I'll do anything...for you dear anything...I'll do anything for you...

...but a Card! Welcome to Monday, a new week and challenge at Simon Says Stamp & Show!  Well, the first line says it all really. Yes, it's an 'Anything but a Card' thing, so oodles of opportunity for creative thinking and fun makes methinks!

Let me be the first to practice what I preach and show you my Valentine Shrine which began life as an electrical socket box! In my town there's this totally chaotic but fabulous DIY, hard ware, 'got it all' kind of shop. The shelves are heaving with loads of wondrous metal stuff and as you can see I bring a lot of it home!

I'm still in a metal mood... I started by roughly brushing the whole metal box with Red Pepper Alcohol Ink. Boy, is that stuff potent. Thankfully, my daily swim does wonders for inky fingers! I took a piece of my favourite mesh wire, gave it a sponging of Gesso and cut it to fit  halfway inside the box. I made sure it was a tight squeeze so it holds itself in place and then added a strip of gesso swiped Ruler Ribbon.

I painted some Grungepaper on both sides, cut nine Tattered Floral flowers and stamped them with Tim's Stuff To Say in Vermillion Archival Ink which comes out so well. I edged the petals with Barn Door Distress Ink and created three Grunge Roses turning each layer to vary the wording. I glued them onto the wire adding ribbon, a Trinket Pin and just one word taken from a larger stamp.

The roof is created with two metal corner brackets (from that shop!). I painted them white and lined the inside with Tissue Tape. I stamped and cut a Papillon butterfly from painted Grungepaper to perch inside the roof. I coloured an old key and Charm Clip with more Red pepper Ink, adding a single 'L' for love of course - or it could be your secret sweetheart's initial!

I finished off with a wrap of Ball Chain which is fab stuff, again dipped in the red stuff. You can create any colour chain you want with a touch of Alcohol Inks! Even added a little colour to my 'nutty' feet - all glued together with good old Glossy Accents. So there it is. A little house but a lot of love! And definitely NOT a card.

 After the Christmas frenzy, I'm sure you are all raring to go with anything but a card, so this is your chance to show us your creations. Hop over to the Design Team Blog to see more inspiration from my wonderful teamies and all the challenge details. There's a chance to win this fab $50 prize and make a bid for our specially selected Top Three!

Time for me to be awaying... Thanks for calling by, hope you enjoyed your stay! Wishing you all a luuuurvely week, see you soon. Sarah.