Thursday, October 30, 2014

Throwback Thursday...

Ever looked back at your early scrapbook pages....

Man, how scrapbooking has evolved over the last 18 years! I look back at my layouts and think - not ick - but just how much I too have evolved as a scrapbooker!

Like many scrapbookers, I started out by going to a Creative Memories class - I was hooked in a sense that it allowed me to be my creative self - I did it my way.  Sure I used their products, they were good and all that was available in my area.  I did find quickly that it did not have all the outlets for my creative juices - but I did my homework and did my research and found products that suited my style as it too evolved.

Here are my very first two layouts - simple, yes are they awesome, maybe not in today's eye.  I am okay with that.  We all change, that is life.  Would I ever go back and redo or change those layouts - not a chance (let's face it, I have a hard enough time stay caught up, cause I am still not caught up)!




Now lets go to 2014! One can say easily that my style has changed.  I totally agree with that, and I am good with that cause I know that next year my style will be different again!  Now you see I use a lot of pattern paper, textures and embellishments.  One thing I believe that has remained the same is that the photo is still the focal point of my layout.




It is one thing I try hard to keep as my focus - the photo.  Let's face it, we do these albums so that we have a memory of what we have done, where we have been and what we have created. I am the first to admit that I a bit bored with scrapbooking lately, but am trying hard to get my drive back into it.  I believe it has a lot to due with the fact that my son is now 18 and for the last six years of his schooling all I have is Basketball photos of him, seriously - that is all the kid did...spring summer winter or fall!

The last couple of years I have been spending more and more time in my Art Journals.  That is where I find I have the most creative freedom.  So over the last few months it got me thinking why can't I use all these fun 'techniques' in my scrapbooks.  This is nothing new, really it is a frame of mind, so I am going to use not only the techniques but the products and evolve some more.  If you look back this spring in my art journal you will see a few pages that really are 'scrapbook' inspired!




I truly enjoy the creative process and trying something different.  I can't say as I have ever really followed the norm - that just isn't me.  I am not saying I am a trendsetter, I am simply saying I do what I like and I do it for me. I am enjoying this journey of memories I have created for myself and for my family (and friends). I sometimes think of myself as a sponge, I soak in everything I can in and then eventually it all starts to come out! Here's to me finally getting some ink and photos to some paper!

Thanks for stopping by....



Thursday, October 23, 2014

Takeover Thursday - Distressed!

Hi Everyone, Anita here! It’s another Takeover Thursday and it's 
Time to get a little Distressed!

It’s been ages since I’d pulled my Tim Holtz papers and products out.   As much as I love them I have been using product with color a lot more since I started pocket scrapping.  So yesterday when I came across this Cars die cut of the character “Mater” decided to Tim Holtz it up.


I grabbed my French Industrial Paper Pad, stickers, distress stains, inks & paints and got started.  The first thing I noticed is that once I picked my paper I found that it was too flat and boring (a side effect of art journaling).  I used my Crafter's Workshop Gears Stencil and some distress ink to add visual interest.  Still finding it too flat I grabbed my Tim Holtz Bubble Stencil and put random bits of Wendy Vecchi Black Embossing Paste on it, starting to like it more.


I mounted my die cut on the back of one of the papers, distressed the paper and the die cut with Walnut Stain and Frayed Burlap inks.


I wanted my title to stand out, but did not like any of the papers in the pack, so I grabbed my Distress Paints and livened up the color.  Once it was dry I brushed some Frayed Burlap Stain on for a bit more depth. Since that was in my hand, I colored a border strip as well.  I have lots of stain so why not use it!


I was then inspired to add some gears, but didn’t like the plain color of my Prima Wood Gears so I livened them up with some Color Wash & Gold Foil Color Bloom.




I layered everything on and added some French Industrial stickers, rub ons &  washi tape.   When I added the gears I set a few off the page which I trimmed with my Tim Holtz Scissors.  Rather than journal I used my Tim Holtz Label Letters to describe the layout. 


While there is no photo with this it will go in my album with our Disney trip.  I’ve recently decided it was okay to do layouts that have no photos and include them in my album.   It can be very freeing to just create for the sake of decoration.

Thanks so much for popping by and seeing what I have been up to!  Hope to see you again soon!

...."Anita Bee"


Thursday, October 9, 2014

Takeover Thursday!

Welcome to TAKEOVER THURSDAY!  This is where I will invite fellow crafters to 'takeover' my blog and post a project they have done or share some wonderful tip/trick from their vault of creativity.  For this weeks inaugural post, I handed my blog to one of my closest friends and 'partner in crime' against the norm. 

Please give a warm welcome to Anita B!

Everyone can agree that there is nothing more exciting that getting a haul of new supplies.   It’s inspirational and super fun to dive into something new, but after using it for a while we get bored and put it aside with the intent to revisit that product again soon (which we all know never seems to happen).

Recently I was looking through one of my storage bins and came across some older Jenni Bowlin and decided why not take it out and put a 2014 spin on my older papers.



I  started by mounting my photo on a piece of 2007 Jenni Bowlin paper (Vintage Black Bookprint).    I then pulled a sheet of black core impression paper & sanded it down in random spots using my Basic Grey Precision Tool Set, then I began to layer.


I liked the look of the Jenni Bowlin Core Impressions (Red) which I sanded as well.  It’s red on red so the variance in color hard to see in the picture, but in person it’s beautifully subtle.  I had a scrap sheet from Prima’s School Memories Collection that I used to accent the red. 



For embellishments I used  my Tim Holtz Film Strip Ribbon, Prima Flowers, a Junkyard Findings Jean Plate (to which I added Tim Holtz Distress Paint Brushed Pewter), Wood Icons in a box-Cameras (I spritzed these with Perfect Pearls for a bit of glimmer), Studio Calicao Cork Hearts, a 'captured' cut out I had and some camera Washi Tape.
   

I added a final few accents with Silver Photo Corners, and American Craft's Amy Tan Plus One Twin Phrase stickers.  I outlined these with my Signo White pen, then used my Ranger Black Fude Ball pen to add random accents.




I absolutely love it.  I still have some sheets left in the Core Impressions paper pack, but I’ll keep working on using it.  Why not?

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

What if? Why not?

Welcome to yet another NEWbie for W2 Scrapbooking!  You've heard me say it before, and I will say it again, AND I will continue to say it - what if...why not?

So be sure to check the blog (and facebook) for on Wednesdays - can't promise you it will be every Wednesday, but I will do it as often as I can and continue to share and hopefully inspire you too to try something different with perhaps a product you already even have.  Use it outside it's box, experiment with products, you never know what you will discover! Enjoy the experience, it is a lot of fun!

So, for today's What If, Why Not - I used embossing enamel mixed with translucent embossing paste in my journal.  So often this is a product that is used more in card making, tags and even scrapbooking.  It is not something normally seen in an art journal - my take...why not (and hey, it's Wednesday to boot)!

Here goes nothing...or better yet - something wonderful!

I started off by sealing my page (mixed media paper) with Liquitex Clear Gesso and allowed to dry (with the help of a heat tool of course).




Mixed them up using a palette knife, the texture of this is amazing!


I applied it to the page over a Traci Bautista Flower Party Stencil (making sure to clear off the stencil as soon as I was done in some warm water).


check that out - isn't that gorgeous!


time for some heat!


When you see the enamels 'bloom' you know it has done it's job.


Let it sit for a few more hours so the translucent aspect of the paste could also do their job (dry clear)!


here is an angle so you can see that glorious texture!


So, there are pro's and con's to using these products together.  Pro, the texture! Con, there is a glitter along with the enamels and thus 'clogging' the translucency part of this paste.  The transparency is visible, just not as much as in other applications.  So thinking next time I may try a gel medium, will look more that for another time.

Time to add some layers (and color)!  Decided to use my Lindy's (again) , this time the Little Lindy's Blue Set. I started with the Moon Shadow Mist (Buccaneer Bay Blue)


Don't be shocked when it comes out brown, it does show blue as is processes on your page.  I allowed to dry for a few minutes between each application of color, and blotted off access with a rag.


Next came Starburst Spray (Tiffany Lou Blue)


Guess I didn't take a photo in between the two colors here, but you can see it slightly in the photo below as it is taken before I add the shown color.  The next color applied is once again a Starburst (Auere Sea Asters)


Here it is all blotted and someone dried - I wish you could actually see the color and shimmer, it doesn't show well in this photo.


Time for some more color - this time I am adding some Tim Holtz Distress Paint (Peacock Feathers) around the edges 


Decided I needed more of that color, so used the dabber and scribbled inside each of the flowers, so you could actually now tell they were flowers.


It was not possible to to use the dabber top to do the petals, so I simply dabbed some onto my craft mat added some water and used one of my finer brushes to paint the petals.





I found it a bit too dark in the center so I did what any sane crafter would do...added more water!


And since I had the water out, thought what better a time than to bring out the Lindy's Magicals (Time Travel Teal) from the Industrial Chic Set.  If you seen some of my previous pages, I am a little addicted to these right now! 


Sprinkled on and then lamb basted with water (perhaps a tad too much)


After blotting, this is how it ended up.  Can't say as I am done yet, I think it need some black or perhaps some deep shade of brown.  The color of the enamels is similar to Gathered Twigs Distress Ink, so that may make an appearance too.  Thinking the flower petals need some more definition as well, and watercolor pencils or, hey - Twinkling H20's!!


Thanks for stopping by and taking a look.  I will leave this right now as a 'page in progress' and continue to work on it and hopefully show you the final results in a later post.  Have a great day!

Tuesday's Tip




...on Wednesday!  Oops, forgot to post this here yesterday, but honestly not overly surprising considering I kept thinking it was Wednesday and sometimes even Thursday! And to top it off, ran around the house last night gathering the garbage and walking half way down the drive only to figure out it was not Wednesday (my garbage day is Thursday)! Good one Wendy!

So anyhoo - here is my Tuesday Tip!

You've got choices! I've been using these since they were released, have only ever emptied one color. Since I tend to recycle and reuse a lot of stuff, my choice is to use what I have with what I got! Dig out your empty spray bottles, mini misters, or spray tops peeps.




The cap shown here is from a Lindy's bottle, works, but you have to keep upright or it leaks (all over my hardwood floor).  The older Ranger Colorwash Spray nozzles do not fit, will have to wait and see if the new Range Replacement Nozzles will fit!





Not saying you can't buy the new Distress Stain Sprays, but if you already have the Stains....






That Other Neutral Triptych

  That Other Neutral Triptych wrapped canvases 10x10x1.5" (x3) professional grade artist materials I worked on this smaller series at ...