• Hi everyone! Glad to be back here on the Simon Says Blog today sharing a project using the new idea-ology Mini Clipboard today. I like the idea of making the final piece a bit more 3-d so I grabbed the smallest size from the stack of Vignette boxes.
• Remove the large clip from the Mini Clipboard. I love that the large clip is removable, leaving a hard, flat surface to work on.
• Paint a layer of Media White Gesso onto the face of the Mini Clipboard to cover the brown and give a great base to work from. Let Dry. Once the gesso is dry, lightly sand the surface with a Sanding Grip to remove any roughness.
• Plain Tissue Wrap is a product that may seem a bit daunting at first. In reality it’s easy to use and strong enough to withstand stamping, laser printing, and multiple layers of wet medium. I rolled out about 8” of Tissue Wrap and cut the length from the roll. I taped the Tissue Wrap to my craft sheet to have a flat surface for stamping then used the Mixed Media 2 stamp set and Jet Black Archival Ink to stamp directly on the surface.
• Once I created the pattern on the Tissue Wrap I ripped it into small pieces that will be used to collage onto the surface of the clipboard.

• I used Collage Medium Matte to adhere the Tissue Wrap pieces to the Mini Clipboard. The Collage Medium dries quickly so work fast once you start the collage process. Once all the pieces were adhered I added a thin layer of Collage Medium over the entire surface to seal.
• Once dry, use the Sanding Grip to remove the excess Tissue Wrap.
  Lay the Tim Holtz Flourish stencil over the Clipboard. Using a Pallet Knife, drag Distress Collage Medium Crazing over the stencil. Once you have a nice even surface, remove the stencil. The thin plastic of the stencil allows you to add the perfect amount of Crazing Medium. Wash stencil immediately.
• The Layering Stencil will cover a portion of the surface. If you want to add the pattern over the entire surface you will need to wait till the first stenciling is dry to the touch before repeating the technique.
• The hardest part of the project is waiting for the crazing to dry. I’ve found that it’s best for me to work on another project or do some laundry while it dries because I’m just not that patient! I like to set a timer for 1 hour and just walk away. When the Crazing is done drying it will leave tiny little cracks in the pattern reminiscent of old china.
• Once the surface is completely dry it’s easy to add color color using Distress Crayons. I’m working with blues and greens today but you can create whatever color combination you like. Start by scribbling in a small portion of the surface. Remember a little goes a long way.

• Use a Mini Blending Tool with a clean foam pad and just a bit of water to blend the Crayon color together. The Blending Tool helps to work the Crayon into the crazing. NOTE: If the color washes away, your foam pad is too wet. Pounce off on a paper towel and start again. It’s just that easy.
• Add additional layers of Crayon to achieve a richer tone. Don’t forget that you can go back and add color directly to the crazed portion.
• The beauty of the Distress Crayons is that if you don’t like a portion or you get too heavy handed, you can just wipe it away and start over.
• Use Pumice Stone Distress Paint to paint the inside and outside of the smallest Vignette Box. Let Dry.
• I’ve added Dapper – Design Tape to the edge of the Vignette Box. Just run the tape along side the box and fold over the outside. I added a coat of Collage Medium Matte over the tape edges to secure. Once dry, I sanded the tape to make it look like a “not so perfect” old cigar box.
• I cut a few Sizzix Wildflower Thinlits in to see which might work best in the back of the little box. In the end it was the smallest of the flowers that fit. I just had to clip off the end to make them the right size.