Moses

Today, I'm sharing a layout that I created for the CSI design team. This little photo of my sister-in-law's dog, Moses, is too cute to not scrapbook, and I can just imagine what he would say to Santa if asked, "This year, have you been naughty or nice?" You can  read the reply from Moses at the very bottom of the post. 

What an honor it is to be on the very talented design team at CSI! When you get through looking around at Color Stories Inspiration, be sure to check out the Blue Fern Studios Blog. These two sites will give you tons of inspiration. I adore the BFS products! 

The first thing I do is create an interesting background for my layouts. Here, you can see where I stamped a brick design to draw the eye to the background. Over the stamping I used modeling paste and a stencil for texture. 

I painted the chipboard piece with gesso and let it dry before adhering it onto the paper. More masking and use of modeling paste in the area behind the word, "Joy".

Now, who could not love a face like that? Moses is almost as cute as our Gracie! I painted the papers to be fanned with gesso to add a little softness. Then, I  popped them up for a 3-D effect. 

For another layer of interest, I sprinkled embossing powder in an area where I wanted to draw attention and heat embossed it. 

One of my favorite techniques is to pop up a pretty element of the paper for a 3-D effect. After all the background work and dimensional elements were finished, I added the embellishments. 

Products:

Blue Fern Studios chipboard, clear

      stamp, Vintage Christmas collection paper

Crafter's Workshop stencil
Liquitex modeling paste

Petaloo flowers

More products: 

Prima flower 
Pro Art Gesso

Recollections flowers and pop dots
Stampendous embossing materials

StazOn Ink

The journaling reads, "Santa, I know that I often have a guilty look on my face. I do get into trouble some days, but I really am nice deep down inside my doggie heart. My person says I am a joy."

Thanks to my blogging and scrapbooking friends for leaving a comment! 

Wonder

Hello blog friends! I hope everyone's almost ready for Christmas! I am done with everything but baking and mailing a few packages and feel so blessed to be through already.

Today, I'm sharing a layout that I created for the CSI design team. It was so much fun to work with these beautiful colors. The photos were taken on our trip to Hawaii last spring. 

For this particular piece I had to get more of a fuchia pink than I had so, I got out my Gelatos and made the paper the perfect color of pink! In this photo you can see the little envelope that I created behind and between the banners. I used it to hold the journaling tag. 

Here, you can see the dainty little die cut leaves tucked behind the photo and the beautiful chipboard. Also there is some stamping and texturizing with the modeling paste. 

You can see the texture added to the background here. It may be a little difficult to see the stamping, but it is there. I used modeling paste and a stencil as part of my background, as well. Then, I added a a tiny bit of embossing to achieve the look I wanted.

For the lovely flowers, I fussy cut the areas I wanted to appear 3-D, glued a little chipboard underneath and used pop dots for a beautiful area of interest. 

Just look at all the layers..... I'm in heaven!

Products:

Blue Fern Studios paper, chipboard and clear                stamp
Frantic Stamper die
Liquitex modeling paste
Prima spray paint, stencil and flowers
Ranger glossy accents
Recollections pop dots
Stampendous embossing materials

From my stash: pearls, paper doilie, beads 

You can easily see the stamping, texturizing and embossing in this photo. To tone down  the green in the leaves, I painted a little gesso on them. 


A heart heart-shaped doily acts as an envelope to hold the journaling tag that reads, "When I see such beauty I am reminded of the WONDER of God's love for us."  

Thanks everyone, for stopping by to take a peek. See you next time! 

Joy

Hello scrappy friends! I've been excited to share with you, this layout that I created for the CSI design team. I always enjoy taking the criteria at CSI (Color, Stories, Inspiration) and using them as a starting point for a new project. This case file in no different!

For every challenge there is a set of criteria to meet over at CSI. In order to compete, you must use all five of the colors, three or more choices from the evidence list and at least one of the choices from the testimony.

This layout is based on a sketch over at the Blue Fern Studios blog. This is the first time for me to compete in one of their monthly challenges, and I couldn't be any more excited!  Here is their sketch:



I adore the papers, chipboard and stamps by Blue Fern Studios and have recently begun to use them almost exclusively. They are always very elegant and have beautiful color schemes and designs. 

My modus operandi is to achieve a lot of texture, and you can see that I achieved my goal here with the lovely embossing behind the title. When using the embossing powder, my goal is to lightly sprinkle the powder on the paper so the result is not a solid surface of enamel, yet an application that allows the paper below to be seen underneath. Another one of my MO's is layering...ooh la la! Fairly thin chipboard can always be found in my stash and I use it underneath pieces that I plan to pop up so they have some stability through the years. 

More layering! For this look, I purchased two 12 X 12" patterned papers that were the same. For me, they had to have a pretty and interesting element to pop up. After fussy cutting around the area to be popped up I used markers to line the vertical edge so that no white would be seen, except in the case of a white flower or anything white. Then, I traced onto the chipboard around every shape to be popped up. Next, I cut out those shapes and glued them to the patterned paper. Pop dots were used between each layer to get the desired 3-D effect. 

The photo is one of my lovely daughter, Elizabeth. She is not always happy....only about 99% of the time, God Bless her. She brings a lot of joy to her friends and family. Just a little side note here....she loves owls, can you tell? 

Techniques used for this layout are stamping, painting, 3-D work, masking, layering, embossing and fussy cutting. 

Products used here are:

Blue Fern Studios paper, chipboard and clear                stamp
Carta Bella stencil
Liquitex modeling paste
Ranger/Tim Holtz crackle paint
Recollections pop dots
Stampendous embossing materials
Tressors Delux lace
From my stash: pearls and milnery flowers

Still more popping up  above and more layering below.

The journaling  below reads:

"Elizabeth, one of the things I love about you the most is that you find joy in each and every day...even in the smallest pleasures and pass it on to everyone around you."

Thanks everyone, for stopping to take a peek! Until next time...... 

Sweet

My latest layout was created for the CSI design team and uses the inspiration word, "sweet". I am not a perfect person, but I have been called "sweet" by many people. In my journaling, I wrote some of the other adjectives people have used frequently to describe me in the past....well, at least the ones they have said to my face.

Our sponsors this month at CSI are:

Carolina Ghelfi Scrapbooking,  Creative Embellishments, Scrap Matrix, and our cherished permanent sponsor is Flying Unicorn. Big thanks to all of our sponsors! 

Adding a background that is textured gives depth to a layout. You can see that here. First, I do a little stamping around the area that will hold the photo and embellishments. Next, comes the modeling paste and stencil to add a  pattern to my texture. Last, I sprinkle a little embossing powder and heat it. 

Layering adds dimension, so you can find that in most of my scrapbooking. It takes more time, but is well worth the effort. 

These layers of paper have been distressed slightly before painting a little gesso around the edges. 

Doesn't the embossing add a lovely touch to the background and chipboard? 

Products:

Blue Fern Studios paper, chipboard and stamp
Frantic Stamper die
May Arts lace
Petaloo flowers
Prima flower, stencil, spray
Stampendous embossing powders

Below, you can see the journaling that I created to be placed in a pocket on the back of the layout. It reads:

     Many adjectives have been used to describe me. I'm sure there are a few more, but I will not write them here:

         sweet                        stubborn
         funny                        persistent
         creative                     friendly
         generous                   positive
         patient                       happy
         practical                    kind
         silly                           sensitive  

Thanks, to everyone who stops by and especially to everyone who leaves a comment. 

An Autumn Story

Hello Scrappy friends! I've been happy to get back to my favorite past time with this layout that explains what has been occupying my time lately.
This is the layout that I created to remember a small family party that my husband and I hosted in October. We had so much fun with our two grown up kids and their dates for this lovely fall evening. The weather was perfect, and everyone had fun.

Over at CSI we have a brand new challenge tonight. Be sure to follow the link and see what it's all about! 

We have four sponsors this month at CSI. 

They are Arty Annie, Charm's Creations, Denim Tampons (Denim Stamps, in English), and Flutterby Designs. Our cherished permanent sponsor is Flying Unicorn. Big thanks to all of our sponsors! 

Here, you can see a new technique that I tried. I used a stamp to stamp a pattern on the gnarly tree, then embossed it. After that, I painted it with gesso and painted it. There are a lot of masks I could have used but if you don't have a mask that gives you the look you want, but you have a stamp you like....just add a few more steps and you get the look you want! 

Texture, texture, TEXTURE! Gotta love it! 

For the falling leaves, I used one of my punches in a maple leaf shape and opened an old dictionary to pages that had "Halloween words" such as "haunting", "creeping", "monstrous". Then I used inks to get the color I wanted. 

Products:

Basic Grey paper
Blue Fern Studios paper, stamp, chip board
Core'dinations paperEK Success punch
May Arts lace
Me and My Big Ideas paper
Petaloo berries and leaves
Prima ink pads
Ranger/Tim Holtz gears
Stampendous Frantage embossing powders
The Crafter's Workshop stencil
From my stash: old dictionary

The journaling is written in the form of a "To Do List" for the party we hosted. It reads:

October Party 

To Do List

• plan party 
• invite guests 
• make wreaths
• paint pumpkins
• set out Halloween decor
• plant containers 
• clean house
• cook, cook, cook
• greet guests
• have fun! 

Thanks for taking a peek at my latest layout! 

Until next time.....