Origin (Canvas) - MTW Sept. 2019

Over on the More Than Words Challenge blog this month we were tasked with finding inspiration from the word "Origins" and using the colors of our country. I love genealogy, so for me "Origins" is "where did I come from?" I love seeing faces of people I never knew and finding some resemblance!

For this project I used a photo from Ancestry.com of my great-great grandparents and eight of their ten children and maybe a grandchild (the youngest being held). Based on records on Ancestry.com, this photo is over 104 years old. (The youngest girl passed away in 1905 at only 12 years old.)

I chose this photo for this project for a couple of reasons. First, it is representative of the Cherokee I have in my family history. Besides the red, white, and blue of the United States, I (tried to) incorporate the colors of the flag of the Cherokee Nation, orange, yellow, green, and black. The following is from Cherokee.org's FAQ page regarding the flag and seal:

The seal of the Cherokee Nation was created by an executive Act under Chief Lewis Downing in 1869. The Act calls for the seal to contain a seven-pointed star inside of a wreath of oak leaves, symbolizing the eternal flame of the Cherokee people. The star is not designated to point a specific direction, but in the original version from 1869, it rests on a single downward point. The points of the star represent the seven traditional Cherokee clans. Within the rings of the seal, the words Cherokee Nation, September 6, 1839, are included, recognizing the date of the signing of the first Cherokee Nation Constitution after relocation to Indian Territory, as well as the date of the Act of Union, uniting the Old Settlers and Eastern Immigrant Cherokees into a single Cherokee Nation government once again.

The Cherokee Flag contains the Cherokee Nation seal (see the question above for the full symbolism of the seal) in the middle with seven stars in the outer field along with a single, black star. The seven stars in the outer field represent the seven clans, and the one additional star, which is black, is to remember those who died as a result of the Trail of Tears.

In addition to the Cherokee in my history, the "white" part of this particular branch of my family has been in the United States since before it was the United States! So, there you have it! The colors of my country and what "Origins" means to me!

Process Video:

Close-ups:

Products:

• [From the] Tres Jolie Sept. 2019 Mixed Media Kit
• 9x12 Canvas
• 13@rts
• Mixed Media Stencil
• His & Hers Remastered
• Mechanical
• Ayeeda Paint
• Red Bronze
• Snow Cap
• Ayeeda Powder
• Rusty Bronze
• Rust Reagent
• Ayeeda Powder 3D
• Old Gold XS Microspheres
• Lindy's
• Starburst Squirts
• Beaver Tail Brown
• Hockey Puck Black
• 13 @rts
• Ayeeda Mist
• Patina Bronze
• Prima
• Prima Flowers
• Item #637682
• Item #632014
• Resin Icons
• Item #573355 (Feathers)
• Finnabair
• Metallique Paint
• Royal Blue
• Ranger
• Tim Holtz
• Mini Blending Tool
• Splatter Brush
• Distress Paint
• Lucky Clover
• Candied Apple
• Dylusions Paint
• Tangerine Dream
• Glossy Accents
• 49 & Market
• Vintage Shades Flowers
• Yellow Cluster
• Graphic 45
• Rose Bouquet Collection
• Triumphant Red
• Folk Art
• Enamels
• Yellow Light
• Liquitex
• Matte Gel
• Matte Super Heavy Gel
• Unknown/Unbranded
• Texture Pebbles

Great-Grandma

My great grandmother, about 82 years ago!

The majority of this layout is made using products that came in the June 2019 Tres Jolie Kit Club Scrapbooking Kit (product list below), and was created for the June Sketch Challenge hosted by Kim & the Tres Jolie Kit Club!

The Tres Jolie Kit Club June Sketch

I just love 49 & Market, and those laser cut shapes made this layout go together much faster than fussy cutting flowers!!

Adding some foam under the photo gives it just a little lift from the layers underneath.

I set out with a goal to see if I could use an entire package of flowers on a layout! I think it's a first for me!

I just happened it have the perfect Say It In Crystals in my stash for this project!

Another big, flower milestone for me...using a mix of flat & 3D flowers. I don't know if I've ever really succeeded at it. It always makes me panic!

A bit of the lace from the Tres Jolie Kit & a ReneaBouquets Heart Paper Clip for some little touches.

Products:

• [From the] Tres Jolie June 2019 Scrapbooking Kit
• 49 & Market
• Bold & Beautiful Collection
• Dear John
• Edge of Reason
• Whispers
• Laser Cut Shapes
• Blossom Blends
• Bluebell
• Lace
• ReneaBouquets
• Beautiful Board Heart Paper Clips
• Art Anthology
• Keyholes 6x9 Stencil
• Shimmerz
• Creameez
• Lapis Dance
• Dazzlerz
• Foiled Again
• Prima
• Finnabair
• White Crackle Texture Paste
• Jamie Dougherty
• Bloom
• Spark 6x6 Stencil
• Frank Garcia
• Santorini
• Say It In Crystals
• idea-ology
• Tim Holtz
• Tiny Attacher
• Tonic
• Tim Holtz
• Paper Distresser
• JudiKins
• Diamond Glaze
• Art Glitter Glue
• Silly Winks Sticky Back Foam Sheet
• Liquitex Clear Gesso

Wedding Congratulations!

Congratulations (A wedding card)

This past weekend the husband and I went to a wedding of some very dear friends. We've known the groom for over 11 years, and about 6 1/2 years ago we met the bride. We knew that someday we would be going to their wedding, even if they didn't know it at the time! It was a beautiful ceremony, and we were so honored and happy to be there with them for it!

As for the card, it is rather straight forward. I did make the flowers myself, and was constantly reminded why I don't do that! But, I needed those colors right NOW! So I had no real choice in the matter!!

In addition to my handmade, mulberry paper flowers, there is some vintage lace (no brand, got it off eBay a few months ago), some random twine, and some unbranded stamen. Plus, the beautiful butterfly is from ReneaBouquets! It came on the business card in one of my orders, and it worked perfectly for this card!! (Thank you, Renea!)

The card stock, patterned paper, and embossed paper are all from the Simon Says Stamp November Card Kit, and the sentiment is from the Simon Says Stamp "Floral Bliss" stamp set (links at the bottom in the "Product List" area).

The inside says:
"May you forever find joy in each others eyes,
warmth in each others arms,
love in each others heart."

I just printed it out on some "linen" printer paper and used my ATG to stick it down! (Oh, I found the quote on Pinterest, I'm not that poetic!)

I will be entering this little project into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday "Anything Goes" Challenge!

Product List:

• ReneaBouquets Butterfly 
• Mulberry paper (I made all the flowers) 
• Simon Says Stamp: 
• November Card Kit
• "Floral Bliss" Stamp Set for the sentiment
• Elmer's - Craft Bond - Glue Spots - Thin Medium
• Prima - Finnabair - Art Basics - 3D Gloss Gel - 8 Ounces
• Tim Holtz 
• Distress Oxides Ink Pads - Frayed Burlap
• Distress Ink Pads - Embossing Ink Clear
• Paper Distresser
• Wendy Vecchi 
• Embossing Powder - Watering Can
• Sizzix 
• Big Shot Plus Machine - White and Gray
• Spellbinders 
• Shapeabilities Collection - D-Lites Die - Create A Rose
• Unknown/unbranded twine 
• stamen 
• 5 petal flower dies 
• vintage laces

peace & joy

peace & joy Christmas card

A Christmas card I made specifically for my best friend! She has a "thing" for moose. Her Great Dane is named Moose, she has about six pieces of moose art in her home, a moose hook in her kitchen ... you get the idea! She LOVES moose!!

**The moose cut and the font (Aubrey) are from the Silhouette Store!**




Product List:

• ReneaBouquet: 
• Silver Glass Microbeads 
• the burgundy poinsettias & rosebuds 
• Ranger 
• "Emboss It" Pen
• Glossy Accents
• Tim Holtz 
• Grit-Paste
• Distress Glitter: Clear Rock Candy
• Distress Oxide: Candied Apple
• Distress Paint: Candied Apple
• Paper Distresser
• WOW Embossing Powder 
• Cloud 9 
• Poppy 
• Small Blooming Poinsettia (die) 
• Simon Says Stamp 
• the cream card stock for the card base & poinsettias 
• Me & My Big Ideas 
• Red & white flourish paper 
• Silhouette
• Cameo
• Curio
• Sizzix
• Big Shot Plus
• Unknown 
• the glitter for the moose (it was in a little baggy, I don't know where it came from!) 
• the burgundy card stock 
• the red seed beads 
• Mod Podge 
• Acrylic sealer (it's how I keep the glitter from falling off after it's all said & done! Just a quick coat on top!)

the morning after

the morning after - 1953

Recently, while combing through old photos my grandma had kept over the years, I came across this photo, and I fell in love with it! I find it to be hauntingly beautiful. The remnants of packaging are scattered among the new toys that had arrived the day before. Even the lamp shade is crooked! This moment in life was captured forever by my grandma, she even provided the title! "The Morning After" had been written at the bottom of the photo.

Over at scrapbook.com, I host "The Ugly Games." (formally known as "The Ugly Paper Challenge," we had a vote!). Anywho...the object of the challenge is to use the two papers and the embellishment(s) (optional) that you are sent at the beginning of the month to create a layout! (I give out addresses on the 1st, & in short, you send a set, you receive a set). Now for my disclaimer, I'm not saying the products are themselves "ugly," the whole point of the challenge is to use papers sent to you that you may or may not have ever considered trying to combine, or they may or may not be your "style." Back in September, I received the following papers:

"The Ugly Games" papers I received in September

First, a short explanation, because these papers were sent to me during football season! I am a Kansas City Chiefs fan, and another football "nut" in the group is a Seattle Seahawks fan, and she has been patiently waiting for me to be on the receiving end during football season since the spring! The mascot for the Seahawks is Tamia the Hawk, hence the photo, and Seahawks fans are the "12th Man Army," hence the two "12" circles (apparently the Seahawks can't play without an extra person 😏) Anyhow, I normally get my layouts completed on time, but September was a draining month for me, and it seemed to affect my creative process. I knew what I wanted to create, I was just constantly running into a mental roadblock! I had actually put a layout together most of the way, but it just wasn't right! It was dull, and the lobster paper poinsettias just wouldn't blend in! I was frustrated, and that certainly didn't help my roadblock, then, as luck would have it, I saw this layout by Phyllis on the ReneaBouquet's Facebook Page, and I knew it was the inspiration I needed to get those papers used! It embodied the direction I had been trying to go, and stepped it up a notch! I actually dismantled the layout I had started, very carefully, given I couldn't replace any of the elements I had received in The Ugly Games and started anew! In fact, the Bazzill "Ash" cardstock with the Prima Crackle Paste was part of the original! (In addition to the parts created from the papers and embellishments I received.)

A closer look at the flower cluster and ReneaBouquet Silver Microbeads & Black Shard Glitter Glass (both linked at end of post) under the title!

Closer look at the cluster on the right side showcasing the flair from {A flair for buttons} (link at end of post)

Just another angle.

A close up of the Silver Glass Microbeads on some of the holly leaves! (I am seriously in love with those beads!)

Another angle!

The photo was taken from the top of the page looking down, with a good look at what I did to the pink rhinestone strip I had received! I used alcohol inks on it to change the color, dabbed on some "Foiled Again" Shimmerz Dazzlerz, and ran a wire through it so I could shape it!

Looking down at the Black Glitter Glass and Silver Microbeads that are at the top of the page.

Looking down at the cluster found on the left side of the photo!

**All of the cuts (poinsettia's, holly, ornaments) came from the Silhouette Store!**

Product List:

• ReneaBouquet:
• Silver Glass Microbeads
• Black Shard Glitter Glass
• Shimmerz
• "Coal" Paint
• "Foiled Again" Dazzlerz
• {a flair for buttons} "Tis The Season" Flair
• Hot off the Press: Black Silver Floral Foil Cardstock
• Bazzill
• "Ash" Cardstock
• Silver Metallic Cardstock
• Basic Grey: Juniper Berry "Lump of Coal" Paper
• Fancy Pants Designs
• "Collecting Moments" Sticker Fundamentals
• Tim Holtz:
• Flourish Stencil
• Distress Spray Stains: Candied Apple, Iced Spruce, & Weathered Wood
• Distress Ink: Iced Spruce
• Distress Oxide: Iced Spruce
• Paper Distresser
• Hinge Clip
• Mini Ink Blending Tool - Round
• Alcohol Inks: Cranberry & Silver
• Ranger:
• Texture Paste
• Transparent Gloss Texture Paste
• Glossy Accents
• "Gunsmoke" Stickles
• "Perfect Pearl" Perfect Pearls
• WOW Embossing Powder: Cloud 9
• Martha Stewart "Scallop Dot" Edge Punch
• Prima
• "White Crackle" Texture Paste
• "Crackle" Stencil
• DMC Silver Embroidery Floss
• a la mode clear embossing powder
• Silhouette
• Cameo
• Curio
• Unknown:
• the red paper
• the red cardstock (behind the photo)
• the green paper behind the photo
• Flat back pearls
• Silver wire
• Silver Metallic Marker
• Homemade Alcohol Inks: Black (ish) & a light purple (ish)

Halloween Tag!

The photo behind the claw marks is holographic! There is a close-up further down the post.

Over at scrapbook.com Donna (bonprof) hosted a September tag swap! There were two categories, Autumn and Halloween. You didn't have to do both, but I did, and this is my Halloween tag that was sent down to Kathy in Australia! (Here's where you can see the Autumn tag!)

And, thanks to perfect timing, I'll be entering this tag in the Simon Says Stamp, "A Walk On The Darkside," Monday Challenge, and the Simon Says Stamp, "Anything Goes," Wednesday Challenge!

I actually did a lot of mixed media work on the background when I started because I wasn't entirely sure what direction I'd be going. I knew I wanted to use a photo behind the claw marks, but I didn't know what kind of photo or how big ... then I just happened to turn around in the Halloween isle when I saw the package of holographic "photographs" hanging up! Now, you can only really see the Prima White Crackle Paste coated in ink along the edges!

The lace along the edge also didn't start out as an orangish-rust color, it was white, but with some help from Tim Holtz's Distress Spray Stains in Carved Pumpkin and Rusty Hinge, I made the lace match my theme!

After all that it was just placing and gluing the items in place! Although I did use some black craft foam to pop up the purple paper above the photo after using the Claw Thinlits to cut matching marks!

The full tag at the top of the post shows the color best. The colors here are a little distorted because of the lighting change needed for a close-up of the holographic images!

Products Used:

• The holographic photo, wired burlap ribbon, black & gold rose, "twigs," purple lace, and purple spider I found in the Halloween and/or Autumn decor sections of my local 99¢ store!
• The orange lace on the edge I received in a lot of 'vintage' lace off eBay.
• 'Mulberry' flowers (orange roses)
• Joelle's Halloween Fabric Flowers: the black burlap flowers.
• Tim Holtz: Thinlits - Claw Marks, Distress Spray Stains - Hickory Smoke, Carved Pumpkin, and Rusty Hinge, Distress Oxide - Black Soot
• Sizzix Big Shot Plus
• Heidi Swapp Color Shine: Bronze
• Prima Texture Paste: White Crackle
• Ranger Glossy Accents
• Echo Park Arsenic and Lace patterened paper
• The small, black spider was actually a cheap, orange, plastic ring used as party favors! I just added a lot of Glossy Accents and Martha Stewart Onyx glitter!

My Ancestor!

"Ancestor" ATC featuring one of my actual ancestors!

I did this set of ATCs for the "Ancestor" category over at Marci's ATC swap on scrapbook.com! I will also be entering this project into the Simon Says Stamp, Anything Goes, Wednesday Challenge!

The main photo is actually one of my ancestors, my great great grandfather! The original photo of him is actually very faded & blemished, but I used my dusty photo editing skills to fix him up for this challenge! He's not exactly fit for hanging on a wall yet, but for what I wanted to do here I got what I needed! I printed the photo on regular, white, printer cardstock and used JudiKins MicroGlaze to protect the majority of the photo. After he was thoroughly coated with the MicroGlaze, I spritzed water to get the printer ink to bleed a bit, dried the photos, trimmed them down, rounded the corners, distressed the edges, then inked them! WHEW! That was a mouthful!

The background for the ATCs is made of bits and pieces from Tim Holtz's "Lost and Found" paper stack. I layered up some random bits, glued them down, then used a blending tool to add some Vintage Photo Distress Oxide, which I then spritzed with water to activate. The little "film strips" of photos are also from the "Lost an Found Stack." I love Tim's style, but I have never figured out what to do with all the photos of random people he has in many of his stacks & ephemera packages! This is only the second time I have found a use for the faces of strangers! It's not anything I dislike about them, I actually think they are very cool, but my poor brain just can't add "strangers" to things very well!

Product List:

• Tim Holtz - Tiny Attacher, Distress Oxide: Vintage Photo, Lost and Found Paper Stack, Mini Blending Tool, and Paper Distresser.
• JudiKins MicroGlaze

Grandma

Made this for my grandma's memorial (then gave it to my mom). This is her at 16 years old (~1945).

I used a door off the top half of a (I think) desk hutch. Anyway, I use the hutch in my scrap room, but the doors were only in my way so I removed them (a while ago), sprayed them with some Kilz Primer spray to give the (homemade) texture paste something better to stick to, layered up the texture paste then added Kilz Primer (because it's white matte) on top.

For the photo mat I coated some heavy chipboard in some acrylic paint & Shimmerz AcriTonez then used Prima Crackle Texture paste and a rose stencil cut file from the Silhouette Store and some white ribbon at the border of the photo.

Products Used:

• Prima Texture Paste: White Crackle
• Silhouette Cameo
• Homemade texture paste (because I was going to be using A LOT!)
• white ribbon
• mulberry roses
• Shimmerz Paints: Paste-eez - Salt of the Earth & AcriTonez - 3 Sheets to the Wind
• white matte acrylic paint
• Kilz Primer spray

No Spell Check

No Spellcheck {or backspace}

This is the typewriter I learned to type on! The kind where you need reinforced fingers to "hammer" those keys down! I still own this typewriter, it was my dad's, and I still use it when I want authentic typing.

Kaisercraft "Art of Life" Collection

I dug out some Kaisercraft papers I've had hoarded for I don't know how long and decided they would work perfectly for my vintage style page about my vintage typewriter!

Transparent gesso; nuvo "Aquamarine" mousse; Shimmerz "Coal" Paint; Tim Holtz "Typo" Stencil

Distress Oxides "Vintage Photo" and "Broken China"

Distress Crayons "Vintage Photo" and "Black Soot"

I knew I was going to be folding down some of the top of this paper, I didn't want it to be white, I didn't want to add gesso, and I didn't want any inks to possibly bleed through. My solution? Distress Crayons!

Before adding "Broken China" Distress Oxide

Inked up with Distress Oxides & sprayed with water to "activate"

The button is from {A Flair For Buttons}

Some Thickers Corrugated Letters, and some puffy alphas from Hip Kit Club!

 Product List: 

• Shimmerz Paint: "Coal"
• Hip Kit Club Exclusive Alphas for "Spell" 
• The button/flair: {A Flair For Buttons} Etsy Shop  
• Advantus - Tim Holtz - Idea-ology Collection - Ephemera Pack - Expedition
• Thickers - Corrugated - Kraft Charm
• Fancy Pants - Swagger Collection - 12 x 12 Cardstock Stickers
• Kaisercraft - Art of Life Collection - "Film Strip" & " Remember"
• Martha Stewart Crafts - "Scallop Dot" Edge Punch
• Maya Road Chipboard Shipping Tags
• Tim Holtz Distress Crayons Set 3 (Vintage Photo & Black Soot)
• Tim Holtz Distress Oxides - Broken China & Vintage Photo
• Tim Holtz "Typo" Layering Stencil
• Tim Holtz Journaling Tickets
• Tonic Studios - Nuvo Embellishment Mousse - Aquamarine 
• Tonic Studios - Tim Holtz - Paper Distresser 
• The papers under the photo, the swirly gold paperclip, the heart, and "captured" all came in a RAK from Vivian Lake @ scrapbook.com (May 2017 Not To Be Squared Challenge) 
• A bit of hemp twine  
• Teal thread

Water Distressing

My husbands Great-Great-Great Grandmother. This was the first time I ever did water distressing.