Shadowbox

Note: Taking photos of reflective surfaces is one of my least favorite things to do!

I created this shadowbox for the July 2019 Lindy's Gang Color Challenge (Info can be found on the Lindy's Blog and Facebook Page). It's my first time doing a Lindy's Challenge, mostly because I need more Lindy's supplies. It's not a lack of wanting to go on a Lindy's shopping spree, it's an "I don't know where it would go" thing. I need to use up some of the items I already own so I'll have spots for new stuff! (However, if I'm lucky enough to win, then the hubs can't question why I bought new items when I am clearly at capacity! "It's not my fault," I'll say, "I was trying to use what I own and this just happened!")

Anyhow, I did happen to have some Lindy's Magical Shakers in Bratwurst Brown, Grab A Guy Gold, and Alpine Ice Rose that I thought would work for this challenge. I "diluted" the Alpine Ice Rose in some white texture paste for the Pale Rose in the color challenge (1st color on the photo below) and used my "new" texture paste for the stenciling on the outside of the shadowbox. I also created the Red Brown (2nd color on the photo below) for the color challenge in a homemade spray by mixing Alpine Ice Rose and Bratwurst Brown, which I sprayed on the (white) Darice flowers.

I used a lot of Bratwurst Brown and Grab A Guy Gold on the outside of the shadowbox, as well as on the background inside the shadowbox. On the lattice, after I gave it a coat of white gesso, I used clear embossing ink on the surface and brushed on more Grab A Guy Gold. (There will be a process video link further down this post which will hopefully explain things a lot better than I can with words!)

My process video: It will go here after editing & uploading. Also, uploads can take a while for me because I have satellite Internet...and to top it off, today is a rainy/overcast day.

However, I do have a few close-ups for you to look at!

Products:

• Lindy's Gang
• Magical Shaker
• Bratwurst Brown
• Grab A Guy Gold
• Alpine Ice Rose
• [From the] July 2019 Tres Jolie Mixed Media Kit
• Darice
• Floral Embellishments
• Shadow Box
• Creative Embellishments
• Love Knot Panel
• ReneaBouquets
• Mini Chocolate Covered Caramel Roses
• Leopard Premium Paper Butterflies
• KaiserCraft
• Wildflower Collection
• Succulents
• Tonic
• Nuvo Mica Mist
• Antique Gold
• Ranger
• Tim Holtz
• Distress Crackle Paint
• Clear Rock Candy
• Mini Blending Tool
• idea-ology
• Tim Holtz
• Sanding Block
• Prima
• Stencil (Item #564278
• Finnabair
• Opal Magic Acrylic Paint
• Rose Gold
• Metallique Wax
• Vintage Gold
• TCW
• Light & Fluffy Modeling Paste
• Simon Says Stamp
• Embossing & Watermark Ink
• Clear
• Liquitex
• Matte Super Heavy Gel
• Kilz
• Original Primer
• Mod Podge
• Matte Acrylic Sealer
• Daler Rowney
• White Gesso

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Sometimes, just sometimes, I feel the need to do a project that has no real purpose. That's where art journaling comes in. In this case I wanted to use/remember this quote by Former First Lady Michelle Obama from her book Becoming:

Now I think it’s one of the most useless questions an adult can ask a child—What do you want to be when you grow up? As if growing up is finite. As if at some point you become something and that’s the end.

I think it is probably a good thing art journaling doesn't have to have a purpose, because this looks nothing like what I was hoping for. But it did let me just experiment, which can be helpful when suffering from a mental road block. Basically, I was going for something shinier and dreamier, but I'm okay with the end result.

My only inspiration, besides the quote, came from this months Creative Embellishments Color Challenge. It helps that my favorite color is blue! I even managed to get the twist in (clouds or waves) when I stenciled on some clouds!

I can't guarantee a video. I recorded as I went, but my computer was acting up. In the end it actually decided it wanted to restart while in the process of recording. The last step is actually not recorded because it involved texture paste & paint and I couldn't wait for my computer to stop being temperamental.

I, more or less, know what is recorded, the problem is my computer cooperating during editing.

While I see how the video is willing to come along, here are some photos!

Products:

• Silhouette
• Silhouette Curio
• Silhouette Design Store
• All three fonts & the flowers are from the Silhouette Store, but I can only say with certainty that one of the fonts is "CG Free Font," the other two I can't remember (and I broke them apart for editing, so they are no longer "type" in the file).
• Creative Embellishments
• Heart Flourish
• Flourish 24 (Maybe...I didn't buy it myself, it came in a 3rd party kit so I am not sure. It might have been Curly Flourish. I forgot to compare to the CE website before cutting it apart & gluing it in!)
• ReneaBouquets
• Chunky Glitter Glass
• Diamond
• Butterfly Kisses
• Delicate Beauty (The two largest I received in a swap from Jenn D!)
• Shimmerz
• Vibez
• Snow Way Man
• Paste-eez
• Puttin' On The Glizt
• 13@rts
• Acrylic Modeling Paste
• Hip Kit Club
• Star Stencil (Sept. 2017 Kit)
• Cloud Stencil (May 2016 Color Kit)
• Tonic
• Tim Holtz
• Paper Distresser
• TCW
• Light & Fluffy Modeling Paste
• AC
• Vicki Boutin
• CreativeFX
• Iridescent Glaze
• Prima
• Finnabair
• 3D Gloss Gel
• Color Bloom
• Summer Sky
• Stampers Anonymous
• Tim Holtz
• Mixed Media CMS125
• Wendy Vecchi
• Rectangle Collage WVBG035
• Ranger
• Dina Wakley
• Large Art Journal
• Scribble Sticks (Set #1)
• Night
• Sky
• Acrylic Paint
• Marine
• Archival Ink
• Jet Black
• Perfect Pearls
• Perfect Pearl
• Blue Patina
• Tim Holtz
• Distress Oxide
• Weathered Wood
• Stormy Sky
• Dylusions
• Ink Spry
• London Blue
• Liquitex
• Clear Gesso
• Daler Rowney
• White Gesso
• Unknown/Unbranded
• White Cardstock
• Watercolor paper

Beach Junk Journal

A little, beach themed junk journal I made for the ReneaBouquets Mood Board Challenge this month.

Flip Through Video:

The Process Video will go here when I've finished editing & uploading it!

Process Video 1: Cover & Construction

Process Video 2: Ephemera & Such!

And here are a few close ups:

I received that beautiful, floral applique (along the spine & other bits on the inside) in the ReneaBouquet Canvas Swap (Oct. 2018) from Wendy M.!  (Thank you, Wendy!!)

A close-up of the beautiful mermaid from ReneaBouquets!

A ReneaBouqet Beautiful Board Starfish!

Here you can see all three paperclips I quickly altered using ReneaBouquets Beautiful Bits - Seashell.

A closer look at the layers of lace! The scalloped lace I used on the edge of two of the pages I just received from Jenn D. in the ReneaBouquets June (2019) swap! (Thank-you, Jenn!)

Products:

• ReneaBouquets
• Beautiful Board
• Tiny Starfish
• Beautiful Bits
• Seashell
• Printed Beautiful Board
• Tiny Ocean Orchid Starfish Mermaid
• 13@arts
• Acrylic Modeling Paste
• Shimmerz
• Paste-eez
• Puttin' On The Glitz
• Creameez
• Berry Hot
• Prima
• Frank Garcia
• Golden Coast
• 12 x 12 Paper Pad w/ foil
• Ephemera (Item #995126)
• Ephemera (Item #995133)
• From Swaps
• From Wendy M.
• Floral Applique
• From Jenn D.
• Scalloped Lace (white)
• Kraft Tag & Sleeve
• From Yvonne (scrapbook.com swap ... Sept. 2018)
• The ribbon used to tie the journal shut
• Webster's Pages
• Adrienne Looman
• Designer Trim
• Plum Seed
• The Paper Studio
• Bright Lace Ribbon Scrap Pack
• American Crafts
• Vicki Boutin
• Blue Hawaiian Acrylic Paint
• Ranger
• 4" Brayer
• Tim Holtz
• Mini Blending Tool
• Distress Oxide
• Tattered Rose
• Antique Linen
• Distress Spray Stain
• Mermaid Lagoon
• Tonic
• Tim Holtz
• 5" Scissors
• Heidi Swapp
• Stencil (it doesn't appear to have a name...)
• Momentum Brands (pretty sure I got it at the 99¢ store)
• Happy Holidays
• Decorative Ribbon
• Mod Podge
• Antique Matte
• Art Glitter Glue
• E6000
• Beacon
• FabriTac
• JudiKins
• Diamond Glaze
• Unbranded/Unknown
• Paperclips
• Pink & White Bakers Twine
• Hairclips

Adventure

For the More Than Words July (Main) Challenge: Discover & Stash

Discover made me think of maps, right away. Maybe my subconscious is trying to tell me something. After that I didn't really have a plan, I just went where my stash led me.

Stash:
Clipboard - I don't know how old it is, but I've owned it for almost two years now.

I think Tea Dye was one of my first Tim Holtz ink pads I bought! Way back when I wasn't sure what "distress" really meant, but hey, "this Tim Holtz fella has stuff to make new stuff look like old stuff!" My husband could actually make a pretty good case claiming Tim was an original "supplier" that got me hooked leading to an entire spare bedroom being filled with paper craft related items! I love Tim Holtz so much I have hoarded his papers waiting for just the right time. I have been working on accepting the fact that it's a lot more productive to make the right time myself rather than expect a sudden epiphany. Plus, I'm having a much harder time remembering EVERYTHING I own...so if I can't even remember everything, how will I ever use everything?

Anyhow, all but 11 of the items on the product list are at least a year old (and that includes adhesives, the 3D Gel, the wax & such), of those 11 items, I think 5 have "appeared" within the last 6 months.

I used as much from my stash as I could, and I can't tell. You'd never know anything was "missing." I tell myself I should stop buying until I get my stash knocked down, but every time I think that something new is released & I realize I need to just stop thinking nonsense and do more projects!

Process Video:

Close-ups:

**Postcard Image from: Public Domain Pictures


Products:

• ReneaBouquets
• Glass Microbeads
• Rose Gold
• Creative Embellishments
• Moroccan Lattice Panel
• 13 arts
• Ayeeda Mist
• Patina Bronze
• Lindy's
• Magical Shakers
• Grab A Guy Gold
• Bratwurst Brown
• 7 Gypsies
• Architextures
• Ornate Garden Stakes
• Silhouette
• Cameo 3
• Design Store
• Design ID #34811
• Ranger
• Perfect Pearls
• Blue Patina
• Archival Ink
• Jet Black
• Tim Holtz
• Distress Ink
• Tea Dye
• Distress Spray Stain
• Rusty Hinge
• Mini Blending Tool
• idea-ology
• Tim Holtz
• Paper Stash
• Memoranda
• Lost & Found
• Ephemera Pack
• Expedition
• Sanding Block
• Tiny Attacher
• Small Talk
• Tonic
• Tim Holtz
• Paper Distresser
• 5" Scissors
• Stampers Anonymous
• Tim Holtz
• Harlequin Stencil
• Prima
• Finnabair
• Metallique Wax
• Bronze Age
• 3D Gloss Gel
• Julie Nutting
• Tag Pad
• Hancock
• Fancy Pants Designs
• Me-ology
• Button Set
• Dear Lizzy Date Stamp
• Mod Podge
• Antique Matte
• JudiKins
• Diamond Glaze
• Art Glitter Adhesive
• Krylon
• Workable Fixatif
• Liquitex
• Clear Gesso
• Unknown/Unbranded
• Twine
• Metal Stars
• "BINGO" Card
• The "other," non-Tim Holtz, ephemera
• I got the roll of map paper at Hobby Lobby, so it's likely by The Paper Studio.

Lets Go To The Drive-In

A set of ATCs that were relatively quick and easy thanks to my Silhouette Cameo 3!

Yes, the pen I used did leave some extra lines. I've decided to call them power lines...

This project was just one of those projects that fought me every step of the way! I couldn't get my idea to come together. I had to redo a few things, some more than once. The pen I used can get build up on it (apparently...maybe I knew that but forgot *shrug*) and I think that is was gave me my "power lines." But I had had it with this particular project! I almost didn't do this topic for the swap (there are four categories, I've done the other three already: Flag A.T.Coin, World Tiger Day, & Forest Key.)

I did finally finish, and my package is ready to get sent to the hostess, Marci (who you can find here and here) ASAP!

I even managed a quick process video!

I turned the cityscape into a sketch, the sign into a Print & Cut, and added an outline (Offset) to the car, then put it together and hoped for the best!

I thought the sign needed a little something more, so I used Crushed Pineapple Stickles for some "lights." And since the sky seemed a little to gloomy, I added some "stars" with Shimmerz "Buttercream" Paint.

Products:

• Showmore (Etsy)
• Vintage Car SVG
• Silhouette
• Cameo 3
• Pen Holder
• Silhouette Store
• Cityscape (Design ID #2346)
• Retro Sign (Design ID #10011)
• The letter panels came from Retro Christmas Labels (Design ID #35461)
• Curving Road (Design ID #297750)
• CG Retro Font (Design ID #292616)
• Shimmerz
• Buttercream Paint
• Ranger
• Stickles
• Crushed Pineapple
• Tim Holtz
• Distress Spray Stain
• Blueprint Sketch
• JudiKins
• MicroGlaze
• UniBall
• Signo (UM-153) - white pen
• Unknown
• Cardstocks (they were in my scrap stash)
• Glossy photo paper

Forest Key (a Mixed Media ATC)

 

 I don't know if I should say I created these for the June Mixed Media Place challenge, but will be swapping them, or if it would be more accurate to say the June Mixed Media Place challenge helped me put together these ATCs for the "Favorite Product and/or Technique" category of the swap over at scrapbook.com! They both helped each other along in the end!

I love the mood board this month over at Mixed Media Place. The wonderful colors of the forest really spoke to me! I'm also participating in the ATC swap over at scrapbook.com, hosted by Marci (you can find her here and here), and was still "needing" to make my "Favorite Product and/or Technique" batch! I have a little of both on these cards! I love, love, LOVE Finnabair's products by Prima, and I adore using her waxes, but I also love mica powders (in this case I used Lindy's Magical Shakers), and Tim Holtz was my first designer love (I've been collecting Tim Holtz since shortly after I first started scrapbooking!).

(Below you can find a process video, more photos, & a product list.)

The Mixed Media Place June Mood Board for the June challenge.

Process Video:

 

I think one of my favorite things about ATCs is they help me use up scraps & partial packages, plus I find them to be very freeing, even I can only fit so much on a 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" surface!

With these ATCs I didn't cut into any new cardstock or open any new packages! In fact I finished off one of the Prima packages & the Little Birdie package in addition to getting rid of a teeny tiny bit of my vast scrap collection! (Okay, maybe not vast...it could be worse I suppose!)

Also, to make projects go faster, when I have some spare time I will make up batches of pieces from my various moulds. I can't say I have an absolute preference of which resin to use, both of the ones used to make these keys have a purpose. Amazing Cast Resin sets up F.A.S.T!! And I mean you better have a plan of action and work in small batches! This is great when I don't have the time to wait for the Art 'N Glow resin to set. However, I love the Art 'N Glow because it mixes up thinner, and I have a work time of 45 minutes! The thinner is great for the smaller moulds I have, and the longer time is better because I can pour slow and sure! (It does, however, have a 24 hour cure time.)

**Note: I'd wear gloves. The Amazing Cast Resin gets real hot, real fast (it's best not to ask why I know this so well!). Gloves will help you peel that off quick! The Art 'N Glow is just practically impossible to wash off with soap and water. It's very sticky! (Again, don't ask! LOL)

Products:

• Lindy's
• Magical Shaker
• Grab A Guy Gold
• Bratwurst Brown
• Cathedral Pines Green
• Prima
• "Keys" Mould
• Candy Gems
• Melon
• Cinderella Collection
• Cypress
• Finnabair
• Opal Magic Paint
• Violet-Green
• Green-Gold
• Sparks Paint
• Fairy Wings
• Metallique Wax
• Bronze Age
• Wax Cire Cera
• Firebird
• Little Birdie
• Rosalind Pearl Pink
• Sizzix
• Big Shot Pro
• Tim Holtz
• Thinlits
• Detailed Butterflies, Mini
• Liquitex
• Matte Super Heavy Gel
• Fibre Craft
• Painted Stem Wire
• Art Glitter Glue
• Amazing Cast Resin (White)
• Art N Glow Casting & Coating Epoxy Resin (Clear)
• Scraps
• All paper/cardstock

World Tiger Day ATCs

Artist Trading Coins - "Unusual Holiday/Celebration" Theme - scrapbook.com June-July ATC Swap, hosted by Marci (you can find her here: Blog: A Scrap from Marci and here: scrapbook.com Gallery)!

Global/World/International Tiger Day - July 29th!

Process Video:

For the image of the tiger I used a free one I found at needpix.com (link below) and then played with editing it until I got something I liked. I can't really tell you the steps, because sometimes things just happen, and I'm not always sure how I did it! There was some selective color picking and changing though, I can tell you that much!

There isn't really anything overly complicated on these, just some coloring/watercoloring with some Scribble Sticks, fussy cutting, and gluing! OH! The tigers weren't fussy cut, I used the print & cut feature of Silhouette Studio with my Cameo 3.

*Original Tiger Image (listed as free) from needpix.com. Tiger Image Direct Link

Products:

• Hip Kit Club
• The Happy Life
• Sunset Blush
• American Crafts
• Dear Lizzy
• Lovely Day
• Color Me Pretty
• Heidi Swapp
• Pineapple Crush
• Palm Beach
• Crate Paper
• Maggie Holmes
• Chasing Dreams
• Hello Beautiful
• Ranger
• Dina Wakley Media
• Scribble Sticks
• Set #1
• Lemon
• Lime
• Magenta
• Tangerine
• Set #2
• Blushing
• Evergreen
• Cheddar
• Ocean
• Fuchsia
• Eggplant
• Tim Holtz
• Water Nib
• Prima
• Water Pens
• Silhouette
• Studio
• Cameo 3
• Premium Blade