Lights-Camera-Action!

I have been creating this layout for the Boys II Men Challenge at Flying Unicorn.

Have you ever had a layout that just wouldn't come together no matter what you did? This was one of those layouts. I had everything planned in my head but when it came to gluing it down I couldn't get the design I was looking for.
So after struggling for a few days, walking away from it several times, and throwing out a few cuss words I decided to seek help.

I posted a pic of what I was working on and the embellishments I was planning to use on the "Ask The Designers" topic in the Flying Unicorn Forum. What a great help they turned out to be! The Solution...put the picture in the middle, add a title and then build around it. So so simple..now why didn't I think of that?!!

I love the final piece! It has the mood I wanted and I think it turned out great!



The pictures are of my grandson's first trip to Disney World. I loved the picture of the movie reels in the background and wanted to make that my theme.

The frame is a Petaloo Color Me Crazy frame. I inked it with Tattered Angels Coffee Shop Glimmer Mist and then embossed it several time with Utee.
I cut the film projector out with my silhouette, colored it with the same Coffee Shop glimmer mist and then used the same embossing technique as I did with the frame. After it had cooled, I added Tim Holtz gears to the reels and dry brushed it with a little of Ranger's Adirondack Copper Mixative.

The film strips with the pictures and the Title were also cut out with my Silhouette.

My journay into collage

Awhile back I said I was going to start a creative journal. I spend hours each week looking at mixed media art. I have fallen in love with collages of quirky images, steampunk, and Victorian pieces . I have been playing around but I never seem to capture the moods I see other artists create. I needed instruction..how do they create those cool backgrounds??? So, I started looking for tutorials and books.

After a lot of researching I decided on a collage book and ordered it. I choose:
Collage Lab: Experiments, Investigations, and Exploratory Projects (Lab Series) by Bee Shay.
This book is designed to take you through a year of collage labs. There are 52 different labs in the book. One for each week.

When I was reading the overview of this book this sentence caught my eye..
"Seeing, Doing, Learning is the key to keeping the knowledge and information that has been acquired along the way"

I learn by doing..I can watch someone do something a million times, but, If I do not do it myself I remember nothing :o) I was really intrigued by the thought of collage labs.

The book was affordable (15.97 at Amazon) I read several reviews of the book. All were good reviews and I even found a blog that was doing her labs and posting their results. After they completed the labs they removed them from the blog and wanted you to pay 25.00 for the cd..

That is crazy I thought! They are making money off of someone's book. I bought the book for 15~ lol

Bee Shay also started a blog called Collage Lab Companion where she adds more content and takes you along the labs in her book. I don't know why, but she stopped posting after 3 months. But, I adored pouring over those three months of content..so check it out!

Waiting for the book to come, I started gathering supplies that I thought I might need. Gesso, modeling paste, canvas, acrylic paint, etc...poor hubby has been dragged to Michaels and forced to use a coupon..so I could get 40% off of two things! lol..I even signed him up for Michael's rewards! poor poor man!

Finally, yesterday the postman brought me Collage Lab (plus a few new "artsy" stamps I thought I had to have :o)..I poured over the pages and fell in love!
Each lab is clearly outlined...easy to follow, calls for reasonable (inexpensive) materials, and gives great examples!

I finished one lab this week..Basic Gesso Surface..all I can say is Wow...I can already create 9 different collage foundations!

I decided to create a collage for the Lift the AOW (Artist of the Week) challenge at Flying Unicorn. Bitsy had created a darling dress out of paper.
I had just bought the Material Girl Stamp from Crafty Secrets..so this challenge was calling my name! Here is my creation.



The background was made with acrylic paint, I used some gel medium to add an old pattern, and I added some texture with bubble wrap I drew the lines in the dress with a charcoal pencil and also outlined the dress with a little more shading.
The stamp holder is a stamp from Crafty Secrets that I stamped and then wound some yellow thread around it. I cut some ruler tape ribbon, added a little paint to it and also outlined it with charcoal to make it stand out a little more :o)

Check out the book..it's amazing!

Don't Look Now

I made this card for the Flying Unicorn's Scrap-O-Ween Scary Movie Title Challenge. I am having so much fun this month at Flying Unicorn! They are having so many challenges and give-a-ways all month long for the Scrap-O-Ween celebration.
You should check it out and join in the fun!

The challenge was to create something using the title of a Halloween (Scary) (Horror) movie! I decided to make a card.

I choose the movie Don't Look Now that was released in 1973.

I choose to use a paper from the PinkPaislee's Hocus Pocus line. The paper pack was included in the October Kit from Flying Unicorn. Their kits always include an "off the page project also and..get this...at no extra charge!! yep!!!
The hocus pocus paper pak was part of the "off the page" kit.
The image is from Graphic 45.


I adore Flying Unicorn's kits! Here is a link to their kit of the month.
http://flyingunicornllc.com/kit-of-the-month.html
Anyway..here is the card :o)

Mannequin Pin Holder

I was watching a video on "My Craft Channel" on how to make a Mannequin Pin Holder. It was cute as good be and I had some extra fabric stashed from some pillows I made to go in the bay window in my craft room. So...I decided to give it a go! You can find the video here http://www.mycraftchannel.com/Shows/The-DIY-Dish/?omedia_id=185

It was super easy to make and this my friends is coming from someone who can barely sew a straight line! :o)

Here is my new creation!



If you have any extra fabric laying around this would make a great Christmas gift for a friend. My daughter has already asked for one to go in her room :o)

Two more Christmas ATC's for Flying Unicorn

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!

Another ATC For Flying Unicorns Christmas ATC Swap

I've finished another ATC for the Christmas ATC swap. I had so much fun making this ATC!

Here is how I created it. I cut out a Christmas Tree from the Simple Stories 25 Days of Christmas Accessory Collection. Inked the tree with Color Box Chestnut ink and Tim Holtz Walnut Distress Ink. I then made the snow with Flower Soft. I added sparkles to the tree with TH's Rock Candy Stickles. The presents were made with cardboard and then covered with Tim Hotz Tissue Tape and inked with the Walnut Stain. The "C" was cut out from TH's Kraft Resist and then inked with Fired Brick Distress Stain. I covered it with Ranger's Crackle Paint and then inked it again using the Walnut Stain! The Merry Christmas was cut out from Webster Pages and of course inked! The Picture does not do this justice..it's so shimmery and sparkly!

Christmas ATC Swap at Flying Unicorn

Flying Unicorn is having a Halloween and Christmas Swap. I signed up for the Christmas one. Here is my first ATC for the swap and it is also the very first ATC I've ever made! So much fun!

You should check out the beautiful ATC's the girls have been creating. Such inspiration! Here is the link: http://flying-unicorn.socialgo.com/forum/topic/306

Paper Traders Autumn Banner Swap

I participated in an Autumn Banner Swap in the Paper Traders Yahoo Group. The details of the swap were to use a template as the base and use fall colors.
This was my very first swap ever! There are a few things I've learned...number one...never wait until the last minute because the unforeseen will happen! And the second..it's so much fun to get something in the mail that someone else has created!


Let me say..I've never created a banner before and this tried my patience! To say the least! lol...I had to make two attempts because the first attempt looked pathetic! I wouldn't have hung the 1st one on my wall and would be damned if I'd send it to someone else to hang on theirs. I finally gave up on the first one and just started all over.

Because I started over I ended up being late in mailing mine out. But..Beckie was an angel in understanding and told me not to stress. I will remember how kind she was and make sure that in future swaps I have the same patients with others that she had with me.

Here is the Autumn Banner I received from Beckie. It is to die for and I've proudly hung it up in my craft room. Every time I look at it I just smile. She is a very talented crafter! Her blog address is http://artbeckons.blogspot.com/






I'm proud of my second attempt. Which goes to show..you never should give up and say I can't do this..just try something else and in the long run..you'll get where you wanted to go :o)

Here is the Banner I made:




If you've never done a swap before I hope you'll take a chance and try one. It is so much fun!

Using a Mask as a Stamp

Outlaw Women Scrapbook Emporium's Yahoo Group are having an August Masking Challenge. I decided to go a different route than usual masking.
I took a mask and used it as a stamp. It's really simple and easy to do. It also gives you the advantage of having your masks do more than normal masking.
All you do is ink the mask and place it on your project. You need to make sure it is getting contact everywhere. I usually just press lightly around the mask with my fingers.
I used Tattered Angels Dark Denim Glimmer mist on mine.
The background was created using Tattered Angels also.
Leaving the mask still in place I took a fan brush and lightly brushed the tag with Organic Garden Glimmer Glam. I then inked the edges of the tag with Pewter Glimmer Glaze. Once that was done I removed the mask and sprayed the whole tag with Aquamarine Glimmer Mist.
The Glimmer Glam and Glimmer Glaze acts as a resist and the Glimmer Mist does not cover it up.
I love playing around with different colors and seeing what I end up with. It's so much fun!

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday

I love going to Stamping Ground and seeing what is on everyone's work desk on Wednesdays. It's so neat to see what everyone is up to and see art in progress!

Here is what is on mine this Wednesday.



It's the start of paper roses. I'm making some roses to go on a scrapbook page I'm making from my August Swirlydoos Kit,
"Poetry In Prose".

I've said it a hundred times and I'll say it again. I do not know how Krissy at Swirlydoos does it but she packs one awesome kit after another. I've never, ever, not liked a kit. Her kits are to die for! I'll be a member of this kit club till death do us part :o)