A little peek into my space...

Morning everyone!

I hope that Holidays were wonderful for all

sand that you are all getting back into the creative swing.

There is an extra week this month so some of us at

Craft Hoarders Anonymous

are sharing peeks into our creating spaces.

(Don't worry---new challenge will be posting soon and it's an awesome one!)

I went back and forth with sharing photos.

When you browse the web it seems full of all these pretty, neat as a pin,

well organized, not a piece out of place spaces.

I'm not knocking those, in fact I am a wee bit envious, the rest of my house is neat as a pin

but my creating space is, well as my kids often say...a disaster. 

This is a photo of my main work space. 

I create in chaos and revel in it. 

I have a 2 large windows which let in the sun for the majority of the day.

See...piles of inks, mists, stamps, epherma, and more.

I tend to have several projects going on at once.

I also usually have a page or 2 open in my art journal.

Using the pages to clean of my stamps and use extra paint, this way I always have backgrounds ready to go.

One thing I am proud of though is one of my embellishments holders

I made.

Sure you can spend lots of $$$ but mine was created after a trip to Walmart.

What is it in it's other life?

A rotating shoe holder!

Perfect to spin around looking for just the right bit.

I also have a large closet in my room which is a bit more organized.

Shelves full of paper, and fabric just waiting to be played with.

A spice rack has been turned into a holder for more mists, inks and paints.

That's it for the look into my space.

Make sure to visit the others who are sharing spaces this week.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek.

Sketchabilities 129 with Swirlydoos Treasured Yesterdays kit

Sharing a layout today created using the new sketch from

Sketchabilities.

This is sketch 129

and it's PERFECT for some custom background making.

I paired the sketch with the October kit

Treasured Yesterdays

from Swirlydoos.

This is the page I created.

The base paper is from Prima's Epiphany collection.

Layers of masking tape, lace, washii tape,

drywall tape and cheesecloth were all adhered to the paper before being covered with a 

layer of Gesso.

While it was still wet I dropped some 

Cobalt Teal (fav color EVER!) acrylic paint from Golden 

onto the page and brushed it around.

Slate Glimmer mist was heavily misted and the page was tipped sideways

for the streaks.

There is stamping using both StazOn and Distress ink.

Stamps from Oxford Impressions, Tim Holtz and Club Scrap helped

add pattern to the background over the paint and other medias.

Petaloo flowers, Prima Die Cuts & metal bits

all were added to the page.

Several circles were hand drawn using a Distress Marker, Charcoal pencil, 

Sharpie and India ink.

Thread scraps were added around as well.

That's it for today.

Make sure to stop by the Sketchabilities blog to 

see how others are

using the sketch.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

Believe…a Mixed Media canvas with Bonus Video Tutorial

Feeling in the Holiday spirit today

(even though it's grey and rainy outside).

I pulled out this background I created a while back,

my box of Christmas crafting goodies,

put on some carols and began to create.

I have also created a quick video for you on how I did the background of the canvas.

Using Acrylic Paint and Jet Dry (yes the stuff that goes in your dishwasher)

you can create a really cool distressed base for your art.

This is my finished piece...

Here is the video for you.

It's a super easy technique using items you probably already have on hand.

Once the background was completely dry I

stamped on it with various stamps and Solvent ink (i.e. StazOn)

and yes if you look closely my stamping is upside down.

From when I stamped to when I began adding my elements someone (blaming the 8yr old here)

turned it around.

Embrace the mistakes, they add character!

I also used acrylic paint with sequin waste as well as bubble wrap to stamp.

Old Rub Ons from my stash, some paint drips and some misting from Tattered Angels.

There are sequins scattered across the page from when I was cutting up the Prima floral cluster.

Nothing goes to waste here!

The focal cluster is made with dyed cheesecloth, half a doily, BoBunny metal and a bunch of Prima wood and flower. The big red flowers are handmade and purchased from an Etsy shop.

Some washii tape with music on it to remind me of the carols I was listening to.

Tim Holtz white Rub On snowflakes were scattered about.

The white just pops off the background.

Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge 21…Have a nice trip!

It's time for the last challenge of 2014 at

Craft Hoarders Anonymous.

Can you believe this is number 22????

How time has flown since the 1st one.

I hope that you have enjoyed playing along with each one as much as I have.

                                        Challenge #22 Have a Nice Trip! 
                         Many of us travel around the holidays, so let's celebrate our adventures!
                       Dig into your hoard and find some items that are vacation or travel themed.
Do you have a hoard of cruise ship ephemera? Do you have a box of transportation stamps? Do you have a stash of camping themed papers? Or piles of Disney embellishments?
                                                                Show them off!
                                    Create a vacation or travel themed project for us!

Here is the layout I created for this challenge.

In 2011 we took the ultimate road trip. 

Traveling across the ocean to Germany to pick up my husbands new car.

I hoard every little teeny tiny scrap of paper and this layout was a perfect place to use them.

By tearing the edges and punching some others I created

little pops of color on my page.

I used white card stock as my base. 

Rubbed some Distress ink through a Crafter's Workshop stencil as well

as misting with some Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Spray.

I used stamps from Artistic Outpost and Distress inks to add the maps and title

to the page. 

You can see I don't always clean my stamps well

since there is a bit of color variation on some of the images.

It's ok though, I tend to like the results when it does this.

Supplies:

Cardstock

Paper scraps

Lindy's Stamp Gang mist

Distress ink

Artistic Outpost stamps

This month our challenge is sponsored by

Spellbinders® Paper Arts LLC entered the craft and hobby market in 2003 with the introduction of the Spellbinders Wizard™ Universal Craft Tool and a unique, patented collection of dies unlike any introduced before - or since. Always on the cutting edge in introducing innovative tools to the market, the Spellbinders Artisan X-plorer™ machine is the company's latest offering for paper crafters, jewelry artists, mixed media creators and more . In addition, the Spellbinders Grand Calibur® machine is perfect for large format die cutting and embossing. Known worldwide for its game changing products, the company brings revolutionary technology with its Imperial Gold die templates that cut, emboss, deboss and stencil. Spellbinders product lines include more than 250 patented and patent-pending products, allowing crafters, hobbyists, artists and teachers to create one-of-a-kind; beautiful projects across a different variety of craft genres.

One person who links up their project before the deadline has a chance to win 

this awesome pack of dies.

So head on over to the rest of the design team 

and see what they have created.

Amber Milone
Christy Butters
Debbie Seyer
Donna Idlet
Ginny Nemchak

Glenda Brooks
Gloria Stengel
Jan Marie Ennenga
Karen Zueger

Kathy Clement

Pam Bray
Wendi Robinson

Then head on back to 

Craft Hoarders Anonymous 

and link up your project.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Mojo Monday with Flying Unicorn

Every week there is a new sketch challenge on the 

Flying Unicorn forum

called MOJO MONDAY.

Now I never get these done early and rarely in the week they come out 

so it's always a little bit of Happy Dance

time when I get one done before the next one comes out.

Here is the sketch for the week

designed by the Flying Unicorn owner ,Alda.

It's perfect for family photos we took 3 YEARS AGO 

and I just rediscovered sitting in their original envelope

(don't judge)

I used the December kit from Flying Unicorn

which came jam packed with all sorts of 13Arts goodies,

from the paper used, to mists, to awesome new stencils.

Fun fun fun!

The 3 circle chipboard pieces come from Creative Embellishments

and are perfect for this sketch (they came in the kit too).

I covered them with Silver acrylic paint and then a light misting from Tattered Angels 

Glimmer mist in Slate.

The letters are reeeaaaallly old Glimmer Chips from Tattered Angels.

They are misted with both 13Arts & Glimmer Mist.

There are Petaloo flowers, Prima resin & wood pieces.

I dug more reaaaallly old clock faces out and tucked them here and there.

The background has some random stamping,

misting with 13Arts mist in Woodbine and grey ink through a 

13Arts stencil.

That's it for today.

Wishing you all a fantastic weekend.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sketchabilities #128….Smile like no other

Another sketch has been released over on the 

Sketchabilities blog.

This is an awesome sketch just begging for a mixed media background.

Disclaimer

the layout I am sharing is the 2nd one I created with the sketch,

The 1st one was completely ruined when I was putting finishing touches on it and knocked over a brand new top off bottle of Dylusions mist…I'll pause while you all take a moment to groan lol.

Yet in the end I am far happier with version 2.

Meant to be I guess.

Anyway,

here is the sketch.

This is my take on it.

The background paper is from 

Blue Fern Studios.

I've worked with lots of their embellishments before but never the paper.

It holds up amazing to all the wet elements I put on.

I first added pattern with a Crafter's Workshop stencil and 

Distress Ink in Faded Jeans.

My foam pad on the blending tool wasn't clean so I unintentionally got some cool shading.

Then did some stamping using several background stamps and StazOn in black.

My title is made of letter stickers and Tim Holtz word stickers.

I used Modeling Paste with a Prima large stencil for the roses & vine.

When it was dry I added some Pan Pastel in Turquoise for color.

Wanting to highlight a bit more I added some color from a Spectrum Noir marker

and then with a q-tip dipped in blending solution took most of it off.

Some light misting with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist

in Slate.

Then more blobs of the same mist by flicking the tube.

Some Dresden foil trim, Tim Holtz rub ons, thread remnants and Prima gems finished it off.

Make sure to check out the 

Sketchabilities blog 

and see how others are interpreting the sketch.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Craft Hoarders Anonymous…Challenge 21

Hey Everyone!

It's December 1st and time for another challenge at

Craft Hoarders Anonymous.

Challenge 21

                                                        Celebrate the Season 
Raise your hands if you hoard Christmas or other winter holiday items! Who has a drawer full of "retired" holiday papers and embellishments? Who goes crazy over the candy cane ribbons or the sparkly embellishments? Share a winter or seasonal holiday project with us. We would love to see your Christmas projects, but you may also enter Hanukkah, Kwanza, New Year's, other holiday celebration projects, or any winter-themed projects. Celebrate the season with us!

This is the layout I created for the challenge.

You may not guess but this is a Christmas themed layout.

Last year the little one received a new hat, cowboy boots and walkie talkies.

She spent the entire day with the items on or in her hands.

Watching their joy brings me joy.

I used several Spellbinder dies here;

 Mix n Match Ornaments and Superellipse.

The ornaments created a fun garland across my page.

To bring extra sparkle I painted all of them with Distress Stickles in Tattered Rose.

My title was handwritten and then cut out.

The garland again.

Love my little elf :)

Supplies:

Paper: Crate Paper, American Crafts, & LilyBee Design

Tattered Angels mist

Spellbinders dies

Elles Studio & Pink Paislee die cuts

Tim Holtz Stamp & Distress Stickles

My Mind's Eye Enamel Dots

Gesso

This month our challenge is sponsored by

Spellbinders® Paper Arts LLC entered the craft and hobby market in 2003 with the introduction of the Spellbinders Wizard™ Universal Craft Tool and a unique, patented collection of dies unlike any introduced before - or since. Always on the cutting edge in introducing innovative tools to the market, the Spellbinders Artisan X-plorer™ machine is the company's latest offering for paper crafters, jewelry artists, mixed media creators and more . In addition, the Spellbinders Grand Calibur® machine is perfect for large format die cutting and embossing. Known worldwide for its game changing products, the company brings revolutionary technology with its Imperial Gold die templates that cut, emboss, deboss and stencil. Spellbinders product lines include more than 250 patented and patent-pending products, allowing crafters, hobbyists, artists and teachers to create one-of-a-kind; beautiful projects across a different variety of craft genres.

One person who links up their project before the deadline has a chance to win 

this awesome pack of dies.

So head on over to the rest of the design team 

and see what they have created.

Amber Milone
Christy Butters
Debbie Seyer
Donna Idlet
Ginny Nemchak

Glenda Brooks
Gloria Stengel
Jan Marie Ennenga
Karen Zueger

Kathy Clement

Pam Bray
Wendi Robinson

Then head on back to 

Craft Hoarders Anonymous 

and link up your project.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Happy Thanksgiving….

Today in the 

United States is Thanksgiving.

A day for all of us to gather with our families and friends,

and give thanks for all we have.

I wanted to share an Art Journal

page I did a while back.

The quote seems especially appropriate right now.

We are supposed to be thankful on this day,

we sit at our tables and bow our heads praising all that we have.

We are lucky.

Yet my personal philosophy.

We need to be thankful EVERY day

Each new day is a day to count your blessings.

So today enjoy your friends, family, food, football

and maybe even shopping.

Be thankful for who you are and what you have.

And when you wake up tomorrow morning….

Count your blessings again.

Wishing you all a special day.

Selfie Nation

Sharing a layout done today using the

November kit Beloved

from Swirlydoos.

Every kit comes with a sketch and challenge based on that sketch.

This is this month's sketch designed by the very talented 

Beggahuna.

This is the layout I created using it.

Almost everything on the page came from the November kit

which is featuring the fabulous Rustic Harmony collection by Kaisercraft.

The sketch was a wee bit tricky

and I did change it up slightly to work for me

but in the end I was happy.

I have lots of teenagers roaming my house,

and anyone with them knows their love for their phones, their cameras, and taking photos of themselves with their camera phones.

I caught this in action on July 4, 2014 and too me it just epitomized the age & times.

Their is a large piece of Blue Fern Studios chipboard covered with 

Lindy's Stamp Gang embossing powder in

Geranium Coral Blush.

The flowers are Prima and the pearls are Kaisercraft.

Lots of little die cuts also from 

Kaisercraft tucked in and around the photo.

Doilies popping up here and there.

So that's my take on the sketch.

Make sure to stop by the forum and see how others have worked with it.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

Sketch 127 at Sketchabilities…Live a Beautiful Life

Sharing a layout today that was created using the

new sketch from 

Sketchabilities.

This is sketch 127...

and this is what I created...

The background was an old piece of scrapbook paper covered with Gesso 

and Modeling Paste spread through a 

Crafter's Workshop stencil.

When it was dry pieces of drywall tape were added for even more texture.

Color was added first in the form of Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists

(Antique Brass, Crushed Shell & Latte)

Once the mists were dry 

Liquitex Acrylic ink in Turquoise Deep was dripped on then misted with water.

Tipping and tilting the paper allowed the color to go all over.

Dry again and then randomly swipe the paper / paste with VersaMark embossing ink, cover with 

Byzantine Bronze embossing powder from 

Lindy's Stamp Gang and melt.

The leaves are all Kaisercraft wood pieces covered with the

same Byzantine Bronze powder as what is on the background.

The little sparkly blue balls are from Petaloo pull apart clusters.

I went one step further, pulled apart and then cut.

Here you can see the texture from the paste, tape and embossing powder.

I am in love with how the acrylic ink is playing with the raised texture of the background.

Might need to do this in my art journal next!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.