Dragonflies and Cherry Blossoms

The Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge this week  is to tape it up.  I was excited about this challenge as I love using tapes and I have several "ahem" varieties in my stash. 

My original thought was to create a background that looked like brick. Here is the tape I used along with a few pieces cut and distressed and one of the leftover pieces:

  

I started with white cardstock from my scrap pile.  I covered the surface of the cardstock with tape. Overlapping the edges and in different lengths but covering the entire piece of cardstock.  After I had covered my cardstock I cut the taped cardstock into 1" strips.  I cut those 1" strips into 2" lengths.  Keep any extras as when you build your wall you will need little bits to finish off the edges.  I sponged all my bricks to give them a red and brown finish.

Now it is time to build a brick wall!    Cut the wall from cardtsock. Sponge the edges of the wall to add a distressed feel.  My wall measured 5 1/4" x 5 1/4".  I  used tan cardstock to go with my brick wall theme. 

 

 

I started with my first piece being centered in the middle of the cardstock and leaving half of the width hanging over.  I attached all my bricks using tape.  I left my space between my bricks about 1/16" around each brick.

On the next row start with a full piece and center it under the gap between two of the bricks above.   Repeat until the entire surface is covered. I applied all my full bricks first and then cut the edges off to use them to fill in the spaces.

Here is my finished wall:

I was pleased with the finished background.  I could have stamped or layered images over the background.  I decided to use mine as an Asian panel instead of a brick wall. 

I had this metal stand from Zutter called the Display It All.  It was given to me by a friend and I wasn't sure what to do with it and when I looked at my panel it really inspired me to create a hanging piece of art. 

I took the versamark ink pad and ink pen to cover my metal surfaces.  I heat embossed using Stampendous Aged Gold Embossing Enamel.  (I love this stuff and can't get enough of it!) This took several times because of the round surfaces on the poles.  I also re-heated the embossed surfaces on the bottom and the top and stamped into the warm embossed surface with a Kanji poem.

I sprayed the beautiful Dylusions sprays onto cardstock to prepare paper to use for my flowers and dragonfly.   I let them dry before my next step.

I stamped the Stampendous Holly Hocks twice onto my sprayed paper using versamark ink.  I heat embossed the flowers with the gold embossing enamel.  I crinkled up the flowers after I cut them out to add texture.  I layered the same flowers together and glued them to each other.  To finish off the flower I  added black crushed glass glitter to the centers of my flowers.  I used silk flower stems to create my stems in the background.

I stamped the dragonfly twice on a sprayed background using versamark.  I heat embossed using gold embossing enamel. I cut out both dragonflies and layered them together.  I accented the body of the dragon fly with the same crushed black glass glitter.


I sponged the edges of my panel with versamark and heat embossed using the gold embossing enamel. I pierced two holes in the panel and attached the panel to the metal stand using chains and brads which were embossed to coordinate.

The sentiment is one of my favorites and is from the Artistic Outpost Quotes and Quotables.

Slightly different angel to see the embossing highlights:

Products: Artistic Outpost - Quotes & Quotable, Versamark Ink pad, Versamark Ink pen,  Zutter Display-it-All, Hero Arts Kanji Poem, Stampendous Dragonfly Vine, Stampendous Aged Gold Embossing Enamel, Stampendous Hollyhocks, 7Gypsies Paper Tape Global, Dylusion Sprays, Ranger Distress Inks (Fired Brick, Vintage Photo), Ranger Archival Ink - Black, Stampendous Black Crushed Glass Glitter

For your opportunity to win a $50.00 Gift Voucher to Simon Says Stamp come join in the challenge:

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz