Scrapbook Contest- Week 5!

Well this week's challenge was a real challenge.... we were to create art journal pages, and we had to meet a lot of specific requirements.

Some of the rules:

Create "ART JOURNAL PAGES" using scrap pieces of paper. Simply follow Heidi's instructions on her video to get an idea of what we're looking for. We want to see what you can do when you don't have much to work with! Specifically we want to see the following:

• Layering
• Clustering
• Doodling
• Using a mask with crackle paint, or other molding/modeling mediums
• Use Gesso or white acrylic paint for a place to add journaling, or some other design element

Well, typically creating an art journal is a free style art which has no rules, but since we had so many requirements I had to really focus on the list to make sure I incorporated everything we were supposed to include.
I made 6 pages total we were required to make 2-4, so I submitted the following 4... I will also share the other 2 I made just for fun at the bottom of this post..

Well I decided that with these pages I would start an art journal that would be a "Feel Good" journal for me, one that I will enjoy looking at time after time. I would include quotes that touch or inspire me, along with anything else that makes me happy (things my kids say, snapshots of them, happy thoughts, etc.)

Well, the first set of pages is very personal to me and they have much more hidden journaling and photos that would not fit. I decided that I am at a place in my life that I can journal about the accident and my feelings about it and reflect on it positively. I journaled a bit more than would fit and I will  share/ post it all in a minute... I also included photos of the wreckage too (they are not seen from the front though).

For the design, I used cardboard, and paper scraps and LOTS of mediums to create texture. I used Modeling Paste, Paints, Glimmer Mists, Inks, Gesso, Crackle Accents, loose beads and more.
I even did a little doodling.

Lots of texture...

 

 

 

The second set of pages feature a quote that really moves me. It is simple yet I love it. "She believed she could... so she did." So awesome!!

Anyway, started off with lots of scraps again, and used lots of mediums, Used paints, glimmer mists, gesso, modeling paste, etc.

I added torn book pages to give it depth and shaded it with charcoal,

Made the butterfly with crystal gel.



 

 

 

This challenge was a lot of fun...

 

Below are the additional pages that I made, but did not submit. They include another quote that I love! "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass,.. it's about learning to dance in the rain."

This reminds me of an event (we call it "That Swap Meet Day"). We were setting up a booth for the Boutique and everything that could go wrong did and more kept going wrong and John and I were laughing and joking in the face of the worst luck. It was a REALLY bad day, but on the way home, rather than feeling frustrated, I had this glad feeling in my heart that I married my best friend and that we make each other laugh even on the worst of days. This quote makes me remember that we should ALWAYS be that way.

 

 

I still incorporated all of the challenge requirements on this one too. I thought this photo of Maletch jumping in puddles was very fitting for the saying.

Scrapbook Design Contest- Week 4!

I really enjoyed this weeks challenge! It was a little intimidating since I have never tried a canvas before- but I certainly learned a lot from my first try at it! I will definitely be doing more in the future!
There were a LOT of requirements this week too:

Here were some of the rules for Week 4:
Create a TEXTURED CANVAS project, wherein you create your own background using the following techniques and mediums:

• Layering of your mediums
• Misting
• Use a mask or template
• Various texture mediums (Glass beads, modeling paste, gesso, molding paste, etc) Think TEXTURE & LAYERING of your mediums.
• Paint (doesn't matter what kind)

OK, so I first went over the canvas with some Gesso, then blended areas with Glimmer Mists, Lumiere Paints and Acrylic Paints to create the background.
Then I used Modeling Paste with a stencil to create the textured Brocade pattern going down the right side and half of the left side.
I highlighted some of the texture with some Gelatos, Inks, and Paints

Since this challenge was about Layering Mediums to create texture, I used one of my favorite techniques to create "Faux Vintage Leather" with masking tape, inks, and clear embossing enamel.
I layered a piece of Burlap on top and then stamped a Toile pattern on some tissue paper for an accent to my photo mat. I added two crocheted doilies, then lightly layered some fluffy marabou feathers on top.
I added bead gel to several areas to add even more texture and shine.
For embellishments I kept it pretty simple, a small cluster of flowers and pearls, a few chandelier beads, and an angel to finish it off.

 

 The mediums that I used have mica in them so they slightly change color when the light changes.

Photo of Maletch at 3 weeks old.

You can click on any photo to enlarge, use your right left arrows to see them all enlarged.

 

This will get the the title "Sent From Above"

and will have a poem on the back.  

I will share the poem below- I didn't write it, I found it on the internet- it was exactly what I was looking for...

 

 

 

 

 Close ups of some of the texture.

 

 

 

Update: I added a few more finishing touches here

 

The Poem Reads:

Sent straight from heaven up above

Came an angel for me to love
To hold and rock and kiss good night
To wrap my arms around real tight

To cuddle & nurture and watch him play
To kiss his boo-boo's all away
To keep him safe and warm & count all his toes
To hold the tissue for him when he blows his little nose

To laugh at his jokes, to clap as he sings
To tell him all the joy in my life that he brings
To clean up his play dough, to pull his legos apart
To pin up his drawings and tell him it's art

To watch his first day of school on the bus all alone
To fight back the tears as I make my way back home
To applaud real loud when he's in his first play
To help him with his homework at the end of his day

To adore & cherish and watch him grow
To guide and teach him all that I know
To see him through good times & help him through bad
To share in his happiness and cry when he's sad

To hold him close and be by his side
To watch him through life as my heart fills with pride
To help him with decisions, the best that I can
To know that someday he'll be a fine young man

 

I really had fun creating this canvas- and getting all messy playing with goopy things! I look forward to making more-  and have a few new ideas! But first, I hope I make it to the next round- please wish me luck! :) Fingers crossed...

Scrapbook Design Contest- Week 3!

This challenge was my favorite so far- which called for us to use metal embossing- one of my FAVS! I love, LOVE working with metal because there is just SO much you can do with it! There are so many different techniques you can do to create metal embossing- AND- it can be made to fit ANY style or project-- can be: soft and pretty OR dirty textured and grungy!
Well I had a LOT of ideas flood almost instantly, so I was torn between doing 4 different projects- yep FOUR! I was trying to decide on either doing

• An "off the page" project (lingo which means NOT a layout, but rather to alter an item like a birdhouse, etc)
• An "industrial grunge" style layout
• A "steam punk" style layout
• A soft and feminine layout

I ended up initially deciding on doing an industrial grunge layout... I had planned to use a photo of my brother doing freestyle motocross tricks. Those pics really BEG to be done that way! I was so excited once I chose the specific photos and I started sketching it all out-- BUT- I ran into a problem- I needed a few supplies that I thought I had- but didn't... so rather than doing it differently (with different supplies) - I made the decision to order the supplies and put that project on "hold" until everything gets here- so I can do it the way I want. Unfortunately this contest has a deadline- so there was no way my supplies would arrive in time for me to get this completed- so I had to choose a different idea for my contest entry.

Plan # 2:
I wanted to try to "challenge" myself and do something a little different.
I was inspired by some old Vintage Tin Tiles and their intricate embossed designs, and I wanted to do a layout that looked like it was "mounted" on one.

 

These "Vintage Tin Tiles" were my inspiration

 

Since this challenge was about embossing- when I found this photo of Sariah, it made me laugh since she was "embossing" our remote with her teeth- and I had to choose it!  I wanted to combine hard and soft elements to accent the photo, so I used lots of metal, plastic and fabric.

Used Lots of Techniques:
I made the "Tin Tile" using Foil Tape (from Home Depot). Put it on some card stock and ran it through my Big Shot using embossing folders to deboss. I painted the whole thing black to get paint in the debossed design- then wiped the paint off the top.
Then I went to work on the clock:
For the multi-tone frame, I used alcohol inks and acrylic paint.
Since I wanted "air bubbles" in the lavender ring- I used the "Acrylic Smash" technique- which was tricky since I didn't want any purple in the center of the clock. So I cut the second acetate to the size of he middle ring. I went slowly and wiped the excess paint from the middle.
I made many of the embellies such as the rolled zipper flower, metal die-cut flower, and the lace up detail with eyelets and ball chain. I also made the black plastic flower using one of my favorite techniques I learned when I did floral design.
I also used lots of mediums on the chippie clock.

The truth is I was NOWHERE near finished with this LO when my time was up- uggh!! Somehow my time just got completely away from me this week! I mean completely away! But rather than not entering anything- I submitted it "as it was" anyway.

Some things that  I still need to do to it::

• Create a fabric texture on the lace up detail (the lavender part) with a stamp and heat embossing
• Create a cracked center for the big clock by using a "broken glass" technique 
• Make a few more metal embellies (die cut flowers, leaves, and flourishes)
• Correct he composition (where everything is placed) and add a few more selected embellies
• Add a title

Well, since I was STILL making the elements to go on the page.... and I hadn't worked on the composition yet- I had to literally throw what I had- on the page- and this is how I had to submit it....

 

You can click on the photos to enlarge to see more detail

Some details are hard to see in this pic like the "light bulb" embellie, the butterfly at the bottom right of her pic, the clock key, and a few others.

 

 

Hopefully, I will get this finished on Sunday.

I will take some close ups of the two clocks I made to show the detail when I''m all done.

 

The judges vote on Sunday, but we won't know the results until Monday morning. I sure hope that I make it to the next round! The entries this week were so unbelievably AMAZING! Wish me luck- YIKES!!

Hopefully you can see where this layout is "going"- the basic "bones" are there- (the tin tile, the large acetate clock and the small clock in the peek-a-boo lacing (all that stays)... BUT--  I feel it looks like a mess- cuz it's not done-- it's making me crazy looking at these pics- I can't wait to finish!!

 

Although, I wanted to post this after I finished- I thought I would share the way the judges saw it.