Sketch to motivate us and some new arrivals

Melinda created this sketch to get us motivated since some of us were at a mojo low this month - must be something in the air ...

Here's the sketch

So starting off with Melinda

Sometimes it's nice to just sit down and play... so I decided to relax and enjoy working on this layout! I really love creating little garden scenes on my layouts and using lots of flowers, tufts of grass, perhaps a fence and usually always a tree!

Now, as for Halloween... those sort of pics are non-existent in my stash so I decided to throw caution to the wind and use photos of my niece who was having a rather 'witchy-poo' day.

I kept with the colour scheme that typically depicts Halloween using the gorgeous Pink Paislee Twilight collection with its oranges and purples and lots of black card, bling, flowers etc and a big gnarly tree!

Products used are:

Pink Paislee Twilight Eclipse
Pink Paislee Twilight Sunset
Core'dinations Nightfall Cardstock
AC Foam Thickers Daiquiri Black
AC Foam Thickers Daiquiri White
Carolees Creations Tiny Black Alpha Stickers
Black Rhinestones 4mm
Orange Rhinestones 4mm
Purple Rhinestones 4mm
Orange Mulberry Flowers
Black & White Mini Gardenias
Scrapware Chipboard Spiders
Black Spider Charms

From Wendy ...

This is my take on the great sketch from the very talented Melinda Spinks! Now I didn’t have Halloween photos to scrap but I did use Halloween colours for both my card and photo!!

I’ve used Core’dinations Nightfall and Orange cardstock and some pieces of a Rusty Pickle Paper I had left over from a previous DT pack, unfortunately RP is no more and no longer in stock!!

I cut the orange card to A4 size so I could put it through my printer to print onto it the palm tree image I found on the internet, (the palm tree suited my photo better!)

I then attached it to my Nightfall card and put some pieces of the spotted paper tucked behind the orange card. I’ve used the same paper as my strip across the page (as on the sketch) and once AGAIN I have chopped up my photo into three pieces!!

I did this as I wanted to match this to my LO from earlier in the month! Hence I have again used a gorgeous my2angels Frangipani flower on the LO!!

I used 3d tape to attach my photo.

The title is Scrapware Antique Lowercase Alpha, which I have stamped and covered with a light coat of Tim Holtz Rock Candy just for a slightly shiny effect.

I’ve also used a huge favourite in the Jenni Bowlin Tiny Circle Alphas and some brackets from the Thickers Daiquiri!

To finish off I used a my2angels Black Rhinestone Flourish, a Made with a Smile Sun charm and some White Ric Rac

TFL

And from me Tracy, with my take on the sketch (sort of)

My frame is a pizza box painted black and sprayed with Silver Glimmer Mist and cardstock is Love Potion

I made two masks of the scrapware haunted house and placed down in position then sprayed with Silver Glimmer Mist and outlined with Inkssentials White Opague Pen

For the scrapware haunted house ...
The moon is heat embossed with Zing Metallic Silver and inside a few of the windows
Pink windows are just cardstock with Inkssentials Crackle Accent

Cut up and layered scrapware spider web (heat embossed with Zing Metallic Silver) and the scrapware spider has been inked first in black and the legs embossed with ranger black puff

Scrapware Love Fern Tree embossed with Sizzix Woodgrain Embossing Folder and heat embossed with Zing Metallic Silver

To add a bit of spook I tucked 2 eyes behind the tree

Oh and the new Echo Park Everyone loves Christmas Paper Range arrived today -now this is my kind of Christmas paper

also with The Girls Paperie Tinsel and Twig is in - I love their thick papers and beautiful colours


For those of you who asked, I have created a PDF file for distressing chipboard, as seen in the previous post. You will find it in the resource section under tutorials

Hope you all have a great weekend
TFL

Distressing Chipboard with Heat Embossing

Distressing Chipboard by Heat Embossing

I have used this technique a few times now, and various people have asked how I do it, so read on if you are interested ...

Materials needed:

Ink – one dark and one lighter

Chipboard

Distress Embossing Powder

Heat Tool

Emboss It Clear Ink Pad

Blending Tool

Ink your chipboard in the lighter colour (I painted my base white – so you can either ink or paint)

Once dry, apply Emboss It Clear Ink Pad all over your chipboard

Sprinkle your Distress Embossing Powder over it - I have used Walnut Stain

Using your Heat Tool, emboss until all your powder is melted – twizzers come in handy for this.

Let it cool down

Once cooled, with your fingers rub off the crystals to expose some of the ink/paint underneath – I purposely took more off in sections

Get your Blending Tool and lightly ink all over until desired effect is aquired.

If you cover too much of the base with Ink you can simply wipe it off with your fingers

Now Ink heavily on the edges, embellishment and attach to project

For the signpost I inked the base green

then American Crafts clear embossing powder

and black soot distress ink as the top coat

And if you aren't a follower of the extremely talented Melinda Spinks, our guest Designer this month - you should be!

She created a template for everyone to use recently - a love tree but I put my own take on it and turning it into a Boo Tree using the distress chipboard process with a white painted base, clear embossing powder, then blending peeled paint ink, spiced marmalade ink and black soot together for this layout

The pattern paper is Pink Paislee Twilight Dusk and Pink Paislee Twilight Eclipse

Distressed the orange brads with an emery board before wiping black black soot ink over them

The tag has spiced marmalade ink and black soot ink wiped over them and coated it with Inkssentials Crackle Accent

I dropped a bit of Black Soot reinker in the middle of our olive green and white flowers and wiped it randomly with a pin then gave it a coat of Inkssentials Crackle Accent

The 2 "O" are the numbers from the Thickers Black Glitter LAX - OMG we are out of them again! Will get an order in for them in the next week or so!

Part of our Halloween Ribbon with Spider Charm

I also used the black cat and 2 bats from the ribbon on this layout

The tree was embossed using the Sizzix Texture Embossing Folder Bricked and Woodgrain set which we are currently out of stock on - just awaiting for supplier to restock other Tim Holtz products so we can place the order ANYHOW I have one here so if anyone wants some embossing done onto cardstock I am happy to do it

Just purchase the cardstock and leave me a note at checkout and I will emboss it for you. I can get 4 to a 12x12 sheet.

I do have other folders that we have in the store, for my personal use so if there are any others you would like embossed shout out :)

The blending tool is currently OOS with our supplier but we will certainly be getting it back in as soon as available

Have a great day :)

Halloween and NEW ARRIVALS

Taryn here ...

I guess I am running a little behind, but I finally got to scrap this pic of the kids at our halloween street party last year.

I have used the My2Angels Happy Halloween felt ribbon for the title, which really stands out against the background paper.

It also co-ordinates well with the black scroll felt frame.

I have used a few accents, with the black rhinestone flourish, the rhinestone pumpkin, and Tracy's handmade silver/grey flowers.

I have also used a few stamps on this one, the ledger stamp, and the swirl.
I framed it all using a black cardstock background.

I had a little fun making some Halloween cards as well...

The rhinestone pumpkins are perfect for cards. I teamed them with some black flowers, black velvet ribbon and scrapware chipboard button.

And for this card, I used the black star felt ribbon to frame the rhinestone pumpkin, and layered the Graphic 45 alphas for the "Spooky" sentiment.

Wishing you and your family a Happy Halloween!!

Taryn


Tracy here ...

Whilst Halloween isn't really an Aussie thing - living in a complex is a great opportunity for the kids to be in a safe environment to go trick or treating.

Each year I type up a note to give to all the neighbours, which gives them the choice whether to have the kids visiting or not.

Out of 42 units, close to 35 of them join in so the kids have enough lollies each year to last them until Christmas (unless a certain person is up late scrapping and gets the munchies!)

This is the notice we send around decorated with Halloween clipart ...

To the Residents of County Lane
Halloween is nearly here – 31st October 2010 If you would like to participate in the fun of seeing the children in their fabulous costumes and give them a treat, simply attach this notice to your screen doors and we will be sure to come and see you If you don’t display this notice we won’t bother you The children will come knocking after 6pm

Melinda and I are posting our Halloween layout up on Wednesday - and if you do take part in Halloween fun we have a whole section dedicated to Halloween over at my2angels

So until then

Oh and keep an eye on the New Arrivals Section lots arriving this week - with the first of our arrivals coming this afternoon - Basic Grey and Little Yellow Bicycle Christmas papers

3 layouts to share ...

3 layouts from me today - no the mojo has not returned (: I started all of these a few weeks back just finally finished them off

I didn't think I would get a paper that would match these photos of me in Cerise and my nephew in orange but seriously how perfect is this Prima Fairy Flora, our peach gardenias with scrapware naomi chipboard inked with spiced marmalade?

Our pretty rhinestone heart buckle tied with white organza ribbon
After inking the chipboard I covered with dimensional magic and randomly added orange rhinestones

And a summer layout of my DS first time in a spa using the Teresa Collins Travel Ledger Travel Book pp and Royal Core dinations cardstock

My photo is mounted on inked cardboard and a piece of blue velvet ric rac bordering the top

After inking the scrapware antique mini aphas I applied Inkssentials Crackle Accent.

The Large Kim Chipboard flourish got the cuttlebug tiny bubbles treatment.
I painted it blue then decided I didn't like it so I wiped Baby Blue Liquid Pearls over it - love the colour and the pearl finish it gave the chipboard - probably can't see it from where you are in fact this whole layout doesn't look as good on the computer as IRL (: Damm I should have taken a better photo side on so you can see the layers but its now after 10pm - way too dark (:

Woo hoo 7 photos less to do LOL

and my last layout ...

Its of DD with her new Barbie Beach Bag, Sun glasses and togs that her aunty gave her on her 2nd birthday way back ... such the cutest outfit!


The gorgeous paper is The Girls paperie shabby flower and cut into stripes is Paper Girl Newsprint stripe all edges inked with Jumbo Java

How cute is this scrapware hat stand which I inked and then applied blush perfect pearls to it.

Because it wasn't a large area to apply the perfect pearls to, I used my ranger clear perfect pen and just drew on the chipboard with the pen before applying the pps

And every hat stand needs a hat charm, and of course a handbag and why not add a tutu charm!

Brown Giggles thickers to make up the title on a banner

Scrapware stylized tree gone through the cuttlebug with Tim Holtz Woodgrain Embossing Folder
The tree was inked with Jumbo Java and the top has blush perfect pearls

Lots of small mulberry flowers, pink gardenias
Centering the flowers are our brown brads, glitter brads and our rhinestone pendants, white velvet ric rac and some brown rhinestone chain

And if you are still with me and want to know about some of our coming soon products ....

Bakers Twine is stuck in customs ARRHHHHH

Basic Grey Jovial and Little Yellow Bicycle should be here on Tuesday with more Dimensional Magic (praise the lord ... I have missed you DM!), Kraft Cardstock and blank greeting cards with envelopes in time to make a start on your Christmas Cards!

Echo Park will be here towards the end of the week along with The Girls Paperie Tinsel & Twig and their Toil & Trouble papers

And as for Websters - the latest is and I quote from our suppliers newsletter " Arriving soon Websters Pages - four gorgeous new paper lines - Hollywood Vogue, Sweet Season, Waiting for Santa and WonderFall. Our order is finally in transit but we do not have a reliable ETA yet"

TFL
Hope you have a great weekend

Sassafras, LYB and some sunshine

When I first asked by a customer to get this range from Sassafras in, I was hesitant, especially after seeing the photos supplied by the supplier (they looked more like digi) ... but now I have it in my hot little hands ink and paint stained hand I am really glad I have them , the patterns are so detailed and lifelike...

Introducing a few of the Mix and Mend collection with my upclose photos

and upclose (IRL not so blue, weather wasn't the best when taking the photos)

Free Composition

On the Sassafras Blog, Michelle Clement, who designed this range explained how she did it - interesting read click here for her story (which explains why they are so lifelike!)

Also we received their Count Me In Range

I did finish a layout using the Mix and Mend Range but when I was taking the photos of it, DD asked me if it was one of my early layouts!!!

Gotta love the honesty - so with that in mind it is now in my scrap pile to have a rethink - I have to admit she was right it wasn't one of my best but I did love this piece I did with our crystal brads, lace and our horse charm. Will recycle this idea for another layout (a better one LOL)

anda small selection from the Little Yellow Bicycle Clothesline Range also arrived - can't believe the perfect match our gardenias are with this cornflour paper (gardenia from our purple pack)

And what is on my scrap table to tackle today
Perfect photo and flowers to go with the LYB Clothesline



Here is one that didn't make the scrap pile ...

It's from Wendy ...

The intense blue of the sky on these photos are what gave me the idea for the title for this LO. Anyone who follows this blog will know how much I love clouds and another chance to use them on my LO was not going to go to waste.

I ordered this October Afternoon Seaside Seashells paper for the gorgeous banners, but when I received my order I fell in love with the reverse of the paper ... a red woodgrain effect which matched my DS’s rashie and the red of the rocks behind him perfectly!

And being a plank effect it still has the desired beachy feel.

After picking out my photos and sanding all their edges, I put a strip of the my2angels Black Stars Felt Ribbon across the page and then positioned my photos above the felt.

The large photo and the middle one of the 3 were stuck on with 3D tape for dimension. The cloud is of course from Scrapware which I inked with some VersaMagic Jumbo Java Brown ink.

Loving the new Thickers Tracy got in a little while ago, Emerald in flocked Hay and flocked Seafoam so used them for my ‘Clouds’ and ‘Sunshine’ and finished the title with some of my favourite Jenni Bowlin Tiny Circle Aphas in both Reverse Black and Vintage Brown.

Whilst we were away there were frangipani trees everywhere so what better way to finish off and give it a bit of a tropical look, than by adding some my2angels Yellow and White Frangipanis.

Finally I have stapled on some pieces of gutter mesh.

That's all for today
TFL

Hope you have a great week