My heart skips a beat when I'm with you

It's Valentines time and that means I need to start on Valentine projects. Yes, I'm good at waiting until the last minute! lol..

My first project is a tag that I plan to use on a card for my dear sweet hubby. I saw a tag made of cardboard on Flying Unicorn's Artist of the Week Challenge.

I love this challenge. Every week someone is chosen as Artist of the Week. The challenge is to go to their gallery and lift one of their creations. I love trying different styles, techniques, etc...so this challenge is always a favorite of mine. :o).

This week Gerry was our Artist of the week. She is one very talented lady! Every creation of hers is a work of art! You can find her blog here:
http://gerryscrafts.blogspot.com/ .

Also, here is a link to her gallery on Flying Unicorn:
http://flying-unicorn.socialgo.com/members/profile/418/albums

It was so hard to choose what to lift. So many beautiful...stunning creations!
Her cardboard tag was just to gorgeous to pass up! Here is her tag:


I just love the cardboard look, I love the vibrant colors, and I love the way she mixed them...stunning!

When I lift someone, I do not copy their work, I try to take a few of the things I see that I want to try and make it my own.
So for this, I wanted the cardboard and I wanted to try and mix my colors the way she did.

I love the way it turned out. It's not vibrant like hers...mine is muted and soft..I would love to find out how she made hers so vibrant and plan to ask her. When I do find out. I'll try again in my journal :o)

Anyway here is my take on Gerry's tag:


Background:

For the background I cut a tag out of cardboard, Then painted it using Caludine Hellmuth's "Dash of Red", and Painterly Pink Acrylic Paint. I then took some Adirondack "Snow Cap" Acrylic Paint Dabber and mixed enough water in it to make it runny. I dripped the white paint in the holes of the cardboard and let it run down. im Holtz Urban Grunge stamp set.
I also stamped in black an Argyle Stamp from from the stamp set "Every Heartbeat" from Our Craft Lounge and a text stamp from the Tim Holtz Urban Grunge Stamp set.

Embellishments:

Fabric Heart - I cut out a heart from a scrap of fabric, sewed a zig zag stich and make tiny cuts into the zig zag for some texture, added a little lace

Black hearts - I stamped the hearts with white paint from the same Our Craft Lounge set I used for the background and cut them out. Then inked the edges with ColorBox Fluid Chalk Cat’s Eye in Charcoal. I attached them to a chain for hanging.

Sentiment:
I cut a piece of cardboard, distressed it and painted it with Adirondack's "Snow Cap" Acrylic Paint Dabber. The Sentiment is from the same Craft Lounge stamp set "Every Heartbeat"

I added a little fiber and called it complete. I just love the grungy look I achieved!

One Valentines project off my "to do" list..7 more to go!

Fun Gothic Arch

Flying Unicorn had a Polar Bear and Pajama Party last weekend. It was so much fun! We had challenges, games, and of course prizes!

One of the challenges was a Gothic Arch challenge. I'm not to used to making Gothic Arches, in fact...this was my 2nd one of all time!
The first one I made for the challenge ended up in my scrap leftover file as it was horrible! lol..do you ever make something and then pitch it aside because you are to embarrassed to post it? Yep, that one was a failed project.
But hey, that is ok, because in the future I'll use it as a part of the background on a mixed media canvas...a little gesso on top or some molding paste, paint, ink, etc..and that baby will look good!

I soooo loved my second attempt! The background is just beautiful! I wish you could see the shimmer in it. They need to make a camera that captures shimmer and glitter! :o)



I just love the doll or whatever you call him! or her! or whatever it is! lol.. I bought the image from Cemerony Etsy Shop. I just adore her images!

So the moral of this story is..if you don't succeed..just start over! lol

Bridal Shower Card

I completely forgot to post a card I made for my Daughter's Bridal Shower. I made the card 2 weeks ago but didn't post it because I didn't want her to see it before the shower.
So here it is..



I just loved the how the cameo and the flower gave it such a romantic feel!

Lovely

Another layout completed! I have been playing with new journaling techniques and exploring color combos for the past couple of days. But I did find time to create a layout of my daughter's wedding. I used the Vintage Blue line from Glitz Designs. I do believe this line is my favorite line ever! lol..as hard as it is to find.. I believe it's a lot of scrapper's favorite line!

I was having trouble finding some of the line and a dear friend (Alda of Flying Unicorn) sent me what I couldn't find..She had it in her store. I swear she is one of the most sweetest people I know. How many shop owners do you know that would send you something you were desperately trying to find and instead of selling it to you, sends it and says Merry Christmas!

I do believe that is why I spend so much time at Flying Unicorn..Not because I received something for free...but because..she truly cares about people. She is one of the most uplifting people I know!

Anyway back to the layout. I am entering this in the Flying Unicorn's, Let's Lift It Round Robin Challenge. A really cool challenge where you lift the persons LO before you. I had the unlucky privilege of being first..lol..so others will be lifting this layout..poor poor dears!

Journaling Goals - Journaling Cover

One of my goals this year is to keep a daily Journal. It will be a journal for personal growth (hopefully)! I plan to journal about feelings as well as use it to grow artistically.
My goal is to work in my journal 15 min. a day. So far I've kept to that goal. Well, if you count the making of the cover lol..I finally finished it today and I hope to look back at the end of my journal and see a lot of growth in my art.
Even though I love Art. I seem to struggle. I would love to take design classes but my budget will not allow it. So I have been watching Journaling videos, reading design articles and trying to learn color theory. This has been added to my 15 min a day art goals.
I am also taking part in a 365 Days in a Picture group at Flying Unicorn and plan to incorporate this into my journal. This 365 Days in a Picture group has really turned out to be the highlight of my day. Though as most of you know I love Flying Unicorn and I'm there almost everyday. I thought I knew the girls pretty well. Well it turns out, I didn't! I have learned so much about them in just the 9 days since this group started. I love this group!
I plan to enter my journal cover in the Mask"querade Challenge at Flying Unicorn. I used a Tattered Angels mask and stenciled it green, it's beside the "word of the day" grouping.
Here is my first ever Journal Cover!

Starting off the New Year with Art!

Here is my first "Artsy" creation for 2012



One of my 2012 "Art Goals" is to experiment more with mixed media. I want to learn new techniques, explore, and just have fun.
This year, I've decided that instead of wishing I could do more Artisy pieces I'm going to actually sit down and do them.

Awhile ago I purchased Collage Couture by Julie Nuttingg. I have to say this book is amazing!! Not only does she teach you how to draw the figures, eyes, mouths, etc..

The way she teaches you to draw the girls is simple and down to earth..you create a paper of 13 lines and just go grid to grid..then she has 9 different sets of eyes that are simple to create and also a very simple way to do the lips and hair. She shows you how to draw different poses..side views, etc.

The book includes lots of background techniques for you to try, different folds for different kinds of dresses, and lots of tips for cutting out the dress.....
...
She has step by step tutorials for 22 projects. Some examples are Newspaper Heiress, Vogue, Parisian Dreams..it is amazing..She includes a picture of the finished project, supplies needed, and detailed instructions for the background, the dolls, everything..yep I said 22 projects!! 22 different amazing girls on canvas, cards, etc!

I loved it so much that I've told most of my craft friends about it. I know that 2 of them have bought the book and they too are in love with it. So be sure to check it out. I purchased mine at Amazon..you can find it here:
Collage Couture by Julie Nutting

Anyway back to my art goals.. I know I'll have failures..and in a way my first "Art Creation" was kinda cheating. I traced the girl...lol
(with the Authors permission of course!). Julie Netting is such a sweet person. She not only gave me permission, she also took the time to answer my email and told me that she learned to draw by tracing other drawings!!! Such a sweet sweet lady. Here is her blog

http://www.julienuttingdesigns.blogspot.com/

Warning! You'll spend hours looking at her creations!

I did paint the hair free hand..yep! first time ever!!!!!!!!!!!..isn't it funny that I can be so proud of such a small thing as hair?!!

My next Girl Canvas is going to be huge! I bought a 16x20...and now that I have my feet wet...and I feel a little more comfortable with what I'm doing..this one..is going to be done by me...my own drawing, designing, a Barbara orginal! so stay tuned :o)

Christmas ATC's

I've completed two more ATC's for Flying Unicorn's Chrismtas ATC Swap. I have had so much fun creating these and I do believe I'm now addicted! It is so much fun to branch out of your usual scrappy style and just create something totally different! I'm now so hooked I've been shopping for ATC supplies! lol...poor hubby! He has a hard time keeping up with my scrapbooking and card making supplies..now he has to support (money wise) my new ATC craze! so so laughing! The first ATC is created with the Father Christmas Clear stamp by Bo Bunny..you girls know how I adore Bo Bunny!

The second is my favorite!! I covered a dress form chipboard with glitter using a mask. It is so so shimmery!

You should branch out and try new things..who knows..you might become addicted like I have!

Lisa Vollrath's & Ten Two Studios 6th Annual Original Printables Holiday Countdown!

Lisa Vollrath and Ten Two Studio's have paired up to give you free images every day in December. And man..are they gorgeous! Gorgeous and Free!

Here is the link:o)

http://countdown.tentwostudios.com/

Core'dinations Design Team Favorite Things - Win the Designer's Favorite Lines!

Core'dinations is hosting a Design Team Favorite Things Give-a-way!

Go to their blog for your chance to win!

Here is the details from their Blog:

From now until Christmas Eve we are showcasing our Design Team’s Favorite cardstock. Each designer picked a few of their favorite lines and created some gorgeous projects for you showcasing why they love it so much.

Then, on that day, just by commenting on that post, you have the chance to win! AND some days we might be showcasing more than one line … like today! ;)

Here is how it works:

1.) We post every day. The following day we pick a winner and then start over so keep coming back!

2.) You have all day and night to post. Yes, you heard me! You can win up until the next day when I pick a winner when I get up. We want our international fans to be able to win and they are normally sleeping now ;)

3.) Want additional chances to win? Comment on Facebook and share the excitement on your blogs! If you share on your blog, come back here and link us up. Remember, you can do it every day for more chances to win!

4.) Please note: we will not be shipping to winners until the January due to the Holidays.

Here is a link to the Core'dinations blog:

http://www.coredinations.com/index.php/category/scrapbook-blog/

Here is a link to their facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Coredinations-ColorCore-Cardstock-Paper-for-Scrapbooking/187498550362

Flying Unicorn's Glam it up Challenge and Tim Holtz tag day 2

I have been wanting to do some of Tim Holtz Tags...let's be honest..who hasn't? :o). I also have a goal to do every challenge at Flying Unicorn this month. So I decided to combine a TH tag and one of the Challenges.

The Glam it Up Challenge was to use at least 3 different kinds of sparkle.
Here was the list to choose from:
Glimmer Mist
Glimmer Glam
Glimmer Glaze
Stickles
Glitter
Shiny metallic pieces
Rhinestones (pearls do not count)
Anything else that has sparkle and glam
Metallic rubs
Perfect pearls
Smooch Mist or paint

This was easy peasy! I used:
1. Smooch Spritz Vanilla, splattered on tag to create a snow like effect
2. Martha Stewart Gold Metallic Paint - painted the border on the bottom of the tag
3. Tim Holtz/Ranger Acohol Ink - Bronze metallic - used it to change my silver brads to bronze
4. Tattered Angels Candy Apple Red - used it to add a red tint to the gold bell on the deer's neck
.....
In making Tim's tag I didn't have the deer die cut or the grungeboard he used. So I cut out a deer from my silhouette from Coordinations and sanded it to give it some texture. I just love how this tag turned out!