Remembering....

  Yesterday I talked about how you can use sketches as jumping off points for an art journal page and promised to share the sketch I had created and used.

   The layout is on 7 Dots Studio paper. I incorporated the same tape and book text as I had in my art journal page. There is also some of the same misting and stenciling. It's the same but different.

 And if your wondering about the pic I scrapped....It's my oldest "cheering" on her sister at a soccer game. She'll be out there even in 29 degree weather, just don't expect much participation on her part.

  Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

Butterfly

   This is an Art Journal page I did showing that you can take scrapbook sketches and transform them into your art journals. Sometime when you need a jumping off point start with a sketch. They aren't just for cards or layouts anymore.

  I created the sketch for this page, to show how you can use sketches across different papercrafting worlds I also created a layout using the same sketch.  Tomorrow I'll share the layout and the sketch with you all.

  Sketches are beautiful things lol. You can take one and turn it into your own by tweaking bits and pieces here and there. They don't have to be followed exactly and using them can sometimes help get you going again when your muse takes a long walk without you.

  For this page I used lots of mists and ink on the background along with a Crafter's Workshop stencil. Some torn book text and Washi tape tape love layered with a collage image and butterfly wing rub ons. I added a quote and then my personal thoughts around the edge.

 This page was featured in the April issue of Scrapbook News and Review.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

Fierce

   This layout was created while working on a tutorial for Scrapbook News and Review. I heavily sprayed a piece of watercolor paper with several layers of Starburst Sprays by Lindy's Stamp Gang. Dried the whole thing and then began laying various stencils over the paper, mist lightly with water, lift the stencils and blot with a paper towel.
 The water reactivates the mist and when you blot the water off gives you a look much like bleach. This is a fun way to create your own backgrounds.
 I added a bit of machine stitching leaving all the long threads hanging off, chipboard letters and a distressed photo.

My daughter loved it so much she has it hanging in her room (I think it's because she looks like she is ready to kick some major booty)

This was featured in the May issue of Scrapbook News and Review.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

Toil and Trouble

   I am taking Kate Koch's Gesso class over at The Art Studio. I love Gesso and use it bunches but her class is blowing my mind. All sorts of new ideas are being presented and I need more time to try them all.
  This was a quick ATC I did up today using her collaging with black gesso. It took me a few tried to get it the way I want and I'm still not 100% sure I love it but I'm getting there.
Besides it's another way to use black gesso and I love black gesso.
  If you get a chance go check out her class. You'll be looking at gesso with whole new eyes.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

Sing...an Art journal page

   I was working on a collaging tutorial for an upcoming issue of Scrapbook News and Review and was inspired to create this page in my art journal. My tutorial is for a card but collaging can easily be translated into whatever paper crafting form you want.

  I started with a base of watercolor paper and went from there. The birds are torn from a piece of Glitz Design paper and the letters are from an old piece of Tim Holtz paper I found while looking for something else. Apparently I REALLY liked that paper because I have a ton of it.
My circles are stamped using an old wine cork.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

Roots

  It was my turn this week for the Swirlydoos Round Robin Challenge. Kind of the game telephone but the scrappy version. Each week you copy the layout posted before you and at the end you see how it has progressed. This has always been a favorite challenge of mine and I try to do it each month. I really enjoy seeing how everyone interprets things their way.

  The theme this month was grandparents and I had to use this pic of my middle dd and her Grandmother taken while we were in Rome. I don't seem to have a lot of pictires of them together so when I get one it's a good day.

   All the supplies used came from past and present Swirlydoo kits.  BoBunny & Simple Stories patterned paper. Glimmer mist through my brick stencil on the background, and various flowers from Prima & Petaloo.
The quote stamp came from Club Scrap.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day

Me & You

   The edges of these photos were so blurry, but I still needed to scrap them. The little one had just met Wolle but instantly the two of them were head over heals about each other. She rode around everywhere on his shoulders. It was her favorite way to travel around Dusseldorf at night while eating ice cream.

  I scratched out the edge of the photos with sandpaper and then added some acrylic paint so they would blend into my paper. I also used gesso and acrylic paint to make a rough matte. I traced a circle with a Sharpie and scribbled around it. Just a couple banners and my letters for the title was all that was needed to finish it off.

This was featured in the May issue of Scrapbook News and Review.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

Play

  The little one finally is getting to play "real soccer" just like her big sister.  She's taken to it like a pro and makes the bold statement each game that she'll score 100 goals. She just never says for which team she'll score. Luckily at U6 it doesn't matter. All that does is that she has a blast playing.

 This layout was featured on the Scrapbook News and Review blog following the sketch of the week.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

Gelato Love

  The challenge this month over at Scrapping Everyday Miracles is VACATIONS. Easy peasy right. Course it is a challenge and the challenge for this month was to use a stencil or mask on the layout.

  We love to travel. My kids have been luck to have been all over the world in their short lives. This summer our vacation to us all over Italy. The quick favorite there was Gelato. If you like ice cream then you will absolutely LOVE gelato. No matter how stuffed we were from 3+ course meals there was always room for this dessert. I think we managed to eat it everyday while there.

  I used my new August Swirlydoos kit. My background was made by first distressing the paper, inking then stamping with my homemade bubble wrap stamp (see my tutorial over on The Scrapbook News and Review blog) and finally my chicken wire stencil with Glimmer mist. There is a bit of stamping as well with Kaisercraft Magnolia Garden stamps.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

A Bug's Life

 It's a bug's life for sure. While visiting Animal Kingdom in January the girl's wanted to stop and see the show. Donning their 3D glasses we headed into the theater and took our seats. All was good until the "bugs" scurried under our seats and the spiders fell from the sky, then they were ready to run for the exit.
  At least they looked good ;)

Layout was featured in Scrapbook News and Review.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

German Butterflies

  While in Krefeld, Germany we visited the local zoo. It had the most amazing butterfly house I have ever been in. The colors were stunning and there were so many of them. We could only stay a few minutes as they were getting ready to close but it was definitely worth the stop.

  Layout was featured in the April issue of Scrapbook News and Review.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.