Mind Boggling, Case File 117 at CSI

This layout was created to play along at CSI this week.  Here's the criteria for this week's challenge, AKA: case file....

We had to use all five colors, at least two clues from "Evidence" and at least one clue from "Testimony".

  

On this layout, I border punched, inked and painted. In fact, I was having so much fun  with the painting, that I almost missed my self imposed deadline!

  

You can see all the layers and texture that were used in the above photo.

There were several choices for the journaling at CSI, but I chose the one that  most closely reminded me of Lee's experiences while in college.

In the above photo, you can see where I painted around every part of the journaling.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Create You

This layout was created for my son and as an entry in a challenge at CSI. Here is the criteria for this week's Case File:

Years ago, I would look forward to uploading my work to large websites, but now I am always excited to add my latest work to Color, Stories, Inspiration. It is often times,  the highlight of my week! The challenges there make scrapbooking fun for me again and I mostly compete with myself, trying to better my previous work.

  

In the photograph above can be seen some calligraphy that was done free hand. All I had to go by were baselines!

Texture is my favorite thing to include in my scrapbooking. In this photograph can be seen the dry wall tape and the crimping that I added to the layout to achieve that end result.

Using modeling paste and a stencil that I have had in my stash for at least fifteen years, I created an area with a monogram or decorated letter.

Last of all, the embellishments were added and I was happy with the end result.  



This Case File was a TREAT to work on! If you get a chance, go over to CSI to join in on the fun.


Thanks to all my scrappy friends for taking a peek and commenting!









Darling

The photo in this layout has been on my mind for a while and when Case File 120 at CSI required an umbrella as one of its potential criteria, I decided that it was time to do this one. 

 

The little girls in the photo had a tragedy in their young lives. Once you know the sad story you will understand why they didn't have a smile on their faces. The journaling on vellum reads:

A Sad Story

Kathryn and Geraldine were my mother’s cousins. They were left motherless when their dear mother died trying to give birth to a baby brother. Neither the baby nor the mother survived.  Fortunately, the sisters were members of a large family, including their father, aunts, uncles and grandparents.  Not a single need went ignored, and they had all the love and attention they could want.   Occasionally their family would take the two girls to the cemetery in Houston, Texas, which is part of a coastal area with a low elevation.  The two little girls would be shocked to see that water was standing on their mother’s grave and they would cry for hours as they grieved over the loss of their mother and the condition of her grave. After this went on for some time, their grandfather decided to build a family mausoleum, and the girl’s sadness eventually subsided to the point that they could function as normal children. 

Products used:

Prima paper, flowers, resin figure, chipboard  
      sticker,  butterfly and button
The Robin's Nest Tear Drops
Webster's Pages lace and tule
From my stash:
     embroidery thread and metal heart

Techniques used:
inking
distressing
paper folding
3-D work
painting
masking

Thank you for viewing and leaving a comment.

This Day

Today I'm sharing a layout for The Crafty Scrapper Design Team. This layout was created using A Charmed Life by Simple Stories and lots of fun Maya Road embellishments. In this design, my intent was to draw the eye diagonally up and across the page, beginning at the lower left corner. The eye then circles the photo in a  counter clockwise manner.

I began doing the art of beautiful handwriting  forty years ago, while a student at TCU. For ten years, during the 1980's, I taught calligraphy at UTA (University of Texas at Arlington), and still enjoy using it in my scrapbooking work. This lettering was not done with a broad tipped pen, as is traditional  European Calligraphy, but working with a fine point felt tip and using an italic alphabet looks nice if done properly.

After die cutting a gear from the solid blue cardstock, I decided to use that negative space in the layout.

Techniques used here were masking, inking, painting, calligraphy and die cutting.

Fairy Whispers

This layout was created for Case File 115 at CSI and was so much fun to work with.  I am enjoying their weekly challenges so much that I am renewed in my desire to try new color combinations, learn new ways to journal  and be more adept at scrappy problem solving. Here is the challenge for this week:

After border punching around the top layer of paper, I stamped the area just below where  the masking would later be. Next came the application of  modeling paste over the area where  the birds are sitting on a branch. After the paste dried , paint  and markers were used  to achieve the desired colors. 

In the area where the cut out photo would be, I misted with a pewter colored spray and began painting the chipboard pieces.

                                        

Next came the lettering in a way that would look as though it was fairy dust being scattered on the photo.  

Using two sheets of the paper gave me two of everything. The little gnome, fairy and mushrooms had to be fussy cut, and popped up. The wings and crown were crying out for stickles before adhering them to the photo.  



Thanks for taking a peek. Comments are always appreciated!

Best in Show





This layout is an entry for the current challenge at Color, Stories, Inspiration....AKA: CSI. It is a social media site for scrapbookers. There is a new challenge every week and it's fun and interesting to see how other people interpret the criteria for the challenge. This week's challenge  is "Case File No. 114".

 All five colors of "The Scheme" have to be used, at least two "Evidence" choices, and a minimum of one "Testimony" choice should be included. On the second week of each month a sketch is provided for participants to use when creating their layout. I decided to rotate the sketch 90 degrees counterclockwise.





The story behind the layout occurred one night when my husband and I were taking care of our daughter's dachshund. After dinner we settled in to watch the Westminster dog show on T.V. When the show ended, I was in what might be called a silly mood and hurriedly created a little Best in Show ribbon for Wit to be wearing when our daughter came to get him. The ribbon led to a photo session and the pictures have now become an addition to one of our scrapbooks as a fond memory.  

The steampunk hot air balloon is a transparency that I made by finding the clipart  and printing it out as a transparency. Techniques used here are painting, inking, masking, stamping and punching. For a little added texture, I used dry wall tape from our garage.

As Paul Harvey would say, "And now, for the rest of the story". We enjoyed having Wit stay with us frequently and finally decided to get a dachshund for ourselves. Her name is Gracie and she is now a year old and will most likely be the star of her own layout soon.

BTW....it isn't necessary to be officially be entered in the Westminster Dog Show to get a "Best of Show" ribbon. We love you, Wit!

Spring is Almost Here!

Spring always signals a new beginning, and after this long, cold Winter, it could not be more welcome! Officially,  Spring begins on March 20, but we won't be concerned with such human ways of keeping track of the seasons.

Look! It's Mr. and Mrs. Cottontail! He has some carrots that he just dug up from Mr. McGregor's vegetable garden and she has pretty flowers also from the good farmer's garden! They don't seem to be concerned with calendars, but they are loving a lot of sunshine and pretty green grass!

Here is a little flower girl with a basket of flowers. I think that's a scrapbooking flower she has on her pinafore! She has obviously been caught red handed after rummaging through my "Happy Scrappy Place"! Maybe that is why she doesn't have a smile on her face.

This Easter Tree gets decorated every year about this time. We are ready for Easter Sunday, April, 20, 2014!

The dining room table is decorated for an Easter brunch with a runner in pastel colors, bunny candles, baby chicks and pretty eggs.

The chicks seem to be ready for a celebration!  

In the center is a compote filled with Easter grass and velvet eggs. The large eggs are decorated with  pansies and velvet leaves.

At the Roger's home we are all ready for Spring and Easter! We hope that you are ready too, and that you will have a  BLESSED NEW BEGINNING!