The Journey Is Never Truly Over It Just Changed Course

Welcome to STAMPtember®, a wonderful creative month with Simon Says Stamp!  Simon Says Stamp are celebrating for the whole month of September by hosting a STAMPtember® event intended to inspire, educate, and celebrate the greatness of rubber stamping.

From phrases to words to simple alphabets, words can add so much to a creation and can also stand alone as a focal point. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge would like you all to embrace all those letter, word and phrase sentiment stamps on your creative pieces this week. Just a little reminder that Simon Says Stamp have changed the name of their challenge blog to Simon Says Monday Challenge but we are still the same fabulous challenge just a new home and name.

Inspiration this week came from the Stampers Anonymous Paris Memoir stamp set which I thought worked beautifully with the postage stamp frame to create my dimensional hanging.

I began by die cutting one postage stamp and five frames using the sized rectangles die within the postage stamp frame to give me the framed pieces.

I coloured each piece with broken china and gathered twigs Distress Ink and then flicked the ink with water to add bleached out areas.

A touch of background stamping using the stamp as is to give a more random feel.

I love background or text stamps for adding subtle stamping in a lighter colour in the background.

The focal images have been stamped in black Archival Ink, I love how the background stamping is still visible.

I love to add dimension with my dies and on this piece I layered the postage stamp frames, stacking one on top of the other to create a shadow box type effect, love it!

Next I cut a 7" x 7" square piece of card and coloured with gathered twigs Distress Ink.

Again flicked the ink with water and then dabbed off the excess water with kitchen towel to leave bleached out areas.

Using a fine detail water brush bleach out some of the areas on this handsome gentleman.

Stamp the fabulous sentiment onto white card using black Archival Ink.

Cut the sentiment into pieces and then colour with broken china Distress Ink.

I then cut a postage stamp from white shrink plastic and stamped the same images to echo those in my larger stamped postage framed piece. Stazon timber brown and black were used for the stamping onto shrink plastic. I then heated with my heat tool to shrink the postage stamp piece.

It is important to remember to punch any hole in the top prior to shrinking.

I added my decorative piece to corrugated card for added texture and interest and then added rustic twine to hang.

The shrink plastic piece has been added to the bottom of the frame along with a brass Eiffel Tower charm.

I also stamped the gentleman onto shrink plastic and added him to my postage stamp frame along with JOURNEY added using Label Letters.

Remnant Rubs Words have been added throughout my piece along with a compass coin which I have sanded to highlight all the detail.

For more great ideas please pop over to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge blog and take a look at my fellow team members they have created some inspirational projects. Remember there is also the chance to win a $50 prize from Simon Says Stamp.  I always look forward to seeing your creations each week.

Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment, much appreciated.  Enjoy your week. Tracy x x 

Products Used:

Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Paris Memoir Stamp Set, Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Words For Thought
Tim Holtz Alterations - Postage Stamp Frame, Sized Rectangles
Tim Holtz Idea-ology - Label Letters, Compass Coins, Remnant Rubs Words
Tim Holtz Fine Detail Water Brush
Distress Inks - Broken China, Gathered Twigs
Archival Inks - Sepia, Black
StazOn - Timber Brown, Black

Non-Stick Craft Sheet
Ink Blending Tool
Shrink Plastic
Blue Moon Eiffel Tower Pendant