Every Day Is Another Chance - Art Journal Page

Playing in my art journal has become so rewarding and grounding lately!!  

I decided to join in on Dina Wakley's and Ranger Ink's Show Us Your Media Challenge.  Dina has chosen the theme Gratitude and June's prompt is 'I Am Grateful For Second Chances'.  

This two page spread began with the tag.  I had stamped the image and coloured with scribble sticks and then applied a wet scribble stick to stamp to get the water coloured blue dots effect.  The tag needed a home so I found some Collage Collectives paper that seemed to be the perfect backdrop for the tag.

First I applied gloss sprays through a stencil on the canvas page and then applied the left over spray on the stencil to the opposite page.  I cut out a section of the canvas and adhered it along with some strips of the paper so that this page flowed with the tag page. 

This was my first time using a canvas page in the journal, it took a long time for me to get past my fear of the canvas, lol.  So happy with how this turned out.  My journalling says "Today and everyday I am grateful for second chances".  

Supplies:

Dina Wakley products:  Face In the Crowd stamp, Positive Women Collage stamp, Collage Collective Vol 1, Ocean Gloss Spray, Cheddar and Sedona paints, Collage Paper Words #2, Scribble Sticks, Media Journal

I am entering this in the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Sprays and Splashes

Art Journal Reveal - Happy Halloween

Here it is - another art journal page completed :)  As I mentioned in my last post Tracy and I had decided on a collage or halloween theme for this challenge.  I went with the halloween theme obviously :)  I was inspired by the pumpkin on a halloween tagI saw here.

I started by first applying some Tim Holtz rub-ons to my pages as I love this resist look after applying colour.  I dug into my halloween stash and found some black patterned papers from an older paper pad from My Mind's Eye called Mischievous and stamped the pumpkin from the Stamper's Anonymous Halloween Blueprints stamp set a few times.  I laid out the pumpkins and the tree (which was cut on my Silhouette) so I could see where I wanted the rubons.  Next I applied some texture paste with the Harlequin stencil in a few empty areas and let that dry.

Once the texture paste was dry I applied Distress Spray Stains in Spiced Marmalade, Crushed Olive and Seedless Preserves.  I misted with water to help the colours blend and then dried with my heat gun.  After that it was just a matter of adhering the pumpkins and tree with my collage glue stick.  I wanted to give some dimension to the front pumpkin by cutting out smaller sections and using some glue dots to pop them up a bit.  

In order to 'ground' the images I used a Black Soot Distress Marker to outline the tree and pumpkins and smudged it with my finger to blend.  You can see the difference in the photo below.

Last was to add some splatters of Black Soot Distress Spray Stain and a couple mists of Brushed Pewter Distress Stain and that was it.  

Hope you enjoyed the process :)  You can find Tracy's journal page here.  I love the silhouette images and how she created them.  And her moon is awesome!!

I'm entering this in Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes and Simon Says Monday Challenge - Throwback.  For my entry I'm going to back to last October's Challenge O is for.... October of course!!!

I'd also like to enter this in Emerald Creek Dare: Tricks & Treats and Little Reg Wagon's Challenge - Ghosts and Goblins (or other halloween creatures).

Learn to Pause......

Yeah!!!  Today I get to join the Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge #24!!!  I'm always watching what they come up with next, the design team's creations are always stunning.  This challenge is using the Remnant Rub Resist Technique which can be found on page 51 of A Compendium of Curiosities Volume 3.

I might have mentioned in my last Tim's tag post that I LOVE using the Remnant rub-ons.  Seriously - they add such interest and the black is so bold - they really pop.  I love how crisp and sharp they look on my card and the contrast between them and the faded look of the stamped images in Watering Can Archival Ink.  The Remnant Rub Technique was a lot of fun and a little edgy for me to use them as Tim suggested!!  I enjoyed playing with my distress stains again too.  I added few water drops to add a little interest to the stained background and then I inked the edge of the card in Black Soot Distress Ink so that it would stand out on the paper (from Tim's Collage Paper Stash).

As I was deciding on how I wanted to put things together, I decided my image needed one more layer :)  This was a new technique for me as well.  I used some Distress Embossing Ink with Ranger Sticky Powder to add the silver foil to the image.  A new love for me now!!

The CC3C #24 is sponsored by The Funkie Junkie.

I'm also entering my card in the following:

Shopping Our Stash Challenge - Counting on You.  the challenge is to use numbers on your project
Simon Monday Challenge - B is for.... - for me B is for BOLD!  I mentioned the bold black of the rub-ons and also I think the colours of the stains are very bold as well!!!
Inspiration Imporium Monthly Challenge - Spring Blooms - since one of my background stamps has a pretty swirly flower cluster.


Stamps:  TH French Memories and Flights of Fancy
Ink:  Worn Lipstick, Tumbled Glass and Mustard Seed Distress Stains, Black Soot Distress Ink, Ranger Watering Can Archival Ink, Distress Embossing Ink
Paper:  Manila cardstock, TH 8x8 Collage Paper Stash, SU Black cs
Accessories:  TH Speckles Stencil, TH Numbers Remnant Rubs, TH Linen Ribbon, Ranger Vintage Foil Sheets, Ranger Sticky Powder

Caffeine...it's a girl's best friend

Hi there!!  I'm super excited about today's card.  I finally dug my heels in and tried my hand at some watercoloring.  AND I finally made time to join the Unity {be inspired} Challenge #24.  As you can see, I went with the colour challenge.  I must say that Unity Stamps are my 'thing' these days, I just can't get enough.  It really started because of my desire to do art journalling and dabble in mixed media.

I'm also super excited because I'm putting my birthday present to good use!!  My birthday present this year from hubby was the set of 3 Tim Holtz's Compendium of Curiosities.  Since my art journalling journey began, I have been picking up several paints, inks, stencils, ya - you name it - and so I thought it was time to add the books to my stash :)  And so, now I can join in on the (CC3C) Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge.

And now, on to my card - the main stamp image and sentiment are from Unity's December 2014 Kit of the Month - Warmth of Winter.  I stamped part of the sentiment on the front and the rest is inside.  It reads 'Caffeine....it's a girl's best friend'.  The snowflakes inside are from the Like A Snowflake stamp set.  I watercolored the image with my Distress Markers.  Since I'm playing along with the CC3C Challenge #20 - Distress Watercoloring, Part 2 I cannot post the technique, you need your own copy of Tim's book to see for yourself.  This challenge is sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

I'm also entering my card in the Simon Monday Challenge - Winter Stamping.  I think this is my favourite winter card so far :)

I am also entering my card in the Mixed Media Card Challenge #7 - New

And last but not least, I'm linking this to Paper Issues New Issue - Say it Ain't Snow Cold Outside :)

Stamps:  Unity December 2014 Kit of the Month - Warmth of Winter and Like A Snowflake
Paper:  Doodlebug Fosty Friends, Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor cs, SU Naturals White cs
Ink:  Ranger Jet Black Archival Ink, Pumice Stone Distress Ink, Distress Markers
Accessories:  Clear Wink of Stella, Doodlebug Winter Sprinkles, Spritzer Tool, Ink Blending Tool, Watercolour Brushes

#selfie

Hello - I'm enjoying a leisurely day at home this cold and sunny Sunday.  I wanted to share a scrapbook layout I completed.  I was invited to a 12 hour Winter Crop at my friend Tracy's yesterday and totally enjoyed myself.  I completed this layout and about 3/4 of another, not a marathon creation day by any means but lots of good chats with good company.  I decided to bring a few kits I had and I limited my self to only using products included in the kit.

So I was experimenting with selfies before Christmas and I had just come from a pamper day with my hairdresser so it seemed the perfect time.  I don't know how this is so easy for the younger generation, I have a hard time taking these pics.  Thankfully there is Instagram and great filters!!!  I decided to do a page with one - it's strange using a photo of just yourself.  But I like how it turned out.  I've been trying to experiment with layering and I really like how this turned out.  I have an idea for another similar one.

This layout was created with products from the 2013 Crop & Create Goody Bag.  I used my three favourite papers from the selection of papers and all the embellishments were from the kit with the exception of the washi tape in the lower left corner.  I love this watercolour background paper and the glitter letters!!

I'm entering this in the following challenges:  

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Something New.  You can use a new product or new technique.  The washi tape is new and the layering is a new technique for me.  

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Make New Friends, but Keep the Old.  I'm using an old kit and trying the new technique of layering and the new washi tape.

Shopping Our Stash Challenge - Happy New Year.  The challenge is to use something new.  The washi tape is brand new. 

Supplies:

Paper:  We R Memory Keepers Chalkboard, Crate Paper Close Knit, Webster's Pages Recorded
Accessories:  Maya Road Wood Buttons, My Minds Eye Tiny Word Stickers, Webster's Pages Arrow clip, May Arts Paper Twine, Crate Paper Flea Market Ephemera pack, American Crafts Daiquiri Gold Thickers, CTMH Gold Washi Tape

Happy Life

OH MY GOSH!!  Can this be any cuter??!!  I am so happy with how this turned out.  My daughter asked me to make a birthday card for her best friend and I knew I would use one of the Uptown Girls from Stamping Bella.  I have recently purchased a few of them, but of course I had to borrow this one from my friend Nancy.  I stamped and coloured the image last weekend at Crop & Create and finally got around to putting it all together.  I wanted warm fall colours and the paper from Cosmo Cricket's Circa 1934 were perfect.

I'll tell you a little story - see that canvas frame?  That is covering up a booboo :)  When I stamped my image I also stamped two other images.  One of them, was a bit too close to this one and I really wanted to stamp this out as square as possible.  Well, I couldn't do that without having some of the other image in the top corner.  I was trying to figure what frame dies I had that would accommodate and then I remembered these:  Crate Paper Designed Frames from the Maggie Holmes collection.  It's coloured canvas and they're adorable and I managed to find one that went will with the papers I had decided to use.  PERFECT, love when things come together like that.

And I finally used the Graphic 45 flowers I've had for so long.  I think I bought them at Dat's (local scrapbooking store) before it closed.

The Bellarific Friday Challenge at Stamping Bella this week is to use Buttons and/or Bows.  I decided to use buttons from my Basic Grey stash.  And no card is complete without a little bling right?  I had to add some Diamond Stickles.

I also used Mojo Monday's Sketch 368 for my card.

I'm also entering in the Simon Monday Challenge:  Anything Goes and the Simon Wednesday Challenge:  Get Crafty, Use Kraft!!

Stamps:  Stamping Bella Uptown Girls Belinda and Bernadette Bench Buddies
Paper:  Crate Paper Circa 1934 6 x 6 paper, CC Designs Copic Quality white cs, kraft and black cs
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, copics
Accessories:  Crate Paper Maggie Holmes Designed Frames, Graphic 45 flowers, Basic Grey buttons, Stampin Up twine, Diamond Stickles

Friendship Has Its Perks

For the last several months I've been subscribing to the Simon Says Stamp Monthly Card Kit, you get lots of fun goodies - coordinating stamps, paper, embellishments, ink etc and for a great price.  I made a birthday card for my friend Donna and I used October's Card Kit featuring the Simon Says Stamp set 'What's Brewing' and die.

I don't know about you, but I hope she has good eyesight cause you can barely read the inside sentiment, it's so small!!!

I used the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches #157

and I'm also entering my card in the Seize the Birthday 'Anything Goes' Birthday Challenge.

And the Simon Monday Challenge - Falling in Love With....  - I think these Basic Grey papers are perfect warm fall colours :)


Simon Says Kit items:
SSS Khaki Ink, SSS "What's Brewing" stamp set, SSS coffee cup die, Basic Grey Grand Bazaar paper, mocha sequins
Additional items:  SSS Birthday Messages stamp set, Glossy Accents

Thinking of You

Today I'm sharing a card I made for a friend who lost her mom.  I used some new (to me) stamp sets and coordinating dies from Taylored Expressions - 'Discover Your Wings' and 'It's a Banner Day - 2'.  I used some clear Wink of Stella on a couple of the flowers.  Love this silhouette stamp.

I'm entering my card in Simon Says Monday Challenge - Falling In Love With..... I love the warmth of the colours in the Basic Grey Origins papers.  

Stamps:  Taylored Expressions Discover Your Wings and It's A Banner Day - 2
Paper:  Basic Grey Origins paper pad, Stampin Up Baked Brown Sugar and Early Espresso cs
Ink:  StazOn Timber Brown, Antique Linen Distress Ink
Accessories:  Taylored Expressions Discover Your Wings and It's a Banner Day - 2 dies, Wink of Stella, Ink Blending Tool

Faceless Beauty

I have to say, I absolutely fell in LOVE with this stamp when I first saw it on the Scrapbook & Cards Today Blog here - Faceless Beauty by Unity Stamp Co.  And it was perfect for my niece - she's 14, on her third hip operation and just going through some really tough times these days.  

Something else I've been eyeing up for a long time was the embossing paste!!  Super excited about that.  This was the first time playing with it, I used the white, and OMG, so much you can do with this stuff.  I've been seeing it everywhere in blogland.  I picked up some clear too, I want to use it on every card :)  I added some Martha Stewart glitter while it was still wet and it clings great!!  This was my first time colouring black hair too, and I must say the copics were very forgiving, I went over it a few times and finally settled on the way it is, I'm satisfied.  

The challenge at Simon's Monday Challenge Blog is 'The Artsy Stamp'.  I think this is soooo 'Artsy'!  I wanted to keep the card simple and clean so that the image stayed the focus of the card.  For the inside though, I added a bit of We R Memory Keepers Chalkboard paper to match the envelope I made, just so it all ties in together.  Some more encouraging words inside from Stampin Up's Feel Goods stamp set.

Stamps:  Unity Stamp Co. Faceless Beauty, Stampin Up Feel Goods
Paper:  WE R Memory Keepers Chalkboard, PTI Stampers Select
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, copics
Accessories:  Wendy Vecchi white embossing paste, Martha Stewart white gold glitter, Wink of Stella clear glitter pen, Taylored Expressions Label Stacklets 1 die, Hero Arts white embossing powder

 

Happy Mother's Day

I found this cut file at the Silhouette Online Store and knew it would be used for my Mother's Day Card this year.  What I really like about how it all came together is there is no blue in the patterned paper, but I thought it all went well together and the pinks really stood out.  I played with several patterned papers but liked this one the best.  I think my mother-in-law will love it.

The challenge at Simon Says Monday Challenge this week is FIVE - pick 5 things total to create your project, or 5 of something, or using the number 5 for inspiration.  I used 5 products in total to create my project.  

Stamps:  SU Perfect Pennants

Ink:  SU Basic Grey

Paper: Crate Paper Maggie Holmes, SU Baja Breeze textured cs

Accessories:  Queen & Company Pearls

Sending Good Thoughts Your Way

The sketch over at Mojo Monday caught my eye, and then I came across Simon Says Monday Challenge and put them together and came up with this card.  I love the spring feel of the colours and I finally used some Vellum.  I've been wanting to emboss Vellum with white ep for quite a while and I finally picked up a new Versamark stamp pad.  That made all the difference since I haven't been happy with my embossing lately and I knew it was the Versamark ink pad.  It was old and needed replacing.

So Mojo Monday's Sketch 343 is Tall and Skinny.  I decided to try the 3 1/2" by 6" size, and I like it!  And Simon's Monday Challenge is Yellow.  I love the wood background papers in the My Mind's Eye Miss Caroline papers so I used the yellow paper for my background and of course had to add some bling so the Doodlebug Bumblebee Sprinkles were perfect.

Stamps: Stampin Up Perfect Pennants
Paper: MME Miss Caroline 'Dolled Up', PTI Stampers Select Choice White, SU Vellum and Pool Party cs
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: MFT Fishtail Flags STAX, Mister Huey's Color Mist Seafoam, Doodlebug Sprinkles 'Bumblebee', MME Miss Caroline 'Dolled Up' button, MME Follow Your Heart 'Be Amazing' Twine, White embossing powder, Glue Dots Vellum transparent adhesive