Dance

I completed this layout for both the Sketchabilities Challenge #132 and the Let's Get Sketchy - January Week 2 Challenge. For this week I tried returning to my own style a bit more, but also tried a new technique I saw where the photo was layered up from underneath with ephemera. I'm not sure I got the result I was fully expecting, but I do like it. Perhaps some more practice in this area.....

And here is my interpretation. I hope you like it....comments are welcome, and if you would like to see more of my work, please don't forget to subscribe to my blog!

Again, the photo is one I found on pinterest that I just really liked and went so well with the "Anthem" paper line from Bo Bunny.

Supplies

Paper, Ephemera and chipboard elements - Bo Bunny "Anthem"
Ink - Tim Holtz Distress Ink and Stampin Up
Stampin Up Chipboard Letters
Stamps - Stampin Up and Heather's Stamping Haven by the Stamp Barn

Inspiration Wednesday - Go confidently in the direction of your dreams

Anyone else participating in Inspiration Wednesday with Donna Downey? Well week 2 brought another fabulous journal project for us to try. Unlike my first IW project, I LOVE how this one turned out. It's an extravaganza of mixed media supplies and a whole lot of getting messy!

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Supplies

Dylusions art journal
Gesso
Super Heavy Gesso
Fluid Matte Medium
Acrylic Glazing Liquid
Stencils - Tim Holtz and Dina Wakely
Paper and Bits - Aitoh Company Origami Paper, Hot off the Press Stamps, Tim Holtz Tissue Paper
Making Memories  Alphabet Stickers
Stamps and Ink - Stampin Up and Stazon
Various acrylic paints
Dylusions ink

Winter Queen

Okay, confession time - I'm struggling a bit with this style. I wanted to try and emulate a style I see a lot of people creating some beautiful work with, but I have yet to master the technique to my satisfaction. Perhaps I should be trying to stick more to my style and adopt smaller elements of new ideas, rather than biting off more than I could chew from the start. I'm a big paper collection user so my preferences tend to lean more towards brighter, busier layouts. I'm not giving up....just trying to figure out the best approach.

Comments are welcome, or please feel free to follow our blog.

Click to enlarge

The picture I printed from Pinterest, and I thought it was beautiful, and perfect for this white space layout. But I have a love-hate relationship with this layout. I like the left side...I think....but I think there's a design disconnect between it and the bottom right corner. I went wrong when the glitter ritz I used on the bottom layer was darker than I thought and the color blue didn't match up. And again, I'm new to this whole "spray splatter" idea. While I love the concept and a lot of people produce some beautiful work, I have yet to master the technique to my satisfaction.

Supplies:

Cardstock - Bazzil and DCWV
Patterned Paper - Bo Bunny Powder Mountain and Hot off the Press Color Me Music
Martha Stewart Doilies
Metal Dies - Die-namics
Darice Embossing Folder
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist - Sapphire
Glitter Ritz - Canadian Blue
Molding Paste
Stencils, Mosaics and Ribbon - Unknown
Dollar store extra embellishments

Don't Let Life Ruffle Your Feathers

This was a challenge art journal page - the goal was to use "Wings". I really like the way this one turned out, but I'm pretty new to this art journal work. The embellishments on the left side might prove to be a bit much - I'm still trying to balance the art journal/painting work with my scrapbooking tendencies.

Hope you like it, and I would welcome comments/feedback!

Click to enlarge

Supplies:

Art Journal - Dylusions
Acrylic Paint - Accent and Americana
Stencil - Folkart
Flowers - Prima
Dylusions Spray Ink
Die - Die-namics
Hot off the press - stamp
Memento Black ink

Inspiration Wednesday - Grow

For 2015 I decided to join Donna Downey's new Inspiration Wednesday online workshop. It's a great opportunity to explore new art techniques and hopefully learn some fun new things! If you're participating in Inspiration Wednesday, please let us know. If you aren't, please consider joining the fun at Donna Downey Studios.

Here's my first Inspiration Wednesday Journal Page:

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I'm not "thrilled" with the way it turned out. My letter stencils weren't the best for this technique, the light molding paste I tried to use for texture instead of heavy gesso didn't apply like I had wanted, and I'm not sure my glazing liquid application was correct. I tried to add some more dimension by adding some harvest-y stickers, but I'm not sure if they add or detract. I'm hoping to improve as we go, but then that is the point of the endeavour - and why the term "Grow" is so appropriate for my first page.

Comments welcome.

Supplies:

Dylusions Art Journal
Acrylic Paint
Gesso
Light Molding Paste
Acrylic Glazing Liquid

Fall in Love

For this layout, I wanted to try a new technique showcased by Julie Balzer using Viva Inka Gold on black cardstock. I love the dramatic look it gives a layout, and it's a really fun product to work with. I hope you like it as well. Comments are welcome, and if you like our projects, I hope you'll consider following our blog!

Click to enlarge

The photo is an artist rendering I printed from the internet. The little boy in it is so cute and kind of reminds me of my son :D

Supplies:

Cardstock - Bazzil
Stencils - Crafters Workshop Template
Viva Inka Gold
Stickers - Creative Imaginations and Stickopotamus
Key - K&Company
Ribbon, Feathers, and Grass embellishments - Michaels and Dollar Store
Silhouette Cameo letters

Winter Snowflakes

This is the last of the Christmas cards for 2014 - PHEW! I got the idea for this card from a YouTube tutorial on how to line up the Martha Stewart punch-all-over-the-page punches. I wanted to try out the techniques, so I designed a card I could use them on.

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I really enjoyed how this card turned out with the punch-all-over-the-page punch.

Supplies:
Punches - Martha Stewart and EK Success
Die - Die-namics
Cardstock - Stampin-up
Ribbon - unknown
Pearl - Michaels Recollections

Beautiful Poinsettia

A little post-Christmas clean-up because I realized I hadn't posted a few additional cards I made late in the Christmas season!  These cards were made a little larger than my traditional 4x6 size, but I really wanted to spend some quality time making them as pretty as I could, and the larger size was needed to accommodate the design. This one features the gorgeous Poinsettia stamp and matching die from Heartfelt Creations.

I hope you like them as much as I do!

Click to enlarge

Supplies:

Cardstock - Bazzil
Tim Holtz Distress Ink
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Motif paper
Spellbinders Dies
Heartfelt Creations Stamp and matching Spellbinders Die
Sizzix Embossing Folder
Seed Beads - Unknown