Pages

September 30, 2012

Summer Fun

I used my lovely Scraps of Elegance September Nostalgia kit papers and embellies to make this layout following the Creative Scrappers #226 sketch

I turned the sketch on its side and here is what I created... I had fun playing with my MFT flourish die and my MS Monarch butterfly punch. I also used some some stamps in my stash (found at a YARD SALE this summer in the States! to make the green flowers and leaves... The photos are some great memories from our trip home to my parents in Oregon: a backyard pool, a beach visit and a trip to the County Fair!

September 28, 2012

Happy Birthday to a Good Friend!

Hope it is a great one and that your luck this year continues to soar!!

I am also entering this for the Unscripted Sketch Challenge #177, it is a great sketch!

September 20, 2012

Butterfly Garden Card for SOUS

Here is this weeks sketch on SOUS!!

And here is my take on it, finally cutting into my beautiful Butterfly Garden papers!
I stamped and fussy cut the flowers leaves and butterflies, coloring them with iridescent watercolors. I used Spellbinders lacey circle and circle dies and a pretty sentiment in my stash, used my sewing machine to stitch some borders on the background paper and the circle, and finished the card off with a pretty brown ribbon.

Vintage Card for I Spy Sketches


I made this card for I Spy Sketches - ISSC33 following this sketch:




I cut this fun vintage girl out using a circle and lacey circle dies and used my beautiful remnants of the Riddersholm Huntington Garden collection. I distressed the edges of the papers and finished it off with a lovely ribbon...

September 17, 2012

SOUS Sketch Challenge


Here is the great sketch I used for this layout, I have never cut out a photo as a circle before it was fun...and I also pulled out the lacey circles that I bought this summer from Spellbinders...was great to put them to good use!! I also fussy cut some butterflies and did some sewing of butterfly "trails"!!

I am still in love with the Riddersholm Huntington Garden papers that were in the C'est Magnifique September kit...I have actually used every last sheet and scrap from the line that I received...the first time I have ever done that lol!!

I also have made about 8 cards total from the leftovers in this kit, the tag sheet has some wonderful images I was able to use in the cards and in the layouts!!

September 14, 2012

Once Upon a Sketch/CSI Challenge #36

This is my first time doing the CSI challenge and I hope I have done it right! There are so many details, I hope I don't overlook anything!!

This is the information provided for the case:
I used the beautiful sketch and the color scheme provided as my basis for this layout using C'est Magnifique Kit's beautiful September kit with Riddersholm Huntington Gardens papers.

Evidence Used: mesh (white netting) on tags as bows and as a layer under the banner and lace..., misting...

Testimony: I put journalling in three different areas...two under the photos...one describes the continents I have seen as part of my story is my great love of travel... the other is my roles right now: wife, mother, daughter, sister, crafter, traveller, friend... on the two tags I have more journalling about my family, getting as much done as I can with the limitation of (a thankfully non-agressive) multiple sclerosis diagnosis, my ever present obsession with crafting and with travel!

I am also entering this layout for the Bird is the Word challenge for the word "story".

Thanks so much for taking the time to look.

September 12, 2012

C'est Magnifique September Sketch Challenge

Here I am again this time with the beautiful September Kit, Fly Away by C'est Magnifique!! Look at all this goodness!! Beautiful Riddersholm Huntington Garden papers and beautiful embellishments as usual!

I decide to break right into the kit to work on the September Sketch Challenge...Nadia Canizzo sketch artist extraordinaire made this one...

Here is my take on the sketch using only the kit contents...I am really loving this one...I love the photo of my daughter running free on the beach in Oregon this summer! I flipped the sketch to the other side....

I also used the great tag sheet included in the collection to make these cards!


Swirlydoos Butterfly Challenge and Card Color Challenge!

I have been enjoying getting back the card making mojo this week, my stash of cards for sale at the local cafe had been seriously depleted and it has been fun making the vintage cards I usually stock for sale...Here is my last one I made using the Vintage Traditions August kit....


I also did another layout and included it for the butterfly challenge, it has been great to try out new sketches and use all my kit contents!

Yes, I am truly addicted to the beautiful kits available online for those of us far away from shops and classes! I have another post today of a layout and some cards I did using a different kit...they are all so beautiful!

September 10, 2012

Altered Domino Tutorial

The domino game pieces are great embellies on their dot-filled business side, but on the smooth back of a domino piece you can alter them with alcohol inks and stamping like the alpha embellies I did for my layout this month for the Paper Mixing Bowl. You can also add a bale onto the back of one of these embellishments to make a beautiful necklace!

The first thing you need is some domino pieces...you can find these sometimes in charity shops/thrift stores, but can also buy them inexpensively online or in shops... Then gather up alcohol inks you have in the colors you want to use for your project...I used yellows and greens for this layout...

You then take a Ranger distressing tool and some felt pads, add your colors and some blending solution and have fun pouncing the applicator and swirling it around the domino to blend the colors together...since my colors were similar it is a very subtle effect, but if you have a look at the necklaces I show at the bottom of the post you can see how lovely an effect you can get with a mix of contrasting colors...  Here are some of the dominos getting the alcohol ink treatment...they have gone from a cream color like the top domino in the photo to a more yellowish green look...


To embellish on the dominos you need to use permanent waterproof ink Archival ink or Staz-on are great  for this...


Stamp on the back of the dominos, let dry and you can cover with layer of glossy accents for a finishing touch!

Here are some examples of necklaces that I have made with this technique, you can choose any mixture of colors you have in the alcohol inks and any stamp images, although smaller ones will work best on the small game pieces!


A Brief Moment of Peace - Swirlydoos August Kit

I may have a few more cards I could make with more scraps caused from this latest layout!!

I used this sketch for the layout:

Here is my take on it using the Kaisercraft Magnolia Grove papers from the Swirlies August kit and a few flowers and embellies as well...

September 9, 2012

Autumn Memories - Sketches with a Twist

I found a new sketch site I wanted to try! Sketches with a Twist


Here is my take on the Sketch using an oldie but a goodie, a paper line I hadn't used yet: Websters Pages Wonderfall. Hidden journalling on the tag inside the pocket and dry embossing burlap texture behind the photo... Thanks for looking!!

Swirlydoos August Kit - SOUS Card Sketch


Here is my take on the card sketch at Stuck on U Sketches...I used more of my kit leftovers from Swirlydoos! 


Swirldoos August Kit - Sweet Stop Card Sketch Challenge

I have gone a bit crazy trying out some fun sketches for my cards today! Here is a gorgeous one I used from Sweet Stop Card Challenge. Again, I used 7 Gypsies Trousseau paper scraps and some stickers from the sheet included in the kit...the flower is from the addon I got!


Swirlydoo August Card - iSpy Sketch


Here is the sketch for this card:

I am going to be using the scraps from my layouts to make some cards and this is one I am entering into a fun new challenge I found, iSpy! I used scraps from my 7 Gypsies Trousseau papers and a lovely black flower from the kit...

Playing with My Swirlydoos August Kit!

OK confession to my poor long suffering knitting and quilting readers that have stuck by me after I have changed focus...not only am I addicted to paper, but use my budget to buy several kits of lovely papers and embellishments...I should probably cut it down to one or two kits but I enjoy these too much right now and am still managing to save for the family, so will indulge my scrappy passions for the moment.

I am going to try to blog about one kit and the projects I do with it each week. I will try to do at least one layout if not more and several cards from the scraps! We'll see how it goes, best made plans and all...

This week I am focusing on a beautiful kit by Swirlydoos called Vintage Traditions...it is their August selection and it is gorgeous! Lots of beautiful papers and embellishments!

Here is the sketch I used for my first layout I did this weekend:

My take on the sketch turned out like this!!



The photo is one of my grandmother and her younger sisters in the early 20s or so...I had a lot of fun trying masking and using gesso...got out some cheesecloth to layer as well.

I also played along with their card sketch:

We were supposed to use lace and Prima packaging as well...here is my take using black lace and paper scraps from the card and the clock is taking from Prima flower packaging... I turned the sketch on its side for this one...

I think it will be fun to take the leftover pieces of paper to make cards to sell at Wood Brothers, plus there is always tons more full sheets of patterned paper left and embellies to put in the stash for later... Love to get the most out of my kits as possible and making sure to do cards with leftovers will help that!

September 2, 2012

September Reveal for Paper Mixing Bowl


We had a fun theme for this month: games! I knew exactly what I wanted to do for this, as we have a weekly game of Mexican Train dominos with some friends of ours and our eldest daughter joins in on the fun too!!


I have a had the yellow domino paper in my stash for ages...well I've only been scrapping just over a year, so I bought this paper about a year ago: Crate Paper Restoration!  When I saw the color for this month was yellow and games night...I knew that paper had to come out!

For my utensils I used game pieces, actual dominos I bought to alter for projects...these ones I colored with yellow and green alcohol inks to tie into the layout....I also stamped on the back of six of them to make the title...I'll explain how you can alter dominos with the alcohol ink and use Staz-on ink to embellish them in a post later this week....I have also made beautiful necklaces as gifts using this same technique! It isn't difficult and the results can be so stunning!

I did some black soot ink splatters...the domino and dots are definitely my repetitive shapes! I used kraft paper with some freehand doodles for my layering and the journalling is hidden on the white tag which you can use the domino glued to it to pull it out :). We've had this game night for years now and it is lovely to have our friends over for a bit of fun each week! So fun to create a layout about it!!

We'd love to have you come join us over at the Paper Mixing Bowl for this month's recipe!!


September 1, 2012

Paper Haus Magazine Launch!!

My friend Frank has launched an awesome new magazine.
Come see the beautiful magazine!!!

Are you enjoying PaperHaus Magazine on your computer? Did you know you can also read it on your iPad or Mobile Device? Yes! Follow these simple steps:

1. Go to the magazine site:http://issuu.com/thepaperhaus/docs/paperhaus_magazine_fall_2012
2. Click on DOWNLOAD
3. Transfer the file to iTunes.
4. Sync with your iPad!
5. Enjoy!