Do you add-to?

I made this layout during Nook U for Mahlin's Art Class.  The assignment was to create a layout using two painting mediums. I chose to Glimmer Mist the background's star rays and to paint the chipboard star.

While I liked it as is, after seeing it posted at My Scrapbook Nook, I knew that I wanted to add to it before posting it to my blog.  So here is the "add to" version.

As you can see, I needed to add a few more stars which created a visual triangle and repeated some colour element details that fit nicely as well as I decided to trim the overhanging edges of the star.

Here are a few other layouts that I felt compelled in the past months to "add to" them prior to placing them in their albums.

1. Water Pixie: There was too much space between the left photo and top of journaling area that bothered me and just didn’t sit right so I added a fussy cut damask piece.

Before: 

After:

2. Absolutely Absorbed: I added black lace in the space as I found the title cluster & photos had too much space between them.

Before: 

After:  

3. Fedora Fashion:  I had always intended to add the paper pieced fedora near the title to make a visual triangle with the other two Fedora’s but I did not have the supplies needed to make it at the cottage.

Before:

After: 

I equate it to cooking. Sometimes you have to add stuff to adjust the flavour. They're all much better now and I can happily live with them. They just needed that little something.

Have you ever done an Add-to?

TTFN!

Nook U - Botany 101

The very flowery, bling loving, sweet Camilla's class, Botany 101,  featured the use of... you guessed it... flowers.  The assignment was to use a minimum of 5 flowers, with at least 2 different kinds (different sizes of the same flower did not count) and 2 different colours.

I had the perfect photo for this assignment that I have been waiting to scrap for some time.  This challenge proved perfectly suited to this photo.

Supplies: Flowers(Prima, Making Memories, PSX), CS green (Core'dinations), CS white (CTMH), fabric letters (American Crafts), jewels (SandyLion), pen (Creative Memories), Font (Angelina)

I kept the design graphic and simple to keep the focus on the photo.  My flower choices, as you can see, were based on the colour of flower petals in the photo.  I ended up using 18 flowers with 5 different kinds in 5 different colours.  I used Core'dinations embossed cardstock and lightly sanded the centre area of my cut piece to slightly bring out the embossed pattern.  I love, love, love how this turned out!

TTFN!

Nook U - Biology 101 and I took a chance!

The next class at My Scrapbook Nook's Nook U that I completed was Trish Harwick's Biology101 Class.  The assignment was to use paper piecing of a living thing on a layout.  I am so pleased with how this layout turned out.  I used a tree from an old ebay.ca advertisement from last year.  I printed it out, traced it onto a transparency, cut it, traced it onto the photos and patterned paper, then cut them out and reassembled on the layout.

Supplies list link

Okay, so I took a chance and submitted to the Fancy Pants Creative Team call.  I wasn't going to. I hymed and I hawed.  I went back and reread their blog post numerous times.  I thought there is no way and put the idea out of my head. Then I did this layout and happened to use Fancy Pants from my stash because I wanted a Fall tree and it was the only papers that I had with the colours that went with my photos.  After the layout was finished I thought why not try?  So just before the deadline, I wrote out my application and added some unposted layouts that I love and think illustrate my ability to utilize the types of products Fancy Pants manufactures.  I have loved Fancy Pants for years and I would so love to be on their Creative Team.
 I have a snowball's chance as they have indicated that there are only 2 international positions and there is sooooo much amazing talent out there right now.  But that is not the point.  The point is in putting yourself out there... taking that chance... someone needs to be picked and it could be you.  You just never know unless you give it a go.(I know it rhymes, I can't help it!...it's the kindergarten teacher in me. LOL!)  Anyway, I am not getting my hopes up.  I am just happy that I took a chance.

TTFN!

Nook U - Typography 201

Up next over at The Nook U is Becky's class on Typography.  I love fonts and the look of text design. I have tons of computer fonts and stamps not to mention my growing stash of sticker alphabets.  I am thrilled that Becky used my Oh Daddy, Daddy, Daddy layout as an example. Check out Becky's blog as besides being super sweet and the message board cheerleader, she is quite hot and on a roll right now having recently made the American Crafts, BoBunny, and Jillibean Soup DTs.

So here is my take on the assignment:

The full list of supplies can be found here.  The journalling reads: With the tween years comes such sassiness. You decided to give some 'tude. At least this time it was comical. July 2010

TTFN!

Nook U - Economics and Budgeting

Next up at the Nook U is Hilde's Economics class with a focus on budgeting as in both time and money.  In typical fun Hilde style (seriously, I love her Nook name "Scoobie"), her assignment is Artist Trading Cards (ATCs).  These are fun playing card size miniture pieces of art and have many genres.  In the past, I actually used them for art technique lessons when I breifly taught grade 7 planning time art in French.  They lend themselves perfectly for trying techniques without the overwhelming size of a standard piece of paper.  Small and simple... love it.  Now as you will see, if you check out this class, there are some phenomenal ATCs that are anything but simple.  That is the beauty of the various styles and genres of art, they run the gamet!

Here are my three cards for the assignment:

ATC supplies list

Again I am really pleased with my results.  I love how I used up scraps and cast off pieces (from 5 different layouts and 1 card no less) to create these fun pieces.

In creating my ATCs, I used a bunch of different techniques including a variety of stamping techniques:

Free Spirit- Stamped butterfly onto transparency and fussy cut, stamped phrase, fussy cut scallop border, and glimmer misted cardstock and lace.

So Sweet- Stamped background with damask stamp and white StazOn, stamped So Sweet and liquid glassed it in the metal frame, glimmer misted punched bird and pieced together with foam circles, inked bird and card edges

Whatcha doin'? - Stamped and watercolour pencilcrayoned the children and doodling

 I am thinking that I can repurpose these as cards but we'll see because I do not know if I can part with them. LOL!

TTFN!

Nook U - Graphic Arts 101

So my favourite online scrappy place My Scrapbook Nook is hosting their annual Nook U.

The first class is by Stacey Michaud entitled Graphic Arts 101. Be sure to check it out.  Her lesson, in true teacher form, is exceptional with clearly illustrated and explained concepts.  I am a huge Stacey fan.  Her work always brings a smile to my face because her layouts elicit a sense of fun and are fabulously designed.  Besides the Nook, she is a DT member for Pink Paislee (so love their stuff).  To see more of her fabulous work and learn more about her, check out her blog.

Here is my take on the challenge:



Full list of supplies can be found here.

 I really like the way it turned out.  I kept the embellishments to the minimum to let the multiple pictures tell the story.  I used the Nook's May kit featuring October Afternoon to make it.

Assignment elements covered:
Have a clear focal point: focal point (4x6) photo using rule of thirds, embellished with use of 3 elements (text areas) and also 5s (photos), “y” letter parallel to my dd’s arm in photo
Have contrast on your page: mixed lettering in the title work and contrasting colour (coral and green)
Create flow on your layout: using the natural flow within the photos (my dd’s hand actions), I created movement with 2x3s on diagonals, first 2 left and then 2 to the right.
Use the visual triangle: 3 Visual Triangles created with the text area, the colour green (green text, green grass and green banner flag), and the coral (title stickers, girls skirt and banner flag) with the photos in the triangulated area
Achieve balance on your layout: while elements are different and not symmetrical, there is balance between the left and right side.

I really liked how I covered it. Some parts were conscious choices I was making while designing it, others just happened to evolve in the process. I believe that is what makes this LO work and why it felt right when I decided upon the end arrangement. I stopped because it felt right but in reflection it probably worked and felt right because I had subconsciously achieved a balance of further good design elements that I discovered were there upon reflection of the finished piece.

Can you guess which choices were on purpose?

Conscience choices were focal point, visual triangle, and contrast.  It is funny how these things happen during the creative process.

** updated - Here is my add-to version with touches of black:

TTFN!