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,