Ready for another Monday Challenge ?
This week’s Simon Says Stamp Monday Challange theme is:
and we are featuring exclusive Simon Says Stamp products.
For this challange Simon Says Stamp kindly offers a $25 gift voucher to shop over Simon Says Stamp!
Simon Says Stamp is also on Instagram! If you would like you can also share your projects there, but don’t forget to use the hashtag #sssmchallenge
I went for a layered botanical mixed media card, keeping the palette muted and slightly grungy so the black stamped images could do most of the work.
I started the background with a collage of torn paper bits, overlapping different fragments rather than trying to make anything particularly tidy. Once everything was in place, I worked over the collage with Distress Spray Stains, letting the original paper details remain visible here and there. The result is quite busy up close, but most of it disappears behind the focal point anyway. As mixed media backgrounds tend to do.
For the main elements, I used Stampers Anonymous stamps together with the exclusive coordinating dies from Simon Says Stamp. This is where the dies really change how I use the stamped images: instead of keeping them confined to a flat stamped background, I can cut them out and move them around until the composition works.
I kept the botanical images mostly black, with warmer distressed edges creating separation from the background. Some pieces sit directly on the surface while others are raised, so the foliage overlaps without turning into one large black shape.
A little loose fabric underneath adds another rough layer around the focal point, while the black mat, stitching and small black accents bring the contrast back around the edges. I also split the sentiment into separate strips and tucked a smaller stamped element into the upper corner to keep the composition moving beyond the main cluster.
A couple of useful things from this project: when working with a collaged background, don’t cover every fragment completely with color: those random pieces showing through are what make the surface interesting. And with coordinating dies, cut several stamped elements before deciding on the final arrangement. Moving loose pieces around is considerably less annoying than committing too early and regretting it five minutes later.
That’s it from my desk today!
Come join us over at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and see what everyone created for STAMP IT this week!
You can find more layered and slightly messy projects in my mixed media Cards.
Stay happy , stay creative…Till next time!
Ciao Zoey
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