Tag at The Art Studio

I have a tag tutorial featured on The Art Studio's blog.

Head on over and learn how to create a tag like this using acrylic paint, stencils and stamping.

While you are there make sure to enter to win a set of Liquitex Acrylic Inks by  emailing games@scrapbooknewsandreview.com by March 1, 2013 and put Liquitex Me in the subject line. We'll announce a winner soon after. 


Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Genuine

Getting this month's sketch challenge in just under the wire this month for Scrapping Everyday Miracles.

28 days in a month is NOT enough!

I used the provided sketch as well as the twist (distressing), hey not too tough this month.

This was my take on the sketch.

I used the February kit from Flying Unicorn to create my page.

Several pieces of Kaisercraft paper from the Forget-Me-Not collection were used to create my distressed layers.

I used a photo of my middle daughter. She's a Valentine's Day baby and definitely shows the love. The smile that is on her face is one you see often, whether she is hanging with friends, go to school, or running flat out on the soccer field. She has this love for life that just pours out of her.

        Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Tag share day...

Sharing a bunch of tags today that I've created for Scrapbook News and Review.

I love creating tags. They are the perfect way to try new techniques, color combinations and papers.

They go together fairly quick but the small space doesn't cause you to use up a ton of supplies.

You can attach them to cards, packages, hang on the wall and leave as is. 

I always try to do at least a couple of them a month just to keep the mojo flowing.

This Gothic Arch tag is layers of acrylic paint over book text followed by stamping & more paint.

I did it as a top 10 as to what I am loving about my daughter right now. She's the middle one and often feels overlooked and constantly persecuted (the true middle child syndrome lol). 

By doing up this quick colorful tag I was able to show her that YES we do appreciate and love you!

This tag incorporates inchies on it. The background is a crumpled sewing pattern applied with Gel Medium and rubbed with some brown ink.

There are a bunch of rub ons as well in random spots to simulate stitching. While I do love my sewing machine it's quick and easy to pull out the rub ons.

This tag uses a bunch of Graphic 45 scraps. I save even the tiniest pieces of paper and tags are a fun way to use them up. The black & white image is from an old magazine from my stash that seemed to go perfectly with the papers.

I finished it off with a flower made from book text.

Office supplies are another fun item to use on tags. You can get large quantities cheap and they add fun accents.

Here the background was created with Distress Stains and rub ons. I used some of those hole reinforcers and paperclips from the office supply store. The image is from a package of a sewing pattern and I pulled in more scraps and a bit of Washii tape.

Finally this is my favorite tag that I have created recently.

The background is a painted paper towel that my oldest provided me with. I used a stencil and Pitt Pen to created the circles under the image. I added a collage image and 3 ribbon strips to finish.

The colors on this one are outside my normal color palette but I love how it turned out.

Tags are another way to try new color combinations.

  I hope next time you are stuck in a color rut, want to try a new technique or use up scraps you are inspired to try a tag.
  They are so much fun to do I bet you can't stop at just one.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Swirlydoos Ultimate Designer Challenge WEEK 6

It's time for the 6th and final challenge of the Swirlydoos Kit Club Ultimate Designer Challenge.

The last 6 weeks have been an amazingly creative challenge and I thank the Ladies at the forum for hosting it.

This being week 6 the challenge was upped. You needed to A: use the following sketch AND B: incorporate the following techniques/ themes

Create your own background, layer mediums, mist etc.

Paper layering & distressing

Multiple photos, best clustering

AND

technique of your choosing 

(I altered chipboard)

This is the sketch we used, created by Beggahuna.

And this is how I went about creating my layout.

First I completely covered a 12x12 piece of watercolor paper with scraps from past Swirly kits and book text. The watercolor paper will prevent warping from occurring as I layer on mediums.

I then took an old credit card and swiped a layer of Gesso over the whole thing. Not to hide the patterns but tone it down and give it a uniform feel.

While the Gesso was still wet I misted it heavily with South Shore Sand mist from Lindy's Stamp Gang. I then dried the paint & mist with my heat gun.

I then pulled out my new favorite blue mist Tiffany's Blue also from LSG and misted randomly over the background.

Using a Pink Paislee stamp and a Prima stamp along with StazOn ink I stamped randomly over the bg. I used Stone Grey ink as I wanted it to sink into the background a bit instead of popping off.

I misted some cheesecloth with Crushed Shells glimmer mist from Tattered Angels and used Gel Medium to adhere it to my bg. I also traced a circle so I would have a reference point as I continued to build my lo.

More stamping, this time with a script stamp from Kaisercraft.  I also began tearing and layering paper from 7 Dots Studio as well as some Washii tape.

A few border stickers from 7 Dots Studio were also applied over the tirn paper layers and in the upper left corner. Chalk ink was rubbed through a Crafter's Workshop stencil in spots for more layer.

I took my sewing machine and sewed on a circle of lace over my drawn circle. I then took Modeling Paste and put it through a snowflake stencil also from Crafter's Workshop in places.

I altered chipboard from Dusty Attic (snowflakes I had been hoarding) by first painting with Lake Mist paint dabber, then stamping on once dry with a script stamp and StazOn. I then covered with watermark ink and Holographic embossing powder to give it sparkle but still show the underlying pattern.

Once all the chipboard had been altered I layered it with my photos and some flourishes I cut into pieces. 

I also used my palette knife to apply Clear Granular Gel in spots. Once that dried I covered it with white Gelato to mimic snow.

The final bit was my tittle. Cork letters by Little Yellow Bicycle which I also rubbed white Gelato on again for the snow look.

Finally I was finished. I matted it on a piece of dark brown card stock to give an almost framed look and distressed the edges rubbing on some final brown ink.

A few closeups:

here of some layering and paper tearing

here of the Modeling paste and chipboard

My cheesecloth, cork letters and Granular Gel

and just a shot that makes me happy. The grinning face of the little one

  6 weeks of challenges have come and gone. This has been a wonderful inspiringly creative time. I'm so glad I clicked on the "join now" button.


Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Perfect Together

Every month I take part in the round robin challenge in the Swirlydoos forum.

A take on the old telephone game that we used to play as kids. Although I think this one is more fun, we get to use paper and scrap stuff.

As always there is a twist each month. This month's twist by host Peggy was to think EVEN. As in even numbers of embellishments and such.

This was my take on it. I have 2 of most things and then 4 flowers.

 I used the January Swirlydoos kit with Prima and FabScraps paper. Perfect for the photos of my little one and her special friend. The butterflies are from Kaisercraft, covered in ink and then clear embossing powder.

 Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Swirlydoos Ultimate Designer Challenge WEEK 5

It's time for WEEK 5 of Swirlydoos Kit Club's Ultimate Designer Challenge.

This week's challenge was to create ART JOURNAL pages using paper scraps. You need to incorporate all sorts of left over bits and pieces from scrapbook layouts, masking, layering, doodling and more.

I found that once I started this challenge my mojo took over and had a blast (while creating quite a mess in the process)

I started with a pile of patterned paper scraps. To add to it I took some of the larger pieces and cut them 9.5 x 11 inches, folding and sewing to make a signature measure 5.5 x 9.5".

I started thinking I would do a page or two but wound up filling the entire signature.

My muse for this project was a piece of 7 Gypsies paper from the Trousseau line that had all these vintage images on it.

This is the first page. On the bottom is an envelope that has a pull out tag in it.

By layering the paper and then covering it with a wash of Gesso then misting it doesn't matter if the patterns on the scraps match or not, it all blends together.

Using Modeling Paste through stencils also adds some really nice texture to your pages, You don't need a lot as a little goes a long way.

Adding a bit of lace or fabric in is also another fun way to add some texture.

 I love sewing on my pages with my sewing machine as well. For this project I sewed on them before adding them to the signature, other times I'll sew right onto the pages and have stitching on both sides.

Layers, layers, layers...

Some pages I made into a 2 page spread. Not only did I use Modeling Paste through a stencil here I also used ink through a different stencil.

Stamping randomly with a script stamp and StazOn over the layers adds a neat touch.

Life is good.

The final spread. I also free hand cut a heart out and use both the positive and negative of it. Doodling around both pieces.

 I hope you can see that Art Journaling doesn't require special products....Even the tiniest scraps from your scrap bin can make some beautiful pages.

 Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

2 Goofy Girls

What happens when 2 goofy girls hit up the photo booth at the local movie theater?

I get primo photos to scrap!

This layout was featured in  Scrapbook News and Review.

My middle dd and our German exchange student goofing off the day they went to see Hinger Games at the theater.

    I scraped gesso first onto a piece of patterned paper and then layer over it. One layer was made up of colored paper towels my oldest did one day when she was supposed to be paying attention in class (sigh) another is a piece of muslin.
   There is also lots of mists, paper scraps and film strip bits to tie it all.

  I always forget how fun these photo booths are, I should try one with all the girls in, just to see what I get (chaos I'm sure lol).

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Moments

The Kit of the Month challenge at Flying Unicorn was to take one of Gerry Van Gent's layouts and using the Feb kit lift it.

This is the layout I came up with.

The base paper is from J'adore Paperz and is heavily misted with Cornflower walnut antiquing solution by Tsukineko through my favorite chicken wire stencil.

   The is dyed cheesecloth layered under the photo. It's framed with a piece of Dusty Attic chipboard sprayed with Yellow Rose of Texas mist by Lindy's Stamp Gang.
All the sticker and die cut layers are from Kaisercraft. The flowers are a mix of Prima and Kaisercraft.

My oldest daughter sent me this photo to use. She has been messing around with actual film cameras lately.  While I am quick to praise the wonders of digital and the ability to look at what you take immediately there is something special about not quite knowing what you'll get when you develop the film.
  Lots of misses but also some really big hits.

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day.

Swirlydoos Ultimate Designer Challenge WEEK 4

It's time for week 4 of the Swirlydoos Kit Club Ultimate Designer Challenge.

For week 4 the challenge was this

Create a TEXTURED CANVAS project, wherein you create your own background using the following techniques and mediums:

• Layering of your mediums
• Misting
• Use a mask or template
• Various texture mediums (Glass beads, modeling paste, gesso, molding paste, etc) Think TEXTURE & LAYERING of your mediums.
• Paint (doesn't matter what kind)

Needless to say I was excited. I love working on canvases but never seem to have the time. I got to play all week because of this challenge. YAY!!!

This is my finished canvas. I wound up doing a 12x12 size just because it's not a typical one that I work on.

Below is photo of most of the supplies I used. Not show is the chicken wire stencil from The Crafter's Workshop, Paint Dabber in Lake Mist, Gesso,  some stamps, and the various dies & embossing folders I used.

All the paper is from 7 Gypsies and really worked with the look I was going for.

After covering my canvas with 2 coats of Gesso I placed some torn book text and scraps of 7 Gypsies paper down, then covered with another light layer of Gesso. I misted it heavily with mists from both Lindy's Stamp Gang and Tattered Angels. Using a foam brush I added Golden Glaze in Seafoam Green over spots and when it was dry I then stamped in spots with a Prima stamp and StazOn.

I then took my Modeling Paste and applied it heavily in the upper left and lower right corners of my canvas and pressed in a piece of Dusty Attic chipboard to give it the texture I wanted. When it was dry I misted it again.

I then layered some tags and scraps of patterned paper that I had misted and inked. Then using my chicken wire stencil and Dry Sand ink from Prima added more pattern to my background.

I added some Washi tape in spots and then added my image (also from a piece of 7 Gypsies paper). I then used my palette knife to randomly apply Granular gel in spots. It's white when you first put it down but as it dries it becomes mostly clear with a lot of shimmer and texture. Once it was completely dry I went over it with some Gelatos and Silks acrylic paint. I also added spots of more color using the same products in random spots.

I took some pieces of chipboard and, after covering with Gesso, ran it through an embossing folder. I then colored it with Gelatos and Silks Acrylic in Honey Amber. There's more shine to them than the photo shows.

I added some Lake Mist paint dabber is spots and then added my quote after printing it on a piece of pp, cutting it out and inking it.

I used a Grey Pastel pencil to scribble around and then smudged it all with my finger for more highlights.

The flowers are made using a TH die and cut from lares and layers of tissue paper. They were then misted with Tattered Angels mist and inked to match the background.

Just another closeup of the texture. As a final touch I went back with a script stamp and StazOn ink and randomly stamped in spots.

Make sure you check out the Swirlydoos Gallery to see all the other week 4 entries.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

In the pink...

It's no secret, I'm NOT a fan of pink. I have never enjoyed the color, even when I was a little girl and my Mother would insist on me wearing a pink dress because it would "go oh so well" with my red hair. NOT!!!!

Yet there was a challenge this month on the Flying Unicorn forum to create a project where 75% of the color used was pink. EEEKKK. Now I'll be the first to admit I often fall into a color rut, reaching for the same colors again and again, but could I break out so far from what I normally do?

After stewing on this for a week I decided a challenge is a good challenge when you have to step out of your comfort zone. So I bit the bullet so to speak and pulled out pink things.

This is the page I managed to create.

 The patterned paper is from Authentique and while the flowers on it are pink it wasn't pink enough so I heavily misted it in spots with Plain Jane in Rosey from Tattered Angels. When it dried I began freaking out about how pink it was and immediately had to tone it down a bit. I took a stencil from Crafter's Workshop and used Lake Mist paint dabber randomly through it. You can see the pattern more in some spots, less in others but it was enough that I wasn't hyperventilating anymore.

  I pulled out a piece of Dusty Attic chipboard and cut it into 3 pieces to fit my page design. I first covered it with more of the Lake Mist dabber then Rosey mist. When dry I stamped over it with a script stamp and StazOn ink in Stone Grey.

 The hearts are cut from a piece of sheet metal and covered with Alcohol Inks and finally Prima Flowers to finish it up.

  I actually like how this came out. Sometimes it's OK to break out of the color rut and use one that tends to evoke cold sweats and trembling hands. The result is usually worth it.

 Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Groundhog Day Redo...

Swirlydoos has a member hosted challenge this month called Groundhog Day Redo.

Inspired by the movie Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray; the host encouraged you took look back on old layouts and see how your style has evolved.

Then to take one layout and redo in your current style.

I have to say looking back my style has changed drastically. Some layouts were down right cringe worthy, others just eh.

I wound up settling on redoing this layout from 2007.

Nothing wrong with it, but still rather bland in my opinion. Flat, no dimension and almost no embellishments to speak of. Definitely not like my current style.

This is the redo.

FabScraps and Prima patterned paper, lots of torn and inked edges, and of course embellishments.

Lace, flourishes and flowers; all items I happily use on my pages now.

  Have you ever wanted to redo a layout? Let yourself this month, just say you were inspired by the movies.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

When in Rome...

Sharing a few more layouts from our trip to Italy this past summer.

Both were recently featured in Scrapbook News and Review.

On our first night we went into Vatican City for a brief stop. St Peter's was lit up with light that made it seem to glow. To the right were apartments, the 2 lights on in the upper windows are the Pope's chambers and when they are lit indicate he's home. The square was huge and it boggled the mind as to how many people can be found milling around.

The next day we headed to the Colleseum. It was close to 95 degrees and HOT but again amazing.

We walked around outside then wandered inside looking down on where the Gladiators once did battle. 

You could just feel the history oozing around you.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.