaded edge. With moist fingers, the crayon is moved and smeared along the edge. I dry brush a layer of brushed pewter distress paint onto the frame. Another layer of dry brushed weathered wood is added to some areas of the frame, creating the desired finish. I love the color and depth that the brushed pewter adds to both the background as well as the frame. It has a nice cold metallic look without adding all the shine.

While trying out different layouts, I decide to add some more interest to my background. I copy sheet music for "let it snow" onto plain collage paper and, using a water brush, tear it into different pieces. These pieces are collaged onto the background with distress collage medium. I love the way that they blend seamlessly. After they have dried completely, I add another layer of picket fence paint splatters randomly to the paper, creating a unified appearance. 

Before attaching anything to the etcetera tag, I paint all the the edges (including the hole area) with brushed pewter distress paint. I then trace the tag outline onto a piece of mercury glass cardstock and cut it to fit. I adhere the cardstock with collage medium, using a brayer to assure that there are no air bubbles. Once dry, the paper is trimmed as needed. I use a sanding block along the edges and then ink the entire piece and sides with stormy sky distress ink. One of the snowflakes is punched in the center to accommodate the hole, painted with brushed pewter and adhered to the tag at the hole location. Now the piece is ready to be flipped over and assembled on the front side.

 I use distress inks and a water brush to add some color to the ephemera photo before attaching it to the vignette frame. A hinge clip is painted with candied apple distress paint and distressed then a holiday story stick (filled with picket fence distress crayon) and two snowflake charms dangle from it. Glossy accents is used to adhere a few Brutus Monroe clear acrylic bubbles amidst the snowflakes on the background piece.

Various die cut snowflakes are dry brushed with brushed pewter distress paint and then a layering of snowflakes, both white and pewter are arranged and adhered to the background. some of the die cuts are raised up by means of foam tape. A piece of mixed media heavy stock is embossed with the 3D lumber texture fade and colored with distress inks and crayons, then fussy cut to appear like a plank. Ideaology typography letters from the words "let it snow" and are adhered onto the plank, which is layered above a piece of plaid patterned paper from the Tim Holtz Christmas paper stash. Ideaology icicles are coated with collage medium and dusted with clear rock candy glitter, then attached below the plank. Everything works together to create the atmosphere of a blustery and cold blizzard...

I hope that you have been inspired to create something of your own and will join in the challenge this week "B is for..." We love seeing all of your creativity. Please take a moment to check out some of the amazing projects from the other members of this incredible Design Team, I promise they are worth the look! I will be back again next Monday with another Simon Says Stamp project.

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by, I truly appreciate it.

~Ann

 xxx  

Each week there is a fabulous $50 gift voucher on offer!

All of the products that I used which are available from Simon Says Stamp are listed below with links. 

supplies:

Brutus Monroe -  acrylic bubbles flat back

Distress collage medium - matte, crazing
Distress crayon - ground expresso, picket fence
Distress glitter - clear rock candy
Distress ink - barn door, candied apple, peeled paint,  stormy sky, walnut stain, weathered wood
Distress oxide- stormy sky, antique linen,
Distress paint - brushed pewter, candied apple,  picket fence, weathered wood
Scotch 3M foam tape
Tim Holtz ideaology -
adornments snowflakes,  collage paper plain, christmas paper dolls, christmas paper stash,  christmas story sticks, christmas tokens, hinge clip, icicles, typography, vignette frames
 Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous etcetera tag - small
Tim Holtz / Sizzix alterations - flurry 2, flurry 3, paper snowflakes mini
Tim Holtz / Sizzix 3D texture fade - lumber