Heartbreaker Layout Berry71Bleu August Challenge

Good afternoon fellow scrappers!  I'm up on the Berry71Bleu for the month of August.  For this month the challenge is simply to follow a sketch created by fellow DT member Sandra Przybylska.

This little 'heartbreaker' is my son at about 6 months of age.  He's wearing one of my husband's baseball caps.  This particular photo is one of my faves where the hat fell to the side of his head & he's peeking out from behind it with one eye!  :-)

Here's the sketch provided by Sandra. It's simple but very versatile.  The elements can be interpreted in so many ways.  Take this sketch & make it your own!

 I've included many embellishments, bits & bobs that go with the theme of this page.  I wanted a couple of embellishments such as the yellow elephant to represent him as a baby & the more masculine embellishments such as the bow tie & mustache is to represent the 'little man' he's growing up to be.

 Here's a close up of the the steampunk hot air balloon chipboard by Creative Embellishments.  All of the paints & mediums applied to the chippie was done with my finger.  I've been without a scrap room for over a month right now since it's being renovated & I didn't have any brushes of any kind available to me.  I'm currently scrapping out of my dining room & have access to a limited amount of supplies...so finger it was!

I first applied a coat of white gesso, followed by red acrylic paint.  I finished it up by adding a coat of transparent glitter paint & crackle paint.

 Layering several elements has lately been my go to technique.  Punchinella is slowly starting to become one of my fave background elements.  I've used a piece of bright red punchinella in the background of all my layers & I love the effect it adds as it peeks out from underneath all the layers.

Supplies: Paper - 7 Dots Studio, Chipboard - Creative Embellishments, Embellishments - Chantal Vandenberg, Freckled Fawn, Punchinella, Panda Eight Designs, Flowers - Prima, Kay's Kreative Korner, Other - Mini Wooden Fence, Sequins, Doily

Thanks for stopping by & don't forget to visit the Berry71Bleu blog & play along with this month's challenge for a chance to win one of several fabulous prizes that are up for grabs!

Enjoy the rest of the week...

You Color My World Mini Album

This colorful mini album is one that was made several months ago as a DT assignment for Authentique.  This little album measures approximately 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" inches & is ideal for storing wallet sized or 2" x 2" photos.

I've used papers from Authentique's 'Renew' collection. This mini album was made by using the meander technique.  There are countless of tutorial on YouTube & on the internet on how to go about making this type of mini album.  This was a first for me & I found it to be a very quick & easy way to create a base for a mini album.

The cover is a combination of sticker elements that I bought at my local Michaels and a color wheel stamp by Sweet Stamp Shop.  The easel  was an embellishment by Jolees..it has an actual canvas texture.  I applied a couple of alcohol ink drops directly onto the canvas.  This gave the illusion of paint splatters on the canvas.

The design of the meander album was altered slightly.  I added tags to all the pockets & created a few pages towards the center of the album that flip open & reveal more space to store additional photos.

Since I added additional flip pages to this mini--it ended up being a thick mini--but it can be tied closed with the ribbon & it's a really cute way to store pictures of kids, grand kids or even pets.  Since it's a small album, it's also convenient to carry around in a purse or tote.

The color wheel is an interactive embellishment.  You can spin the upper level of the wheel--I thought this would add a nice touch to the whole 'color' theme of the mini.

Supplies: Paper - Authentique, Stickers - Authentique, Jolees, Stamps - Sweet Stamp Shop, Ribbon - May Arts

A Blog Hop With A Difference!

Hello once again fellow scrappers & crafters!

So now I'm wondering what happened to the month of June?  I just now realized that I only posted once this past month.  June seems to have gone by in a blur.  Maybe it's because many things happen in this month.  For one, June is my birthday month.  So I spend at least one full week (at a minimum) milking my birthday!  So that means, lots of trips, outings, restaurant requests, NYC trips, craft binges etc...everything & anything that makes me happy!  Then it takes me at least another week to recover from my birthday bash.  There's a method to my madness--there really is!

The other thing about June is that it marks the middle of the year.  Six months for 2014 are behind me & I'm prepping for the next 6 months which to me, are my fave.  In these next 6 months there's the wonderful season of Autumn & along with Autumn come the pumpkin lattes, muffins, cakes and everything else pumpkin--which I love! Of course we have Christmas & the welcoming of a New Year--but let's not get ourselves TOO ahead here.

The wonderful Emma Stafrace asked me to participate in this blog hop which I found to be different from the usual blog hops.  Those who know me well know that when something different comes along I jump at the chance to participate!

Emma is such an inspirational & creative artist.  She's the mastermind behind the design of my blog & is also the owner of Page Drafts which houses a countless number of sketches that jump start my mojo every single time I visit. What always amazes me about Em is how she can create a beautifully detailed digital image & then recreate it flawlessly in either a hybrid or traditional layout.  That's talent that requires recognition!  If you're not familiar with her work--well then, what are you waiting for!?  You can find all her amazing designs on her blog 'Just a Girl With Ideas' right HERE.

So Em is quite an inspiration for yours truly--which is why I was floored when she asked me to participate as one that inspires HER.  :-)

So the idea behind this blog hop is to share a little bit about myself & my creative process & then to introduce people that inspire me.  Some of the ladies I picked may be familiar to you--others may not--but that's the idea of this blog hop.  To spread that creative love & inspiration.  At the end of this post I have listed the three ladies that inspire me--I'm sure you'll find them as creative & inspirational as I do.

So let's get to know me a little bit better shall we?

What am I working on right now?

My life is split into many different activities.  My full time job as a Quality Analyst takes up most of my day hours.  The afternoons are split between going to Zumba and shaking my bom-bom, to spending quality time with my family.  My evenings are usually my quiet time & when I work on either DT assignments or items for my Etsy shop; The Kreative Korner.  I'm currently on two design teams--Authentique & Berry71Bleu.  I'd love to be on more DT's but my schedule just doesn't allow for it.  Lately I've been experimenting more with Photoshop.  An example would be my last page 'The Breakfast Club' where I added myself to the 'Breakfast Club' ensemble as 'the rebel'.

How long does it take to create a project?

I used to take 2-3 evenings to create a project a few years back--although I believe this was because I was finding myself.  I experimented with many different styles, techniques & approaches--I believe I'm finally at a point where I'm comfortable with my style & I can now usually complete a project in a few hours; 2 to 3 hours tops. Also, my mojo has to be with me.  If my mojo isn't up to par then I can start a project--but I'll never finish it.  It's all abut the inspiration for me--to have that light bulb go off in my head and then work from there.

What are my fave things I love to create with at the moment?

Lately it's been all about layers, layers & layers paired with lots of bits & bobs.  Little unique trinkets that I can place into any cluster are my fave such as flair buttons, dominoes, spiral clips, game pieces...anything that's small & different. 

 Layers galore!  I love using multiple photos in my work & layering those as well. 

 Flowers, trinkets, buttons, arrows...lots of bits & bobs tucked in every corner.

 

How does your creative process work?

 This is a hard question because I don't seem to have one set process.  If I have to work with a determined set of supplies (like I do for my design teams) I usually let the material I'm working with determine the photos & theme of my page. If I'm free to use anything from my supplies--then I let the photos choose the theme, colors & design of my page.

How do I become inspired?

Inspiration for me can come from anything.  From sitting in my cube at the office & staring at the design of the rug to standing in line at the grocery store & admiring the design on the shirt of the person standing in front of me.   It literally comes from everything & everyone around me.  My son who is currently 20 months old is the one who most inspires me.  The faces he makes, his emotions, his reaction to new things, his desire to explore & learn--I take it all in & then try to express it via my work.

This clock was created when I kept thinking to myself how I wanted my son to stay little forever.  So I framed him into this clock.  The concept of 'capturing a moment in time' drove the inspiration behind this altered Tim Holtz clock.

What is my signature style?

I've been asked this question many times & can never really give a great answer.  I can't say I have one set style.  I can fluctuate depending on my source of inspiration, mood & amount of time I have to create a project.  There are two things that I tend to include in just about all my work--I usually include multiple photos in my projects & every single one of my pages has some form of journaling.  I use my layouts as my diary.  So it's essential for me to include dates & thoughts about the subject of my page so I can capture the specific memory & then pass it down to future generations.

Following are the three ladies that inspire me.  I'm sure you'll find them as inspirational as I do...

Lisa Griffith

 Lisa caught my eye when I visited her blog to comment on an entry for Berry71Bleu.  I immediately loved her style & I noticed right away that she has an amazing artistic eye.  The designs of her pages just 'flow' & she has the ability to add mixed media to her backgrounds without over powering the primary subject of her page.  Whether she decides to keep her designs simple or complex--the end result is always beautifully thought out.  You can see all of her fabulous creations on her blog 'The Paper Attic'.

Melenia Agapides

I first met Melenia while on the Once Upon A Sketch (OUAS) design team.  I've always admired her ability to flawlessly incorporate a number of different mixed media elements to her pages.  Melenia also has the ability to add multiple layers of a variety of different elements without the elements looking 'cluttered'.  They all come together just right & compliment each other perfectly creating a harmonious accent to the main theme of her pages.  You can visit Melenia on her blog 'A Room Full of Colours and Shapes'.

Athanasia Papantoniou

I met Athanasia on the OUAS design team as well.  I just love Athanasia's style. She can go simple or she can get fancy--any style she takes, the end result is always a feast for the eyes.  She's amazing with bright colors. Athanasia will have a bright colored background & then know exactly how to tone it down with the use of mixed media, stencils & stamps.  She also has several off the page projects such as wreaths & clay houses--you just have to check out these adorable clay houses--they're miniature works of art!  You can find Athanasia on her blog 'Athanasia: Me and Myself'.

Thanks for stopping by & I hope you enjoyed learning a bit more about me & that you discover new inspiration by visiting these three ladies.

Enjoy the rest of the week!

The Breakfast Club Layout Berry71Bleu June Challenge

Hello once again & welcome to June!  Not only is June my birthday month but I'm also hosting this month's challenge over at Berry71Bleu!  I wanted to pick a theme that can lead to lots of fun when creating your projects.  So this month's theme is: Favorite Movie or TV Show and the challenge is: Multiple Photos

Your project must be centered around your favorite movie or TV show & must consist of more than one photo.  You can use the same photo twice or use different photos--the choice is yours.  If you just can't pick one movie or TV show--then feel free to center your project on your favorite actor or actress, this counts as well.

My fave movie is 'The Breakfast Club'.  I enjoy 80's movies in general--but this is one of those movies that always makes me stop channel surfing if I come upon it.  

Thanks to the wonderful software of Photoshop--I have become an honorary member of 'The Breakfast Club'!  More on this in a few...

Here's the inspiration board.  There are just so many movies that I couldn't select just one or two images from movies--instead I opted to use quotes from many popular movies.  I also included images from Hollywood & to represent TV Shows I selected two very popular TV Shows 'Seinfeld' & 'Friends'.  Even though both have already ended--I know of many people who still enjoy the re-runs--yours truly included.  

My page is once again based on a fabulous sketch from Page Drafts.  This sketch was just perfect for the theme of my page.  I have to admit that my creative process gets a definite jump start with these sketches. 

I'm sure many of you didn't know that I was part of the original cast of 'The Breakfast Club'.  There was one character missing in the movie & that was of 'the rebel'--which was given to me.  However, I decided that acting just wasn't my 'thing'.  :-)  Hollywood just doesn't know what it's missed out on!!

I still keep in touch with Molly Ringwald **wink**.  I can't say how much fun I had editing this photo!  My husband took the photo of me sitting in our living room floor & Photoshop did the rest.  

The word bubble, honeycomb & corner scrolls are all chippies by Scrapiniec.  Papers used are by 7 Dots Studio (Illumination Collection) & from a Gauche Alchemy kit.

The stamps I used to give my background those white splatters are by Viva Las Vegas Stamps.  I applied white acrylic paint directly onto the stamp with a small foam brush & then dabbed the stamp randomly along my background.

 The small yellow ribbon flowers are items from my own stash.  You can find these plus a few more in different colors in my Etsy shop.

 I've never had the chance to work with one of Gauche Alchemy's kits--it's full of so many unique bits & bobs that I had never seen before.  They are excellent embellishments or for adding into clusters.  This kit also came with a few strips of Punchinella--also a first for me--but it won't be my last!  I love the effect Punchinella gives when embedded into the background layers of my page.

 If there's one thing I love about 'The Breakfast Club' it's all the fabulous quotes the movie has.  I've highlighted a few of these quotes as journaling strips that I've displayed right onto my page.

Take note of the two button flairs on my layout.  When I saw these I knew they were a 'must have'.  I've purchased these flairs from an Etsy shop called 'Panda Eight Designs'.  These were part of an 80's movie quote set.  What perfect embellishments for this page!

Supplies: Paper - 7 Dots Studio, Gauche Alchemy, Chipboard - Scrapiniec, Um Wow Studio, Studio Calico, Embellishments - Tim Holtz, Gauche Alchemy, Freckled Fawn, Stamps - Viva Las Vegas, Button Flairs - Panda Eight Designs, Flowers - Prima, Kay's Kreative Korner, Glitter Glue - Stickles, Other - Spiral Clips

As always thanks for stopping by & don't forget to visit the Berry71Bleu blog & play along with this months challenge for the chance to win some fabulous prizes--including a voucher to my Etsy shop!

Have a great rest of the week!

I Believe In Me Layout

There's no greater feeling than the feeling of accomplishment one feels on graduation day.   I am blessed enough to have met two educational accomplishments--the first one in my family as well!  I have both a Bachelors & Masters degree in my name & I'm quite proud of them both.  I can't say it was easy--I put in much energy, time, sweat & just plain ol' hard work into both degrees.  While I went to school I was also working & have no issues admitting that I'm still paying out my student loans--but it was all worth it in the end.

So when I saw Authentique's latest collection titled 'Accomplished' I knew this was the perfect paper for my Bachelor degree graduation photo.  I don't think I ever smiled as big as I did for this particular photo.  I was just so happy to have that degree in my hot little hands!  :-)

The collection itself is full of wonderful kraft tone papers--this gives the perfect opportunity to add a splash of color in any other tone.

 For a much needed mojo jump start on the design of my page--I went to Page Drafts once again.  I found this sketch in Page Drafts Pinterest page & felt that it would fit the vision in my head just right.

You'll notice a couple of gold stars scattered around my page--this was actually a vine from Prima that I took apart.  This way I was able to spread out the gold stars onto the background of my page.

For my mini diploma embellishment; I just rolled up a piece of scrap white paper, glued it closed & wrapped a piece of black ribbon around it.  Voila!  Instant diploma embellishment.

This wise owl is a stamp by Tattered Angels--I used owls twice on this page because of their symbolism for wisdom & knowledge. 

Layers with dimension--I enjoy making the layers pop on my pages.  It gives off a more interesting visual effect. 

The light bulb mask was used to accentuate the pattern on my background paper which is composed of mini light bulbs.  I used Black Soot Distress Ink with my stencil and then highlighted the border of the image with a fine tipped Sharpie marker.

My journaling is in the form of my favorite way of storing my thoughts--a journaling scroll.  You can find a tutorial for this scroll on my blog here. 

All the sticker elements used on this page are part of the 'Accomplished' collection--they're great for adding interest to your project or for dressing up clusters.

The best part of this page was the fact that it finally gave me a chance to use a couple of these mini wooden rulers!  I've had these rulers in my stash since before time & I finally found the right theme to bring them out & use them.  See, this is why scrappers don't throw anything out.  You never know when the right theme will pop up!

Supplies: Paper - Authentique, Stamps - Tim Holtz, Unity, Tattered Angel, Stencil - UmWow Studio, Flowers - Prima, Embellishments - Prima, Freckled Fawn, Ink - Ranger, Glitter Glue - Ranger (Stickles), Mist - Heidi Swapp, Other - Mini Wooden Ruler, Spiral Clips, Doily

Thanks to all of you who stop by for a visit--your time is always appreciated.  Have a great weekend!

Delight Layout May Berry71Bleu Challenge

Good morning!  I'm up today with my interpretation of this month's Berry71Bleu challenge which is 'Simple Pleasures'.

Oh I had so many to choose from for this challenge.  Reading books, my morning cup of coffee, taking in the morning air on a crisp Autumn morning, walking around craft stores or antique shops, taking the day off & going into New York City simply because it's there!  :-)  These are just a few of the things I like to do that bring me pleasure.

So as I sat there wondering which subject to scrap about, my Toby came up to me, gave me one of his wet kisses on my nose & proceeded to lay down on my lap which is his favorite 'resting' place.  I instantly felt loved & a sense of happiness to have this furry little guy shed a bit of love on me.  Right there I decided that my subject would be Toby or better yet--wet kisses on the nose from my little Toby!

I'm a fan of all animals but Toby has been my first dog & has taught me the wonderful lesson of unconditional love.  My Toby gives me kisses no matter how I look or feel.  He always warms my heart.

Here's the inspiration board for the challenge.  It's a soft, delicate palette--I took a queue from the colors found on the board for my layout.  I don't usually work with pastel colors--but they seemed to work out nicely this time around.  Plus pastel colors give you the option to throw in a bold color or two in order to add some 'pop' to your project.  You can find all the details for this challenge here.

 Layers, layers & oh yes, layers.  Along the background of these layers you can see paper elements peeking out from one of our sponsors Darkroom Door. 

 I'm starting to enjoy sequins more & more lately.  I like how you can add a touch of bling to your background with the use of sequins.  To me, they work along the lines of rhinestones which I've also used to dress up the background of my page.

 As is customary on all my pages--I've got a story to tell.  This time I documented my journaling onto this tag which is peeking out from behind all these layers & stored inside a white glassine bag.

 This chipboard is by Molossi.  I kept the embellishing of the chipboard simple.  I inked the chipboard with embossing ink & then spread Star Dust transparent embossing powder by Stampendous & heat set it.  I didn't add color to the chipboard & kept it in the raw--just added a bit of glimmer to it.

The pink organza ribbon star flowers seen on my page are supplies from my own stash.  I have these & a few more in different colors up for sale in my Etsy shop.  You can find them here if interested.

There's still time to play along with the Berry71Bleu May challenge.  Think about what small gesture or things put a smile on your face & pay a bit of tribute to it!  There are also some great prizes up for grabs this months...so play along if you can!

Supplies: Paper - Darkroom Door, Chipboard - Molossi, Rhinestones - Molossi, Stamps - Technique Tuesday, L'Encre et L'Image, Flair Buttons - Panda Eight Designs, Flowers, Kay's Kreative Korner, The Felt Shoppe, Mists - Heidi Swapp, Embellishments - Prima, Freckled Fawn, Heidi Swapp, Wood Veneer - Studio Calico, Other: Tulle, Doily, Spiral Clips, Sequins

Thanks for stopping by & enjoy the rest of the week...