Give a Crafter a Cookie: Merry Christmas

New challenge up today at Give A Crafter a Cookie.

I decided to make this box card by SVGCuts using Echo Park's

Merry Christmas line.

THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY TODAY!!

PDE: Penguin Treat Box

Hey there! It's new challenge time at Pause Dream Enjoy!

Today's challenge is "winter weather".

P.S. Sorry for the crappy photo . . . things just weren't going right for me

that day.

Treat box is from Treasure Box Designs.

Thanks for stopping by today!

ISBG: October 31st

Hello there! I'm Vivian Lake and today I would like to share a layout using the Toolshed Kit "Spider's Web". I actually used elements from all the bonus kits on this layout. The only item I used from my own stash is machine stitching . . . . which is just something I LOVE to do.

I loosely followed a sketch from my pinterest board for this layout. Overall, it went together pretty easily. I did like how I added fussy cut butterflies to the web. You know, spiders do need to eat. Bleh!

I loosely used mixed media here. Probably did not need gesso, but I'm still

learning. The title is Kaiser Craft spray ink 'Charcoal' and Texturez 'Tidy Widy'.

The web and title are part of the chipboard bonus kit. The web is covered 

in Texturez 'Tidy Widy'. 

Isn't this spider awesome!? Although the paper came with printed splatters,

I wanted a little more color so I added Lindy's Starburst spray 'Amethyst'

from the bonus media kit.

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY TODAY!

International Scrapbook Garden: Vanishing Visitors

When I received this awesome new Halloween kit by International Scrapbook Garden, I KNEW I would be making at least one large 3-D project.

I was greatly inspired by Patricia Hugs Vintage Halloween Art Tag project from a few years ago. I do not have my own process video, but just watch hers. Hint: It's a very large tag that she makes. You'll want to play all day like I did.

I did follow her closely as far as technique, but this project took a life of it's own. I really had so much fun putting it together. Patricia Hugs uses much more dimensional objects for her project, which I simply did not have. But that's OK, I was looking for inspiration and not necessarily wanting to copycat.

When I started this project, I wasn't sure what the overall theme was going to be. As I was building this and playing around - skeletons, poison and graveyards became the theme.

There are a few minor things not found in the kit, like the apothecary jars, but over all I tried really hard to stay within the kit.

The great thing about making stuff like this is that you are practically encouraged
to jumble and layer stuff together.  

A photo of some of the products available through the kits.
Aren't they awesome?!

What other time of year does purple, orange, black and white go together?
Halloween and Fall are my favorite time of the year to be creative. I did
discover that the dimensional paint, Paste-Eez Lava Flow, "bubbles" when over heated.
I loved the effect.

I think my favorite embellishments were the skulls and the broomsticks.
The tree, bat and headstone are part of the chipboard extras. 

I did add a few things from Hobby Lobby, like the leaves and
Fall plants. I knew this project would need a "filler" like that to bring it
all together. 

I simply love the Dazzlerz "Dreamscicle" color, which is what I used for the
writing. The splotches are white acrylic paint. However, when I was first working
with the background I wanted the black bricks to be less "black". So I went
over them with the Texturez Tidy Widy. Love that stuff!

Look closely! The items are sitting on a toilet paper roll covered
in burlap. Both are your average household items.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STOPPING BY TODAY!

Supplies:
International Scrapbook Garden Toolshed Kit Paper - Spider's Web
ISG Toolshed Kit - Spider's Web Embellishment Bonus kit
ISG Toolshed kit - Spider's Web Mixed Media kit
ISG Toolshed kit - Spider's Web Bonus Chipboard

Supplies from my stash:

Label Chipboard from Hobby Lobby
Stencil backgrounds - brick and words
SVGCuts file - fence
Apothecary jars
Scrap paper with words (needed this to be thin and easy to work with)
Hobby Lobby - Leaves and feathers (they were 90% off)
Burlap
Dyson label - poison
White and Black Acrylic Paint
Tim Holtz Distress ink - Frayed Burlap and Walnut Stain
Black Archival Ink

KaiserCraft iridescent spray ink - Charcoal (from last month's kit)

Studio Challenges: Fall

Today is new challenge day at Studio Challenges. 

The challenge is - make your own background. It can be die cuts

or mixed media, or some variation.

Die cuts for the win!

File found at the Silhouette Online store.

Machine stitching of course

AC cardstock behind flower and leaves. Some little flowers from
my stash for extra dimension.

Using pop dots, I clustered stickers from the Carta Bella line.

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY TODAY!

Supplies:

--Paper:

--Carta Bella - Autumn paper and stickers

--Simple Stories - SN@P Basics

--AC Cardstock (behind flower and leaves)

Wooden embellishments

Machine Stitching

Prima Botanical mix flowers

Brads

Give a Crafter a Cookie: Oh Happy Day

Hello there! It's new challenge time at 'Give a Crafter a Cookie'.

I made this paper piecing quite a while ago, from Scrapping 

Bug Designs. I thought it was perfect for this challenge.

I thought I throw in a little humor with the phrase

"Oh Happy Day". Sorry, you do have to squint

to see it.

Patterned papers from Fancy Pants 'Golden Days'.

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY TODAY!

PDE: Thinking of You

Hello there!! It's new challenge time at PDE Linky Party.

The theme this week is 'Clean and Simple'.

I really did put this card together in record time. Die cut pieces are all

by DoodleBug Designs: Flea Market.

Bow is handmade by me. I did pre-make a bunch of bows

a while back so I just have to reach for what I want.

Thanks for stopping by today!!!!

Spooky 2017

Hello everyone! Can you believe this page is NOT for a DT project.

Yeah . . . me either.

But I did make this page for a variety of challenges, including the mood

board challenge at Scrap The Boys.

The photo is of my son, his best friend and his little brother. The

three of them together can be quite the whirlwind!!!

This page was not my usual "let's take hours to make it" page. 

Sometimes, a crafter just wants to be simple . . . it's like going back in time!

I did manage to make the title on my Silhouette and add machine stitching.

Thanks for stopping by today.

I did journal on the side of page but cropped it off for privacy. 

The chipboard piece on the left is from Creative Embellishments.
I sprayed Kaiser Craft Mists - charcoal on it for color.

Supplies:

--BoBunny - 'Wonderfully Wicked' line (paper, ephemera, and embellishments)

Creative Embellishments - chipboard piece

Kaiser Craft - Mists 'charcoal'

Silhouette Cameo - title

Machine stitching

International Scrapbook Garden: Boys 2 MEN

Hello there!! I'm here today to show you a another page I made using the 

International Scrapbook Garden's 'Toolshed' kit.

This layout came together in steps.

Step one: Find a sketch I thought I could be happy with (by Par Victor).

Step two: I practiced several times mixing various mediums and colors before

committing to a style I liked. I think I practiced on 4 art journal pages.

Step three: Hold my breath as I got started. I love the Aria Story line that is 

in the kit, but you only get one of each. Didn't want to mess it up.

Step four: Use at least four different glues.

I am really happy with how this turned out. The photo is from 2.5 years

ago of my former German exchange student and son.

The little goofball is my kid. I could have chosen a less goofy photo,

but then we all wouldn't get a good laugh. Boyhood is all about

being weird when mom has the camera pointed at you.

Thanks for stopping by today!!!

I layered several items here. Modeling paste using a brick stencil, two chipboard
items from the kit, twine and wooden cogs. The title is layered on top of all that.

I used the last of the flowers here. The chicken wire is a Tim Holtz stamp
from my stash. The stars are punched using another paper from kit.

I made the title myself on my Silhouette using SCAL4. I layered it several
times to make sure it was sturdy.

I have a dry sense of humor and sometimes add humor to my pages.
Can you guess why I added "admit one" here?

Brothers at heart.

Supplies:

International Scrapbook Garden ' Toolshed Kit'

International Scrapbook Garden 'Mixed Media Kit'

International Scrapbook Garden 'Bonus Chipboard' Kit

International Scrapbook Garden 'Embellishment Bonus' Kit

From my stash:

Brick stencil and paste

Chicken wire stamp by Tim Holtz

Silhouette Cameo - title

Glues:

Glossy Accents

Mod Podge Matte

Glue Gun - low heat

Permanent Tacky Glue

Studio Challenges: XoXo

Hello there! Today is a new challenge for the next two weeks at Studio Challenges.

The theme is 'Mirror Image'.

I did use a bit of creative liberties as mine is not exactly a mirror image.

However, whatever I did on one side of the photo, I did on the other side.

Since it's also a mixed media layout, it's not 'spot-on' exact.

I'm having a lot of fun playing around with Gelatos, stamping and stenciling. Who knew,

as I have always avoided stamping in the past.

I also ended up making my own circle background on SCAL4. Everything I found from

different sources were not mirror images.

Thanks for stopping by today!!!

Some minor amount of clustering here using a mix of wooden
and Pretty Little Studio embellishments.

I'm still learning a lot about mixed media. The lettering is white
acrylic paint and maybe next time, I will use something (color)
that stands out a bit more.

Supplies:

Pretty Little Studio: Woodland paper and embellishments

Gelato: pastels

Background stamps and stencils

Machine Stitching

Wooden Embellishments

Give a Crafter a Cookie: Sweet Baby Boy

Hello! It's time for a new challenge at 'Give a Crafter a Cookie'.

Here is the theme.

I chose to go with a paper pieced bear by Treasure Box Designs.

Paper is Echo Park: Bundle of Joy.

Thanks for stopping by today!!!

SaveSave

PDE: Count Your Blessings

Hello there! Today is a new challenge at PDE Linky Party. 

The theme is "Thanksgiving".

I went super-simple this time, using stickers and paper from the 

'Autumn' collection by Carta Bella.

Thanks for stopping by today!!!

SaveSave

Studio Challenges: You Are My World

Hello there!! What a busy month, right?!

It's new challenge time at Studio Challenges. The challenge

for the next two weeks is this sketch.

This sketch is brilliant cause it's easy to make it as simple

or as complicated as you want.

I chose to go simple with a layout about my son's 11th birthday.

Or is it about his smile? Or maybe that he's my world?

So much going on in this one photo!!!!!

A few tips and tricks I learned about photographing kids. I picked up

most of these tricks from Click it Up a Notch.

#1. Kids are active . . . they don't want to stare directly at a camera.

#2. Some kids, like mine, resent "photo day". So I give plenty of 'warning'

and maybe, a little money for bribery. Forced pictures look like . . . forced pictures.

#3. This particular photo Daddy is standing rather close to him and pretending

to tickle our son. Have that camera "glued" to your face and just snap away.

I promise you, do these three things and you will love the results.

(Disclosure - I am not a professional photographer. 

Just a mom who took a few classes to learn about my camera and taking

photos I can be proud of.)

Hint: This one photo represents one of 460. So, it takes practice. Plus I have

shaky hands so tend to snap at least 3 photos of same pose.

Nearly everything on this layout is Doodlbug Designs 'Flea Market' line.

I added my own stash of wooden leaves and 'smile' for more texture.

I had to hand-stitch cause my sewing machine went on strike.

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY TODAY!!

Supplies:

Simple Stories - Sn@p Basics 'Elm/Cream Ledger' = background

Doodlebug Designs - 'Flea Market' line, including the sequins

Wooden Embellishments

Hand stitching