Top 10 of 2015

Another year has come and gone and as is my blog tradition I am posting a top 10. This year, however, I am changing it up. I have not limited it to layouts as I had a bunch of other projects that I really loved so I included them in a mix.

My use of mixed media, which started out as a dabbling last year, has been fully embraced this year. It now seems strange when I don't use it. I am pleased with my creative growth this year and the variety of styles and projects that I make. I love having a deep reservoir to draw from... now if only I can limit myself some of those choices. LOL!

My thanks goes out to you for once again sharing in a year of my creative journey. Wishing you much happiness and creativeness in 2016.

Happy New Year!



TTFN,

'Tis the Season

It has been awhile since I have had the opportunity or the inclination to create. With Christmas holidays upon me, it brings some much needed respite and time to try to get back to some semblance of my prior norm. Even with oodles of ideas and projects already on the go, it was hard to get at it and focus; so I decided to try to get myself into the spirit of the season and just play in an art journal.

I wanted to start with something of a manageable size and just allow for some freedom to play. Thus, I chose my Moleskin journal with its' 8x10 double page size.

Supplies: Joy stamp and Script & Postmark stamp, Mini Holly flower and Holly Border stencils, patterned paper and Red Nuance (Magenta), Cloudy Sky StazOn, Gold Delicata ink, Gold Sheer Shimmer Spritz (Tsukineko - Imagine Crafts), Warm IV Grey, Green and White STamper's Big Brushes (Faber-Castell), glass bead gel, gesso (Golden), clear gesso (Liquitex), Glue N' Seal, Distress Micro Glaze, Distress Inks (Ranger), tissue paper (misc.) 

I wasn't feeling this one at times throughout the process but as I kept adding things and going away to mull my next creative step or choices, it started to feel better. Truth be told it took several days in short periods to complete but it did eventually evolve into something that I like.

As for the process...
- I stamped the Joy sentiment from Magenta with grey StazOn onto white tissue paper and adhered it to the journal pages with gel medium and then muted it with white gesso then gave it tooth with clear gesso so it would work better with Nuance watercolour effects.
- Then I stamped the background with my fav Magenta Script and Post stamp using Delicata Gold.
- Using glass bead gel, I stenciled the poinsettia multiple times to create the base for the wreath.
- Once dry, I pre-wet the areas around the flowers where I wanted the red to go and sprinkled the red Nuance onto those areas.
- I used some of the saturated red coloured water from the project on my brush to splatter around the page
- Once dry, I set the colour with Ranger's Distress wax and then used Lime Citron and Peeled Paint to stencil in the leaves of the wreath.
- It just needed its' title, which I cut from Magenta patterned paper using my Silhouette Cameo and then sprayed the cutout with gold Sheer Shimmer Spritz. - A few grey shadows and some white highlights and it was done.

This one does bring some joy... not only of the season but of a sense of accomplishment. 

TTFN,

Magenta products used:

TM124- Mini Holly


TM130- Holly Border


07.413.F - Joy stamp


95.085.M - Script and Postmark stamp


MNU015 - Red Nuance

ME237 - Tranquility Patterned Paper 

Magenta December Challenge

I love snowflakes and since we didn't seem to be getting any anytime soon from mother nature in my neck of the woods earlier, I created my own for my DT contribution to this month's Magenta Winter challenge.

On 140 lb. pre- cut watercolour paper, I pre-wet my paper to start the activation process for the Nuance powder. Adding more water and powder until I achieved a desired look. Once dry, I placed the snowflakes mask down on the paper and traced the outline with a white Signo pigment pen.

I heat embossed the sentiment onto vellum, used a punch to cut it out, and then sprayed it with glimmer Sheer Shimmer Spritz. Using the overspray left on my craft mat, I brushed it onto some of the snowflakes too. A ribbon bow, a metal snowflake charm, and some foam tape to adhere it to the card base was all that was needed to call my winter snow blizzard card done.

There is still time to join us in this month's challenge. Find out all the details and check out my fellow DT members' creations based on the Winter theme here.

TTFN,

Catching Up with LGS layouts

It has been a drought here on my blog over the fall months. While Fall is normally a busy time in my household with me being a teacher, this year's autumn took everything out of me... literally... zapped, zilch, zero; thus, I had to solely concentrate on trying to get my health in order. I have missed my creative peeps and creating new stuff. As is the norm for me, I get a chance to catch up when I get vacation time. Yeah!

So let the posting catch up begin! Today, I have a bunch of layouts that I made for a variety of Let's Get Sketchy Design Team reveals in September and October over on the LGS blog.

Supplies: patterned paper, diecuts (MME), labels, transparencies, glitter stars (Making Memories), title stamp (Magenta), emboss powder(Stampendous), background diamonds grid stamp and pen (CTMH), Archival ink (Ranger)

Total stash find! This really old MME paper and diecuts paired with some old MM transparencies and labels but the best part (besides the stickin' cute photos) is the heat embossed "Oh My Dogness!" title created from a Magenta stamp.

Supplies: patterned paper, die cuts, chipboard, stickers, frames (Simple Stories), letters (American Crafts), gold leaf (Michaels), white pen (Signo)

Cracked into Simple Stories So Fancy collection and had a little fun (or should I say sarcastic scrap session) with these selfies of my daughter hamming it up. Yep... she is sooo fancy! Lol!

Supplies: patterned paper, die cuts, chipboard, pocket cards (Simple Stories), Dina Wakley acrylic paint (Ranger), grid stencil (Magenta), gold Delicata ink (Tsukineko), glass beads and jewels (Dollarama), burlap (Misc.), black pen (Sharpie), white pen (Signo)

Went a little mixed media on this one as it really suited the sketch. Fun and freeing, I am really pleased with how this one turned out.

That's it for layouts. More creative formats to come. :)


TTFN,

November Magenta Challenge

The last days of fall are upon us and for the most part the landscape is devoid of bright colour so I created this bright Red and Scarlet Nuance card for the Magenta November Challenge.

Supplies: leaves stencil, sentiment stamp, corrugated leaves, Scarlet and Red Nuances (Magenta), watercolour cardstock and brown ink (Ranger), kraft cardstock (CTMH), white sand texture gel (Pebeo), twine (Dollarama)

I experimented with white sand texture gel for the first time on the stenciled leaves. It really takes on the Nuance colour and added another textural dimension to this multi-dimensional card.

You still have a chance to join us in this month's challenge. Find out all the details and check out my fellow DT members' takes on the challenge here.

TTFN,

LGS September Week 1

It is reveal time for my team over at Let's Get Sketchy for this week's sketch.

Supplies: patterned papers, die cuts, and fall chipboard letters (Daisy D's), chipboard leaves and walk chipboard letters (American Crafts), family letter stickers (Making Memories), glimmer mist (Tattered Angels), StazOn ink (Tsukineko), marker (Sharpie), pen (Staedtler)

I really enjoyed creating with this sketch. It was a challenge to combine so many patterned papers especially given how busy my photo was but I love how it all came together. I even dug deep in my stash for this one... anyone remember Daisy D's? I still love their fall collection that I used on this one including that Fall chipboard part of the title.

Here is Brenshevia's sketch for this week:

To learn more details about joining us in this challenge, check out the info here.

TTFN,

Creative Cards Vol. 1

Have you heard about Scrapbook and Cards Today Magazine's special card edition titled Creative Cards Vol. 1?

I am excited about this edition because yours truly has a card that I created this summer in it.

Organized by season, its pages are full of over 100 cards made specifically for holidays, thank-yous, birthdays, special events, and much more.  As a special bonus, it has a library of online files designed exclusively for this issue including a year's worth of electronic cut files. Creative Cards Vol. 1 has something for everybody who enjoys playing with paper and sending heartfelt hellos!

 - Catherine Tachdjian Publisher, Scrapbook & Cards Today Inc.

It is heading to the printers so hop on over to the SCT site to learn more about this limited edition and preorder it here.

TTFN,

September Magenta Challenge

It is all about Autumn for this month's Magenta Challenge. Autumn for is not complete without a trip to gather pumpkins and gourds for decorating.

Supplies: patterned papers, corrugated letters. cork adhesive letters, wood veneer, and sentiment stamp (Magenta), acrylic paint (Plaid), ink (Ranger), pen (CTMH), twine, jewels, and thread (Dollarama)

I used a variety of patterned papers and glued down a border of twine.

I added some paint to the corrugated letters to make them pop yet left some kraft colour for a rustic feel. The black stitching and other touches of black helps tie it all together.

I fussy cut out the birdies on branches and added this wood veneer leaf for just the right themed embellishments.

What do you like about Autumn? Join in the Magenta challenge by sharing your autumn inspired project. Autumn Challenge details can be found here. 

TTFN,

Grad Night

I am up on the Magenta blog today in the August challenge reminder with this layout.

This month's challenge is Anything Goes so it was total creative freedom and I had fun with it.


Here is a look at my layout in progress where you can see the background that I created before all the other layers were added.

I began by covering the background patterned paper with clear gesso. Then, I went in with white gesso in the areas that I wanted to focus my design. Next, I stenciled the damask using whipped spackle and then went back over the design areas with the stencil and Imagine Crafts irRESISTible in Wedding Dress White. It provides a gloss sheen that resists so that I could whip away some of the Grape Jelly and LuLu Lavender Fireworks sprays that I used to add colour. While the Fireworks colours were still wet, I loaded the Ornamental Pattern stamp in them and then stamped along the outline of the white areas. Once all was dry, I used black StazOn for the Script Postmark and the Diamond stamps.  Some Firework mists mixed with gel medium was used to add the purple splatters and the a mix with acrylic paint for the black ones to finish the background off.

The distressed the cut up stripes of the Purple Night patterned paper using a sanding block. Initially, I had tried using gesso, which you can see on the left corner ones but then elected to go with the sanding as I liked the look and colour better.
Magenta has been a maker of wood veneer pieces long before it was a trendy item and I love how these bird themed pieces work with this layout.

Lots of layering, including silver metallic thread under the photos. It adds a nice touch that compliments the glimmer of the Firework sprays.

I used a variety of different flowers ranging from fabric, taffeta, crochet and paper that all worked together to add the right balance and clusters of interest. 

Here you get a closer look at some of the stamping with the Fireworks spray. The photo just can't pick up and do justice to the subtle glimmer that is all over the page in the sprayed and stamped areas.

My daughter loves this one as a memento of a milestone event. It will spend some time in a frame before it makes it's way to a scrapbook album.

There is still time to get an entry into this month's challenge. With the theme of Anything Goes, it makes it pretty easy to enter. Check out the challenge details here as well as other inspirational creations by some of my fellow Magenta teammates.

TTFN,

Magenta products used:

TM46 - Damask Background

95.085.M Script and 
Postmark Stamp

29.051.E - Geometry
Small Diamond #1

35.078.K - Ornamental Pattern

KDL20 - Birds & Cages

KDL21 - Fly Like a Bird Kit 

 ME215 Delicate Posies

 MLE03 Purple Night

CB638 - Mini Alphabet