Saturday, March 29, 2014

Swirlydoos: No People No Pets Challenge


Messing around yesterday
 I was able to complete a layout for the
Swirlydoos SGC Challenge.

NO PEOPLE, NO PETS!

Lucky for me I had taken this photo 
of the sunset from my driveway one night 
as I was leaving to pick up my daughter from soccer practice.
The paper is from Bo Bunny & Authentique

Magical Micas and Mist from Lindy's Stamp Gang.

Modeling Paste through a stencil.
Stamping with a Prima stamp and Archival ink.
Art Anthology paint through several stencils.


Make sure to head over to 
and see what everyone else has done.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Friday, March 28, 2014

Documented Life week 13

It's time for another challenge in
project.


Week 13:
The Challenge
March 22, 2014 Challenge - Ask someone else to draw on your page - finish it!
Well ok then….


This is what I wound up creating.
My eldest did up the 4x6 zentangle.
Because I loved it so much as is all I added was the butterfly
and the document tab.
Up close;
Isn't it cool.

Lifting the flap that was held with Washii Tape.
I journaled on the back of it.
Added the Life tab (get it :front is document back is life ;) )
and another butterfly.
The die cuts are from Kaisercraft.

The opposite page in my planner was covered with Gelatos.
A layer of clear Gesso.
Then Distress Paints through a TH stencil and a 
Stencil Girl Stencil.

A sharpie pen outlined the bits from the stencil girl stencil.
Bit of stamping using a Prima stamp and Archival ink.

I love how my planner is getting chunkier and chunkier every week.

When I started this project I had no plans to follow through
(I tend to start things and never finish)
But my oh my am I loving this.
I so look forward to the new challenges each and every week.

Make sure to check out bot the Flickr page and the Facebook page
and see what everyone has done for this challenge.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!


Thursday, March 27, 2014

Sharing a Mixed Media Background Tutorial Today

Ever feel like your "mojo" has left the room?
You want to create but can settle on what to do or how to do it.

Many time when my "mojo" seems to have left,
I find that just by messing around I can help it come back.

Lots of times I wind up creating backgrounds to be used at a later date.
Just by pulling supplies out and creating without rhyme or reason and soon there is no block.

Today I'm sharing a quick background tutorial that you can use for a variety
of projects.
Keep it large and it's a scrapbook page
cut it down and you have a card, Art journal or ATC background.


I start out by covering a 12 x 12 piece of old card stock with torn book text.
Add a thin layer of Gesso to tone it down and provide a unified starting point..
If the Gesso is too thick, spritz with water and wipe some off with a paper towel.
Take some acrylic paint and squirt it onto the page.
(technical isn't it? lol)

Spread the paint with a paint brush or old credit card.

Take a paper towel and lay it flat onto the paint while it's still wet.

Blot the paper and remove the towel lifting some of the paint.

Mist with your choice of spray.
(here I used Concrete Shimmeringz by Shimmerz Paints)
Mist enough that you get drips down the page.
Dry.

Taking a background stamp color with a Faber Castell Big Brush Artist Pen 
(you can use ink instead but I really love these markers for stamping)

Randomly stamp across the paper.
I wound up using 2 colors for added interest.

I then took a NeoColor II crayon and scribbled onto my craft sheet.

Added water and created a paint...

Randomly brushed it across the page.

A Script stamp and Solvent ink.
Randomly stamping.

Some Shimmerz Paint brushed randomly.
Just to add some sparkle and shine to the paper.

Here is the finished background.
Ready to be used in my next project.

SUPPLIES:
Cardstock
Book text
Adhesive (I use Gel Medium)
Gesso
Acrylic Paint
Paper Towel
Mist of your choice
Faber Castel Big Brush ARtist Pens (2 colors)
NeoColor II crayon
Stamps
Solvent Ink
Shimmer/ Metallic paint

I hope this inspires you to try creating something when you can't decide what.
Lots of times doing the random creating without an ultimate goal can give the
kickstart that you need.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Live in the moment


Blank14CB.jpg
Often times I will take blank pages in my art journal and cover them quickly with color and pattern.
Eliminates the "blank page" syndrome
where I sit and look at the white page and don't know
what direction to go in.

Later when I go back and am ready to work I have pages already to go.

This page is covered randomly with book text and Gel Medium.
Distress inks were rubbed directly onto the paper and the color was spread 
with a wet paintbrush.
The Gel Medium resists the inks and creates a varied color depth for the background.

Here is the page I created later on the 
pre made background.
Stamping, stenciling
(still loving my new Rebekah Meier stencil)
by TCW.

An old sticker from Club Scrap...

And rub ons from my stash...

Some stamping also with a piece of
corrugated cardboard and acrylic paint.

Finally some flowers were drawn across the page using a white gel pen.

Sometimes it's fun to pull out pre made backgrounds and go to town.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!


Wednesday, March 19, 2014

The Documented Life Project week 12

It's time for WEEK 12
of

This week's challenge:
March 15, 2015 Challenge - Week Twelve - Cut up a magazine - add!
Easy Peasy
I started with a Gelli Print I made a while back.
Added some more stenciling on top with a Rebekah Meier stencil
from TCW and Golden Fluid Acrylic.
Used an old circle die and my Cuttlebug
 (had to dust it off first lol)
I cut a ton of various sized circles from an old magazine.

After adding the circles I covered everything with a layer of
Clear Gesso to give a uniform working surface.
Once dry I went around all the circles with a fine tip paint brush and Gesso.

Sharpie markers used to add dots.
Some stamping with a Prima stamp and Archival ink.

More doodling on the edges with Golden paint and Sharpie markers.

The words come from a pack of Kaisercraft Die Cuts.

Make sure to head over to the Facebook & Flickr pages to see how
everyone has interpreted this week's challenge.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Swirlydoos March Round Robin

It's time for another layout done for a 
Round Robin
at 

In case you don't know how it works,
week one someone shares a layout, the next week someone shares their take on it 
and so on and so on.
Kind of like the game of Telephone but with scrapbook layouts.

Here is mine for this week.
I follow Andie for Team 2

This month's twist:
Now, what could be more appropriate than DIE CUTS? From your crank-operated Bug, from your Vagabond, from your Cameo, from your Cricut… Now is the chance to show off your collection of shapes!!!! Don’t own a machine? No problem: I just know that all of you Savages have a hoard of die-cut chippies!!!!!


I used the March kit from Swirlydoos.
The paper is from Prima
Flowers are Petaloo.

Added Gesso
Some Dylusions in Vibrant Turquoise and some stamping
with a Prima clear stamp and Archival ink.

Prima ink in Worn Jeans was rubbed through a new
Balzer Bites stencil by TCW
(I am digging the new stencil sizes)

Red Velvet Art Anthology paint was brushed through
Rebekah Meier stencil
(also by TCW).
The chipboard I used is from a recent purchase from 
I just love the star confetti.
I colored it with some Lumiere 3D paint.

Lastly I flicked some Liquitex Acrylic ink across the page .

Make sure to check out the Round Robin thread on the forum to see what others 
have created.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Monday, March 17, 2014

Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge 4…Show your sparkly side!

It's time for another challenge at Craft Hoarders Anonymous!
Can you believe we are already up to 
the 4th challenge?
Thanks to everyone who has shared their art,
and to those who haven"t….
What are you waiting for ?
Use your stash so you can shop some more ;)


                                                   Graphic 45 is our sponsor this month. 
                          They are known for their fabulous vintage products and papers. 
                                             To pay homage to their glamour and style, 
                              create a project that shows off your hoarded sparkly items.                       
  Show some glitz. Pump up the glam.
                                                Use this photo collection for extra inspiration.
 One lucky person will win this AWESOME
prize (did I say awesome yet) pack 
from 


Graphic 45 is an award-winning scrapbook and paper crafting company­— owned and operated by a mother (Diane Schultz) and her two daughters (Aimee and Charee Filimoehala). Together they create vintage inspired crafting products that capture the flamboyant style of the 1920's and 30's - with vibrant color, irresistible texture and imaginative design to create products with decades-old appeal that's both fresh and familiar. Let our products inspire your next scrapbook layout, card, album or home decor project. Please visit the Graphic 45 Website or Facebook page for more information.



And here is the project I created.
I used a wood panel from Kaisercraft and went to town.
Graphic 45 Once Upon a Springtime
and
A Place in Time 
were used.
The coloring on the background was done first with 
Lindys' Stamp Gang Moonshadow Mist.
Followed with Modeling Paste through a Donna Downey stencil, 
and finally Pan Pastels over the whole piece.

Many of the images (i.e. the bunnies, pink flowers and fairy)
were fussy cut from my very last sheet of 
Once upon a Springtime.
(I think it was the very first Graphic 45 paper I ever bought)
The image of the mother and baby came from 
A Place in Time.

I love how both the bunny & fairy seem to be 
looking at them.

Little tiny Prima flowers and metal findings are on the panel.
Rhinestones from Couture Creations are in the center of each.
Prima flourishes were also cut up and tucked under bits
to pump up the glitz.

Supplies:
Kaisercraft wood panel
Graphic 45 paper: Once Upon a Springtime & A Place in Time
Pan Pastels
Lindy's Stamp Gang Moonshadow Mist
Distress Paint, Gesso
Donna Downey Stencil
Prima: flowers, metal findings, flourishes
Rhinestones: Couture Creations
Book Text, Washii Tape & Doily

Make sure to check out what the rest of the design team has done for this challenge
                                         Donna Idlet - http://myblogidlet.blogspot.com/
                                         Glenda Brooks - http://glendabrooks.blogspot.com
                                         Gloria Stengel - http://gloriascraps.blogspot.com/
                                         Karen Zueger - http://lostcoastscrapper.blogspot.com
                                         Pam Bray - http://www.pammejoscrapbookflair.com/
                                         Tammi Bennett - http://www.tjsmemoriesblog.blogspot.com/
                                         Amber Milone - http://pinkchicpaperdesign.blogspot.com/
              you are here-----Christy Butters - http://creatingwiththegirls.blogspot.com/
                                         Debbie Seyer - http://www.debbieseyer.com/
                                         Ginny Nemchak - http://pollyspaper.wordpress.com/
                                         Jan Marie Ennenga - http://re-creations4him.blogspot.com/
                                         Kathy Clement - http://www.kathybydesign.com/kathy-by-design-news/

and make sure to head HERE 
to link up your project for a chance to win this awesome prize pack.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Seriously ???????

I'm not a huge fan of journaling
on my layouts.
I fall into the school of thought that the picture can usually
tell the story.

However once in a while there is more to the story,
and I need to get it down.
Case in point was this layout.

It's not my normal style, 
no heavy distressing or inking or all the other things I like to add.

Still it makes me smile.
The pictures and story behind them are priceless.
3 years later we still talk about the little one's ride through
Krefeld, Germany.



I only wish someone would have pulled me around.


Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

The Documented Life Week 11: Put a Bird on It!

It's time for Week 11
of

This week's challenge:
March 8, 2014 Challenge - Week Eleven - Draw, photograph or collage a bird onto your page.


How easy is that????
I was so excited to start,
and while I was working I decided to photograph it 
along the way so once again you can see exactly how I created my page.

The background began when I gave the 7 year old a task;
Pick me 2 colors (and only ONE could be pink or purple)
She brought me
Liquitex Basics in Primary Yellow & Medium Magenta.


I scraped the 2 colors randomly across the paper with an old credit card.
Then some stamping with 
Prima stamp and Archival ink.
Finally for this step some 
Golden Cobalt Teal through Large Punchinella.

Next is
Ranger Lake Mist Paint Dabber through a
Martha Stewart Stencil.

Now I outlined the circles I had created with the punchinella
using a
Prussian Blue Copic marker.
I also randomly wrote words over the paper in pencil.

Dylusions Vibrant Turquoise
was misted through a large flower stencil.
Later on I went back and outlined the petals with a fine Black Sharpie.

I stamped randomly over the paper using 
Golden Phthalo Green (blue shade)
and a Piece of Corrugated Cardboard.
Changing directions occasionally to give the impression of some cross hatching.

The bird was drawn onto the page the painted in with
Gesso.
Color was then added to the branch and bird using
Portfolio Water Soluble Oil Pastels
blending with my finger.


A quote was added using
Liquitex Arcylic ink in Carbon Black
and my pen nib.


And here is the finished page when it is open.
A piece of scalloped chipboard was paint and attached to the flap.
The flap closed:
I am just loving these colors.
Need to let the 7 year old pick for me more often.


Make sure to check out the Flickr and Facebook page for the
DLP project.
Seriously the art there will blow you away.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!