Mamma Used to Say...and Simon Says Stamp & Show

Good morning Monday!
Let us not ponder on where the weekend went to, but dive into a new week of discovery. I was feeling out of sorts last week, so I'm definitely up for a sweeter path. My weekend was spent tinkering away on a new piece for Simon Says Stamp & Show where it's all about An Old Wives' Tale. Victorian eccentricity, Medieval absurdity or something your Nan used to say that still comes to mind... I went with the old poem 'Monday's child' which I learnt from my mum. Wooed by vintage glory, I spent a few days looking for my seven darlings.

 Each lass deserves her own little place so I've created seven hanging tags. I painted an off-cut of chip-board, and then covered it with a white-washed design paper. I stitched, distressed and inked the edges with Vintage Photo and then randomly stamped the Urban Chic florals using my Snow-Cap Dabber for texture. (Listen up, you must clean your stamp immediately - if you want to keep it!) Then I started on my tags trying to find the right feel for each one...

 On each tag I used a blend of Scattered Straw, Brushed Corduroy and Vintage Photo Distress Inks and lots of Distress Embossing Powder with a random sprinkling of copper too.
Monday. Here you can see layered stamping using Archival inks and Tim's Urban Chic range. I mixed white paint with Distress ink to get a mushroom tone. Loving that extra texture of the paint and also added a torn paper scrap, lace and brads. Look at that face.

Each image had been stuck to card, aged and then sealed with Claudine Helmuth's Matt medium. It dries clear, strengthens the paper and brings out detail. It's also great for preserving your work as the years go by. Tuesday. Here I used water splatters, splodges of paint and scraps of lace, a rosette frill, wire and staples. The lace started to melt during the embossing but looks even better! The images are a mixture of my own, The Graphics Fairy and ArteZine.

Wednesday and rather woeful indeed. I just loved spending time with each face...playing with all that came to hand, talking to each one as I went... Here scraps from paper lace punching, Glassine paper and two strung brass eyelets. The embossing powder is applied at random along the photo edges  and over the tag. You can always brush off any excess before heating, if you were too zealous.

Thursday - I do like this gal. She just has that something special. Here I first stamped the tag with White Stazon for finer detail before applying the inks. Added tea-dyed muslin, a book-page scrap and stamped a bird onto mica. Stamps from the Mini Ornates set. All the words have been typed onto old paper - again coloured and sealed as above. This vintage paper really needs extra strength.

Friday. I love this one too...I figured she was just right for Friday laden with flowers for someone special. Used a lot of Coffee Archival ink on the tags when I wanted a stronger image. A real essential for your desk.

Saturday. Look at this one. Who'd have thought a basin hair cut and massive bow could look so darn cute? Here I've embossed just one side of the tag, then rubbed paint into a crinoline scrap and added a ribbon and a touch of metal with two press-studs. They were pre-dunked in Alcohol inks  as were the tag hooks to get rid of the silver colour.











 And Sunday...I'm not sure what she's up to but bonny and blithe she is. Vintage crocheted lace, a Bible page scrap and gold thread here. I decided to turn the last tag for a little contrast and the end of the poem. I struggled to place her poetry as it is longer. In the end I placed the second part at the side so she wouldn't disappear under a sea of words.

 This rose is made from Glassine Paper. I have stitched around the edges and given it a real crumpling before putting it together, layering on the Distress Powder and Viva Gold. It sits on a bed of all the scraps used on the tags...a kind of encore! Added a length of crocheted lace along the bottom edge to balance things out.

Here you can see more of the hooks and how the tags hang. I think I could do many more with the right faces...each one has a story to tell.

So, that was a week of faces and fables. I wonder which one you are? I'm a Friday girl, so on that note I've hopefully given you some inspiration and I will leave you lots of love.

I really hope to see you join in with the challenge as there is real oasis of tales out there. Head on over to our blog to see more from the Design Team and details on the coveted Top Three crown. We really do take time to look at each entry and appreciate all your efforts. A $50 spree is also in the mix!!!

Thanks for calling by, would love to know you've been or any thoughts you'd like to share...
Sarah.