Friday, September 30, 2011

Layout 9: Trick Or Treat


I created this page for the Sizzix Fresh Vintage Blog Hop going on this week and the next 5 weeks!! I posted it here on the Clearsnap blog, where you can also join in on the Hop -- there are prizes ;)


 Here is my layout, ready for photos! I had a blast creating this with templates from Balzer Designs for Crafter's Workshop, TONS of Smooch Spritz and glitter, Epiphany Crafts tools, My Little Shoebox papers...so much to share!



Whenever I am prepping for classes or even diecutting just for myself, I always cut extras. While cutting the Flowers, 3-D Fringed from white duck cloth, I used the small and medium flowers for a class so I had lots of the large flower leftover in my stash. 


One of the biggest challenges I am facing in my scrapbooking right now is trying to make two page layouts when my background papers don't match. Well, who made that rule anyways?!?!? I have started using backgrounds that are just a few shades different from one another and then use spray ink and patterned paper to pull it all together.


Here I started with some patterned paper and two sheets of Bazzill cardstock, in different shades of green, I think Hilary and Lizard.



I laid some of my canvas flowers on the page to create a mask in three different areas (there's that visual triangle again) and a place for me to concentrate my embellies once I start designing the page.



I sprayed the page with Smooch Spritz in Silver Foil, concentrating on the areas the flowers were laid on.



Removing the flowers after spraying revealed the masked area.


Then I paid several paper towels flat on the page and patted it dry,. The Smooch Spritz will dry pretty quickly on its own but I used a quilted paper towel to dry it because the quilted image from the paper towel is then transferred onto the paper.



Then I used paint, a Crafter's Workshop template, and Clearsnap Glitter to add another decorative element to my cardstock base.


I painted portions of the template adjacent and partially overlapping the masked flowers. While the paint was still wet, I sprinkled on the glitter. The wet paint will act as an adhesive to keep the glitter in place.





Here's what my page looks like at this point:




I set the flowers I used as masks in a Color Catcher so that I could dye them purple with Smooch Spritz. I love cutting things from white because I can later use ink or paint to color them to match my project.


I sprayed the flowers with Smooch Spritz in Grape Burst until covered.


Then I depressed the nozzle of a Smooch Spritz in Carrot Cake halfway down and slowly pressed to create large droplets of ink for a splatter effect.


Here's the result--so cool!!! You can't buy flowers like these!


 I then set the flowers aside to dry and started back on my layout. I punched some circles from Orange PP and adhered them with Foam Dots to the left side of the page. I cut some other patterned paper to 9x8 for the left side of the page and 2x9 for the right side of the page, adhering flush to the seam between the pages.




Next I added a Strip of Dot PP to the right and two strips from the Border PP to the left, overlapping. I liek to cut strips from border papers, cut a notch in the end and then fold it over like a ribbon, stapling in place.It is an easy and affordable way to add dimension to a project. I also added a 3" punched circle to the right side of the page to carry the circles from the left...





Next I added 3D Foam Dots to the backs of several stickers and added them to the page.





After the flowers dried (about 30 mins) I started working with them, laying them out opn my page to see where they might work best.


The Die has 3 sizes of flowers for easy layering. But, since all of my flowers were the same size, I wanted to make them nest without cutting more. First I cut a pizza slice (or cake slice if you're a sweet, not savory person :P   ) from one of the flowers. 


Then I folded the petal to the right of the "missing slice" on top of the petal on the left of the "missing slice" and adhered them together. This results in a cone shape -just pressed the edges down to flatten it like I do in this photo:


Yes, I need a manicure! LOL Adhere the "smaller" flower to the center of an unaltered one for a layered look. This results in a sort of half layer - if I added the medium flower to this flower, it would nest inside the altered layer. Some day I plan to make a 5 or 6 layer flower using this same technique...I think it could be awesome!


I placed the flower on my layout and then set to adding centers made from Epiphany Crafts Buttons and Shape Caps as well as Sparkle Fibers by Clearsnap and a dash of twine from The Twinery.


To the centers of the flowers I added Sparkle Fibers with Glue Gloss--these are so fun!!


Then I created some buttons and epoxy shapes with the Epiphany Crafts tools as accents on my page. I used the Button 14, Button 20, Star, and new Scallop Circle tools to create accents from scraps of the patterned paper I used on the page. I tied twine from The Twinery in the buttons, with the bow on the back. The black jute cord is an old jewelry twine I had in my stash.


Finally I added two photo mats to the right hand side of the page:



Here are some detailed images of the flowers on the finished page:





And my finished page, awaiting photos:



Supplies:
  • Bigz Circles and Bigz Flower, 3-D Fringed Dies - Sizzix
  • Glitter, Smooch Spritz in Carrot Cake, Silver Foil, and Grape Burst, Sparkle Fibers in Root Beer, ColorBox Fluid Chalk Ink in Blackbird and Pumpkin Spice - Clearsnap
  • Paper, Stickers - My Little Shoebox
  • Paint - Delta
  • Black Double Dot Paper - Bo Bunny Press
  • Cardstock - Bazzill
  • Template - Crafter's Workshop by Balzer Designs
  • Twine - The Twinery
  • Jute Twine - hydrangeahippo.etsy.com
  • Round 20 and Round 14 Buttons, Scalloped Circle and Star Epoxies - Epiphany Crafts
  • Stapler- Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher
  • Fabric - Canvas Duck Cloth by Joann's

Friday, September 16, 2011

Layout 8: Rejoice With Your Family

After a long hiatus I am back with a new layout! I have been creating layouts, cards, and projects the entire time I have been away from this blog but for one reason or another, I have not been able to share them. Alot of the time, it had to do with me not having time to take step out photos of the pages as they were created. If you have ever had to do that, then you know what I am talking about!


I am really glad to be back and this week I have a layout to share with you that also symbolizes two new things that have happened since I was on hiatus from this blog -- I am the DT Coordinator for Clearsnap AND I am an Educator and Design Team Specialist for Authentique Paper. 


Using products from both companies, I created this layout for the current Color Challenge on the Clearsnap Blog - you should totally go enter something!!! The odds to win are amazing since usually only 3 people are participating and I would LOVE to see what some of you do with this month's inspiration.



Soooooo, back to how I created this page.


Supplies:






Put the ink cartridge into the Rollagraph Handle and then put the Wheel in. If you don't have a cartridge, then just roll the Wheel in ink a few times until coated. Following the edge of the paper, roll the stamp. Repeat to cover half of the 7x12" Authentique Paper.




Using a Stylus and Tips set from Clearsnap, press the tip into ColorBox/Graphic 45 Decades Antiquing Ink. 




This is new ink and I looooooove it!! Sold all of my Ranger Distress Inks so what does that tell ya. Apply until the page is inked as much as you like.






Add a punched border to the backside of this paper strip so the border peeks out. Then add that to the layout. 




I love the distressed nature of the paper (see the paint-like marks on the blue?) so to really pull it all together, I added a little Smooch spritz in Splash. I pressed the nozzle down halfway and then pressed slowly to get large drips and droplets of ink on the page. I wanted more of a splatter effect than a mist.Pressing the nozzle at a normal speed would have resulted in a mist effect.



I added three paper doilies to the page to create a visual triangle, trimming one that hung off the upper right of the page.


Then I began layering the diecut embellishments from Authentique Paper along with some Prima flowers I have had forever....


To add a little extra sparkle to the diecuts, especially since the Smooch Spritzed background was sparkly, I used Smooch Accent Ink on portions of the diecuts. 

The result is a deeper, sparkly image:


Next I stamped some elements onto the layout using dye ink and assorted stamps. I stamped "messy" because I wanted the ink to look imperfect on the somewhat distressed and inky layout.




Finally I adhered everything in place and added ribbons and bows to complete the look. 


Here's the final layout, with photos, word stickers, and alpha stickers:


Thanks for joining me this week! I look forward to creating a Layout A Week with you through the end of the year :)

Happy Creating!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

I'm baaaaaaack!

What was supposed to be about a month off turned into 6 months--yikes! Thanks for your patience!!


I am back and armed with layouts to share, start to finish, with frugal tips and techniques along the way! Hope you're ready to scrap, starting this Friday :)