Expressing from my Heart and Soul: August 2012

Friday, August 31, 2012

Welcome to the ScrapThat! September Kit Reveal and Blog Hop!!

We are super excited to bring you our AMAZING September Kit featuring the yummy

"Graphic 45 A Ladies Diary Collection"

This kit is chock full of gorgeous goodies that is sure to knock your socks off!!!! Just for starters think ribbon, ZVA Bling, Dusty Attic and Prima and ZVA Flowers and much much more.

So without further ado....introducing our

September Kit Reveal

"Victorian Dream"

Main Kit $39.99

NOTE: The Main Kit cost for non-members is $44.99
1 ea A Ladies Diary

1 ea Afternoon Tea

1 ea Delicate Details

1 ea Garden Stroll

1 ea Focal Point

1 ea Picture Perfect

1 ea Lasting Impression

1 ea Moment in Time

1 ea Bazzille Card Stock, Butterscotch

1 ea Bazzille Card Stock, Earth

1 ea Bazzille Card Stock, Leaf

1 ea Graphic45, A Ladies' Diary, Alphabet Stickers

1 ea ZVA, Self-Adhesive Embellishment

1 ea Dusty Attic - Chipboard, Wire Dress Form

1 ea Tim Holtz, Pen Nib

2 ea Paper and Present (Etsy), 4" Doilies

2 ea Wild Orchid, Large Skeleton Leaves, Bronze

2 ea Wild Orchid Crafts, Long Leaves

3 ea Petaloo, FloraDoodles Flowers, Cream

6 ea Feathers

6 ea IAMROSES, Flowers

1 Pkg ZVA, Self-Adhesive Embellishment

1 Length Sinamay 3" Ribbon

1 Length Organza w/Satin Edge (non-wired) ribbon

1 Length Tim Holtz, Film Strip Ribbon

1 Length Red Heart, Super Bulky Wool, Pheasant

1 Length Tulle, white

1 Length Metallic Stretch Cord, Gold

Embellishment Add-On $14.99

NOTE: The Embellishment Add-On cost for non-members is $17.99

1 Pkg Prima, Allegra Biscuit flowers

1 Pkg Prima, Say it in Crystals

1 Pkg Petaloo, Chipboard Deco Frames

1 ea Organza String Pouch, Bronze

1 Length Wild Orchid, Pearl String

Flower Add-On $12.99

NOTE: The Flower Add-On cost for non-members is $17.99

1 Pkg Zva, Flower with Leaves

1 Pkg Prima, Manette Flowers

1 Pkg Prima, Avon Rose Printery Flower

Paper Add-On $9.99

NOTE: The Flower Add-On cost for non-members is $12.99

1 ea A Ladies Diary

1 ea Afternoon Tea

1 ea Delicate Details

1 ea Garden Stroll

1 ea Focal Point

1 ea Picture Perfect

1 ea Lasting Impression

1 ea Moment in Time

1 ea Bazzille Card Stock, Butterscotch

1 ea Bazzille Card Stock, Earth

1 ea Bazzille Card Stock, Leaf

We are currently accepting new Kit Club Members.

For more information, complete the form on the link below:

New Subscriber

We also have our September Sketch Challenge Posted

HERE

Everyone is welcome to participate, all entries due by September 15^th

Here is my take on the sketch and my other projects:

Look at my daughter here. She is such a poser. She chose her own tang top form the store and then when I asked her to smile for the picture, she gave me this model pose. Not sure how she knew what to do.

This is a picture of my daughter when she was a baby

If you want to know how I made this dress, stay tuned for my tutorial later on this month

Our Blog Hop features 10 fantastic blogs from our Design Team

To qualify for this month's Prize you must complete the following:

* Visit each blog listed on the hop to see what each Designer has created using this month's kit and sketch (comments are very much appreciated)

* Each Designer's blog hop post will feature a word, to make up a secret sentence, collect these words along the way and follow the directions provided in ScrapThat!'s forum when you are all finished.

* You must become a FOLLOWER of each blog along the way and LIKE us on our Facebook Page!

* Post the ScrapThat! Blinkie on your blog

* The last stop on our Blog Hop is our Forum, follow the link provided and complete the remainder of the Blog Hop Instructions

The Blog Hop ends September 2nd 12AM CST

Prize MUST be claimed within 3 days of the forum announcement which will also be made on the ScrapThat! Blog

If left unclaimed a NEW winner will be chosen ~

Please Note: for anything larger than an envelope, winner will be responsible for the cost of shipping.

Prizes won during the month will be mailed out the first week of the following month.

due to Customs clearance, International mailings sometimes take 30-75 days to receive.

SECRET WORD IS:

Next hop over to:

Sandi Smith

Should you lose your way, come back here for the Blog Hop sequence:

ScrapThat! Facebook Page

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Prima BAP and Scrap That! Sneak Peeks

So today I have two reveals in one because its the last few days of the month and I can't fit everything in.

First I want to share with you my layout for the Prima BAP this month!! Then I will share the Sneak Peeks for Scrap That!'s September Kit. Can you guess by the pictures which collection is being featured??

All Products are Prima except for the doilies and the pen, ink and stamp. I stamped some white writing around the border with a script Hero Stamp.

Here are the Scrap That! Sneaks!! Have you guessed already???

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! have a fantastic day!!

Monday, August 27, 2012

Kindred Spirit

Another Bird is the Word reveal today. The last one for this month of August. It's amazing how a year passes by. I started with BITW in September of 2011. I can't believe it's been a year. Time truly flies.

Our word to use today is SPIRIT. I made a layout about my son using Kaisercraft papers and their Saturday sketch #1.

Materials

Kaisercraft papers and wooden leaves

Basic grey paper

chipboard: 2 Crafty, Dusty attic, Want 2 Scrap, Prima

Flowers: Recollections, Green Tara

Martha Stewart Punch and corner rounder set

Martha Stewart white texture paint

Dyllusions template

Ranger Distress Stain Vintage photo

Brown chalk ink by Prima

Adirondack acrylic paint dabber: sandal and expresso

Bronze Distress stickles

Cherry Lynn Designs Die cuts: Large Butterfly and baker's doily

alphas: Webster's pages and Melody Ross

Thanks for visiting me today!!

Saturday, August 25, 2012

So Happy

I've written quite a long post today so bear with me!! I know only some of you may read it but I just had to pour my heart out!!

Also don't forget my CELEBRATING LIFE GIVEAWAY (on my side bar)

So I made this layout just for fun. Its not for a DT commitment and its not for a Challenge.

Remember how we used to scrapbook just for fun?

Well I forget sometimes how that feels like. Designing for my DTs and participating in challenges is truly fulfilling creatively, but sometimes I forget to scrap for fun because I feel so much pressure trying to make my work exceptional!!

That's why this layout is just for FUN!!

I made this layout just before I went on holidays. I was away last week and pre-scheduled all my posts in advance. This week has been crazy as I've been trying to catch up on all my commitments. I guess you pay a price when you take a break but it was well worth it.

I don't usually like advertising my holidays on Facebook or on my blog because there are some Predators out there just waiting for this type of opportunity. After seeing my best friend's house ransacked from top to bottom while she was away, I take all precautions. You would be surprised at what people will steal if they had the opportunity. However most things might be insured but the most precious to me, meaning when we are all away, is my pictures. You can't re-take those memories. That is why I copy them on hard drives and keep them out of the house for safe keeping. I'm paranoid about that.

My layout is different than my usual. I guess I don't have a usual!!

Everyday I wonder if experimenting with so many different styles is "good or bad".

Here is what I ponder:

Most designers out there that belong to almost all the main Manufacturer DTs have one style only and they stick to it 99% of the time.

My problem is that I love creating in every way, shape and form. I love experimenting and trying and that leads me to new adventures in my creativity. So depending on my mood, I switch from Shabby Chic to Grunge, To Whimsy to Mixed Media. I just can't make up my mind on which I like best because I love them all the same. They fulfill different parts of my persona.

So I wonder sometimes what to do? Stick to one style in the hopes that a Manufacturer might like it or continue to be myself and experiment with different styles, methods, techniques and creations.

I think the answer is clear to me!! but I'm just wondering what your thoughts were on that matter regarding your own style?

to wrap it up here is the layout I made!! I have to give credit to my hubby for the initial idea of the carousel.

I made my own templates for the canopy and cut them out of 6x6 WP paper.

All products are Webster's pages except for the mists. I used WP papers, sparklers, alphas, lace, digi butterflies.

I cut around my kid's pictures on the Merry-go-round.

Thanks for visiting my blog

that's a wrap!!

Friday, August 24, 2012

Tulle Flower Tutorial

Here is a quick tutorial on how to make a flower with the Tulle from the August ScrapThat! Kit.

First cut the tulle into even strips of about 2-3 inches, depending on how big you want the flower to be.

Using the pearl brad from the kit, pierce 1 bunched up piece of tulle in the centre.

This is how it should look in the back

Add another piece of tulle perpendicular to the first piece. Then add a small doily from the embellishment add-on (any color you like). I chose blue.

Add 2-3 more pieces of Tulle through the brad and fill in the gaps of the petals. Then add the large doily at the end. Fold the brad out to hold the flower in place.

Here is the finished flower:

and here it is incorporated into my layout.

Thank you for visiting my blog

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

My 2 Crafty Creations in more detail

I've been away for the past week taking a much needed family vacation!! I don't usually like announcing it on public media (facebook, blog) because there are some "mean" people out there that could take advantage of an empty house if they knew we are gone!!

I apologise for not visiting everyone's blogs. This week is a catch-up week for me. I will try to visit you and leave you some love! in the meantime enjoy my 2 Crafty Reveal!!

**FOR MY GIVEAWAY PRESS HERE**

I was so thrilled to reveal my new creations for 2 Crafty last week. As promised here are the layouts in more detail with an explanation of all the techniques I used and all the chipboard pieces I added. You can also check out their Facebook page for a quick view of the DT's work.

For this layout about my daughter's love of horses I used the Horse Riding pack from 2 Crafty.

I painted the title in Adirondack acrylic paint: Sandal. Then I edged it in brown chalk ink. I used a sponge and dabbed it with watered down fluid acrylic: Yellow Ochre and Quinacridone Gold Hue. I used the same sponging technique to make the large yellow heart in the background. Finally I made lines around both hearts with a brown ink pen.

For the grass clumps I simply painted them in brown acrylic paint. I liked how they add volume to the page and set the scene.

For the Old Fence I cut it in half to use on both sides of the picture. I painted it in brown paint and then added crackle medium. (don't add too much as I found out it doesn't crackle all the way inside if its too thick)
Finally for the horse I dabbed it with Butterscotch Adirondack Acrylic paint dabber and then used the same sponge from above to add a fur like pattern on the body.

Materials used:

Papers: Creative Imaginations

Chipboard: 2 Crafty

Flowers: Recollections, I Am Roses

Wooden clock: Prima

Heidy Swapp Heart mask

Tag: Creative bags

Pin: Tim Holtz

Crackle medium

Butterscotch and Sandal Adirondack Acrylic paint dabbers,

fluid acrylic: Yellow Ochre and Quinacridone Gold Hue

Lace: unknown

Bling: Want2Scrap

For my second layout I used 4 different 2 Crafty Chipboard pieces and the sketch from Get Creative

For the Lamp Post I covered it in Martha Stewart's white texture paint. Then I edged it in Cocoa colored chalk ink to match the page. I used the same ink for the masking on the layout.

For the You & Me title I painted it with white Gesso. Then using a Crafter's Workshop template, I dabbed blue chalk ink to make the pattern, Then to soften the look I wiped off excess ink with a baby wipe.