Hope you all had a great week and today, I’m thrilled to have been invited back on the Simon Says Stamp blog, to share a Valentine’s home decor project, which I created using canvas panels, mounted onto an altered clipboard. I was definitely struck by Cupid’s arrow when I started thinking about this project and it’s packed full of ideas that they can also be used for cards or gift tags, if you choose.

• Working with the larger canvas, I applied a layer of Weathered Wood Distress Paint over the top. Let the paint dry before adding torn pieces of Tissue Tape and Tissue Wrap and adhering them randomly onto the surface of the canvas using Multi Medium. After a blast of heat to dry everything, I inked the Love Definition stamp with Jet Black Archival Ink and stamped onto random areas of the canvas.
• I then added a very light, second coat of Weathered Wood Distress Paint, allowing the design of the tissue and stamped wording to still show through the paint.
• Once completely dry, I took Picket Fence Distress Paint and using the dabber on the bottle, swiped the paint over the top canvas to give a worn distressed look. At this stage, I also dipped an old credit card into the paint and created scratch marks onto the panel.

• Apply Texture Paste through the Dot Fade Layering Stencil, adding it around the central area of the canvas.
• To complete the background, I wanted to add some more layers using a stencil and for this, you can use any stencil of your choice but I chose to use the Latticework Layering Stencil. I placed it directly onto each corner and using Pumice Stone Distress Marker Pen attached to the Distress Marker Spritzing Tool, I lightly misted the ink through the stencil, to create one further layer of interest. I then used a paintbrush to flick small amounts of Antiqued Bronze Distress Paint over the surface.
• Use Frayed Burlap Distress Paint to create a narrow border around the edge of the panel.
• Apply Collage Glue to one of the corners of the panel and using the gold coloured foil from the pack of Vintage Foil Transfer sheets, press the foil with the shiny side uppermost over the top of the glue to transfer the gold onto the canvas. Repeat on the remaining corners.

• Wrap a piece of twine, wrapping it three times around the canvas and securing the ends at the back.
• Take the smaller square canvas panel and apply a coat of Weathered Wood over the gessoed surface. Using the Mixed Media dies, die cut pieces of any card using the honeycomb die. Cut the die cut card to create two smaller pieces of honeycomb and apply these die cuts to the top left and bottom right hand corner of the panel using multi medium to secure them into place.
• Add a second layer of Weathered Wood Distress Paint over the top, dry thoroughly and then add a small amount of Picket Fence Distress Paint to create a shabby, distressed look. Set aside to dry before attaching the panel using foam pads to the larger panel, placing it directly over the top of the wrapped twine.
• Using your fingertip, apply light touches of Treasure Gold Gilding Wax around the edges of the small canvas panel and over the top of the die cut honeycomb to give a subtle shimmer.
• Use some more of the gilding wax over the surface of one of the Ornate Plates. Attach the plate onto the centre of your smaller mounted panel, using Glossy Accents to secure it into place.
• To create the winged heart embellishment, being by using the Heartfelt die to die cut two of the larger hearts, two different shapes, from chipboard. Gesso each chipboard heart before painting them with Candied Apple Distress Paint. Ink the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.

• Take one of the hearts and dab an embossing pad over the top of the surface. Apply clear embossing powder to the wet ink and tap away the excess before heat embossing. Repeat these steps another couple of times, building up the embossing powder to create a beautiful enameled effect to heart.

• Create a second enameled heart using the above method.

• Die cut the wings from white card and colour each die cut section with Antique Linen Distress Paint. Ink around the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink before adding foil highlights using Collage Glue and gold Transfer Foil. Layer and shape the wings using foam pads for added dimension.
• Attach the wings and heart over the top of the ornate plate and attach the second heart below the mounted panel.
• Use the “Together” wording from the Alpha Parts collection and apply a light layer of Glossy Accents over the top. Sprinkle with Vintage Distress Glitter Dust and tap away the excess. Attach the glittered wording across the centre of the heart.
• Colour a large Adornment Arrow with gilding wax and attach the arrow to the small panel, pointing it down towards the second heart, linking them together.
• Attach two hex fasteners to the bottom left and right hand corners as a finishing touch to the canvas.
• To alter the clipboard ~ I began by covering it with a coat of gesso and then applied a layer of gold metallic paint over the top.

• Once the gold paint was dry, I used a palette knife to add a layer of Crackled Embossing Paste and allowed for the paste to dry and the cracks to appear.
• Apply a small amount of gold metallic paint around the edges of the board.
• Finally, I used an Alcohol Ink Applicator and used a pouncing motion, to apply a combination of inks to the metal clip. To complete the clip, I added a Sprocket Gear, with an alcohol inked gumdrop in the centre.